Grand Balkan Private Tour; Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania & Slovenia; Zagreb return 16nts

Itinerary

Fully Private Tour Package with your own Private Tour Guide with you the whole way! Minimum 2 people. All you need to do is relax and enjoy your time in each city with everything taken care of!

See all our Private Tour Packages:
https://discovercroatia.com.au/tours/private-tours/

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INCLUSIONS AND FULL ITINERARY:
17 days from Zagreb, Sarajevo, Beograd, Novi Sad, Skopje, Ohrid, Tirana, Kruje, Budva, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Pelješac Peninsula, Korčula, Mostar, Split, Trogir, Zadar, Plitvice Lakes, Postojna Cave, Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Bohinj and back to Zagreb (Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia)

INCLUDED:
• Accommodation at selected hotels, taxes included
• Breakfast daily
• 1 x wine tasting Pelješac
• Entrances as per program
• Local guides: Zagreb, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Skopje, Ohrid, Tirana, Budva, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Korčula, Mostar, Split, Trogir, Plitvice lakes
• Professional English-speaking Tour Director/Driver from day 1 to day 17
• Touring with air-conditioned vehicle from day 1 to day 17
• Arrival and departure transfers

Hotels:
• ZAGREB: Hotel Dubrovnik 4star or similar
• SARAJEVO: Hotel Central 4star or similar
• BEOGRAD: Hotel Moskva 4star or similar
• SKOPJE: Hotel Arka 4star or similar
• OHRID: Hotel Park Lake Side 4star or similar
• TIRANA: Tirana International Hotel & Conference Center 4star or similar
• BUDVA: Hotel Astoria 4star or similar
• DUBROVNIK: Hotel Lero 4star similar
• SPLIT: Hotel Globo 4star or similar
• ZADAR: Hotel Kolovare 4star or similar
• PLITVICE: Hotel Jezero 4star or similar
• LJUBLJANA: Hotel Urban 4star or similar


ITINERARY:

Day 1: Arrival in Zagreb
Arrive at Zagreb airport or train station and meet with your tour director for the entire trip. Transfer to your hotel in Zagreb. In the afternoon, meet with your local guide for an afternoon city tour of Croatian lively capital city full of coffee shops, restaurants, and a welcoming atmosphere. Overnight in Zagreb.

Day 2: Zagreb - Sarajevo
We will depart Zagreb and head to the capital of Sarajevo. A city where three different important events happened just in the previous century. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand that started the 1 WW (explained in the Sarajevo 1878–1918 museum.), hosting of the 1984 winter Olympics (view of the Olympic stadium, Zetra and Skenderija hall), and a siege in the early 90ies that changed the lives of so many of its inhabitants (visit of the Tunnel Museum). The city is a mixture of eastern and western influences, churches and mosques looking at each other from one square to another, Turkish Bascarsija with small artisan shops on one side and Viennese style coffee shops on the other, modern architecture mixed with centuries-old houses and much more. All of this will be explained to you by your local guide. Overnight in Sarajevo. (B)

Day 3: Sarajevo - Beograd
Depart Sarajevo and head to Belgrade, once the capital of the former republic of Yugoslavia, ruled by its president for life, Josip Broz – Tito. Yugoslavia, literally The land of South Slavs, was established during the second WW and consisted of 6 different republics. The breakup was followed by a war, whose scars you can still see in the cities and in the countryside of some of the countries we will pass on the tour. (B)

Day 4: Beograd – Novi Sad - Beograd
Beograd is a city build where the Sava River meets the Danube river. Full of controversy between socialist blocks, Ottoman relics, and Austro-Hungarian architecture, it represents the cultural, scientific, and administrative center of the capital. We will enjoy a stroll along the pedestrian Knez Mihailov boulevard, visit one of the numerous museums (such as the Museum of Yugoslav history, with the House of Flowers, the mausoleum of Tito) or in your free time, have a drink on one of the rafts docked on the Danube river. After the city tour, the local guide will escort you to the city of Novi Sad, the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. Once an important trading and manufacturing centre, earned the nickname of the 'Serbian Athens'. Overnight in Belgrade. (B) 

Day 5: Beograd - Skopje
Today we leave Belgrade and head to another capital, Skopje, and Macedonian largest city. Do not be fouled by the modern architecture, result of a controversial, nationalistic project called “Skopje 2014”, Skopje still has a genuine historic core, Ottoman and Byzantine sights are focused around the city’s old Turkish bazaar Carsija, bordered by the 15th century Stone bridge and Tvrdina Kale Fortress, the city’s guardian since the 5th century. We will visit the Mustafa Pasha mosque and Mother Teresha house during the city tour with the local guide. Overnight in Skopje. (B)

Day 6: Skopje - Ohrid
After breakfast, departure towards Lakeside resort of Ohrid. Upon arrival, meet with the local guide and depart on a walk through the cobblestone streets of the old town. Enter the Church of St. Sofia, containing magnificent frescos from the 10th century, continue to the St. Naum Monastery, first established in the 10th century and notable for its iconostasis with gold plating dating from 1711. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Ohrid. (B)

Day 7: Ohrid - Tirana
We leave Ohrid and travel to Tirana. On our walking tour with the local guide, we see the Skanderbeg Square, the Mosque of Et’hemBey, the Clock tower, the statue of G. K. Skanderbeg, Albania’s national hero, and the Palace of Culture, built with Soviet assistance. We visit the National History Museum with a mosaic on its façade portraying Albanian history. Overnight in Tirana. (B)

Day 8: Tirana – Kruje - Budva
Today we stop in Kruje, where we visit the Castle and the Bazaar, on our way to Budva, a small coastal town in Montenegro. Montenegro’s most popular tourist resort has attracted numerous Russian tourists in recent years but still managed to keep its charm in the old city centre surrounded by the city walls. This afternoon we explore the city with our local guide. Overnight in Budva. (B)

Day 9: Budva – Kotor - Dubrovnik
Traveling along the Bay of Kotor on our journey to Dubrovnik, the first stop will be in the charming town of Kotor. Squeezed between high mountains and the Adriatic sea, the city is known for its rich history.
The Venetian rule, Ottoman rule, Habsburgs, and Napoleonic rule all left marks in the town's architecture. Surrounded by city walls and fortifications, Kotor attracts numerous visitors who travel here by land, by sea, and by air. On our city tour, we will admire the buildings of the Maritime Museum, the Cathedral of st. Triphon and st. Nicholas church. After some free time, our next stop will be Perast, where we will board a boat that will take us to a small island with a church dedicated to Our lady on the rocks. In the late afternoon, we will arrive at Dubrovnik for overnight. (B) 

Day 10: Dubrovnik
Today we spend the whole day exploring this Adriatic treasure. The local guide will take us on a walk through the city’s cobblestone streets, we will enter the Franciscan monastery with the 3rd oldest still functioning pharmacy in the world. But in the afternoon will be free to explore the city on your own. You will be able to take the cable car to the top of Mt. Srd (optional) to admire the amazing view over the fortified town or take a scenic boat ride (optional) to see the majestic city walls from a different perspective and of course, walk the walls itself. Overnight in Dubrovnik. (B)

Day 11: Dubrovnik – Pelješac – Korčula - Dubrovnik
Today we will depart on a day trip to the second-largest peninsula in Croatia. Pelješac is known for its long tradition of wine production, olive trees orchards, figs, mandarins, pomegranates, and other Mediterranean delights. We will stop in the city of Ston. After the relaxing stop, we will continue to board a boat that will take us to the island of Korčula. The birthplace of Marco Polo, the island is also known for its rich art, culture, and beautiful nature. You will explore Korčula town with your local guide and after some free time, return to Dubrovnik. On our way back we will make a stop at a local winery on Pelješac peninsula for wine tasting. Overnight in Dubrovnik. (B)

Day 12: Dubrovnik – Mostar - Split
After breakfast departure again to Bosnia and Hercegovina. We will visit the town of Mostar, known for its 16th century Ottoman Old bridge. Despite being demolished during the conflict that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia it has been completely rebuilt and regained its position as the most prominent landmark of this Herzegovina town. During the walking tour with a local guide, you will see the old Ottoman city centre, the Old Bridge, the Neretva river, and the Franciscan monastery. Continue to Split for overnight. (B)

Day 13: Split – Trogir - Zadar
After breakfast, we will start with a morning tour of Split. The second-largest city of Croatia became famous because of an ancient palace, built by Roman Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian’s Palace was meant to be his retirement home. The palace and its surroundings were later inhabited by the locals and despite the changes made through the centuries, it is still an integral part of the city and therefore still very much alive. We will proceed with our journey north along the Dalmatian coast. Our next stop will be on a small island of Trogir, whose importance was also recognized by Unesco. The local guide will show you the old town, including the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, the Kamerlengo fortress, and other medieval palaces. Driving on the scenic Adriatic Magistrale, we will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the blue Adriatic sea dotted with small islands that attract so many visitors during the summer. Upon arrival to Zadar, your tour director will take you on a short orientation tour, showing you one of the most popular attractions of the city, the Sea Organ and Greetings to the sun, whose true beauty is best seen just before the sun give its final goodbye and sets into the Adriatic sea. Overnight in Zadar. (B) 

Day 14: Zadar - Plitvice
Leaving Zadar and driving inland to one of the biggest gems of inland Croatia, its National park of Plitvice Lakes. The park was established in 1949, which makes it the oldest in Croatia and listed under Unesco 1979. It covers an area of just under 300 square kilometres but its main attractions are the 16 named lakes and the waterfalls created by travertine. The play of the sun on the surface of the water, together with the microorganisms and algae, gives the lakes their distinctive color varying from blue to emerald to green and almost black in the colder months. All the beauties of its flora and fauna will be presented to you by your local guide from the park. Overnight in Plitvice Lakes. (B)

Day 15: Plitvice – Postojna – Ljubljana
We cross the border and journey to Slovenia. The first stop is the majestic Postojna caves, stretching over 24 kilometres underground. Discovered in 1818, this breathtaking underworld is full of stalactites, stalagmites, and other wonders that took millions of years to create. Upon your visit, you will even get a glimpse of Slovenia’s dragons, the human fish or proteus. Visit of the caves is done partly by a small electric train and partly on foot, which makes it accessible to everyone. After the visit, we continue to the country’s capital, Ljubljana. Meet with our local guide and together we will admire the capital's Roman traces, baroque architecture, art nouveau Prešeren square, central food market, its numerous churches, and museums. And all this time, we will be guarded by Ljubljana castle, looking at us from the castle hill. Overnight in Ljubljana. (B)

Day 16: Ljubljana – Bled – Bohinj - Ljubljana
The morning will be dedicated to the fairytale Bled. During the tour, you will visit Bled castle. Bled Castle was first mentioned in the year 1011 and is one of the oldest Slovenian castles. It is perched on a cliff high above the lake and offers you a stunning view of the lake and surrounding mountains. In the afternoon we will visit the nearby Bohinj Lake and you will have the possibility to take a cable car to Mount Vogel or simply admire the breathtaking scenery and relax. Overnight in back in Ljubljana. (B)

Day 17: depart Ljubljana/Zagreb
After breakfast departure transfer to the airport of Ljubljana/Zagreb. (B)

B= Breakfast

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