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Big Balkan Tour in 8 Days, 9 Countries - Istanbul
Great Balkan Tour: 9 Countries in 8 Days
Greece - Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro - Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Serbia – Bulgaria
23 Cities – 5 Capitals
Kavala – Thessaloniki – Bitola–Resne-Ohrid – Struga – Tetova - Skopje – Pristina – Prizren – Shkodra – Bar – Petrovac – Budva – Kotor – Herceg Novi –Trebinje – Dubrovnik – Mostar – Sarajevo – Belgrade – Sofia
6 Nights 8 Days
Accommodation in 4* Hotels – Dinner Included
No Extra Tours – All Inclusive - Kosovo Program
Dubrovnik – Matka Canyon – Blagay Tekke – Vrelo Bosna - Sarajevo Bosnian Meatballs and Authentic Macedonian Night Programs in Local Restaurants Included
Day 1 Istanbul – Kavala
On the first day of our trip, we depart at 21:00 from Kadıköy Marriage Office, at 21:30 from in front of Mecidiyeköy Auto Expert, at 22:00 from in front of İncirli Ömür Plaza, and at 22:30 from in front of Beylikdüzü Marmara Park, and arrive at the İpsala border gate via Tekirdağ. After completing passport and customs procedures, we arrive in Kavala via Dedeağaç, Komotini, and Xanthi.
Day 2 Kavala – Thessaloniki – Bitola – Resne – Ohrid
After arriving in Kavala, we stop for breakfast and to taste the delicious Kavala cookies. After the breakfast break, we head to Thessaloniki, making a short photo stop on the beautiful Kavala coastline. Upon arrival in Thessaloniki, we begin our panoramic city tour. During our panoramic tour, we see the waterfront, White Tower, Round Tower, Fairgrounds, Thessaloniki Castle, and Ottoman and Byzantine monuments. After visiting the Church of Saint Demetrius, the largest church in Greece, and Atatürk's house, which is now also in the garden of the Turkish consulate, we depart for Bitola. Upon arrival, there are Şirok Street, Bedesten, Ishak Mosque, New Mosque, and the Military High School where Atatürk graduated, where we will experience the most emotional moments of the trip. After our visit to Bitola, we pass through Resne, the hometown of Resneli Niyazi, and arrive in Ohrid, the pearl of the Balkans. Transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast: Will be taken extra at a rest stop in Kavala.
Lunch: Will be taken extra during free time in Thessaloniki city center.- You can taste all local flavors. Guide Recommendation: Seafood and mezes.
Dinner: Will be taken at our hotel or in a restaurant and is included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel Aqulina etc. – Ohrid
Currencies: Greece - Euro , Macedonia – Denar (Average 1 Euro : 60 Denar )
Route: Istanbul-Kavala (445 km), Kavala – Thessaloniki (136 km), Thessaloniki-Bitola (219 km), Bitola – Ohrid (70 km)
Total Distance to be Covered: 870 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated depending on customs crossing time: 20:00
Day 3 Ohrid – Sveti Naum- Tetova (Kalkandelen) – Skopje
After breakfast at the hotel, we continue by crossing the Mavrovo Mountains and head out for the Ohrid tour, a Mediterranean-like town in the Balkans. We begin our tour introducing the city of Ohrid at the Port Square, and after mentioning the statues we will see there, we end our tour with a walk through the district where the historic Ohrid houses used in the filming of the series Elveda Rumeli are located, seeing the historic Ottoman houses, the Hagia Sophia church, and a presentation of the famous Ohrid Pearl, the city’s biggest symbol. Guests who wish may join the Ohrid Lake boat activity organized by our guide. (15EUR) After our tour, we carry out the St. Naum tour, which is the source of Ohrid Lake and hosts magnificent views. After the tour, we begin our journey to the capital, Skopje. Along our route, we visit Tetova (Kalkandelen), the country’s 3rd largest city and the most densely populated by Albanians. We visit the Colorful Mosque and the Imaret, founded by two sisters. We begin our tour introducing this city, where two different cultures are separated by the famous Vardar River, with the Macedonian side, which we can call the land of statues. Among the statues we will first see will be the giant statue of Alexander the Great, then we cross the Historic Stone Bridge over the Vardar River and experience how cultures suddenly change as we move to the Turkish Bazaar of Skopje, one of the most distinguished bazaars of the Ottoman Balkans. Speaking about the statues at the entrance of the bazaar, we begin our bazaar tour with the historic Davut Pasha Bath, and continue by seeing Kapan Han, one of the most important structures of the Ottoman bazaar organization, and Murat Pasha Mosque, which has survived despite earthquakes, and conclude our tour. After our visits, one hour of free time will be given for shopping in the Turkish Bazaar. Among the items available are Shushka peppers, Strumica peanuts, and clogs. At the end of our tour, transfer to our hotel and check-in to the rooms. Afterwards, Macedonian Night with extra local dishes and music at a place determined by the guide. (Included in the price). Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast: Will be taken as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: Will be taken extra at facilities serving authentic flavors on the Ohrid – Skopje route.
Dinner: Macedonian Night with extra local dishes and music at a place determined by the guide. Included in the price
Accommodation: Hotel Gold etc. – Skopje
Currencies: Macedonia – Denar (Average 1 Euro : 60 Denar )
Route: Ohrid – Skopje (175 km)
Total Distance to be Covered: 170 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated: 20:00
Day 4 Skopje – Prizren – Shkodër or Podgorica
After breakfast at the hotel, we take the Matka Canyon tour, known for its unique beauty (Included in the price.) Afterwards, we begin our journey to the capital of Kosovo, Pristina. After crossing the Kosovo border gate, we continue with a panoramic pass through Pristina, the Kosovo Plain where the Kosovo War took place, and a visit to the Tomb of Sultan Murad I Hüdavendigar, then continue to Prizren. Arrival in Prizren. City tour in Prizren, the most densely populated by Turks in the country, an authentic city. During our panoramic tour of Prizren, one of perhaps the most charming cities in the Balkans, we will see the 17th-century Turkish Bath, Sinan Pasha Mosque built in 1615, and Prizren Castle. After the visits, free time for lunch. After meeting, we cross into Albania and head to Podgorica. Travel to the country of Montenegro, one of Europe’s youngest states, via a city pass through Shkodër. With the border crossing and the journey continuing in Montenegro, we arrive at our accommodation point. Hotel check-in. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast: Will be taken as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: In Prizren, it can be taken extra at the facilities our guide recommends in the Şadırvan Square area.
Dinner: Will be taken at our hotel or in a restaurant and is included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel Oasis etc. – Podgorica
Currencies: Kosovo - Euro , Montenegro – Euro
Route: Skopje – Pristina (92 km), Pristina – Prizren (85 km), Prizren – Podgorica (238 km)
Total Distance to be Covered: 415 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated depending on customs crossing time: 20:00
Day 5 Podgorica - Budva – Kotor – Dubrovnik – Trebinje or Surroundings
After breakfast, our first stop is a break where you can view the magnificent St. Stefan from above, a place that was once a settlement area for fishermen, later expropriated and then sold to a Singaporean multimillionaire, and today a holiday destination for the jet-set. (Depending on parking availability) We continue along roads with extraordinary views on the Adriatic coast, arriving in Kotor with a panoramic Budva passage. In Kotor, Old Town, St. Tryphon and Nikola Churches, and the historic Clock Tower are some of the places we will see. After our visit to Kotor, in the afternoon we cross into Croatia, one of the three main states that formed former Yugoslavia, known for adopting the Catholic faith and, due to its more dominant Adriatic coastline, being closer to Italian-Mediterranean culture than Balkan culture. After a scenic short drive for the Dubrovnik tour (Included in the price), arrival in Dubrovnik, which is called Ragusa in Italian, one of the oldest trade ports in the Adriatic, and which, due to being under Venetian influence for many years, contains a magnificent history-nature synthesis with Italian-style architecture and city texture. We begin our tour introducing this beautiful city with the Old Town Square, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city towers and walls, St. Blaise Church, Knez Palace, the statue of the famous poet Gundulic, the historic fountain, and the 14th-century pharmacy are some of the other places we will see. Then free time to spend in the magical atmosphere of this beautiful city.
After our tour, transfer to our hotel. Accommodation at our hotel in Trebinje or surrounding area. (Accommodation city may change depending on season density)
Breakfast: Will be taken as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: Will be taken extra during free time in Kotor city center.- You can taste all local flavors. Guide Recommendation: Seafood, mezes, grills, local drinks
Dinner: Will be taken at our hotel or in a restaurant and is included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel Leotar etc.
Currencies: Montenegro – Euro , Croatia – Euro , Bosnia and Herzegovina – Convertible Mark (Average Rate 1 Euro : 1.95 KM )
Route: Shkodër-Budva (86 km), Budva – Kotor (23 km) , Kotor - Dubrovnik (90 km) , Dubrovnik – Trebinje (31 km)
Total Distance to be Covered: 230 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated depending on customs crossing time: 21:00
Day 6 Trebinje or (Neum) - Blagay – Mostar – Sarajevo
After breakfast, departure for Mostar. Before arriving in Mostar, we carry out the Blagay Tekke Blagay tour. (Included in the price) After arriving in Mostar, in our city tour on foot, we first see the Mostar Bridge. (The bridge, built by Architect Hayreddin in 1557, is a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture.) The bridge was destroyed by Croatian artillery in the war that took place in 1992, but was reopened in 2004 with major contributions from the Republic of Turkey. We tour the old city bazaar. After free time where you can shop at Mostar’s local markets, we depart for Sarajevo. After arrival, we carry out our panoramic city tour in Sarajevo, which for centuries was the cultural capital of the Balkans, became the place where World War I broke out after Austro-Hungarian heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed here by Serbs in 1914, and was heavily damaged in the 1992 war due to devastating wars among Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks, yet still largely preserves its beauty. We take a stroll in Baščaršija, the most exceptional bazaar in Europe. In our tour introducing this cultural city, we begin with the Sarajevo Sebilj Fountain, which has become almost the symbol of the Bazaar, and continue with Morica Han, one of the most authentic points of the city. Then we visit Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque, a relative of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. In the continuation of our tour, we see the Clock Tower, the famous fountain that has become a ritual, and the meeting point of cultures; this avenue is also where the symbolic Eternal Flame monument is located, and then we move on to free time. Guests who wish may photograph the Latin Bridge, where World War I broke out, during free time. After our tour and free time, transfer to our hotel.
Afterwards, Bosnian Meatballs at a local restaurant determined by the guide. (Included in the price) Accommodation at our hotel in Sarajevo.
Breakfast: Will be taken as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: Will be taken extra during free time in Mostar city center.- You can taste all local flavors. Guide Recommendation: Bosnian burek, stuffed onions, meatballs, Bosnian coffee
Dinner: Bosnian Meatballs at a local restaurant. Included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel Holiday etc. – Sarajevo
Currencies Bosnia and Herzegovina – Convertible Mark (Average Rate 1 Euro : 1.95 KM )
Route: Trebinje-Počitelj (108 km), Počitelj – Blagay (23 km) ,Blagay - Mostar (12 km), Mostar– Sarajevo (126 km)
Total Distance to be Covered: 269 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated depending on customs crossing time: 20:00
Day 7 Sarajevo – Belgrade
After breakfast, departure for Belgrade. Before the journey, we carry out the Vrelo Bosna tour, located on the slopes of Mount Igman, Sarajevo’s water source and the largest national park in Bosnia. (Included in the price) After our journey, we begin our Belgrade city tour, one of Europe’s oldest cities and the new symbol of vitality and movement, with Knez Mihailova Street, the city’s most elegant avenue. Then we move on to Belgrade Fortress, one of the supply centers of the Ottoman fleet, where Fatih Sultan Mehmed was wounded for its sake but whose conquest was achieved by Suleiman the Magnificent. Inside the fortress, we conclude our tour at the terrace area where we will see the Victory Monument, French statue, Istanbul Gate, Military Museum, Damat Ali Pasha Tomb, Sokullu Fountain, and the meeting point of the Danube and Sava rivers, which offers the city’s most beautiful view. Guests who wish may join the Danube and Sava river boat activity organized by our guide. (20 EUR) After the tour, we move to free time. Accommodation at our hotel in Belgrade.
Breakfast: Will be taken as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: Free time extra at the rest stop determined by the guide between Sarajevo – Belgrade.
Dinner: Will be taken at our hotel or in a restaurant and is included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel B etc. - Belgrade
Currencies Bosnia and Herzegovina – Convertible Mark (Average Rate 1 Euro : 1.95 KM ) , Serbia – Dinar (Average Rate 1 Euro : 115 Dinar )
Route: Sarajevo – Belgrade (284 km)
Total Distance to be Covered: 284 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated depending on customs crossing time: 20:00
Day 8 Belgrade – Sofia – Istanbul
After breakfast, departure for Sofia. Upon arrival, we begin our panoramic Sofia city tour. Among the places to be seen during our panoramic city tour are the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the largest church in the Balkans, the National Library, Sofia University, the Old Royal Palace, the National Bulgarian Theatre built in neo-classical style, the Archaeological Museum, Old Sofia - Trade Union City, and the Rotunda Church. Then, a panoramic view and photo break at the Sofia Statue by walking next to the parliament building, and we visit the Banya Bashi Mosque, the city’s symbol. After our visits and free time, we depart for Turkey. After passport and customs procedures and a free shop shopping break at the Kapıkule border gate, where we will arrive in the evening, we enter Turkey. Proceeding via the Çorlu road, the program ends upon arrival at the Istanbul starting points.
Breakfast: Will be taken as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: , Will be taken extra during free time in Sofia.
Dinner: Will be taken extra at a rest stop on the Edirne-Istanbul highway.
Currencies Bulgaria – Lev (Average Rate 1 Euro : 1.95 Lev )
Route: Belgrade - Sofia (393 km) Sofia-Istanbul ( 553 km)
Arrival Time in Istanbul: Estimated depending on customs crossing time : 02:00
What's Included
✅ Transportation with luxury buses
✅ Local professional Turkish-language guiding services
✅ Accommodation with breakfast included for a total of 6 nights in 4* hotels: 1 night in Skopje, 1 night in Ohrid, 1 night in Podgorica or surroundings, 1 night in Trebinje or surroundings, 1 night in Sarajevo, 1 night in Belgrade
✅ Four dinners taken at hotels in Ohrid, Podgorica, Trebinje, and Belgrade
✅ Macedonian Night (Balkan Night) at a local restaurant
✅ Bosnian Meatballs at a local restaurant
✅ Panoramic city tours of Thessaloniki, Skopje, Tetovo, Ohrid, Tirana, Budva, Kotor, Mostar, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Sofia, Plovdiv
✅ Monastery Tour
✅ Dubrovnik tour
✅ Matka Canyon tour
✅ Prizren Tour
✅ Blagaj Tour
✅ Vrelo Bosne tour
✅ Kosovo entrance fee
✅ Mandatory local guiding services taken in some cities
✅ All highway checkpoint and parking fees
✅ Customs duties
✅ Panoramic city tours specified in the program
✅ Limited water service on the bus
Not Included
❌ Museum and archaeological site entrance fees
❌ Organized by the guide
❌ All personal expenses
❌ Lunches
❌ Drinks taken with meals
❌ Driver and guide tips
❌ Multiple Schengen Visa (Green Passport holders are exempt from visas)
❌ International departure tax
❌ Overseas travel health insurance
INFORMATION
- Our guests who participate must have a valid Multi (Multiple-Entry) Schengen visa for the entire duration of the tour. (Holders of Green Passports are exempt from visa requirements.)
- During the tour, having Euros is sufficient for shopping and spending in all countries included in the program. In regions where local currency is used, the guide will assist with currency exchange.
- Comfortable walking shoes or sneakers should be preferred during the trip. It is advisable to bring a cardigan or similar clothing for the night.
- On our tours, seat rotation (seat changes) is implemented daily in the seating arrangement, and no fixed seat or front-row seat guarantee is provided. Seat changes are organized by the vehicle guide.
- When entering Turkey from abroad, there is a minimum 3-day accommodation requirement in order to bring goods (alcohol, cigarettes, etc.).
- Duty-free shopping limits when entering Turkey from abroad: Cigarettes: 3 cartons, Alcoholic Beverages: 1 liter of alcoholic drink (excluding alcoholic beverages containing more than 22% alcohol, wine and champagne), Alcoholic Beverages: 2 liters of alcoholic drink (including alcoholic beverages containing less than 22% alcohol, wine and champagne), Perfume: 600 ml, Makeup or Skincare Products: 5 items, Chocolate and Confectionery: 2 kg, Coffee: 1 kg, Tea: 1 kg
- In the tour program, guides may make changes to the flow of the program depending on weather and road conditions, provided that all places specified in the program are shown.
- Guests who register for the tour have the right to cancel free of charge up to 30 days before departure. If there are fewer than 30 days left until the tour date, a 30% penalty applies; if there are 20 days or less, a 100% penalty applies. Unfortunately, hospital reports, workplace permission documents, etc. issued by authorities in Turkey and submitted with the participant's cancellation request are not accepted for the cancellation of hotels and services to be used outside Turkey.
- Our tour program is organized with a minimum participation of 25 people. If sufficient participation is not achieved for the trip, the latest cancellation notification date is 20 days before the tour departure. The tour canceled due to insufficient participation will be announced by Lidya Tour.
- In cases where only category information is provided without specifying a hotel name in the tour program and/or there are alternatives for the same destination, the hotel(s) will be announced by Lidya Tour 2 days before the trip departure.
- During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events, sports tournaments, etc., hotels may be used at distances greater than the specified kilometers. In such a case, information will be provided by Lidya Tour 15 days before the tour departure date.
- Triple rooms may be provided depending on hotel availability, and the bed allocated to the 3rd person in such rooms is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 extra bed. Since extra beds are foldable or coach beds, tour participants are deemed to have accepted the possible cramped space in the rooms and the bed type in 3rd-person and/or child reservations. Child discounts are valid only for one child staying with 2 adults, provided the child falls within the applicable age group.
- Breakfasts included among the services in the tour program are served in accordance with the breakfast culture of the country visited and generally consist of a limited menu called continental breakfast, including butter, jam, bread, tea, or coffee, and may be served in a separate hall allocated to the group.
- Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are tours organized for the general introduction of cities, lasting at most 2-3 hours, conducted panoramically from inside the vehicle with guide commentary, and do not include entrance fees to museums or historical sites. Lidya Tour is not responsible for the inability to carry out such tours, including other tours specified in the program, if they cannot take place on the day and time scheduled due to restrictions by local authorities, road closures caused by any event, or if weather conditions make the tour impossible. Some tours may be conducted by public transport or on foot where possible in areas with closed roads or where vehicle entry is not permitted.
- Waiting times at customs gates crossed by road during the trip may exceed standards, and Lidya Tour cannot be held responsible for any inconveniences arising from such waiting times.
- Extra tours are organized by the local provider we work with, Lidya Tour, with a minimum participation requirement of 20 people. If the required number is not reached, excursions cannot be held, or the prices, content, and vehicle used for extra excursions may vary depending on the number of participants. In addition, the days and times of the tours may be changed by the guide according to the opening/closing status of museums and historical sites at the destinations and weather conditions.
- Extra tours are optional and not mandatory. Passengers who do not wish to participate in extra tours organized during the tour are deemed to have accepted waiting at a suitable rest stop along the route. These passengers will be left at a roadside rest facility before the extra tour begins and picked up from the point where they were left after the tour is completed.
- For those participating in tours by plane, the required check-in and boarding procedures are personal procedures and must be completed by the guest before the flight at the relevant airline counters at airports or online on the airline companies' websites.
- Lidya Tour is not responsible for the failure of persons who are not present at the specified airport at the times announced by Lidya Tour for participation in the tour, who do not complete check-in and boarding procedures on time, or who complete check-in and boarding procedures on time but do not board the plane, to take the flight. The cost of new round-trip plane tickets required for those who miss the plane to join the tour, and all expenses for transfers in the destination area, are their responsibility.
- Lidya Tour is an intermediary between the airline and the passenger and is subject to the Hague Protocol of 28.09.1955. Delays may occur on scheduled and special flights, or the times before the current trip and flight may change. Lidya Tour is obliged to notify these changes as soon as possible. The passenger has purchased the trip accepting the risk of schedule changes. Children aged 0-2 do not pay airport tax and airport service fees.
- The types of vehicles used in our tours are classified as follows according to the number of people. The vehicle types below are assigned according to the number of participants in each tour.
Buses: (Used for 25 - 46 people) *Mercedes Travego/Tourismo *NEOPLAN Cityliner/Tourliner -*Temsa Safir/Maraton *Man Fortuna
Midibuses: (Used for 17 - 24 people) *Isuzu Turkuaz , *Otokar Mega
Minibuses: (Used for up to 16 people) *Vw Volt , *Mercedes Sprinter
- All guests are deemed to have sold the tour by accepting the above-mentioned items.
- Book Now & Pay Later. · Make your reservation now, pay anytime before the tour starts.