Magnificent Balkans: 6 Countries, 7 Nights – with Turkish Airlines 2026 (Autumn Season) (SKP - PRN)

Meeting at the Turkish Airlines counter in the International Departures terminal of Istanbul Airport 3 hours before the flight. After baggage, ticket, and passport procedures, departure for Skopje at 07:25 on Turkish Airlines’ scheduled flight TK 1003. Following our arrival at 07:55 local time, we set off with our vehicle waiting at the airport towards Matka Canyon. The canyon is famous for its prehistoric caves and many medieval monasteries. After a photo stop at Matka Canyon, one of Macedonia’s most popular outdoor destinations and natural beauties, we depart for entity["place","Tetovo","north macedonia city"]. In Tetovo, we will visit the Alaca Mosque, an architectural masterpiece built in 1438 and restored in 1833, featuring bright floral paintings unlike other Ottoman mosques typically decorated with ceramic tiles. After our visit, we depart for Bitola. During our city tour of Bitola, the places to be seen include the Historic Turkish Bazaar, Bedesten, Ishakiye Mosque, the New Mosque, one of the most prominent elements of the city skyline, and the Bitola Military High School, where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk graduated, along with the Atatürk Museum, where you will experience emotional moments during our visit. You may have lunch during the free time in the area. After our break, we depart for Ohrid, our final destination of the day. Situated between high mountains and Lake Ohrid, this city continues to impress its visitors with its nature as well as its history. During our panoramic walking tour of Ohrid, we will see Tsar Samuel’s Fortress, which greets the city like a crown above the old town, the Church of St. Sophia, the Ancient Theatre, the only Hellenistic theatre in North Macedonia that has survived to the present day, and many churches and monasteries dating from the Byzantine period. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel. 

After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we depart from our hotel by private buses for the Lake Ohrid & St. Naum tour. Our first stop on the tour is Lake Ohrid. Lake Ohrid is one of North Macedonia’s largest and most important natural treasures and is located in the southwestern part of the country. Regarded as one of the oldest and deepest lakes in the world, Lake Ohrid is famous for its wonderfully clear waters, surrounding natural beauty, unique world-renowned aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 endemic species, and rich biodiversity. During our break around the lake, you will have the opportunity to take unique photographs. Following our tour, we arrive at St. Naum after an approximately 45-minute journey accompanied by breathtaking views. Upon arrival, we visit the Monastery and Church of St. Naum, one of the most important saints of the region. The historic church, frescoes, and other religious structures inside the monastery reflect the artistic and architectural understanding of the Medieval period. Following our tour, we transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After having breakfast at our hotel and checking out, we depart for Tirana, the capital of Albania. During our panoramic city tour of Tirana, the Ethem Bey Mosque, Clock Tower, Skanderbeg Monument and Square are among the sights to be seen. Following the free time, we depart for Shkodër at the time specified by our guide. During the city tour, the Abu Bakr Mosque, Rozafa Castle, Tito Square and Monument to the Five Heroes are among the sights to be seen. We then transfer to our hotel and have free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After having breakfast at our hotel and vacating our rooms in the morning, we depart for Montenegro. Upon reaching the border and completing customs and passport procedures, we take a break on a hill where we can enjoy a panoramic view of St. Stefan, once a fishing village and later transformed into a city, as well as its turquoise-colored shores, which continue to defy the passage of time unchanged.  We then arrive in Budva, the center of Montenegro’s tourism, known for its coastal area on the Adriatic Sea, well-preserved medieval walled city, sandy beaches, and vibrant nightlife. During our walking city tour, the Old Town Center (Stari Grad) and Budva      Castle are among the places to be seen. After free time for lunch, we depart for Kotor at the time specified by our guide. Located at the deepest part of the Bay of Kotor, the city is known for its beautiful architecture and natural surroundings. Here, we will discover Kotor by taking a walking city tour in Stari Grad, the Old Town Center. After our visit to Kotor, we proceed to the Bosnia and Herzegovina border and, following customs procedures, transfer to our hotel in our final stop, Trebinje, or its surroundings. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast at our hotel and checking out of our rooms, we set off to explore the historic cities of Bosnia. First, we will visit Počitelj, known as the Turkish Village and preserved with all its historic character, located along our route, where we will see the buildings constructed during the Ottoman Period in the 16th century and Počitelj Fortress. Our next stop will be Blagaj.  In this historic town, we will see Blagaj Tekke, built as a dervish lodge during the Ottoman Period, located on the banks of the Buna River and surrounded by high cliffs. You may have lunch during the free time to be given on the banks of the Buna River. Following the break, we will arrive in Mostar after a short journey. During our walking tour of the city, founded around the Neretva River, we will first see Mostar Bridge. A masterpiece of Ottoman architecture, the bridge is the symbol of the city. Although it was destroyed in the clashes that took place toward the end of 1992, it was rebuilt in 2004 with significant contributions from the Republic of Türkiye. The Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque is also among the places we will see during our tour. Following our tour, we will depart for Sarajevo. The capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo is also a highly significant center in the Balkans.  The city is a meeting point for Roman Catholics in the west, Eastern Orthodox Christians in the east, and Ottoman peoples in the south. While it has been an example of the clash of civilizations throughout history, it is also a beacon of hope for peace with its multiculturalism and tolerance. Known for its religious diversity, the city has been home to Muslims, Christians belonging to different denominations, and Jews living together for centuries. Reflecting its broad historical diversity in its architecture as well, some parts of the city resemble a Central European city, while just a few streets away it is possible to encounter the influences of Ottoman or Soviet-style socialist modernism. After arriving in the city center, during our walking city tour we will see Vijecnica (Central Library), built as a municipal building during the Austro-Hungarian Empire but now used as the national library, Inat Kuca with its surprising story, the Bosna River, the Latin Bridge, which has survived from the Ottoman Period, and the spot where the Austro-Hungarian archduke was shot, sparking the First World War. We will then proceed to Baščaršija, Sarajevo’s historic center, famous for its narrow cobblestone streets dating from the Ottoman Period, traditional bazaar, and historic mosques. In this area, it is possible to hear the call to prayer at the same time as you pass by a church or synagogue. Baščaršija Sebilj and Pigeon Square, the historic clock tower, the Sacred Heart Cathedral, and Morića Han, the only Ottoman inn preserved to the present day from the Ottoman Period, are among the places we will see in the Baščaršija area. We will conclude our tour by also seeing the Eternal Flame (Vječna Vatra), dedicated to the military and civilian victims who liberated Sarajevo during the Second World War.  The monument consists of tiles bearing inscriptions in the colors of the former Yugoslav flag (blue, white, and red), and it contains a copper vessel shaped like a laurel wreath with an open flame that is always burning inside. Following our tour, free time. Transfer to our hotel at the time specified by our guide. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After having breakfast at our hotel in the morning and checking out, we set off towards Belgrade. Upon arrival in Belgrade, we begin our panoramic city tour. During our panoramic city tour, we see the city’s daily life, important buildings, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs building, bombed by NATO and deliberately left in the middle of the city. Continuing our tour, during the walking tour we take after getting off our bus, we will see the Bajrakli Mosque, Belgrade Fortress, Damat Ali Pasha’s Tomb, the Clock Tower, the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Fountain, the Military Museum, Istanbul Gate, Zindan Gate, Leopoldov Gate, the Stefan Lazarevic Monument, Nebojsa Tower, Kalemegdan, the Saborna Church, Republic Square, Terazije Square, and Tasmajdan Square. We complete our city tour with a walk along Knez Mihajlova Street, considered the heart of the city. Here, during the free time until the meeting time announced by our guide, you can go shopping and enjoy the cafés on the street. Transfer to our hotel at the time determined by our guide. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After having breakfast at our hotel and checking out, we depart for Skopje. Located on the banks of the Vardar River, this city is home to many historic mosques, bazaars, and inns, having been under the influence of the Ottoman Empire. Upon our arrival, during our Skopje city tour, the sights we will see include Mustafa Pasha Mosque, Isa Bey Mosque and Kapan Han, the Turkish Bazaar, Skopje City Park, the Stone Bridge, the symbol of the city located over the Vardar River, and Macedonia Square. Free time in Macedonia Square until the time specified by our guide. Then we depart for our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast at our hotel and vacating the rooms, we set off for the Republic of Kosovo. Following the customs and passport procedures, we arrive in Prizren. During our tour of the city clinging to the slopes of the lush Šar Mountains and divided by the Lumbardh River, the Sinan Pasha Mosque, Shadervan, the city’s main square, Prizren Bath, Bayraklı Mosque and Halveti Teke are among the places to be seen.  Following our tour, we depart for Pristina, Europe’s youngest capital. Germia Park, the Kosovo National Museum, Yaşar Pasha Mosque, the historic Clock Tower and the Tomb of Murad I, who lost his life in the First Battle of Kosovo, are among the places we will see. Following our tour, transfer to the airport at the time indicated by our guide. After baggage, ticket and passport procedures, we depart for Istanbul at 20.25 on Turkish Airlines flight TK 1020. Arrival in Istanbul at 23.15 local time and the end of our tour.