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DAY 1: ZAGREB

Arrival at the Zagreb airport. Transfer to hotel. Overnight in hotel.

DAY 2: ZAGREB – VARAŽDIN – ZAGREB

After breakfast at the hotel, sightseeing of Zagreb which includes old town, historical centre of the town with its St. Mark’s church with famous colorful roof with Croatian coat of arm Cathedral, Upper and Lower Town and Croatian National Theatre. After visit of Zagreb continue your drive to Varaždin. Attractive Baroque town jewel of harmony and piece, rich on its numerous facades, special atmosphere in its shade of alleys. Today the Fortress, known as the old Fortress, is one of the most beautiful castles in Croatia. King Bela IV had it built in the middle of the twelfth century. From the very beginning, this story of the turbulent history of Varaždin tells of a city exposed to a fruitful combination of influences from various Central European nobles. This combination led to the early construction of palaces, churches and beautiful buildings outside the Fortress. Varaždin saw its Renaissance in the 18th century. As the seat of the Royal Council, Varaždin was also the capital of Croatia, while its image of a European metropolis helped the noblemen of Varaždin make their fashionable life more active. It was this active fashionable life that earned Varaždin the name of Little Vienna placed at the crossroad of Central Europe. Return to Zagreb and overnight.

DAY 3: ZAGREB – LJUBLJANA – ZAGREB

After breakfast drive to Ljubljana, sightseeing of Ljubljana with local guide. Walking through the city centre, the picturesque Central open-air Market and the Three Bridges, both designed by the famous architect Joze Plecnik, Baroque Town Hall and Dragon Bridge visit of Cathedral of San Nicolas. Return back to Zagreb for overnight.

DAY 4: ZAGREB – PLITVICE – ZADAR

Breakfast. Drive to Plitvice National Park and visit the most beautiful park in Croatia. The beauty of the National Park lies in its sixteen lakes, connected by series of waterfalls and set in deep woodland populated deers, bears, wolves and different bird species. Magnificent lakes lower and upper, visited by lake boat and small train. Lunch at local restaurant and drive to Zadar for overnight.

DAY 5: ZADAR – ŠIBENIK – SPLIT

Breakfast. Morning visit of Zadar, beautiful Dalmatian town rich in archaeological sites from ancient time. We shall visit port and old town with its pre-Romanesque church that dates from around the 9th century which is a symbol of Zadar. Right in front of the Church of St. Donat are the remains of the Roman forum dating from in the 1st century BC. At the end of the Western Quay is Zadar’s newest feature, the Sea Organ. This unusual organ is powered by the wind and the sea. When the sea pushes air through the whistles, a series of melancholy chords are played. With the sound emerging through the perforated stone stairs. In the afternoon drive towards Šibenik. Visit of St. Jakov Cathedral the symbol of the town, a part of UNESCO’s world heritage, was being built for more than a hundred years and is a true evidence of the talent of its architectures, Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Firentinac. The whole cathedral was made of stone, without the use of other materials and it contains more than 70 portraits on its apses. Drive to Split for overnight.

DAY 6: SPLIT – TROGIR – SPLIT

Breakfast. Morning visit of town Split whose beauty dates since IV century B. C. when Roman emperor Diocletian decided to build his residential palace. This Roman palace is very well preserved and today attracts with its constructions and original walls but also popular place for small shops which will be visited. After that we visit the Cathedral of St. Duje which is a complex of a church, formed from an Imperial Roman mausoleum with a bell tower; strictly the church is dedicated to the Virigin Mary, and the bell tower to St. Domnius. Together they form the Cathedral of St. Domnius. In the afternoon drive towards Trogir, the small Old Town so rich in history and culture that it is often referred to as a “city museum” so it is easy to see why the entire city was placed in the UNESCO world heritage list. Return to Split for overnight.

DAY 7: SPLIT – MOSTAR

Breakfast. Morning drive through beautiful landscape fruitful valleys to Mostar and visit of this beautiful historical centre with old stone bridge, Mosque and Turkish house. After lunch at local restaurant, sightseeing of the place with its different culture. Mixed orthodox, Muslim and Catholic influence. Overnight in Mostar.

DAY 8: MOSTAR – SARAJEVO – MOSTAR

After breakfast drive towards Sarajevo. Upon arrival panoramic sightseeing with local guide of this strong Turkish influenced place, old mosques, medresas (schools) and bazaars (markets). We shall see “War tunnel – tunnel of salvation” symbol of courage and survival of people of Sarajevo during the war 1993. under the Serbian siege. Lunch at local restaurant. Return to Mostar for overnight.

DAY 9: MOSTAR – MEĐUGORJE – POČITELJ – DUBROVNIK

Breakfast. Morning drive to Međugorje. Upon your arrival to Međugorje the guide will take us to the tour of shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace. The tour starts with introductory part about shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace. The program continues with visit to: Apparition hill – place where everything started 24 of June 1981, we will hear the story about first days of the apparitions, and then you will climb Apparition hill and spend some time at the apparition site in a silent prayer. Blue cross – also a place of many apparitions which is located at the base of the Apparition hill. After the visit, drive towards the Croatian coast with stop in small village Počitelj, the unique place included in the UNESCO World Heritage. After crossing the border, late arrival to Dubrovnik for overnight.

DAY 10: DUBROVNIK

Breakfast. Morning sightseeing tour of Dubrovnik includes visits to the Franciscan Monastery with one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, the Rector’s Palace and the Cathedral. We shall also see Orlando’s Column, Bell Tower Clock and the Sponza Palace. In the afternoon, we shall have free time for individual visits and leisure. There will be plenty of time for an optional touring on the city walls with their magnificent fortresses and towers. Overnight in Dubrovnik.

DAY 11: DUBROVNIK – KOTOR – SVETI STEFAN – TIRANA

Breakfast. Departure towards Kotor, a scenic drive towards the city in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor and surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period. Visit of UNESCO protected site surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period and the cathedral of St. Triphon. Continuation towards Tirana. On a way we make a short stop near Sveti Stefan, fabulous village-island circled by the sea. Time to have lunch at local restaurant, drive towards Albania. Overnight in Tirana.

DAY 12: TIRANA – KRUJA – TIRANA

Breakfast. City sightseeing tour of Tirana: the Sahat Kulla (Clock Tower), visit of the Ethem Bey’s Mosque and the monument of Skenderbeg, Albania‘s national hero. The Sheshi Skënderbej city’s plaza has popular clock tower and it is surrounded with famous landmarks of Tirana, such as the National History Museum and mosque of Ethem Bey and a lot of buildings with designs of Turkish architecture due to the fact that Tirana was ruled by the Ottomans in the early 1800s. After lunch at local restaurant drive to Kruja. The most important sight in Kruja is the semi-ruined citadel area, a fortress dating back to the fifth or sixth century and old bazaar. Afternoon return to the hotel. Overnight in Tirana.

DAY 13: TIRANA – POGRADEC – SVETI NAUM – OHRID

Breakfast. Drive towards the interior of Albania. We will enjoy passing between the mountains with small villages. Very beautiful scenery skirting the lake Ohrid which is natural border between Albania and Macedonia. A break in Pogradec, Albanian place at the lake, after which we continue towards the Republic of Macedonia crossing the border and stoping by the lake, to visit small monastery Saint Naum, which was established in the year 905. We proceed towards Ohrid situated on the lake shores, place strongly influenced by Otomans, declared as a world heritage site. Overnight in Ohrid.

DAY 14: OHRID

Breakfast. All day on the shores of Lake Ohrid. This outstanding natural beauty is also UNESCO world cultural heritage and the place where Saint Climent and Saint Naum founded the first Slavic University and famous literal school of Ohrid. Morning tour includes the Old Town, the Church of Santa Sofia (11th century), the most eminent Medieval monument in Macedonia with magnificent Byzantine frescoes and St. Clement Church. Afternoon visit to monastery St. Naum, built on the shores of Lake Ohrid, in the year 900 AD and dedicated to the Slavic missionary and educator St. Naum of Ohrid. Return to Ohrid for overnight.

DAY 15: OHRID – BITOLA – TIKVEŠ – SKOPJE

Breakfast. Continue towards Bitola, the second biggest place in Macedonia. Many of the landmarks in Bitola date from the Ottoman rule of the city and you can certainly see the Turkish influence in the mosques, old bazaar etc. Some of the main sights of Bitola include Clocktower the symbol of the town, Turkish market, open air market, central square. We shall visit the archeological site Heraclea Lyncestisan ancient Macedonian town found by the Macedonian King Phillip II in the middle of the 4th century BC, but most of the remains that can be seen in Heraclea Lyncestis are from the Roman and the early Christian period. Drive towards Tikveš through wine district recognized as the most important wine growing region in Macedonia. Wine tasting and lunch in one of the most popular wine cellar. Drive towards Skopje for overnight.

DAY 16: SKOPJE

Breakfast. Morning sightseeing of the capital of Macedonia. Visit to the old Train station – first train station on the Balkan, and in that time was the most beautiful object on the Balkan; The monument of Mother Teresa; The house of Mother Teresa; The Stone Bridge – monumental building in the centre of the city, and the most imposing monument in our country and on the Balkan, built in the beginning of the VI century; Daut Pašin Imam – monument of the Islam architecture from the XV century; The church St. Spas, built at the end of the XVII century, where are placed the relics of the great Macedonian Revolutionary Goce Delčev (1872-1903); The Fortress Kale – the most outstanding tourist attraction of Skopje. After the tour walk through the old city and market place. Overnight in Skopje.

DAY 17: SKOPJE – MONASTERIO DE RILA – SOFIA

Breakfast. Drive from Macedonia towards direction Bulgaria, visit of the Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila founded in the 10th century, The Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments. It is on the World Heritage list and is considered a symbol of the 19th Century Bulgarian Renaissance which imparted Slavic values upon Rila in trying to re-establish an uninterrupted historic continuity. We shall visit church and museum, with its rich collection of old manuscripts, icons, jewelry, carved wooden masterpieces, ethnographic expositions of tissues and carpets. Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon stop at Sofia-capital of Bulgaria. Overnight in Sofia.

DAY 18: SOFIA – PLOVDIV

Breakfast. Tour de Sofia the city of 7000 years of history which has numerous monuments built through different cultural and historical epochs. Visit one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world, Alexander Nevsky, then the Church of St. George, late Roman rotunda dated from 4th century with its Medieval frescoes dating from 12-14 centuries. Drive towards Plovdiv, the second most important place in the country across the heights of mountain Rila. Overnight in Plovdiv.

DAY 19: PLOVDIV – KAZANLAK – VELIKO TARNOVO

Breakfast. Plovdiv sightseeing of the second largest city in Bulgaria, situated on the Maritsa River. Its unique location in these ancient crossroads has stimulated strong cultural and political influences from Eastern and Western civilizations, and yet maintained its unique cultural identity. Being older than most of the oldest towns like Rome, Athens, Carthage or Constantinople, an almost contemporary of Troy, its old part is called the Old Town, with houses from the National Revival period (18-19th century), and is imposing open-air museum situated the three hills of the ancient Trimontium. One of the most remarkable sights of the town, the Ancient Theatre (a well- preserved Roman theatre), is located there and is still used for open-air performances. Drive to Kazanlak. After lunch visit the valley of the roses, which is the biggest producer of rose oil in the world. The soil and the climate in this region are quite suitable for the roses.

Visit of the Historical Museum of Kazanlak with Treasury Hall, in which the newest golden, silver and bronze findings from the Thracian temple tombs in the region are exhibited. Among them is the unique golden crown of the Thracian tsar Sevt III (4th century BC) – found in the town of Sevtopolis. Afternoon drive to Veliko Tarnovo for overnight.

DAY 20: VELIKO – TARNOVO – ARBANASI – VELIKO TARNOVO

Breakfast. Morning sightseeing of Veliko Tarnovo, visit the castle of the old Bulgarian capital – Tsarevets and the old city itself which is a collection of traditional Renaissance houses scattered over the hills around the river Yantra. Afternoon visit to nearby village Arbanassi on the hilltop 4 km away. It is also worth to visit the impressive church of Virgin Mary entire covered with frescoes. We shall visit also one of the brightest examples of the authenticity and magnificence of the Arbanassi houses is the Konstantsaliev’s house, marvelous example of the 17. st. architecture. Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.

DAY 21: VELIKO TARNOVO – SOFIA

Breakfast. Drive towards Sofia. Day at leisure. Overnight in Sofia.

DAY 22: SOFIA

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport of Sofia.

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