18 Days Classic Balkan Tour

About the destination: George Bernard Shaw called Dubrovnik “the pearl of the Adriatic, a paradise on earth”, and, indeed, it may be one of the most beautiful cities you’ll ever see. Largely built and long inhabited by Venetians, Dubrovnik possesses a stately charm and striking architectural unity that draw thousands of visitors every summer. Founded in 7th century, Dubrovnik stood amid a great forest of oak trees, from which it took its name. Take a walk atop the old city walls for vistas of the old town and the surrounding coast. Just before exiting the old town through the western gate, turn right to visit the Franciscan Monastery and peaceful cloisters. Just inside the entrance is the oldest European pharmacy, founded in 1371. In the northern corner of the old city is the Dominican Cloister and Museum, with a polyptych by Titian. The impressive Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary stands in the centre of Poljana Marin Držić and its treasury can be visited; look for the work by Raphael. Dubrovnik has warm, crystalline waters; don’t just admire it from a distance and take a dive. The intrepid can dive and sunbathe along the rocks or swim around the walls of the city while others gawk above. Dubrovnik’s impressive battlements gleam in the early morning light, but by early afternoon, the sea’s clear blue waters beckon you away from the city and its tourist din. If you can stand the crunch, you, too, may find a piece of heaven.

About the destination: Split is the second-largest city of Croatia and the largest city of the region of Dalmatia, with about 250,000 people living in its urban area. It lies on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea and is spread over a central peninsula and its surroundings. An intraregional transport hub and popular tourist destination, the city is linked to the Adriatic islands and the Apennine peninsula.

About the destination: Mostar is a city and municipality in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Inhabited by 113,169 people, it is the most important city in the Herzegovina region, its cultural capital, and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva River and is the fifth-largest city in the country. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Stari Most - The Old Bridge. Originally built by the Turks in 1566, it was destroyed in 1993, but rebuilt in 2004. The bridge is the highlight of Mostar and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. • Old Bridge Museum. Includes exhibits on the history of the bridge, a panoramic view from the top, and entrance into the excavations below, along with a video detailing the reconstruction of the bridge. • Muslibegovica House. Constructed 300 years ago, it is considered the most beautiful house from Ottoman period in the Balkans. The house is comprised of separate quarters for women and men. Unlike earlier architectural styles, this house resembled a four-storey house built around the centre. • History Museum of Herzegovina. Has a small collection of photographs from various phases of Mostar history, including a small exhibit on a native son who appeared to have served as Tito's former Foreign Minister for a space. Also shows an excellent video on the recent history of the Old Bridge. • Koski Mehmed Pasina Dzamija. Small but simply pretty Ottoman mosque built in 1618. Climb to the minaret to see a great view over the town. • Karadozbegova Dzamija. A modest Ottoman mosque built in 1557. • Biscevica House. An Ottoman house, where you only can see the few rooms in upstairs.

About the destination: Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an estimated population of 369,534. The Sarajevo metropolitan area, including Sarajevo, East Sarajevo and surrounding municipalities inhabitants. Moreover, it is also the capita of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity, the capital of the Republika Srpska entity, and the center of the Sarajevo Canton. Sarajevo is the leading political, social and cultural center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a prominent center of culture in the Balkans, with its region-wide influence in entertainment, media, fashion, and the arts. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Old Town. The cobbled streets, mosques and Oriental style shops at the heart the city are a world away from Europe, and when the call-to-prayer starts, one could be forgiven for thinking that they were actually in the Middle East. • Latin Bridge. Across the street from this bridge was the location of the 28 June 1914 assassination of Archduke of the Austrian Hungarian empire Franz Ferdinand, the event that sparked the beginning of World War I. A memorial to the assassin Gavrilo Princip, his footprints carved in stone and mounted in the sidewalk, used to be here but this was removed during the 1992-1995 War. • Yellow Fortress. The small fortress provides a great view of the city. Walk through the war cemetery at the eastern end of the old town. Another way is to follow the river upstream. • Markale Market Place. Marked the start of NATO intervention and thereby end of the war after a bombing which took the life of some 40 people. The main entrance is located on Ferhadija and backs onto Mula Mustafe Baseskije. The street that runs between the two roads is called Gajevo. • Vrelo Bosne. The beginning of the river Bosna where the water is pure and ice cold. In less than 20 minutes on foot from the city centre, you are out in the countryside, with no suburbs in between: unique for a large city. • Bosnian Historical Museum. The moving display on the siege of Sarajevo is a must-see - if you are able to cope with the pictures of the maimed citizens after shelling of markets. And you will be heartbroken by the pictures drawn by children. • National Museum. Static displays of the natural and human history of Bosnia and Herzegovina - including an exhibition of traditional Turkish style homes of Sarajevo prevalent in the nineteenth century, an extensive collection of insects and stuffed mammals and a large geology section with samples from around the world and a number of meteorites.

About the destination: Belgrade, a city of very tumultuous history, is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It was laid in ruins some sixty times, but it always rose back to its original glory. This city with a turbulent history is a vibrant party town that has charmed many visitors over time. The city lies on the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and it where west meets east, socialist blocks are squeezed between art nouveau masterpieces, and remnants of the Habsburg legacy contrast with Ottoman relics. In the old part of town, Stari Grad, is where you find the largest part of the architectural, cultural and historical heritage of Belgrade. The National Museum of Serbia, the Ethnographic Museum and the city’s most important museum, the Residence of Princess Ljubica, are all located in the Old Town. Belgrade's top sight, Kalemegdan Fortress, is also situated in the old town above the confluence of the Danube and the Sava rivers. Kalemegdan is a huge park and fortress complex and offers a lot to see for people interested in old castle ruins or those who want to stroll and relax in a park. The grounds of the park are full of ruins, monuments, several museums and a couple of other places of interest. Don't forget to take a look at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, and the statue of Pobednik, one of the symbols of Belgrade. Belgrade is a very vivid city, there are lots of bars, pubs, cafes and other places to hang out. The city has an exuberant cultural life, there are about 50 theatres, two major opera houses, heaps of museums, galleries, literary evenings, cultural centres and libraries. And to top it all off, Belgradians are so friendly, hospitable, chatty, warmhearted and with a great sense of humour, one can hardly feel a stranger here, somehow you blend in inevitably and you can easily find company, even if you don't seek for it.

About the destination: Sofia is a city with a sparkling future; it’s the energetically resilient Bulgarian capital that still revels in its own idiosyncrasies as it forges towards a more cultured and urbane existence. Dramatically ringed by the Balkan Mountains to the north and the Vitosha Mountains to the south, Sofia stands on an open plain 550m above sea level in western Bulgaria. It is this duality between urban sprawl and natural wonder that makes it a fascinating place to visit, with more to arrest the attention than many other Eastern European capitals. Development is rife and roads are mercifully being improved. It boasts boutique hotels galore and the spanking new Metro lines and stations are enough to make Western visitors look on with jealousy. Of course, the Communist influence still pervades in the streets; the country’s relatively short occupation from 1945 to 1989 is still visible in its neo-Stalinist architecture. Despite this, most of Sofia’s major tourist attractions pre-date this era. Buildings like the Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, the Central Sofia Synagogue and the Banya Bashi mosque are stark reminders of the country’s multicultural past, whilst the charming UNESCO-listed Boyana Church in the Vitosha Mountains is an absolute must-visit. Locals strike the balance between Russian insouciance and Mediterranean flare and continue to be proud up-keepers of the country’s hospitable heritage. The Bulgarian language and Cyrillic alphabet still prosper, resisting tourism’s penchant for English internationalism, which is not widely spoken outside of restaurants, shops and hotels.