13 Days Balkan Highlights

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: 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: With a population of less than 150.000 people, Podgorica is one of the smallest capitals in Europe. Due to its almost total destruction during World War II, the city nowadays has not many exciting sights to offer. Many of the buildings in the city centre date from the socialist era of Yugoslavia, when Podgorica was named Titograd. One of the newer well worth seeing landmarks is the Millennium Bridge, Most Milenijum, which was opened in 2005. Trg Republike, Republic Square, is the main square of downtown Podgorica. It is a nice shopping area with lots of pleasant restaurants and bars. Stara Varos, the old Turkish town, is a typical old Turkish town with narrow and curvy streets. The Clock Tower is one of the most important monuments in the old town. With a handful of quirky sights, lots of students, a buzzing nightlife scene, enjoyable restaurants and transport connections, Podgorica is not that bad a place to spend a day or two. Podgorica has a reputation as a party town, and it's no problem for visitors to make friends in one of the city's many cafés, bars and clubs.

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.