Tour Detail
6 Nights 7 Days Balkan Tour
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Montenegro - Albania - North Macedonia - Kosovo
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Balkan Tour 6 Nights / Days
6 Night 7 Days
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Tour Program
Departure from Istanbul by THY scheduled flight. Arrival in Sarajevo. Upon arrival, we are welcomed by our transfer vehicle with our guide We visit the Life Tunnel, one of the most critical moves of the Bosniaks during the war that took place between 1992 - 1995, which was excavated under the airport. This tunnel, which changed the course of the war and is known for the longest siege in history (4 years and 4 months), allows us to feel the war through a 15-minute video prepared with original footage at this museum. (Due to the density of the region, the guide may decide whether the War Tunnel tour will be conducted or not to avoid disruption of the tour). After visiting this museum, which features a photo gallery, a war map, and equipment used during the war, we head to Baščaršija. On our way, we see buildings bearing the scars of bombings from the war, the first electric tram line in Europe that still actively runs across Sarajevo, buildings belonging to the Yugoslav People's Army from the Tito era which are currently used as the Sarajevo University campus, the second largest cathedral in the world constructed by the US, the Sarajevo City Museum, the Parliament building, and the largest shopping mall in the region built by Arab investors before arriving at Baščaršija. Our first stop is the martyr's monument where the martyrs of the tragic war of 1992-1995 and the memorial tomb of Alija Izetbegović are located. We recite Fatiha for the war martyrs and receive information about Alija Izetbegović, the first President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from our guide. Then we pass through the cobbled streets of the Bosniak-Turkish neighborhood, which has survived from the Ottoman period, and start our walking tour in Baščaršija. The places we will see during our tour are;
- Sebilja made with 18th-century Bosnian architecture
- The only active art street from the Ottoman period, "Bakırcılar Street"
- Çarşı Mosque
- Morića Han and the local of the Young Muslims association “Mladi Muslimani” inside
- The mosque and tomb of Gazi Hüsrev Bey, the cousin of Suleiman the Magnificent
- Clock Tower
- Kuršunlu Medrese
- Gazi Hüsrev Bey Museum and Library
- The first public toilet in Europe
- The Latin Bridge, known as the place where the First World War was declared
- Hünkar Mosque built in honor of Fatih Sultan Mehmet
- Horse Square - Okmeydanı
- Bakır Baba Mosque built by the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality
- Orthodox Church
- Alija Izetbegović Park with retirees from Sarajevo who constantly play chess
- Ferhadiye Mosque
- Ferhadiye Street (Sarajevo's İstiklal Street)
- Jewish Synagogue
- Cathedral – Heart of Jesus Church
- Sarajevo Roses (Points where multiple people lost their lives due to a bomb during the war)
- The spot where the bakery massacre took place
- The eternal flame lit in memory of the liberation of Sarajevo from the German occupation by the Yugoslav army on April 6, 1945
- Markale neighborhood market, known for the massacre on February 5, 1994, where 68 people lost their lives
- Vječna (Viyeçnitsa) Library, built during the Austria-Hungary period as the Government House (Municipal Building), which was burned during the war, causing many manuscripts to turn to ashes
After our walking tour in Baščaršija, guests who wish can enjoy their coffee at the "Famous Historical Coffee House" with a view of the symbol of Sarajevo, 'Sebil.' Additionally, guests who wish can buy historical Bosnian coffee from here. After some free time, we have dinner at a local restaurant and proceed to our hotel for accommodation.
07:00 Breakfast. 08:00 Departure from the hotel. After our breakfast, we leave our hotel and start our tour of Mostar. Our first stop is the town of Konjic (Sarajevo - Konjic - 50 KM). We arrive in this small town on the banks of the Neretva River, which has a population of 50,000 and was damaged during World War II and the 1992-1995 war. The Ottoman bridge, the mosque with a broken minaret, and the mini bazaar restored to its original state are among the places we will see. After our photo break, we continue our journey. Our next stop is Jablanica, the city where Josip Broz Tito was awarded the title of marshal in the war. (Konjic, Jablanica - Konjic 23 KM) This city is also famous for its lamb roasting. Here, we will see the bridge destroyed by Tito during his fight against the German Nazis in 1943 and the area where this event took place. Afterwards, we head to the Alperenler Tekkesi, built 5 centuries ago at the source of the Buna River. (Jablanica, Blagaj – Jablanica 59 KM) On our way, we see Mostar airport and a military area built across from the airport, used as a shelter for planes during the Yugoslav era. This area was prepared by hollowing out the inside of the hill right across from the airport for hiding planes. We visit the tekke, also known as Sarı Saltuk Tekkesi, located at the source of the Buna River, which has not yet been reached and can produce up to 43,000 liters of water per second. We visit the tomb of Ali Pasha and the tomb of Sarı Saltuk inside the tekke, and we view the two-story house built in the typical Anatolian style, which includes the Ladies’ mosque, the Courtyard room, a mosque for men, the zikr room, a small hamam, a halvethane, and a kitchen room. Guests who wish can enjoy Turkish tea in the courtyard overlooking the river. Our last stop today is Mostar city. (Blagaj - Mostar 12 km) The places to be seen during our tour include;
- The Martyr mosque and the cemetery in its courtyard. One feature of this cemetery is that it contains the graves of Croatian and Serbian Mostarians who fought shoulder to shoulder with Muslim Bosniaks during the war.
- The Mostar bazaar paved with stones collected from the river, unique to the region.
- Koski Mehmet Pasha Mosque. This mosque is known as the place where the most beautiful photo of the bridge is taken.
- Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey in Mostar.
- Mostar Bridge – A single-arched bridge designed by Mimar Sinan’s student Mimar Hayrettin, built in 1566, destroyed in 1993, but restored again in 2004.
- Tara Tower – These towers, which once belonged to teams ensuring the bridge's security, now serve as a museum.
- Kriva Cuprija – The crooked bridge.
- Tabakhane Mosque and Hammam – A mosque built for the notable people engaged in leather work, so as not to disturb the community in other mosques with unpleasant smells, featuring water flowing underneath.
After our dinner at a local restaurant, we will spend the night at our hotel in Mostar.
07:00 Breakfast. 08:00 Departure from the hotel. After breakfast, we head to Montenegro. We pass through the towns of Stolac, Ljubinje, and Trebinje, exiting Bosnia and Herzegovina. After crossing the Montenegrin border (Mostar - Kotor 186 KM), we arrive at the UNESCO-protected medieval city of Kotor. During our city tour with our local guide in Kotor, we will see the following places:
- Arms Square
- Clock Tower
- Shame Column
- St. Tryphon Cathedral
- Artisans' Street
- Tulumbas Fountains
- River Gate
- St. Luke Square
Our journey continues towards Budva. (Budva - Kotor 22 KM) In Budva, during our walking tour with our local guide, we will see the following places:
- Budva Fortress
- The fortress built by Napoleon
- Shops that have been preserved in their original form since the Middle Ages within the fortress
- Catholic Church
- Orthodox Church
- Marina
After having some free time for shopping in Budva, we arrive at St. Stefan Island. (Budva - St Stefan 11 KM) After a photo break to capture the magnificent view, we have a short journey to Montenegro's capital, Podgorica. In the capital Podgorica, we have our dinner at a local restaurant and then proceed to our hotel.
After breakfast, we take a panoramic city tour of the capital Podgorica by bus. During our tour, we will see;
- Presidential Palace
- City park built by Azerbaijan
- Millennium Bridge
- King Nikola Statue
Then we pass through the border gate and enter Albania. Our first stop is the city of Shkodra, located by Lake Shkodra, which forms the border between Albania and Montenegro. (Podgorica– Shkodra 55 KM) This city, which was under Ottoman rule for 435 years and is one of the most strategically important cities in the Balkans, features a city castle and its walls. We will take a short walking tour during our break in the city center. After some free time in the center, we continue our journey towards the capital Tirana. (Shkodra - Tirana 115 KM) In Tirana, which was developed by Suleiman Pasha in 1614 and has been the capital of Albania since 1920, our bus tour will include the following sites;
- Turkish Republic Embassy
- US Embassy
- Mosque built by Diyanet Foundation with 4 minarets
- Statue of Suleiman Pasha, the founder of Tirana
- Tirana city square
- Ethem Bey Mosque
- Clock Tower
- National Museum
- University Building
- Opera and Ballet Building
- Statue of Skanderbeg, the national hero of Albanians in the square
- Parliament and Ministry buildings
- Presidential Palace
After our tour of Tirana, our next stop is Elbasan. (Tirana - Elbasan 42 KM) We pass through the city and stop at Elbasan Castle located in the city center. After seeing the Turkish streets around the castle and the Hunkar Mosque, our journey continues toward the Kafasan border gate. We see the "Bunkers," mushroom-shaped concrete shelters built by the famous dictator Enver Hoxha, who ruled the country from 1945 to 1985, with an estimated number of 300,000. Afterward, we pass through the Kafasan border gate and enter Macedonia. Our first stop in Macedonia is the town of Struga, located on the western shore of Lake Ohrid, which has a majority Muslim population. (Elbasan - Struga 78 KM) In Struga, we see the Kara Drim river, which flows from Lake Ohrid, and get general information about Struga from our guide. After free time for photos in this city, known as the city of poets, we continue towards Ohrid. (Struga - Ohrid 14 KM) Upon our arrival in Ohrid, we will have dinner at a local restaurant overlooking Lake Ohrid, and then we will stay overnight at our hotel in Ohrid.
After our breakfast, we will take a tour to explore the historical city of Ohrid, which has been one of the important bases of the Ottomans in the Balkans. The places we will see during our tour are:
- 11 Century-old Plane Tree
- Zeynel Abidin Pasha Tekke (Halveti Tekke)
- Ali Pasha Mosque
- City Square and the famous Ohrid Bazaar with its Pearl Shops
- Ohrid Market
- Statue of Saint Clement
- A workshop where you can see paper making techniques used in China in the 2nd Century BC in the streets resembling Safranbolu
- Hagia Sophia Church
- Ancient Theater
After our tour, we travel by bus to Kalkandelen (Tetovo), a charming small town established during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. (Ohrid - Kalkandelen 130 KM) Our first stop in Kalkandelen is the Alaca Mosque built by Abdurrahman Pasha in 1833. You will be fascinated by the interior and exterior decorations made with a paint created by mixing animal blood, plant roots, and egg whites. The decorations are in the Baroque style, which is rarely seen in Ottoman works. Then, we will visit the Harabati Baba Tekke, a Bektaşi center from that period. After receiving information about the tekke from Cemali, the caretaker for 20 years, we will move to Abdulmuttalip, a Bektaşi dervish living on another corner of the tekke, and listen to him about the history of the tekke and the works made there. At the time determined by our guide, we will depart for Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. (Kalkandelen– Skopje 40 KM) Upon arrival in Skopje, we will have our dinner at a local restaurant. Later, we will spend the night at our hotel in Skopje.
Guests who wish can enjoy this beautifully illuminated city at night after dinner by spending some time in the center.
07:00 Breakfast. 08:00 Departure from the hotel After our breakfast, we check out from our hotel and head to Vodno Mountain, located at the foothills of Skopje, where we have the opportunity to see the city from above. On the way up Vodno Mountain, you will feel like you are on the road to Cekirge in Bursa. Afterward, we move on to Matka Canyon, a natural wonder of Skopje. (In case Matka Canyon coincides with Saturday – Sunday or a public holiday, the guide has the right to take initiative depending on the crowd in the area.) Here, our guests can join a boat tour and have a coffee if they wish. After our tour of Matka Canyon, we get off our bus near Skopje Fortress and start our city tour. We begin our tour by walking through the Old Bazaar of Skopje, which has managed to maintain its original character from the 500 years of rule by the Ottoman Empire. During our tour, we will see the following places:
- Mustafa Pasha Mosque
- Jewelry Street
- Arasta Mosque
- Stone Bridge, built over the Vardar River and a symbol of Skopje
- Turkish and Jewish Quarters
- Davut Pasha Bathhouse
- Double Bathhouse
- Murat Pasha Mosque
- Sulu Han
- Kapan Han
- Kurşunlu Han
- The massive statue of Alexander the Great, which caused a naming crisis with Greece in 2011
- Statue of 2nd Philip, the father of Alexander the Great
- Vardar River
- Macedonia Archaeological Museum and Archive building
- National Theatre Building
- Museum of Resistance
- Statues of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who created the Cyrillic alphabet,
- St. Spas Church from the 17th century
- Mother Teresa monument and Teresa Museum
- The Old Train Station building, which stands in the state it was after the 1963 earthquake
After our walking tour, there will be free time. We meet again at the time determined by our guide and head to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008 and has been recognized by many countries, including Turkey. During the journey, we see the square where Slobodan Milošević, the President of Yugoslavia, started the election campaign for Kosovo's war's 600th anniversary in 1989, and the monument in the square is also visible. Then we visit the tomb of Sultan Murad Hüdavendigar, who fell as a martyr in the Kosovo War in 1389, where his inner organs are buried. We also visit the Selamlık building, which is used as a museum located right next to the tomb. Inside the building, we have the opportunity to see the photos of the visit made by Sultan Reşad, the last Ottoman Sultan who visited the Balkans in 1911. After that, we move on to the city of Prizren for dinner and accommodation at our hotel.
09:00 Breakfast. 10:00 Departure from the hotel. After our breakfast, we check out of our hotel and begin our tour. In Prizren, the second largest city of Kosovo, where many artifacts of the Ottoman Empire are found, we will visit the following places with our guide:
- Halveti Tekke
- Gazi Mehmet Pasha Hammam
- Namazgah where Fatih Sultan Mehmed prayed with his army
- Bayraklı Mosque
- Maraş neighborhood and Maraş Bridge
- 400-year-old great plane tree
- Emin Pasha Mosque
- Turkish Consulate General building in Prizren
- Stone Bridge over Bistrica (Akdere)
- Şadırvan Square
- Sinan Pasha Mosque
- Saint George and Catholic Churches
- Arasta Mosque Minaret, destroyed during Yugoslavian times but the minaret has managed to survive
- Serbian neighborhood where we can still see the destructive effects of the war
After free time, we will proceed with our bus to Pristina International Adem Jashari Airport. After passport and customs procedures, we will depart for Istanbul with THY ........... scheduled flight.
What's Included
- Round-trip flight ticket from Istanbul
- Tours and visits as specified in the program
- Airport greeting and transfer services for arrival & departure
- Accommodation in 4* and 5* hotels in double & triple rooms
- Open buffet breakfast
- 6 dinners at local restaurants (beverages during the meals are not included in the price).
- Luxury bus and professional driving service throughout the tour
- Professional guiding service
- City taxes
- Inter-country crossing fees
- Local guiding service in Budva and Kotor
- Kotor entrance fee
- Blagay Tekkesi
- Sarajevo War Tunnel
- Skopje Matka Canyon
Not Included
- Personal expenses
- Drinks during dinner and breaks.
- Hotel extras
- Lunches
- Museum entries (OHRID and MATKA BOAT TOUR)
- Travel insurance – to be arranged before leaving Turkey
- Departure tax – to be paid at the airport or Ziraat Bank
- Tours and transfers not specified in the program
Languages on tour
Turkish
What to know
- Entry with ID cards to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia has not yet started. Travel with a passport is required.
- Please do not forget your passport, which should be valid for at least 6 months, when coming to the airport. Do not separate it from you during the tour.
- You must be ready to check in at the specified airport at least 2 hours before your flight.
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