TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Transfer to the hotel. City tour of Sofia.

Welcome to SOFIA!!!. Upon arrival at the airport, we will transfer you to your hotel. At 15.00hrs approx., we include a tour of the capital of Bulgaria, where we will see the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the Russian Church, the Mosque, its squares and avenues of Stalinist architecture. Free time during the rest of the day.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Plovdiv. Dinner included.

In the morning we will leave for BACHKOVO MONASTERY, Bulgaria’s second most important monastery, founded in the eleventh century, with its three churches, we feel it as a place full of peace. Continue to PLOVDIV, where we will visit the city, which is one of the oldest in Europe. Here we include tickets to the Roman Amphitheatre, the ancient chemist’s and the Armenian House. Dinner included.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Balkans mountain. Thracian tomb, Church of Nativity in Arbanasi. Lunch included.

Today’s journey takes us through beautiful scenery across the Balkans mountain range. In the valley of the Roses, we will see KAZANLAK, where tickets are included to the replica of the Thracian Tomb (UNESCO Heritage) and we will learn about the production of products derived from the roses. Amidst the mountains, we stop at the Russian church of SHIPKA, which commemorates the war between Russia and Turkey. Visit ETARA with its charming village/ethnographic museum. Lunch included. After this we travel to ARBANASI, an ancient trading city with its fortress-houses, where we visit the Church of the Nativity with entrance included. Travel to VELIKO TARNOVO, Bulgaria’s former capital, with a very picturesque medieval center.

Note: In some cases, Arbanasi may be visited on Sunday morning instead of Saturday.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Panoramic tour of Bucharest. Dinner included.

We travel to Romania and on our way we will stop to visit the BASARBOVSKI MONASTERY, a place of pilgrimage dug out of the rock. We proceed to cross the border and the river Danube, arriving to BUCHAREST in the early afternoon. Time for lunch, then we will take a panoramic tour of the city with its ancient quarter and the giant Parliament Palace. Leisure time followed by dinner.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Dracula’s Castle. Transylvania region. Special dinner in Sighisoara.

Today we have a journey with great scenic beauty, travelling to Transylvania across the Carpathian Mountains and through forests. In SINAIA, we will stroll through the gardens of the Peles and Pelisor Castles before going on to the 14th-century BRAN fortress, commonly known as Dracula’s Castle (tickets included). Time for lunch, before continuing to SIGHISOARA, a very beautiful walled medieval city and UNESCO Heritage center. In the evening we will enjoy a very special dinner, in the restaurant of Count Dracula, at the house where Vlad Tepes was born.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: varied landscapes, small picturesque villages on route.

In Transylvania there are numerous fortified churches in areas that were inhabited by people of German origin; some of these churches have been declared Heritage of Mankind, and we will see one of them, BIERTAN (tickets included). After this, we continue to SIBIU, an important economic and cultural center, previously the capital of Transylvania, with its bustling narrow streets and squares. Time for a stroll and take lunch. In the afternoon, we visit the impressive Castle of HUNEDOARA (tickets included), which is considered the prettiest castle in Romania. We continue to TIMISOARA, with time to explore its elegant central squares.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Panoramic tour of Belgrade. Museum of Yugoslavia.

We set off for SERBIA and the border pass. After a few hours travelling, we will arrive in BELGRADE. Here you can enjoy a panoramic tour of this active capital on the shores of the Danube as it flows into the Sava. We get the chance to admire its busy center, its parliament, and stroll in the Kalemegdan Fortress. A visit to the Museum of Yugoslavia, where Tito´s Mausoleum is located, will also be included. Free afternoon.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Panoramic tour of Sarajevo. Dinner included.

We begin our beautiful stage towards Bosnia. Brief stop in the city of ZVORNIK, one of the oldest cities in Bosnia, crossed by a river that marks the border with Serbia and will make us remember with sadness the war in Bosnia. Its population has since changed a lot as most of it, Muslim, was expelled while Serb refugees from other regions settled. We are near the village of Srebrenica, known for the massacre. After that we continue to PAPRAÇA, a humble Orthodox monastery established around the sixteenth century and known for its attractive church. We continue our route to SARAJEVO. Panoramic tour with a local guide of this city of strong Turkish influence, with its mosques, madrasahs and busy bazaars. Dinner included.

Note: if the number of travelers is less than 10 people, the route from Belgrade to Sarajevo can be made by regular coach or plane. In this case the visits to Zvornik and Papraça are not included.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Tunnel of Hope in Sarajevo. Beautiful landscapes throughout the route: mountains, rivers, waterfalls, lakes and picturesque villages. Dinner included.

Before leaving Sarajevo we visit the Tunnel of Hope that saved the city during the Serbian siege in the war. Later, we continue to another exciting drive of scenic beauty. Amidst deep valleys, we travel to MOSTAR, with its very beautiful historic center and stone bridge separating the Orthodox, Muslim and Catholic communities. After lunch, we stop in MEDJUGORJE, a place that attracts thousands of Catholic Pilgrims. We then travel to CROATIA. Border procedures (which may take a while). We will then arrive into DUBROVNIK at the end of the day. Dinner included.

Note: in some departures, accommodation may be in Cavtat, a coastal town near the city of Dubrovnik.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Panoramic tour of Dubrovnik. Boat trip to Lokrum. Dinner included.

In the morning we enjoy a panoramic tour of DUBROVNIK with a local guide. We are undoubtedly in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, surrounded by walls, bathed by the Adriatic Sea; its intact historic center is a jewel of world architectural heritage. The tour includes tickets to the Franciscan Monastery with the oldest pharmacy in Europe, and the Cathedral. We also include a boat trip to LOKRUM, a small island 15 minutes by boat from Dubrovnik and home to the ruins of a Benedictine monastery of the eleventh century, popular setting of the series "Game of Thrones". You can then enjoy free time, returning to the hotel at the end of the afternoon. Dinner included.

Note: in some departures, accommodation may be in Cavtat, a coastal town near the city of Dubrovnik.
Note: in the winter months, from November to March, there is no boat service to Lokrum and therefore we cannot visit the island.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Visit of Split. Dinner included.

We set off in the morning, travelling along the Croatian coastline which displays amazing seascapes and islands. We will arrive in SPLIT at noon. We include a visit with a local guide and entry into the Diocletian’s Palace. We will tour this immense palace from the Roman period, its labyrinth of streets, and its sea vistas. Dinner included.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Plitvice lakes National Park. Dinner included.

We will travel to the interior region of Croatia, going through beautiful landscapes to finally arrive in PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK, which has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. We will enter the park where you can admire the park’s lakes and waterfalls. Take the opportunity to walk along the trails or take a boat and sail through the waters of the lakes. After lunch, we will travel back to the coast towards the north of Croatia. Upon reaching OPATIJA, you can have dinner (included) and stroll in this resort town which offers a charming nightlife.

Note: In exceptional circumstances, either due to weather conditions or high numbers of tourists, it may not be possible or advisable to use the train or boat in Plitvice.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Postjona cave, Boat trip, Tour of Ljubljana. Dinner included.

Today we will travel to Slovenia. We will visit POSTOJNA Cave, one of the world’s biggest caves which is partially toured by train. After this, we will travel to BLED, a stunning postcard town on the shore of a lake, and in the middle of the lake, there is an island where the bell tower of a monastery stands at the foot of a medieval castle. We take a boat trip around Bled’s lake and a visit the monastery on the island. We continue our trip to Slovenia’s Capital, LJUBLJANA. Here we will take a tour with a local guide and learn about this beautiful Central European city. Dinner included.

Note: During the winter, in order to be able to visit Ljubljana during the daylight hours, this may take place before departure to Maribor.

TODAY´S HIGHLIGHTS: Free time in Ljubljana.

Free time in the morning in LJUBLJANA where we have time to visit the pretty centre of this small capital. In the afternoon we travel on to the Adriatic Sea and cross the border into Italy. VENICE, arrival at the end of the afternoon and accommodation in the Mestre district.

TODAY´S HIGHLIGHT: Vaporetto boat on Venice’s Grand Canal. Admire the technique of crafting Murano Glass.

In the morning we include a boat transfer to the area of Saint Mark in Venice, a city built on more than 100 islands connected by bridges. We include a walking tour with a local guide around the city of canals. Afterwards, we shall be able to visit the Murano glass factory city. It is marvelous to see the technique of crystal blowing. Free time. In the afternoon, some might like to take the chance to have a trip on a gondola. At the end of the afternoon, you will have the chance to eat dinner in the Mestre area, where you can choose the type of restaurant that you prefer (Indian, Oriental, Italian, etc.).

After breakfast, end of our services.