Bucharest - Devetashka - Lovech (230 km) ROMANIA + BULGARIA

University of Bucharest - Depart in the morning at 08:00 from the bus stop in Piata Universitatii, in front of the statues.

Devetashka Cave - After crossing the Danube River bridge, we will enter Bulgaria. Our first stop will be Devetashka Cave, a scenic karst cave near the waterfalls. Unlike other caves, Devetashka is well-lit, and its floor is covered with lush greenery, especially in spring and summer, making it hard to believe you’re underground.

Krushunskiye Waterfalls - The Krushuna Falls are the largest travertine cascade in Bulgaria, known for their picturesque scenery, lush vegetation, numerous round-shaped terraces, and small natural pools with mineral water. The main waterfall is about 20 meters high and splits into several smaller ones as it descends the soft limestone rocks.

Lovech - Sofia (150 km) ROMANIA + BULGARIA

Lovech - Visit Lovech and see the Covered Bridge over the Osam River, a must-see attraction. The bridge connects the two halves of the town and is a distinctive piece of construction, representing Lovech.

Sofia - In the evening, we will arrive in Sofia. The walking tour of the city center will include the gold-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Saint (Sveta) Sofia Church, Banya Bashi Mosque, the Sofia Synagogue, and the main shopping street, Vitosha.

Sofia – Rila – Skopje (350 km) BULGARIA + MACEDONIA

Rila Monastery - Depart for Rila Monastery, Bulgaria’s most famous tourist site (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), founded in the 10th century by Saint Ivan Rilsky (St. John of Rila), a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. The monastery, one of the largest in the Balkans, has been a center of Bulgarian culture and Orthodox belief for over 1000 years. Our tour includes a visit to the Church, adorned by the foremost 19th-century masters of the Samokov, Bansko, and Debar schools of painting and woodcarving.

Skopje - In the early evening, we will arrive in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. We will have an orientation tour of Skopje before arriving at your centrally located hotel.

Skopje – Ohrid (190 km) MACEDONIA

Skopje - After breakfast, enjoy a walking tour of Skopje, internationally famous as the birthplace of Mother Teresa. The tour will cover its most important landmarks: the quay of the Macedonian river Vardar, the narrow streets in the Old Bazaar (the largest bazaar preserved in the Balkans today), the Memorial House of Mother Teresa, the 1500-year-old fortress Kale, Macedonia Square with the statue of Alexander the Great on horseback.

Ohrid - Continue the tour to Ohrid (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) situated on the banks of Lake Ohrid, on the border of Macedonia and Albania. The Ohrid area has been the setting for thousands of years of human history, and the old city center testifies to its past. Lake Ohrid is Europe’s oldest lake, formed over three million years ago. The walking tour of the old city center will include the narrow streets and squares, the Ancient Theater, and the famous old churches, monasteries, and basilicas (Sveti Sofia Church), Tsar Samuil’s (Samuel’s) Fortress, and the pedestrian shopping street.

Ohrid – Tirana – Shkoder (230 km) MACEDONIA + ALBANIA

Tirana - After breakfast, depart for the Macedonian-Albanian border, heading to Tirana, the capital of Albania. The walking tour of Tirana’s city center will reveal the main tourist attractions: Tirana’s massive main square, Skanderbeg, the National History Museum, Et’hem Bey Mosque, and Skanderbeg’s statue. In the evening, you will arrive in Shkoder, one of the most authentic cities in Albania.

Shkoder – Kotor - Trebinje (190 km) MONTENEGRO

Bay of Kotor - Depart for Kotor, Montenegro, crossing the Albanian-Montenegro border to discover the fortified old town, Stari Grad (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). In the evening, we will arrive in Trebinje (Bosnia & Herzegovina).

Trebinje – Mostar – Sarajevo (240 km) BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

Mostar Old Bridge - After breakfast, we will head to Bosnia-Herzegovina. After crossing the border, we will visit the beautiful city of Mostar with its Old Bridge Area and the old city, part of UNESCO Heritage.

Sarajevo - After leaving Mostar, we will take a scenic road passing by Jablanica Lake and through the Neretva River canyon to arrive in Sarajevo. The walking tour of the old part and city center of Sarajevo will cover the origins of Sarajevo and the medieval Bosnian Kingdom. We will visit the Ottoman and Austria-Hungarian parts of Sarajevo, with its stunning markets, bazaars, mosques, churches, and synagogues, revealing the true nature of the real European Jerusalem. We will visit the Latin Bridge and learn the story of how WWI was triggered right here, in the heart of Sarajevo. Sarajevo’s 1984 Winter Olympics and life during the Siege of Sarajevo will also be part of our story today.

Sarajevo – Belgrade (400 km) CROATIA + SERBIA

Belgrade - After breakfast, we will head to Serbia. In the afternoon, we will arrive in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Visit the Republic Square, the National Theater and the National Museum, Bohemian Quarter (Skadarlija), the oldest part of Belgrade with Ottoman heritage, the only mosque in the city, Kalemegdan Park, Belgrade Fortress, “Victor” the most famous symbol of Belgrade, and the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.

Belgrade – Novi Sad – Budapest (400 km) SERBIA + HUNGARY

Novi Sad - After breakfast, depart for Budapest with a stop in Novi Sad. We will visit Zmaj Jovina Street, the promenade of Novi Sad, and an obligatory sight for any tourist, not least for the ornamental Palace of the Orthodox Bishop. We will also see Dunavska Street with its long line of single-storied 19th-century houses, the Danube embankment, and the outside of Petrovaradin Fortress on the other bank.

Budapest - In the evening, we will arrive in Budapest, the “Queen of the Danube,” the capital of Hungary.

Day 14 – Friday – Budapest HUNGARY

Budapest - Free time in Budapest to explore this magical city on your own. See the iconic statues of Heroes’ Square, Andrássy Avenue (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), St. Stephen’s Basilica, Dohány Street Synagogue, and the beautiful Castle District in Buda.

Day 15 - Saturday - Budapest - Timisoara (320 km) HUNGARY + ROMANIA

Timisoara Historical Center - Timisoara is a charming city known for its architectural features influenced by Turkish, Serbian, Austrian, and German elements. It will become the European Capital of Culture in 2023.

Timisoara – The Corvini Castle – Sibiu (310 km)

Castelul Corvinilor - In the morning, we will visit the most fascinating Gothic castle in Eastern Europe and one of the most beautiful and grandest on the continent, the famous Corvin Castle.

Sibiu - Visit Sibiu, a beautiful medieval city where Romanians and Saxons have lived peacefully for centuries. The various religious monuments (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant) demonstrate this peaceful coexistence. Sibiu was named European Capital of Culture in 2007 and hosts an extraordinary theater festival every year. The city fascinates with its three squares (Big Square, Small Square, and Huet Square) that transport tourists to a real medieval atmosphere. Its towers and 15th-century bastions, beautiful museums, and the famous “houses with the eyes” offer visitors lovely moments. In Sibiu, you will also see one of the largest Gothic evangelical churches in Transylvania.

Sibiu – Sighisoara – Brasov (210 km)

Centrul Istoric Sighisoara - Visit Sighisoara, with its imposing Clock Tower. This citadel is the best-preserved in Europe and is still inhabited. Since 1999, the historic center of Sighisoara has been a UNESCO heritage site. Here we will admire the church on the hill, reachable via a wooden staircase called the schoolchildren’s ladder. We will also see the statue of the famous Hungarian national poet Petofi Sandor, testifying to the significant Magyar community in Sighisoara in the past. Next to the statue is the beautiful Catholic church, reserved for the Hungarian community, and the tower of the shoemakers. You can have lunch at the house where Vlad the Impaler was born (not included).

Brasov - Visit Brasov, a wonderful Transylvanian town, once entirely fortified, and an important cultural, tourist, and commercial center. Brasov impresses with its typically German architecture, where Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance styles intersect to create an interesting and culturally vibrant city. Visit the First Romanian School, located in the oldest district of the city, inhabited exclusively by Romanians, the Schei district. This area is interesting for the medieval entrances into the city through Catherine’s and Schei Gates, the latter from the 19th century. In Brasov, we will also visit the impressive Black Church, the largest evangelical Gothic church in Eastern Europe, with a 65-meter-high bell tower and a length of 90 meters. The church houses the most beautiful 19th-century mechanical organ in Romania.

Brasov – Bran – Sinaia - Bucharest (180 km)

Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle) - Visit the famous Bran Castle, better known as Dracula’s Castle. In the Middle Ages, Bran was on the border between Wallachia and Transylvania, so it was essential for the inhabitants of Brasov to build and maintain a defensive stronghold.

Peles Castle - Visit the fabulous Peles Castle, the summer residence of the first king of Romania, King Charles I of Hohenzollern, of German origin. The castle was beautifully designed by a Czech architect and is famous for being one of the most modern castles in Europe at the time of its construction, between the 19th and 20th centuries. Each room is characterized by a unique style, different from the others. We will also admire the Florentine room, where we will experience a typically Italian and Renaissance atmosphere.

• Transport by air-conditioned vehicle for the entire tour
• 13 nights accommodation in 3/4* hotels
• Professional tour leader and local tour guides in Skopje, Tirana, Sarajevo and Romania
• Breakfast

• Tips for the driver/tourguide (5 euro/day/person)
• Entrance fees at the museums