Balkan Sarajevo Departure Skopje Return 6N/7D

Day 1: Sarajevo

Upon arrival in Sarajevo, we meet our transfer vehicle at the airport and head to Baščaršija with our guide. Along the way, we see buildings still bearing the scars of war, Europe’s first electric tram line, structures from the Tito-era Yugoslav People's Army that now serve as the Sarajevo University campus, the second-largest U.S. embassy in the world, and the Sarajevo City Museum. We also pass by the Parliament building and a shopping mall, the largest in the region, built by Arab investors, before reaching Baščaršija.

Our first stop is the cemetery where the martyrs of the 1992-1995 Bosnian War rest, as well as the memorial tomb of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first president, Alija Izetbegović. After reciting prayers for the martyrs, we learn about Alija Izetbegović's life and Bosnia’s recent history from our guide. We then begin a walking tour through the Ottoman-era cobblestone Bosniak-Turkish neighborhood, exploring historic landmarks such as the Sebil Fountain, the active Copper Street from the Ottoman period, Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque and its mausoleum, the Clock Tower, Kuršumli Madrasa, Gazi Husrev Bey Museum and Library, the first public toilet in Europe, and the Latin Bridge, known as the site where World War I began.

Additionally, we visit the Hünkar Mosque, At Mejdan (Okmeydanı), the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Cathedral, the Jewish Synagogue, and the Ferhadija Mosque. We also witness remnants of the war, such as the "Sarajevo Roses," marking places where bombs fell, and the site of the Markale Market Massacre. After concluding our tour, we enjoy dinner and head to our hotel for the night.

Day 2: Sarajevo - Konjic - Jablanica

After breakfast, we check out from our hotel and set off towards Mostar. Our first stop is the city of Konjic, located on the banks of the Neretva River with a population of 50,000. Here, we visit the Ottoman Bridge, which was damaged during World War II and the Bosnian War but later restored by Turkey’s Directorate of Highways and TİKA, the Broken Minaret Mosque, and the historic bazaar. After a short photo break, we continue our journey to Jablanica, where Yugoslavia's founder Josip Broz Tito earned his Marshal title. This city, famous for its roasted lamb, is home to the bridge Tito destroyed during his resistance against the German Nazis in 1943.

Next, we visit the Blagaj Tekke, an Ottoman-era dervish lodge on the banks of the Buna River. The Buna River’s source, still undiscovered, produces up to 43,000 liters of water per second. At the tekke, also known as the Sarı Saltuk Lodge, we visit the tombs of Ali Pasha and Sarı Saltuk. The two-story building, resembling a typical Anatolian house, includes a women’s prayer room, a men’s prayer room, a hamam, a retreat room, and a kitchen. Guests can also enjoy Turkish tea in the courtyard overlooking the river.

Our final stop for the day is Mostar, where we visit the Mostar Bazaar, Koski Mehmet Pasha Mosque, the Turkish Consulate, the famous Mostar Bridge—originally built in 1566 by Mimar Hayreddin, a student of Mimar Sinan, destroyed in 1993 and rebuilt in 2004—the Tara Tower, the Kriva Cuprija (Crooked Bridge), and the Tabakhane Mosque. After dinner, we check in at our hotel.

Day 3: Mostar - Kotor - Podgorica (or Shkodër Accommodation)

After breakfast, we set off for Montenegro, passing through Trebinje before crossing the Bosnian border. Upon entering Montenegro, we arrive in Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage medieval town. Our walking tour with a local guide includes sights such as the Arms Square, Clock Tower, Pillar of Shame, St. Tryphon’s Cathedral, Craftsmen’s Street, Tulumba Fountains, River Gate, and St. Luke’s Square.

Following some free time in Kotor, we continue our journey to Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica. During our panoramic city tour, we see the Presidential Palace, a park built by Azerbaijan, the Millennium Bridge, and the statue of King Nikola. After dinner, we check into our hotel for the night. If we opt for accommodation in Shkodër, we bypass Podgorica and proceed directly to Shkodër.

Day 4: Podgorica - Shkodër - Tirana - Elbasan

After breakfast, we leave the hotel and travel to Albania, with our first stop in Shkodër, a historically significant city that remained under Ottoman rule for 435 years. Here, we visit the Shkodër Castle and its surrounding walls before taking a short walking tour of the city center.

We then continue to Tirana, the capital of Albania since 1920, established by Süleyman Pasha in 1614. Our panoramic tour includes key sites such as the Turkish Embassy, the U.S. Embassy, the Namazgah Mosque under construction with four minarets, the statue of Tirana’s founder Süleyman Pasha, the Tirana city square, Et’hem Bey Mosque, the Clock Tower, the National Museum, the Parliament and Ministry buildings, and the Skanderbeg Square featuring the statue of Albania’s national hero.

Our next stop is Elbasan, where we take a short tour of the city, visiting the Elbasan Fortress and its surrounding Turkish streets before heading towards the Kafasan border crossing into North Macedonia. In Macedonia, our first destination is Struga, a town on the western shore of Lake Ohrid, predominantly inhabited by Muslims. We visit the source of the Black Drin River and learn about Struga’s historical significance before continuing to Ohrid. After dinner, we check into our hotel.

Day 5: Ohrid - Tetovo - Skopje

Following breakfast, we embark on a tour of Ohrid, an important Ottoman stronghold in the Balkans. We explore historical landmarks, including an 11-century-old plane tree, the Halveti Tekke, Ali Pasha Mosque, Ohrid Square, and its famous pearl shops, as well as the local market, St. Clement’s Statue, a traditional paper-making shop, the Hagia Sophia Church, and the Ancient Theater.

We then proceed to Tetovo (Kalkandelen), a picturesque Ottoman-era town, where we visit the Alaca (Painted) Mosque, built in 1833 by Abdurrahman Pasha and renowned for its colorful baroque-style frescoes. Next, we explore the Harabati Baba Tekke, a historical Bektashi dervish lodge, where we learn about its spiritual and historical significance.

After the tour, we continue to Skopje, where we have dinner before checking into our hotel.

Day 6: Skopje - Pristina - Prizren

After breakfast, we travel to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. Here, we visit the tomb of Sultan Murad I, the Ottoman ruler who fell in the 1389 Battle of Kosovo. Adjacent to the tomb is a museum featuring photographs from Sultan Reşad’s last visit to the Balkans in 1911.

En route to Prizren, we pass the site of Slobodan Milošević’s 1989 speech, where he introduced the concept of "Greater Serbia," leading to the eventual dissolution of Yugoslavia.

In Prizren, we take a walking tour of the city, visiting the Halveti Tekke, Gazi Mehmet Pasha Hamam, Namazgah (where Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror and his army prayed), Bayrakli Mosque, the historic Marash district, the Stone Bridge, and the Shadervan Square. We also see the Sinan Pasha Mosque, St. George’s Church, the Arasta Mosque minaret, and the Serbian Quarter, still bearing scars from the war.

After free time in this charming city, we return to Skopje for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 7: Skopje - Istanbul

On our final day, after breakfast, we check out from the hotel and continue exploring Skopje’s Old Bazaar. We visit Mustafa Pasha Mosque, the Goldsmiths’ Street, Arasta Mosque, and the city's landmark Stone Bridge. We also explore the Turkish and Jewish neighborhoods, Daud Pasha Hamam, Çifte Hamam, and several Ottoman-era inns such as Sulu Han, Kapan Han, and Kurşunlu Han.

Our city tour includes sights like the massive Alexander the Great statue, the statue of his father, Philip II, the Macedonia Archaeological Museum, the National Theater, the Museum of Resistance, and the Cyril and Methodius monument. We also visit the Mother Teresa Memorial and Museum, as well as the Old Train Station preserved from the 1963 earthquake.

After the tour, we transfer to the airport for our flight to Istanbul, concluding our unforgettable Balkan journey.

Day 2: Sarajevo - Konjic - Jablanica

After breakfast, we check out from our hotel and set off towards Mostar. Our first stop is the city of Konjic, located on the banks of the Neretva River with a population of 50,000. Here, we visit the Ottoman Bridge, which was damaged during World War II and the Bosnian War but later restored by Turkey’s Directorate of Highways and TİKA, the Broken Minaret Mosque, and the historic bazaar. After a short photo break, we continue our journey to Jablanica, where Yugoslavia's founder Josip Broz Tito earned his Marshal title. This city, famous for its roasted lamb, is home to the bridge Tito destroyed during his resistance against the German Nazis in 1943.

Next, we visit the Blagaj Tekke, an Ottoman-era dervish lodge on the banks of the Buna River. The Buna River’s source, still undiscovered, produces up to 43,000 liters of water per second. At the tekke, also known as the Sarı Saltuk Lodge, we visit the tombs of Ali Pasha and Sarı Saltuk. The two-story building, resembling a typical Anatolian house, includes a women’s prayer room, a men’s prayer room, a hamam, a retreat room, and a kitchen. Guests can also enjoy Turkish tea in the courtyard overlooking the river.

Our final stop for the day is Mostar, where we visit the Mostar Bazaar, Koski Mehmet Pasha Mosque, the Turkish Consulate, the famous Mostar Bridge—originally built in 1566 by Mimar Hayreddin, a student of Mimar Sinan, destroyed in 1993 and rebuilt in 2004—the Tara Tower, the Kriva Cuprija (Crooked Bridge), and the Tabakhane Mosque. After dinner, we check in at our hotel.

Day 3: Mostar - Kotor - Podgorica (or Shkodër Accommodation)

After breakfast, we set off for Montenegro, passing through Trebinje before crossing the Bosnian border. Upon entering Montenegro, we arrive in Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage medieval town. Our walking tour with a local guide includes sights such as the Arms Square, Clock Tower, Pillar of Shame, St. Tryphon’s Cathedral, Craftsmen’s Street, Tulumba Fountains, River Gate, and St. Luke’s Square.

Following some free time in Kotor, we continue our journey to Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica. During our panoramic city tour, we see the Presidential Palace, a park built by Azerbaijan, the Millennium Bridge, and the statue of King Nikola. After dinner, we check into our hotel for the night. If we opt for accommodation in Shkodër, we bypass Podgorica and proceed directly to Shkodër.

Day 4: Podgorica - Shkodër - Tirana - Elbasan

After breakfast, we leave the hotel and travel to Albania, with our first stop in Shkodër, a historically significant city that remained under Ottoman rule for 435 years. Here, we visit the Shkodër Castle and its surrounding walls before taking a short walking tour of the city center.

We then continue to Tirana, the capital of Albania since 1920, established by Süleyman Pasha in 1614. Our panoramic tour includes key sites such as the Turkish Embassy, the U.S. Embassy, the Namazgah Mosque under construction with four minarets, the statue of Tirana’s founder Süleyman Pasha, the Tirana city square, Et’hem Bey Mosque, the Clock Tower, the National Museum, the Parliament and Ministry buildings, and the Skanderbeg Square featuring the statue of Albania’s national hero.

Our next stop is Elbasan, where we take a short tour of the city, visiting the Elbasan Fortress and its surrounding Turkish streets before heading towards the Kafasan border crossing into North Macedonia. In Macedonia, our first destination is Struga, a town on the western shore of Lake Ohrid, predominantly inhabited by Muslims. We visit the source of the Black Drin River and learn about Struga’s historical significance before continuing to Ohrid. After dinner, we check into our hotel.

Day 5: Ohrid - Tetovo - Skopje

Following breakfast, we embark on a tour of Ohrid, an important Ottoman stronghold in the Balkans. We explore historical landmarks, including an 11-century-old plane tree, the Halveti Tekke, Ali Pasha Mosque, Ohrid Square, and its famous pearl shops, as well as the local market, St. Clement’s Statue, a traditional paper-making shop, the Hagia Sophia Church, and the Ancient Theater.

We then proceed to Tetovo (Kalkandelen), a picturesque Ottoman-era town, where we visit the Alaca (Painted) Mosque, built in 1833 by Abdurrahman Pasha and renowned for its colorful baroque-style frescoes. Next, we explore the Harabati Baba Tekke, a historical Bektashi dervish lodge, where we learn about its spiritual and historical significance.

After the tour, we continue to Skopje, where we have dinner before checking into our hotel.

Day 6: Skopje - Pristina - Prizren

After breakfast, we travel to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. Here, we visit the tomb of Sultan Murad I, the Ottoman ruler who fell in the 1389 Battle of Kosovo. Adjacent to the tomb is a museum featuring photographs from Sultan Reşad’s last visit to the Balkans in 1911.

En route to Prizren, we pass the site of Slobodan Milošević’s 1989 speech, where he introduced the concept of "Greater Serbia," leading to the eventual dissolution of Yugoslavia.

In Prizren, we take a walking tour of the city, visiting the Halveti Tekke, Gazi Mehmet Pasha Hamam, Namazgah (where Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror and his army prayed), Bayrakli Mosque, the historic Marash district, the Stone Bridge, and the Shadervan Square. We also see the Sinan Pasha Mosque, St. George’s Church, the Arasta Mosque minaret, and the Serbian Quarter, still bearing scars from the war.

After free time in this charming city, we return to Skopje for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 7: Skopje - Istanbul

On our final day, after breakfast, we check out from the hotel and continue exploring Skopje’s Old Bazaar. We visit Mustafa Pasha Mosque, the Goldsmiths’ Street, Arasta Mosque, and the city's landmark Stone Bridge. We also explore the Turkish and Jewish neighborhoods, Daud Pasha Hamam, Çifte Hamam, and several Ottoman-era inns such as Sulu Han, Kapan Han, and Kurşunlu Han.

Our city tour includes sights like the massive Alexander the Great statue, the statue of his father, Philip II, the Macedonia Archaeological Museum, the National Theater, the Museum of Resistance, and the Cyril and Methodius monument. We also visit the Mother Teresa Memorial and Museum, as well as the Old Train Station preserved from the 1963 earthquake.

After the tour, we transfer to the airport for our flight to Istanbul, concluding our unforgettable Balkan journey.