15-Day Best of the Balkans

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After breakfast, you'll continue to Bosnia and Herzegovina, your next destination in the Balkans. En route to Sarajevo, you'll stop in Jajce which used to be capital of medieval Bosnian state. Here you'll visit one of the world's most beautiful waterfalls, the famous Pliva Waterfalls. You'll also visit the Jajce Citadel, the Mithraic Temple, Medvjed Kula, the Tower of St. Luke, the famous Catacombs and the Mosque of Esma Sultanija. In the later afternoon, you'll head to Sarajevo for the night.

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In the morning, you'll explore the old streets of Sarajevo. Due to its long and rich history of religious and cultural variety, Sarajevo was sometimes called the "Jerusalem of Europe". Visit of Bascarsija district where East meets West and drive in the suburbs to visit Tunnel of Hope that saved the city during the longest modern-day city siege in the 1990s. In the evening, you'll continue to Belgrade for the night, the journey will take around 5 hours with regular stops to stretch.

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You'll start the day with a tour of Belgrade, visiting the old fortress as well as Kalemegdan, Knez Mihajlova Street, the Cathedral and you'll also drive to one of largest churches in the world, Saint Sava. You'll then continue on to Dedinje to visit the tomb of Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito, known as the House of Flowers, in the Museum of Yugoslavia. You'll then visit Novi Sad, a melting pot of ethnic groups and cultures boasting great views of the Danube from the Petrovaradin Fortress.

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From Belgrade, you'll make the journey to Skopje in Macedonia which will take around five hours to reach. After lunch, you'll explore Skopje, visiting the old town with its famous stone bridge, Fort Kale and the Railway Clock. Skopje is still relatively unknown to travellers and those that do visit are drawn in by its quirky architecture and random sculptures which can be discovered as you wander around the town.

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In the morning, you'll continue to Lake Ohrid which is half Albanian, half Macedonian, straddling the borders. Ohrid is a captivating and stunningly natural destination whose old town tumbles down the hill to the shores of the lake. Once home to 365 churches, Ohrid is one of only 28 sites to be declared as both a Cultural and Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Whilst here you'll also stop at St. Naum Monastery, just across the border to admire the beautiful monastery.

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After breakfast, you'll head towards Tirana, the colourful capital city of Albania, well known for its vibrant Ottoman, Fascist and Soviet-era architecture. Upon arrival, you'll explore the town visiting the famous Skanderbeg Square and the National History Museum, whose historical objects date back to prehistoric times through to Communist rule and the anti-Communist uprisings of the 1990s. In the afternoon and evening, you'll have some free time to explore and soak up this vibrant capital.

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Today, you'll leave Tirana behind and continue to Kruja, a small town perched high on a mountain facing the Adriatic Sea known for its national hero, Skanderbeg who prevented the town coming under Ottoman rule during the 15th century. Here, you'll walk through the bazaar and visit the Skanderbeg Fort, today a national museum of Albania. Later, you'll continue to Budva, the most famous coastal site in Montenegro where you'll be staying overnight after exploring the city.

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From Budva, you'll head to Kotor on the way to Dubrovnik. Just a short distance from Budva, Kotor is a stunning bay and medieval town steeped in beautiful natural scenery and bridge with medieval villages and towns. The best way to explore this area is to get out on a boat to admire the towns from the water and to also wander on foot throughout Kotor's old town. In the evening, you'll continue to the Pearl of Adriatic, Dubrovnik, your next destination.

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Today, you'll have a full day to explore the most famous Croatian town of Dubrovnik with its mighty defensive walls along the coast. On the tour, you will walk through the old town on Stradun Street and along Onofrio's Fountain, visiting the Franciscan monastery and continuing towards the old harbour, past St. Blaise Church, the Rectors Palace and the Dubrovnik Cathedral. In the late afternoon, after some free time, you'll walk the perimeter of the city walls taking in one of the best views.

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After breakfast, you'll continue to Mostar with its Turkish style old town and famous bridge, known as Stari Most. Here you'll walk along the alleys that form the bazaar full of shops and market stalls and also visit the Old Bridge Museum. A narrow staircase leads to the terrace of Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque's for panoramic city views and where you can see the typical architecture of medieval Bosnia & Herzegovina. In the late afternoon, you'll drive to Split in Croatia, your next destination.

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In the morning, you'll experience the 'Roman way of life' by visiting the impressive Diocletian's Palace in Split among other great monuments. You'll then continue your tour to Plitvice Lakes National Park making a stop in Zadar en route. In Zadar, you'll have time to explore the fascinating cathedral and the St Donatus Church. You'll then continue your drive towards Plitvice Lakes National Park where you'll stay overnight before exploring the following day.

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After breakfast, you'll visit the UNESCO site of Plitvice Lakes, Croatia's most beautiful national park home to sixteen azure blue lakes connected by cascading waterfalls. You'll then continue to Slovenia, visiting Postojna Cave first, a natural 21-kilometre-long marvel and the number one must-see sight in Slovenia. In the late afternoon, you'll drive to Ljubljana where you'll stay for the night before exploring the following day.

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In the morning, you'll drive towards Bled, the pearl of Julian Alps and epitome of Slovenian natural beauty. You'll spend a large part of the time here visiting Bled Castle which clings to the cliff overlooking the lake and taking a traditional boat ride to the island in the middle of the lake. You'll also have some free time to relax in the unique beauty of this region. You'll then continue to another Alpine lake, Bohinj, where you'll take a cable car to Mount Vogel to admire the view.