2026 Grand Balkan 9-Country Tour by Bus from Ankara, Including Optional Excursions, Dinners, and a Balkan Night

Day 1: Ankara - Edirne

Meeting Points:

14:30 Kızılay Mc Donald's (Atatürk Boulevard)

15:00 Ümitköy Bridge

15:45 Eryaman Optimum

We begin our journey by welcoming our guests at the designated locations. Following the route through Istanbul - Tekirdağ - Keşan - İpsala, we arrive at the İpsala Turkish border.

Day 2: Plovdiv – Sofia – Belgrade

In the early morning, we pass through Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second-largest city, arrive in Sofia and begin our panoramic city tour. St. Nedelya Church, Rotunda Church, Russian Church, Hagia Sofia Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Prime Ministry, Parliament, Sofia University, the NDK National Palace of Culture and the Army House, where the famous ball attended by Great Leader Atatürk wearing a Janissary uniform was held, are among the places to be seen. We then depart for Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, the former Yugoslavia and home to important Ottoman monuments. Following our journey, during our Belgrade city tour, one of Europe's oldest cities and the new symbol of vibrancy and liveliness, we will see the Old Palace, decorated with magnificent carved ceilings from the Turkish period, the Millennium Monument, Belgrade Fortress, one of the Ottoman navy's supply centers at the point where the Sava River joins the Danube, for which Fatih Sultan Mehmed was wounded but whose conquest was achieved by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, Kalemegdan, Taş Meydan, the Military Museum, the tomb of Martyr Ali Pasha and the Bayraklı Mosque. Following our tour, we depart for our hotel, followed by dinner and overnight accommodation at our hotel in Belgrade.

Breakfast: Will be taken as an extra in Sofia.

Lunch: Will be taken at a roadside rest facility to be determined by the guide.

Dinner: Will be served at our hotel and is included in the tour price.

Accommodation: Sumadija Hotel etc. – Belgrade

Currencies: Bulgaria – Lev, Serbia – Dinar (Average rate 1 Euro: 115 Dinars)

Route: Ankara-Sofia (950 km), Sofia-Belgrade (390 km)

Total Distance to Be Covered: 1340 km

Day 3: Belgrade – Sarajevo

After breakfast, we depart for Sarajevo. Upon arrival, we take a panoramic city tour of Sarajevo, which served as the cultural capital of the Balkans for centuries, became the place where World War I began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, by the Serbs in 1914, and suffered extensive destruction as a result of the devastating wars among Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks during the 1992 war, yet still largely preserves its beauty. During our tour, we see the famous Baščaršija, the historic Ottoman inn Morića Han, the Catholic Cathedral reflecting the city's religious cosmopolitanism, the Synagogue, the Gazi Husrev Bey and Ferhadija Mosques, the Latin Bridge where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, and the Old Library. We complete our tour by seeing the western-style buildings that emerged during the city's 40-year Austro-Hungarian administration and transfer to our hotel. Accommodation and dinner will be at our hotel in Sarajevo.

Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.

Lunch: Free time at a rest facility to be determined by the guide between Belgrade and Sarajevo, at an extra cost.

Dinner: Will be served at our hotel and is included in the tour price.

Accommodation: Hotel Terme Ilidza etc., Hotel Holiday etc. – Sarajevo

Currencies: Bosnia and Herzegovina – Convertible Mark (Average rate 1 Euro: 1.95 KM)

Route: Belgrade – Sarajevo (309 km)

Total Distance to Be Covered: 309 km

Day 4: Sarajevo – Mostar -Blagaj – Počitelj – Dubrovnik – Trebinje or surrounding area

After breakfast, we visit Mostar, one of the most interesting destinations of the trip. Built by architect Hayreddin in 1557, the Mostar Bridge is a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture. The bridge was destroyed by Croatian artillery during the war in 1992, but was reopened in 2004 with major contributions from the Republic of Türkiye. After the Mostar Bridge, we see the Koski Mehmet Pasha Mosque. We then visit Blagaj, established at the source of the Buna River, one of Europe's most powerful water sources. Following our tour, our next stop is Počitelj. Visiting Počitelj, preserved with its historic texture and known as a Turkish Village, we see the structures built by the Ottomans in the 16th century. After the excursion, we proceed to our hotel for accommodation, room distribution, settling in, overnight stay and dinner at our hotel. Note: Depending on the season's occupancy, accommodation is provided in one of the Trebinje, Mostar or Medjugorje areas. In the evening, at the time determined by our guide, we depart for Dubrovnik, Croatia's holiday paradise. We take a panoramic city tour of Dubrovnik. During the tour, we walk through the old city square, which has been included on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The towers, magnificent walls, Francis Monastery dating from the 14th century and home to one of the world's oldest pharmacies, Rector's Palace, city gates, towers and other important structures will be seen. Following our tour, free time and return to our hotel.

Blagaj Tour INCLUDED! Počitelj Tour INCLUDED! Dubrovnik Tour INCLUDED!

Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.

Lunch: Will be taken at an extra cost during free time in Mostar city center. You can taste all the local delicacies. Guide's Recommendations: Bosnian Pie, Stuffed Onions, Meatballs, Bosnian Coffee

Dinner: Will be served at our hotel and is included in the tour price.

Accommodation: Hotel Bellevue etc., Hotel Kaktus etc. – Trebinje or Medjugorje

Currencies: Croatia – Kuna (Average rate 1 Euro: 7 Kuna), Bosnia and Herzegovina – Convertible Mark (Average rate 1 Euro: 1.95 KM)

Route: Sarajevo-Mostar (129 km), Mostar – Blagaj (15 km), Blagaj -Počitelj (25 km), Počitelj – Trebinje (110 km), Dubrovnik- Trebinje (30 km)

Total Distance to Be Covered: 358 km

Day 5: Trebinje – Kotor – Budva – Shkodër

After breakfast, we depart from our hotel by private bus and enter Montenegro, one of the world's youngest countries and the pearl of the Adriatic Sea. Our first stop in Montenegro is Kotor, a breathtaking medieval town famous for its fjords in the Balkans. Here, you will get to know this charming town during our walking tour of the Old Town-Fortress. Our next stop is Budva, one of the Balkans' most famous holiday destinations, with magnificent beaches and a colorful nightlife. After our panoramic city tour here, we have a short free time in Budva. We then stop to view magnificent St. Stefan panoramically from above, a destination brought into tourism after an island once inhabited by fishermen was nationalized and later sold to a Singaporean multimillionaire, and depart for our hotel. Overnight accommodation and dinner will be at our hotel in Shkodër.

Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.

Lunch: Will be taken at an extra cost during free time in Budva city center. You can taste all the local delicacies. Guide's Recommendations: Seafood, Appetizers, Grilled Dishes, Local Drinks

Dinner: Will be served at our hotel and is included in the tour price.

Accommodation: Hotel Holiday Koplik, Grand Hotel Europa etc. – Shkodër

Currencies: Montenegro – Euro, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Convertible Mark (Average rate 1 Euro: 1.95 KM)

Route: Trebinje – Kotor (95 km), Kotor – Budva (23 km), Budva – Shkodër (86 km)

Total Distance to Be Covered: 200 km

Day 6: Shkodër – Prizren – Pristina – Skopje

After breakfast, we leave our hotel and enter the Republic of Kosovo, one of the world's youngest countries. Our first stop is Prizren. With its architectural silhouette, the sounds of the call to prayer rising from its five-time minarets, and Turkish inscriptions on road and shop signs, Prizren gives the impression at first sight of an Anatolian Ottoman city. The Sinan Pasha Mosque, Halveti Lodge, Bayraklı Mosque and Mehmet Pasha Bath will be seen. After free time and our lunch break, we depart for the capital, Pristina. During our panoramic city tour upon arrival, we will see the 19th-century Clock Tower, Germia Park, the Kosovo Museum, the Fatih Sultan Mehmed Mosque built by the Ottomans in the 15th century, the 18th-century Yaşar Pasha Mosque, notable for its original interior decorations, and the tomb of Ottoman Sultan Murad Hüdavendigâr I, who was killed on the Kosovo Plain as a result of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo. We then cross into Macedonia and, upon arrival in Skopje, see the Old Railway Station, the monument and house of Mother Teresa, who was born in Skopje, the Stone Bridge, the Fortress, the Old Town from the Ottoman period, the Bazaar, and the Mustafa Pasha, Sultan Murad and Gazi Isa Bey Mosques, Davud Pasha Bath, Kapan, Sulu and Kurşunlu Inns, which are among the finest architectural legacies of the Ottomans in the Balkans. In the evening, our magnificent Balkan night tour takes place at one of Skopje's traditional restaurants, featuring unique Balkan dishes, music and local folkloric dances. After our tour, we depart for our hotel and spend the night there.

Kosovo Tour (Prizren – Pristina) INCLUDED! / Balkan Night with Dinner INCLUDED!

Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.

Lunch: Will be taken independently in Prizren.

Dinner: Will be served at a local restaurant and is included in the tour price.

Accommodation: Victoria Hotel etc., Belle Vue etc., New Star Hotel etc. – Skopje

Currencies: Macedonia – Denar (Average rate 1 Euro: 60 Denars), Kosovo – Euro

Route: Shkodër-Prizren (185 km), Prizren – Pristina (85 km), Pristina – Skopje (90 km)

Total Distance to Be Covered: 360 km

Day 7: Skopje – Matka Canyon – Tetovo (Kalkandelen) – Ohrid

After breakfast, we take our Matka Canyon tour, which captivates visitors with its breathtaking views and nature. We then depart for Ohrid. On the way, we stop in Tetovo (Kalkandelen) and visit the Painted Mosque. We then continue to Ohrid. Upon arrival, we take a tour introducing the historic city of Ohrid, which was one of the important Ottoman bases in the Balkans. During our tour, some of the places we will see include the Monument to Saints Cyril and Methodius, 9th-century Byzantine monks believed to have developed the Cyrillic alphabet, Hagia Sofia Church, the Ancient Theater from the Roman period, Samuel's Fortress, St. Clement Monastery and St. Panteleimon Church, the tomb of Sinan Çelebi, Çınar Square, the Turkish Bazaar, the Halveti Lodge, the New Bazaar, Ohrid Market and Lake Ohrid. We then proceed to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.

Matka Canyon INCLUDED!

Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.

Lunch: Will be taken at an extra cost during free time in Ohrid city center. You can taste all the local delicacies. Guide's Recommendations: Ohrid Trout, Meatballs and White Beans Cooked in a Casserole.

Dinner: Will be served at our hotel and is included in the tour price.

Accommodation: Hotel Prestige, Aqualina etc. – Ohrid

Currencies: Macedonia – Denar (Average rate 1 Euro: 60 Denars)

Route: Skopje-Matka (19 km), Matka – Tetovo (61 km), Tetovo – Ohrid (135 km)

Total Distance to Be Covered: 215 km

Day 8: Ohrid – Resen – Bitola (Manastır) – Thessaloniki – Ankara

After breakfast, we depart for Resen. After viewing panoramically the palace of Niyazi of Resen, one of the three most famous figures of the Committee of Union and Progress, who became renowned for his contributions during the Turkish-Greek War, and the city of Resen, we continue toward Bitola. During our city tour of Bitola, we visit the Turkish Bazaar, Bedesten, Ishak Mosque, Yeni Mosque, Haydar Kadı Mosque, and the Military High School where Atatürk graduated and the Atatürk Museum (from outside), where you will experience the most emotional moments of the tour. After our Bitola tour, we depart for the Greek border gate, and following customs procedures, continue to Thessaloniki. The waterfront, White Tower, Rotunda Tower, fairground square, Ottoman and Byzantine monuments, Hagia Dimitrios Cathedral, Greece's largest cathedral, the statue of Alexander the Great, Hamza Bey Mosque, the statues of E. Venezelos and P. Konstantin, and Vardar, Makedonia, Aristotle and Eleftherios squares are among the places to be seen. Our Thessaloniki tour concludes with a visit to the house of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. After a short break, we arrive at the İpsala border gate via Kavala, Xanthi and Komotini. Following entry procedures into our country, we arrive in Ankara via Keşan and Tekirdağ, marking the end of our tour. We bid farewell to our valued guests, hoping to see you on your next journey.

Resen Tour INCLUDED! Bitola Tour INCLUDED!

Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.

Lunch: Will be taken independently in Thessaloniki.

Dinner: Will be taken independently along the way.

Currencies: Greece – Euro

Route: Ohrid – Bitola (69 km), Bitola – Thessaloniki (220 km), Thessaloniki Ankara (990 km)

Total Distance to Be Covered: 1275 km

About the Visa Refund Guarantee;

• Visa documents must be sent to our office in full 1 month in advance. Otherwise, they will not be covered by the visa refund guarantee.

• Valid if the visa and travel health insurance are obtained from Wtatil. The visa refund guarantee is not valid for individual applications.

• If the visa is not issued, the visa and insurance fees will be deducted and the entire tour price will be refunded.