BALKAN TOUR
CROATIA, MONTENEGRO, ALBANIA & MACEDONIA
ENG / SPA
8 days, 7 nights
Guaranteed Departure Tour 2012

Day 1 Sunday   DUBROVNIK – Arrival
Upon arrival at Dubrovnik Airport, transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 2 Monday  DUBROVNIK – BUDV / Montenegro – SHKODRA / Albania – TIRANA
Morning sightseeing tour of Dubrovnik, included in the UNESCO’s List of World Cultural Heritage. You will visit the Franciscan Monastery with Europe’s third oldest pharmacy, the Rector’s Palace and the Cathedral. Departure for Tirana; we drive inland via Budva, crossing the Albanian border at Shkodra, once the capital of the Illyrian Kingdom (3rd century B.C.). Dinner and overnight in Tirana.

Day 3 Tuesday   TIRANA – OHRID / Macedonia
Morning sightseeing tour of Tirana, the capital of Albania, including Skender Bey Square, the Mosque of Ethem Bey and a visit to the National Museum representing the flow of Albanian history and housing the finds from archeological sites across the country. Afternoon departure for Ohrid, driving via Elbasan and crossing the Macedonian border at Cafasan. Dinner and overnight in Ohrid.

Day 4 Wednesday   OHRID
Full day in the lakeside resort of Ohrid, classified as UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage site. Through the activity of St. Clement and St. Naum of Ohrid, the first pan-Slavic University in Europe, the famous “Ohrid Literary School” was founded here. Morning sightseeing tour includes the church of St. Sofia (11th century), the most eminent mediaeval monument in Macedonia with magnificent Byzantine fresco paintings and St. Clement Church with its icon of Annunciation. In the afternoon a short drive to visit St. Naum Monastery built on the shores of Ohrid Lake in 900 A.D. and dedicated to the Slavic missionary and educator St. Naum of Ohrid. Return to hotel for overnight.

Day 5 Thursday   OHRID – SKOPJE
Morning departure for Skopje. Sightseeing tour of Skopje, including the Kale Fortress, the Church of the Holy Savior with its iconostas, one of the finest samples of traditional walnut woodcarving, Old Bazaar and Stone Bridge. We drive to the slopes of the Vodno Mountain where we visit the Monastery of St. Panteleimon with its 12th century iconostas  and  frescoes ranking among the highest achievements of Byzantine art of this period. Dinner and overnight in Skopje.

Day 6 Friday   SKOPJE – KOLAŠIN / Montenegro
Morning departure for Kolašin, driving via Pe? and Berane and along the impressive Mora?a River Canyon. Afternoon arrival at Kolašin, spreading  on the left bank of the river Tara, situated at the altitude of 954m. The whole area is surrounded by the thick pine forest of the Bjelasica Mountain and is a popular skiing and air spa resort. Dinner and overnight in Kolašin.

Day 7 Saturday   KOLAŠIN – CETINJE – KOTOR – DUBROVNIK
Morning departure for Cetinje where we visit King Nikola’s Museum, once the residence of the Montenegrin King Nikola I Petrovi?. Continuation to Budva and Kotor, classified as UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage, where we visit its Romanesque Cathedral dedicated to St. Triphun, the city’s patron saint. We continue to Dubrovnik driving along the picturesque Bay of Kotor. Dinner and overnight in Dubrovnik.

Day 8 Sunday   DUBROVNIK – Departure
Breakfast followed by departure transfer to Dubrovnik Airport.

Tour includes:
Arrival transfers from Dubrovnik Airport to hotel and from hotel to Dubrovnik Airport on the first and the last day of the tour
Accommodation in 4* hotels (except in Dubrovnik, a 3* hotel) on half board basis, except in Ohrid on Day 4 (bed and breakfast)
Local guides for sightseeing tours of Dubrovnik, Tirana, Ohrid and Skopje
Entrance fees to: Franciscan Monastery and Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik; National Museum in Tirana, St. Sofia, St. Clement and St. Naum in Ohrid; Church of Holy Savior and Monastery of St.  Panteleimon in Skopje; Residence of King Nikola I Petrovi? in Cetinje; St. Triphun Cathedral in Kotor
ATLAS air-conditioned motor coach throughout
ATLAS tour escort throughout

Hotels:  
Dubrovnik:    Ivka 3*
Tirana:        Sky Tower 4*
Ohrid:        Metropol 4*
Skopje:        Karpoš 4*
Kolašin:        Lipka 4*

Hotels listed in this brochure will be used on almost all departures. If changes become necessary for any reason, substitute hotels will be similar to those in the brochure.

Rates and departure dates:
Price per person
Double occupancy in €