Balkan Peninsula Singles Vacation
Sept 22nd - October 3rd

10-Nights, 3 to 5 star hotels, all ground transportation and air from LAX

BOSNIA, CROATIA, MONTENEGRO and MACEDONIA
WITH VISITS TO ALBANIA AND SERBIA

Just $2,289

I'm very happy to bring this new trip to you. The research for this trip had me just about drooling with all the exciting potential tours and nature we will see. So many World Heritage Sites and "Places to See Before You Die"! On this tour we will start off in Sarajevo, Bosnia and make our way south along the coast to Dubrovnik, Croatia, then Montenegro, through Albania and Serbia to Macedona. The scenery and adventures will be plentyful.

 

SARAJEVO:
In the early afternoon, arrive in beautiful Sarajevo – Bosnia’s capital city that boasts village-like charm and a rich history. Sarajevo is one of the most historically interesting cities in Europe to visit. Mosques built by the Ottoman Turks sit alongside buildings created by the Austro Hungarians, and the city is often referred to as a living history museum. Despite the relatively recent 1990s conflict, the city bears surprisingly few physical reminders of its war-torn past – a sign perhaps, of the city’s desire to move on and welcome visitors with open arms! We will see Bascarsija Bazaar, the Latin Bridge, Sarajevo Roses and more, before sightseeing independently. See this website for what else there is to see in Sarajevo  including the tunnel museum.  For nature lovers we can offer an option to hike to the Skakavac Waterfall, one of the highest in the country.

On a tour of this vibrant little city, our guide will explain some of Sarajevo’s complex yet fascinating past, while showing off its best sites. See Bascarsija Bazaar – an ancient trading place with artisan workshops – and various examples of Ottoman architecture around the city center. Look out for the famous Latin Bridge where the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, and see the Sarajevo Roses (flower-shaped craters in the pavements, filled with red cement) that serve as one of the few reminders of war in the city.

Then we will make our way south to Dubrovnik, Croatia and there's a lot to see along the way.  On our way we will pass  through the UNESCO-listed townof Počitelj, admiring its oriental-style architecture. We may try to take in Blagaj, listed on some sites as one of the 100 Places to see before you die ( Review). We may also try to see the Kravice waterfalls on our way.  Then we end up at the town of Mostar, looking out for its Ottoman-style Old Bridge.  We will stop at the Franjo Tugjman Bridge to enjoy its acclaimed views, and then continue your journey west to Neum -- Bosnia’s only coastal town – for a stroll around. to Dubrovnik. We will spend one night in Mostar.

MOSTAR:
The historic town of Mostar, spanning a deep valley of the Neretva River, developed in the 15th and 16th centuries as an Ottoman frontier town and during the Austro-Hungarian period in the 19th and 20th centuries. Mostar has long been known for its old Turkish houses and Old Bridge, Stari Most, after which it is named. In the 1990s conflict, however, most of the historic town and the Old Bridge, designed by the renowned architect Sinan, was destroyed. The Old Bridge was recently rebuilt and many of the edifices in the Old Town have been restored or rebuilt with the contribution of an international scientific committee established by UNESCO.

At dusk the lights of numerous millhouse restaurants twinkle across gushing streamlets. Narrow Kujundžiluk 'gold alley' bustles joyously with trinket sellers. And in between, the Balkans' most celebrated bridge forms a majestic stone arc between reincarnated medieval towers. It's an enchanting scene. Do stay into the evening to see it without the summer hoards of day trippers. Indeed stay longer to enjoy memorable attractions in the surrounding area as well as pondering the city's darker side – still vivid scars of the 1990s conflict that remain visible beyond the cobbled lanes of the attractively restored Ottoman quarter.

DUBROVNIK:

Discover the best of Dubrovnik on a combined tour of Dubrovnik's Old Town and ancient city walls. With your local guide, explore Dubrovnik's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see Orlando's Column, the City Bell Tower, the Rector's Palace and the Church of St Blaise. Then, explore the city ancient walls and see Fort Revelin and Minceta Tower. We will spend 2-nights here giving us plenty of time for a full day to explore this amazing ancient walled city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MONTENEGRO

Next up is Montenegro along the beautiful Adriatic cost. Its popular coastal towns like Budva and Kotor, have a beautiful resorts. Their luxury blend well with a fascinating nature of Montenegro. It has long beaches, mountains, canyons and fjords – everything in one place for a relaxing and adventurous vacation.

The Bay of Kotor is sometimes referred to as the southernmost fjord in Europe. Besides of its natural beauty, it also has an Old Town, which is included in UNESCO Natural and Cultural list. Kotor is among one of the most beautiful of Montenegro's coastal towns. It is surrounded by lofty mountains which peer over its Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor), Europe's southernmost fjord. As the Mediterrannean's only fjord, this bay was added to the list of the twenty-five most beautiful bays in the world in July 2000.

The Old Town of Ulcinj is a castle of unique beauty whose walls arise direct from the sea. The town covers an area of approximately three hectares and it MORE Our hotel is right here! (see below).

Some of the things to do in Montenegro are taking in the natural beauty of the Konavle Valley. In Risan, we can take a tour that includes the Roman mosaics before you visit the gorgeous Church of Our Lady of the Rocks, located on a small island in the bay. In the intriguing, small town of Kotor, we can take a short boat ride from the Baroque town of Perast to the small island in the bay, called Our Lady of the Rocks. Visit the Church of Our Lady of the Rocks, a Baroque church built in the 17th century that is home to a fine collection of wall paintings. 

RIVER RAFTING! White-water rafting tour in Montenegro! The Tara River runs through the largest canyon in Europe and offers Class III and Class IV rapids for your rafting enjoyment. As you learn how to paddle through white-water rapids, you’ll take in the magnificent scenery of the Tara River Gorge (also known as the Tara River Canyon), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of Durmitor National Park.

Another "Places to see before you die" - Places to see before you die -Sveti Stefan, Montenegro


SKOPJE, MACEDONIA

The drive from Montenegro to Macedonia will take us sightseeing through Albania and Serbia, which may sound far but the entire drive is less than 5 hours and we'll have a number of stops along the way. The scenery will be breathtaking. We will plan to stop in Kosovo near Prishtina at the Medieval Monuments in Kosovo. This is another World Heritage Site mainly dating from the 13th and 14th centuries.

Skopje - Macedonia's capital and largest city in the country, is situated on the beautiful river Vardar. This is a wonderful city, rich in interesting and beautiful sights.  One of the best places to go shopping is the Skopje Old Bazaar.  Even in ancient times, the reign of the Ottoman Empire, the site was an ancient bazaar. Currently, this place is full of visitors but once the Old Skopje Bazaar was the economic center.  Some of the local places of interest we will plan to visit are the Daut Aka Pasha Hamam bath in the old part of town. The Bath has been standing here since the 15th century. One can observe the wonderful architecture survived. Visitors are fascinated by thirteen domes, which are distinguished by the fact that there are arranged asymmetrically. The historical building is also the National Art Gallery. We will visit the Mustafa Pasha Mosque Also at the Old Skopje Bazaar. This is the most beautiful Macedonian Islamic monument.  Many artistic and religious works are preserved in place. Locally there is also the Vodno Mountain just 10 minutes drive from the city centre for everything from a relaxing walk on the mountain trails to downhill biking trails and paragliding. There's even a gondola that will take you to the top where you will see the iconic landmark of the Millennium Cross.

The real appeal of Skopje will be its many different outdoor activities. Here is a list of potential options for day tours that we will get your interest in:

CAVE SLATINSKI http://www.balkansgeotourism.travel/content_detail.php?uid=seeDA2EF892139E9E763 (just one hour and 20 minutes from Skopje. World Heritage site!)

Check out this link for more info! http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1917/

CAVING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, HIKING! Recreation Center Matka, Macedonia  http://www.balkansgeotourism.travel/content_detail.php?uid=seeB3D73E0C10207B069

CITY OF VINEYARDS

http://www.balkansgeotourism.travel/content_detail.php?uid=see587DC0104BFD58E38

WINERY: http://www.popovakula.com.mk/

THE ANCIENT CITY OF STOBI (1 hour and 20 minutes from Skopje)
The city of Stobi is first mentioned in documents from the 2nd century B.C. However, archaeologists believe that the town had been inhabited at least 400 years earlier. Stobi became a rich and prosperous city due to its location on the crossroads of important trade routes. It experienced its highest prosperity in the 3rd and 4th century A.D.


MAKTA , famous for its medieval monasteries. Ride a boat around Matka Canyon, take in the breathtaking surroundings, and be welcomed by the hospitable church-keeper of the Monastery of St. Nikola on top of a hill. JUST 18 MINUTEs from Skopje

NATIONAL PARK MAVROVO - only 1-1/2 hours from Sjopje
Home to the Zare Lazarevski Ski Centre, the Mavrovo Lake and several idyllic villages such as Galichnik and Janche as well as the Monastery of St. Jovan Bigorski

Vrelo Cave Mountain bike, Hiking, Caving, is located in the Canyon of Matka on the right bank of Treska River near the Macedonian capital of Skopje.

Excellent interactive map http://www.balkansgeotourism.travel/map.php?clear=true&icuid=see09522DD62A59C4EF3 You're going to love Macedonia so much you will definitely want to stay longer. This entire trip is going to be great - taking us to 6 countries on the ultimate road trip!

This is certainly going to be a wonderful trip. Plus your dollar is going to go a long way in most of these countries!

 

 

 

 

OUR AIR: Deduct $650 with your own air

Flight:Turkish Airlines  010 Departure: Los Angeles  22SEP /620P  Arrival:Istanbul Ataturk 23SEP/510P

Flight:Turkish Airlines 1025 Departure: Istanbul Ataturk  23SEP /645P  Arrival:Sarajevo 23SEP/735P

Flight:Turkish Airlines 1004 Departure: Skopje  03OCT /905A  Arrival:Istanbul Ataturk 03OCT/1135A

Flight:Turkish Airlines  009 Departure: Istanbul Ataturk  03OCT /1245P  Arrival:Los Angeles 03OCT/430P

INCLUDES:

  • International and domestic air (Deduct $650 with your own air and you will not pay the departure tax).
  • All ground transportation
  • Group rates on all tours
  • Daily Breakfast
  • Price is for double occupancy

DOES NOT INCLUDE:

  • Departure tax of $524 (subject to change until ticketing)
  • Tips and gratuities

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT; (your own room) - $400

OUR HOTELS

Sarajevo
Colors hotel #1 on Trip advisor!
Website
Located at the centre of the city, Colors Inn hotel embodies the charm of Sarajevo in the literal sense. It is situated in Koševo Street, a picturesque part of the city, in the charming building dating back to the Austro-Hungarian period.

Colors Inn Hotel Sarajevo has 37 luxury single and double rooms and a private parking – which is of particular importance, considering that the hotel is located in the epicentre of the urban part of the city. The hotel also has a comfortable and creatively designed restaurant where the guests may enjoy the culinary delights of unspoiled nature, despite being located in the centre of the city.

Although Colors Inn Hotel is only 200 m away from the main road, it exudes in peace because of its cleverly designed architecture. Near the hotel there are BBI Shopping Centre, the city's synonym for a one-stop-shop, banks, institutions and embassies. The urban walking zone begins at the monument of „The Eternal Flame – Vjecna vatra“ and it is only a three-minute walk away from the hotel. The Great Park, a legendary green oasis and the city's „lungs“, is at the back of the hotel, and only a few meters away, next to Second secondary school, there is another place to relax, the sumptuous Park of Light – park Svjetlosti. Part of the city in which the hotel is located is very rich in authentic restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries, theatres. Within a radius of one kilometre, hotel guests can use almost the entire indigenous offer of Sarajevo.

Mostar
Hotel Ero Mostar 3* Review on Tripadvisor
Website

Hotel Ero is located in the centre of Mostar. Top quality equipped and air-conditioned Hotel Ero has 165 rooms and 8 exclusive suites comprising 300 beds. All rooms have a direct telephone line, internet access and cable TV. Our guests have at their disposal: a restaurant with wide choice of national and international dishes, aperitif bar, garden restaurant, mini gym, laundry, hair saloon and shops.

Hotel Ero is an ideal place for business people and visitors wanting relaxation, because it offers great opportunities for organizing tours to the desired destinations, such as Medjugorje, Dubrovnik etc. That's why we heartily recommend this hotel to those who, at one place, want to meet and enjoy picturesque scenery together with cultural, historical and architectural sights of the Mostar as a very important transit place in the heart of the Europe.

 

Dubrovnik
Hotel Ariston 5 * Review on Tripadvisor
Website

Hotel Ariston is the largest hotel of the Importanne Resort group, offering its guests five-star comfort and spacious accommodation in Dubrovnik and all of the convenience associated with a luxury dream vacation. Hotel Ariston is located on the picturesque Lapad Peninsula, about two miles (3.8 kilometres) from the Old Town center. We provide guests with the opportunity to get to know and tour the city's monuments and enjoy a unique holiday in the hotel's luxurious rooms.

Luxury accommodation near the Old Town center rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TV and satellite channels, and free Internet access. This Dubrovnik hotel has prepared unique accommodations in spacious rooms with balconies and beautiful views as well as a wide range of amenities. A holiday in a setting of Mediterranean flora and the Adriatic Sea will spark the enthusiasm of any visitor, whether a tourist or business traveller. For culinary delights and Dubrovnik specialities, we feature three restaurants and the On The Rocks Cocktail Bar & Lounge. To keep fit during your stay we offer a sauna, spa and fitness zone with many sports activities. To complete your holiday, visit the Blue Flag hotel beach and our outdoor pool. Free Wifi in the entire resort including rooms. All rooms are seaview!

Montenegro
Hotel Mediteran Ulcinj 3* Review on Tripadvisor
Website

Hotel Mediteran is situated in the picturesque town of Ulcinj, only 100 meters from the beach and downtown. Although close to the city, Hotel Mediteran is protected from the noise and bustle, and as such it represents a true natural reserve ideal for family vacation and enjoyment in delights of the coastline. The hotel features a restaurant, banquet and wedding hall, conference hall, bar and swimming pool. Whether it's enjoying the beaches, active water sports or recreation, tours of historical and cultural sites, or all of the above, staff at the Hotel Mediteran can arrange your unique travel experience. It is up to you to choose and express your wishes and we will do our best to make your vacation memorable. Hotel Mediteran welcomes you!

Surrounded with palm trees and pine woods, only walking distance from the small beach ( 100 m) located in the heart of Ulcinj. The Hotel Mediteran Ulcinj one of the few family owned-and-operated facilities among Montenegro hotels and resorts, steeped in the Ulcinj's community's 2,000 years of history - among the oldest settlements in the Mediterranean, a place of Romans, Turks, Viennese, even Pirates. Hotel Mediteran Ulcinj offers 134 beautifully renovated guest rooms which are located in separate villa buildings, a large Central Building with banquet facilities for 300, a family-style restaurant, The Deck Bar, a TV viewing area and other surprises, which we have prepared for you to make your stay here as warm and enjoyable as staying with family.

Reviews state: "NICE RENOVATED ROOMS AND SEA VIEWS AND SAND BEACH". "GOOD BREAKFAST BUFFET". "OLD CITY A SHORT WALK AWAY".

Macedonia
Duvet Center Hotel 4* Review on Tripadvisor
Website

Duvet Center Hotel is the newest addition to Duvet Hotels in Macedonia. This superbly comfortable 4 star hotel is well located and testifies to our dedication and intention to offer the best possible accommodation to frequent travelers whose lives are directly influenced by the accommodation quality in their “homes away from home.” Having maintained a guest return rate of over 90% has gently forced us to "give something back" to our loyal customers and thus we have built this hotel to provide maximum comfort and sizable work area to each guest no matter what category of room he/she is staying at.

With 39 rooms with size ranging from 25m2 to 55m2 we have provided the comfort no other competitor can match. Our top floor breakfast and bar areas are offering unparalleled panoramic views of the city and are just adding to the experience. Duvet (Center) Hotel is located in the nightlife and restaurant district of Debar Maalo literally minutes walk from the main city square, most shopping malls, the Old Bazaar area and Fortress Kale, the Government headquarters and Houses of Parliament, the main city park, the EU headquarters for Macedonia, and most banks.

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