Balkan Pearls by Bus (6 Nights) Departing from Eskişehir - Ankara

Balkan Pearls by Bus
(8 Days 7 Nights, 6 Nights Accommodation)

8 Countries – 6 Capitals – 24 Cities

Greece – North Macedonia – Albania – Montenegro – Croatia –           
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Serbia - Bulgaria

Kavala – Thessaloniki – SKOPJE (1) – Tetova – Kichevo – Ohrid (1)
Elbasan – TIRANA – Lezhe – Shkodra (1) – PODGORICA – Petrovac – Budva – Kotor –
Herceg Novi – Dubrovnik – Medjugorje (1) – Mostar – Blagaj – Jablanica – Konjic – Sarajevo (1) – Belgrade (1) – Sofia

Departure Dates
18 January – 25 January – 19 March – 12 April – 22 April – 10 May – 24 May – 21 June – 5 July – 19 July – 2 August – 16 August – 30 August – 13 September – 9 October – 8 November – 15 November

We start our tour by picking up you, our valued guests, from Eskişehir Özdilek Parking Lot at 12:00, Opposite Ankara Armada Mall at 15:00, Ümitköy Bridge at 15:30, Bolu Highway Facilities at 18:30, Düzce Tursan Rest Facilities at 20:00, Sapanca Berceste at 21:30, and Opposite İzmit Bus Terminal at 22:00. We arrive at İpsala border gate. Following the passport and customs procedures we will perform here, we continue our journey with an overnight trip.

After breakfast taken freely in Kavala, we taste the famous Kavala cookies and take a short photo break on the Kavala coast. Then we continue our journey towards Thessaloniki. After visiting the house where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born in Thessaloniki, we leave here and continue our journey towards the Greece-Macedonia border. Following passport and customs procedures, we continue our journey towards Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. Upon our arrival in Skopje, we set out to explore the streets of this city embracing both East and West. While strolling through the surviving part of the largest bazaar built outside the capital in Ottoman history, Kapan Han, Sulu Han, Çifte Hamam, Murat Pasha Mosque, Sultan Murat Mosque, clock tower, stone bridge, Skopje fortress, statue groups built within the scope of the 2019 European Capital of Culture, Macedonian Square, Vardar River, and the Alexander the Great statue are just some of what we will see in this magnificent city. If you are lucky and they haven't sold out early that morning, you must eat the famous acıbadem, and if it's the season, you must definitely drink a cold boravitsa and taste kikiriki. Following our tour, transfer to our hotel and check-in to the rooms. Overnight stay at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and leave our hotel with our luggage. Guests who wish can join the extra Matka Canyon tour (20 Euros) (Guests not joining the tour will rest at a café on the way). Our guide takes us to Matka Canyon to take a pleasant walk in nature and store up oxygen. Following the pleasant walk we will make here, we continue our journey towards Tetova. You will be amazed when you see the Painted Mosque (Alaca Camii) built by two sisters. After visiting this mosque adorned with "kalem işi" (pen work), which is an important decoration art in the Balkans, and tasting the ice-cold water flowing from the Shar Mountain from its fountain, we continue our journey to Ohrid. Following a short and delicious break we will give in Straza on the route, we start our walking city tour upon our arrival in Ohrid. During our tour in this beautiful city built on the shore of Lake Ohrid, famous for its pearl and being like a pearl itself, Ohrid houses, the Church of St. Sophia, Damat Ali Pasha Mosque, Halveti Tekke and Mosque, and the Turkish quarter will be some of the places we will see. After exploring Ohrid on foot, free time for your shopping and to enjoy yourselves. We recommend drinking a cup of Turkish tea or Turkish coffee in the Turkish quarter. Guests who wish can join the extra Ohrid Lake Boat tour (15 Euros) after the city tour. After the pleasant and peaceful excursion lasting about 1 hour on the lake, we return to Ohrid. Following our tour, we depart for our hotel with the meeting at the specified place and time. Upon arrival, check-in to the rooms. In the evening, guests who wish can join the extra Macedonian Night tour with dinner, music, and entertainment (45 Euros). After enjoying the meals with Rumelian, Balkan, and Macedonian melodies and having fun to the fullest, transfer to our hotel and overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and leave our hotel with our luggage. Guests who wish can join the extra Sv. Naum and boat tour (30 Euros). We go to the location of the St. Naum Monastery, also known as Sarı Saltuk, established right on the shore of the Lake Ohrid source. We carry out our boat tour on the natural spring known as Black Drim, which has magnificent natural beauty. During the free time to be given here after the boat tour, you can visit the church where the tomb of St. Naum is also located, if you wish. Following our tour, we go to the Macedonia-Albania border gate. After the customs and passport procedures we will perform here, we arrive in Tirana, the capital of Albania, via Elbasan. During our panoramic tour here, Skanderbeg Square, Skanderbeg Statue, the opera house, Et'hem Bey Mosque, and Enver Hoxha's pyramid will be just some of the things we will see. During the free time given, we recommend tasting Trileche, the famous three-milk dessert of the Albanians. Following our tour, we head to our hotel located in Shkodra via Lezhe. Upon our arrival, check-in to the rooms. Overnight stay at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we complete our check-out procedures and leave the hotel with our luggage. After completing our passport and customs procedures at the Albania-Montenegro border, we continue via Podgorica, Sutomore, and Petrovac, and give our dear guests a short photo break at a point overlooking the island of Sv. Stefan, which was purchased by a Singaporean multi-billionaire. Following the photo break, we proceed, panoramically viewing the city of Budva, famous for its beaches, from our vehicle. Right after Budva, which is one of the ideal centers abroad for a seaside holiday, we arrive in Kotor, one of the most important surviving places of the Middle Ages. When you see the city of Kotor, which has defied centuries in the depths of the bay and at the foot of the mountain as one of the touristic centers of Montenegro, both your mind and heart will stay here. With our arrival, during our walking city tour, the mansions of families that are very important for Kotor, Saint Tryphon Church, the Orthodox church, squares, and the beautiful stories we will see and hear will be only some of them. During the free time we will give in this city, if the season and weather permit, you can climb the stairs to the chapel at the very top of the walls and take magnificent landscape photos from here, follow the scents in the narrow streets of the city to taste different and delicious meals, sip your drink in one of the squares, and visit the Cat Museum, one of the most interesting museums in the city. Do not forget to ask your guide where that magnificent cake is in this city; it is our recommendation to all sweet lovers. After the free time, we leave Kotor and first cross from Montenegro to Croatia. Guests who wish may join the optional Dubrovnik tour (40 Euros) (Guests who do not join the tour will rest at a facility). We arrive in Dubrovnik, which is one of the most popular holiday centers of recent years, used as the shooting set of the popular series Game Of Thrones, and is also a very settlement in terms of its historical relations with the Ottoman Empire. During our walking tour inside the fortress, some of the things we will see will be the Pile Gate, Ploce Gate, Onofrio's Fountain, the world's first pharmacy, the Franciscan Monastery, Orlando's Column, Sponza Palace, and the Rector's Palace. After our pleasant tour in this medieval-scented city, during the free time we will provide, you can explore the back streets of the city, shop in the stores, taste seafood, or drink a pleasant coffee while watching the sea or the medieval streets. After the free time, meeting at the time and place specified by our guide, we leave Dubrovnik and first cross into Bosnia and Herzegovina. Transfer to our hotel and check-in to the rooms. Overnight stay at our hotel. (Depending on regional density, accommodation will be made in the Medjugorje or Trebinje region.)

After breakfast at the hotel, we complete our check-out procedures and leave the hotel with our luggage. Guests who wish may join the optional Kravica Waterfalls tour (25 Euros). You will fall in love with the Kravica waterfalls, which are a natural wonder. You must definitely drink a coffee against the view of the waterfall. After the pleasant time we will spend here, our next stop is Mostar, one of the most important cities of the region, destroyed by the fire of Croatian artillery during the Bosnian War in our recent history, later rebuilt with the contributions of the Republic of Turkey, famous for its bridge listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and which will take you to a completely different realm with its narrow and authentic streets remaining from the Ottomans. During our tour here, some of the sights we will see will be the Mostar Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque, the Catholic Cathedral, the Turkish consulate, and the martyr's cemetery. If we are on a lucky day, we can also see young people jumping from the bridge for show purposes, but whose story goes back to ancient times. During the free time we will give after our tour, you can buy souvenirs specific to Mostar and take a nice meal break. After the free time, we meet our vehicle at the time and place specified by our guide and continue our journey. Guests who wish may join the optional Blagaj tour (20 Euros). Blagaj, where we will visit the Dervish Monastery (Tekke) established right on the bank of the Buna River springing from under the mountain, will allow you to accumulate unforgettable memories. In addition to its natural beauty, we will also listen to the story and history of the tekke from our guide. After our tour, we continue our journey towards Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. With our arrival, we start exploring the center of the city on foot. On our walking tour, some of the sights we will see will be the Sebilj, which is the symbol of the city, Gazi Husrev-beg Madrasa, Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, the bedesten, the clock tower, the diverse shops of Baščaršija, the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Eternal Flame, the Latin Bridge, and the Fatih Mosque. After our walking tour, you can drink Bosnian coffee in cafes unique to Bosnia, lose yourself with the magnificent Bosnian pastry (börek), or explore the city by getting lost in its streets remaining from the European and Ottoman periods. Transfer to our hotel after our tour. In the evening, guests who wish may join the optional Bosnian Night tour with music, dinner, and entertainment. We recommend you not to miss this pleasant night where we will taste the beautiful and delicious dishes of Bosnia accompanied by Bosnian music (55 Euros). Transfer to our hotel after our tour. Overnight stay at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we complete our check-out procedures and leave the hotel with our luggage. Guests who wish may join the optional Vrelo Bosna and Tunnel of Hope tour (30 Euros). On our tour, we first go to Vrelo Bosna, where the source of the Bosna River is located. After taking a pleasant walk and taking our photos in this natural park located on the edge of Sarajevo at the foot of Igman Mountain, we go to see the remaining part of the tunnel that gave hope to the people of Sarajevo and the country during the Bosnian War, which was the scene of the most dramatic events of our recent history. Here, after listening to the information our guide will give about the war and the tunnel, we visit the house of Grandma Sida, which was also located in the garden of the tunnel currently visited as a museum. After our tour, we set off towards Belgrade. Through a pleasant journey continuing through the highlands and villages of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we cross the border gate located on the Drina River, which we are familiar with from books, and enter another country in our program. After the winding roads of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we reach Belgrade by watching wide plains, villages, and magnificent views that are the exact opposite of what we saw. After our arrival, during our walking tour, Knez Mihajlova Street, Kalemegdan, the Monument of Gratitude to France, Istanbul Gate, Damad Ali Pasha Tomb, the panoramic viewpoint, the Victor Monument, Zindan Gate, Leopold's Gate, the clock tower, and the walls will be only some of the things we will see. After our walking tour, you can stroll through the lively streets of Belgrade, taste different ice cream flavors at the ice cream parlor recommended by your guide, or drink a pleasant coffee while watching the surroundings and the city. After our tour, guests who wish may join the optional Belgrade Boat Tour (20 Euros). On this tour to be made on the Danube and Sava rivers, you will have the opportunity to watch the city of Belgrade from the river and see the war island more closely. After our tour, transfer to our hotel and check-in to the rooms. Overnight stay at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we complete our check-out procedures and set off towards Sofia with our luggage. With our arrival in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, we start our panoramic city tour. During this tour, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is the second largest Orthodox church in the Balkans, the Russian Church, St. Sofia Church, the Rotunda Church, the Archaeological Museum, the Presidency, the Prime Ministry, and the Banya Bashi Mosque will be some of the places we will see. After the free time we will give following the panoramic tour, we leave Sofia and continue our journey towards the border gate. Arriving at the Kapıkule border gate and following the passport and customs procedures there, we return to Istanbul following the highway. Upon our arrival in Eskişehir, we drop off our esteemed guests at the points where we picked them up and bid you farewell with the wish to see you again in our next tour.