Visit the Western Balkan Capitals

The experience starts by exploring the largest port city in Albania. Durres is an ancient Illyrian city with a rich history from the Roman Empire to the present day. We will visit the Roman amphitheater, city center, and walk along the Vollga promenade by the Adriatic Sea. The journey continues to the city of thousands of windows. Berat is a museum city with unusual architecture around its old town. Mangalem, Gorice, and Kala represent the diverse culture of the city through centuries. Accommodation in Berat.

In the morning we depart towards North Macedonia. Ohrid is known for its historic buildings in the old town situated by the lake shores. Since antiquity, many empires have passed on this important trading route. The walking tour strolls around hundreds of churches, the ancient amphitheater, and the medieval Samuel’s fortress on the top of the hill. Accommodation in Ohrid.

After a refreshing morning that the calm city of Ohrid creates, we drive to the capital of North Macedonia. Skopje is divided into two parts by the Vardar River, where Albanians and Macedonians co-live together. The city tour takes you to fortress Kale, which offers great panoramic views of the capital. Then we continue walking through the Old Bazaar to visit the Mustafa Pasha mosque and feel the Ottoman influence. After we visit sites like the Stone Bridge, the center square, Gate Macedonia, and the Memorial House of Mother Theresa. Accommodation in Skopje.

The trip continues to the youngest country in Europe. Kosovo is an interesting destination with much history to discover. Prishtina is quite new and renovated after the war at the end of the 90s. The guided tour strolls across Mother Theresa Cathedral, the National Library, the Newborn Monument, and Skanderbeg Square. Later we transfer to Kosovo Polje, the area where the famous war between the Ottoman Empire and the Serbian Empire took place in the 14th century. In the afternoon we return to Skopje.

Today we take a long drive to the capital of Serbia. The highway that connects these two ex-Yugoslavian capitals stretches through beautiful countryside landscapes. In the afternoon we rest after a long trip. Optional to go to the Zemun area to enjoy a drink by the many cafes facing the Danube River. Accommodation in Belgrade.

This day is dedicated to discovering all the great attractions of the city. You will take a city tour with a local guide to learn more about the “Gate of the Balkans”. Belgrade is situated on the banks of two rivers Sava and Danube, which gives the city a unique identity. We will visit the famous Kalemegdan fortress and the beautiful park. Then we walk through the busy Kneza Mihaila promenade and visit the central square and Prince Mihailo monument. Saint Sava Temple is one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world with great frescos. In the afternoon we can hang out by the urban streets of Skadarlija.

After breakfast, we drive slowly towards Bosnia & Hercegovina. The route goes through amazing views of the mountains and the Drina River. On arrival at the capital Sarajevo, we take a rest and then transfer by cable car to Mount Trebevic. Trebevic used to be the center of the 1984 Winter Olympic Games and has the best views of Sarajevo. Accommodation in Sarajevo.

In the morning we meet with the local guide and take a day tour of the city. Sarajevo is very rich in history and used to be a city where the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire divided. Bascarsija is a buzzy market area with famous attractions like Sebilj, Gazi Husrev-beg mosque, Old Bazaar, and Katedralja. A visit is dedicated to the Latin Bridge, the corner where the spark of WWI happened. Afterward, we transferred to Sarajevo Tunnel to learn more about the war period in the 90s. Accommodation in Sarajevo.

After breakfast, we drive towards another amazing city in Bosnia & Hercegovina. Mostar is located near the Neretva River in the southern part of the country. The city is famous for the well-known Stari Most, which stands in the middle of the old town. A walk through the old bazaar will make you feel the Eastern influence. Accommodation in Mostar.

On the last day in Bosnia & Herzegovina, we will visit the Blagaj tekke. This popular religious landmark stands by the source of the Buna River and has beautiful surroundings. After learning more about the Bektashi religion, we drive towards Montenegro. Our first destination is the medieval town of Kotor. It is situated inside Boca Bay and is a masterpiece of Venetian architecture. Irregular streets and small squares were built to make invaders feel lost in the past and nowadays they do the same to tourists. Accommodation in Kotor.

The Adriatic Sea of Montenegro hides another treasure city. Budva is the capital of Montenegrin tourism with long beautiful beaches, an island, and a remarkable old town. The walking tour will take you inside the strong walls, to the Poets Square and the Citadel. After lunch, we transfer to the capital Podgorica. Podgorica is relatively a new city with many modern buildings and past communist construction. We will take a tour of the old town and Ribnica bridge. Accommodation in Podgorica.

Today we cross the border to Albania and visit the symbol of Shkoder, Rozafa castle. It was built by the Illyrian tribe of Labeat in the 4th century B.C. and it offers great panoramic views of the Lake Skadar, Buna and Drin river, and the glorious Albanian Alps. Later we head to the center city to visit St. Stephen's cathedral, walk along the promenade, and visit the Great Mosque. After lunch, we transfer to Tirana to end this memorable journey with the city tour of the Albanian capital. Tirana is a city that developed a lot during the 20th century and the main boulevard hosts landmarks such as Skanderbeg Square, Et’hem Bey mosque, the Pyramid of Tirana, the National Bank, Mother Theresa Square and more. Accommodation in Tirana.

**If you want to start the tour from another capital, please let us know.