Short Balkan Tale - 2026 Edition
Tour Detail
Tour Program
Istanbul
Short Balkan Tale
3 Countries, 7 Cities, 2 Capitals
Kavala – Thessaloniki – Skopje – (Ohrid – Tetovo) – (Matka) – Sofia
3 Nights 4 Days
2 nights accommodation in Skopje
Departure Dates:
We begin our tour by picking up our valued guests from in front of the Kadıköy Marriage Registry Office parking lot in Istanbul at 20:00, in front of the Ziraat Bank in Mecidiyeköy at 20:30, from the İncirli Ömür bus stops at 21:00, from the Beylikdüzü Marmara Park Havaist stop at 21:30, in front of Silivri 5M Vega Shopping Mall at 22:15, from the Yenice Aytemiz facilities at 23:00, and from the Namık Kemal Yaypet rest facilities at 23:30, then following the Malkara – Keşan route. We arrive at the İpsala border gate. After completing our passport and customs procedures here, we continue our journey overnight. After completing our passport and customs procedures here, we continue our journey overnight.
Kavala – Thessaloniki – Skopje
After having breakfast purchased at leisure in Kavala in the morning and tasting the famous Kavala cookies, we continue our journey toward Thessaloniki. Upon our arrival, during the panoramic city tour, the waterfront promenade, White Tower, Rotunda, Fair Square, Ottoman and Byzantine monuments, Hagia Dimitrios Cathedral, the largest cathedral in Greece, the statue of Alexander the Great, Hamza Bey Mosque, the statues of E. Venezelo and P. Konstantin, and Vardar, Makedonia, Aristotle, and Eleftherios squares are among the places to be seen. Following our panoramic tour, we visit the house where the Great Leader Atatürk was born, followed by free time for lunch. After lunch, we continue our journey toward the Greece–Macedonia border. Following passport and customs procedures, we proceed to the capital, Skopje. Upon arriving in Skopje, we set out to explore the streets of this city that embraces East and West. While strolling through the surviving section of the largest bazaar built outside the capital in Ottoman history, Kapan Han, Sulu Han, Çifte Hamam, Murat Pasha Mosque, Sultan Murat Mosque, the clock tower, the Stone Bridge, Skopje Fortress, the groups of statues created as part of the 2014 project, Macedonia Square, the Vardar River, and the statue of Alexander the Great are only some of what we will see in this magnificent city. If you are lucky and the famous acıbadem has not run out early that morning, you should try it; if it is in season, you must also drink a cold boravitsa and taste kikiriki. Following our tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
Breakfast: To be purchased as an extra en route. Soup, breakfast plate, börek, and brewed tea options may be considered (not included in the tour price).
Lunch: Free time in Thessaloniki. You may choose seafood at the fish restaurants along the waterfront or taste the famous Greek döner (not included in the tour price)
Dinner: Free (not included in the tour price). The famous Cevabi meatballs found in Skopje Bazaar and the local shopska salad are recommended.
Currency: € (Euro) in Greece, Denar in Macedonia (1€ = 61 Denar)
Route: Istanbul–Thessaloniki (590 km), Thessaloniki–Skopje (235 km)
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 825 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated at 19:30, depending on the duration of the border crossing
Skopje – Tetovo – Ohrid – Skopje
Free time all day after the breakfast we will have at the hotel in the morning. Our guests who wish may join our full-day Tetovo – Ohrid Tour, which will be organized as an extra (including the Ohrid Boat Tour) (50 Euros). After departing from the hotel by bus, our first stop will be Tetovo, one of Macedonia’s important cities, where the majority of the population is Albanian. Upon arrival, we will visit the Painted Mosque, perhaps featuring one of the most colorful visuals you may see. During our visit, we will also drink ice-cold mountain water from the fountain in the mosque’s courtyard before continuing our journey. After a short and delicious break in Straza along the route, we will continue toward Ohrid. Upon arriving in Ohrid, we will begin our walking tour. During our tour of this beautiful city, famous for its pearl and itself like a pearl, founded on the shores of Lake Ohrid, some of the places we will see include Ohrid houses, the Church of Hagia Sophia, the Damat Ali Pasha Mosque, the Halveti Tekke and Mosque, and the Turkish quarter. After exploring Ohrid on foot, we will board our boat waiting for us at the harbor to enjoy Lake Ohrid as well (Included in the extra tour fee). After completing our boat tour on Lake Ohrid, we will have free time for shopping and relaxation. We recommend that you enjoy a cup of Turkish tea or Turkish coffee in the Turkish quarter. Following our tour, we will depart from Ohrid after meeting at the specified place and time and return to our hotel in Skopje. Overnight at our hotel. Our guests who wish may join our extra Rumelia Night tour, featuring dinner, limited drinks, music and entertainment (35 Euros). After enjoying the food and having a wonderful time with Rumelian, Balkan and Macedonian melodies, we will transfer to our hotel for overnight accommodation.
Breakfast: It will be served as an open buffet at the hotel where we will stay (Included in the tour fee)
Lunch: Free time in Ohrid Bazaar (Not included in the tour fee).
Dinner: Free (Not included in the tour fee). Our guests who wish may join the Rumelia Night Tour, which will be organized as an extra. The Rumelia Night Tour costs 35 Euros per person. (A rich fixed menu and 2 drinks are included; the menu mainly consists of mezes and meat–chicken dishes. Alternatives are available for our vegetarian guests)
Currency: Macedonian Denar (1€ = 61 Denars)
Route: Skopje – Ohrid (170 km),
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 350 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated: 18:00
Skopje – Matka – Sofia – Istanbul
After having breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and leave the hotel with our luggage. Guests who wish may join the extra Matka Canyon tour to be organized along the way (10 Euros). (Guests who do not join the tour will be left at a facility to rest.) We go to Matka Canyon to enjoy a pleasant walk in nature and breathe in the fresh air. After our enjoyable walk here, we continue our journey towards Sofia. Upon arriving in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, we begin our panoramic city tour. Some of the places we will see during this tour include Alexander Nevsky, the second-largest Orthodox church in the Balkans, the Russian Church, Hagia Sophia Church, the Rotunda Church, the Archaeology Museum, the Presidency, the Prime Ministry, and the Banya Bashi Mosque. After the panoramic tour and our free time, we meet at our vehicle and depart from Sofia. We arrive at the Kapıkule border gate via Plovdiv and Svilengrad. Following our passport and customs procedures, we follow the highway to Istanbul and, after dropping off our valued guests at the points where we picked them up, we say goodbye and look forward to seeing you on our next tour.
Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel where we will stay (Included in the tour price)
Lunch: Free time at Sofia Bazaar (Not included in the tour price).
Dinner: Will be served at a roadside facility within the borders of Türkiye (Not included in the tour price).
Currency: Euro
Route: Skopje – Sofia (250 km), Sofia – Istanbul (550 km)
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 800 km
General Information
- Our guests participating in the tour are required to have a valid Multi (Multiple Entry) Schengen visa for the entire duration of the tour. (Green Passport holders are exempt from visas.)
- During the tour, it is sufficient to carry Euros for shopping and spending in all countries included in the program. In areas where the local currency is used, the Guide will assist with currency exchange.
- Comfortable walking shoes or sports shoes should be preferred throughout the trip. It is advisable to bring a cardigan or similar clothing for the night.
- On our weekly tours, rotation (seat changes) is applied in the daily seating arrangements; fixed seats and front-seat guarantees are not provided. Seat changes are organized by the vehicle guide.
- When entering Türkiye from abroad, at least 1 night of accommodation is required to bring in goods (alcohol, cigarettes, etc.).
- When entering Türkiye from abroad, the duty-free shopping limits are: Cigarettes: 3 cartons, Alcoholic Beverages: 1 liter of alcoholic beverages (excluding alcoholic beverages containing more than 22% alcohol, wine and champagne), Alcoholic Beverages: 2 liters of alcoholic beverages (including alcoholic beverages containing less than 22% alcohol, wine and champagne), Perfume: 600 ml, Makeup or Skin Care Products: 5 items, Chocolate and Confectionery: 2 kg, Coffee: 1 kg, Tea: 1 kg
- Guides may make changes to the program flow, depending on weather and road conditions, provided that all places specified in the program are shown.
- The Travel Assurance Package can only be added during the tour purchase process. It cannot be added later. It provides guests with an unconditional and uninterrupted cancellation right up to 7 days before the travel date. There is no refund if it is not used. If the cancellation assurance package is not purchased, guests have the right to cancel free of charge up to 30 days before the tour. A 30% penalty applies if fewer than 30 days remain before the tour date, and a 100% penalty applies if 20 days or fewer remain. Hospital reports, workplace permission documents, and similar documents obtained from authorities in Türkiye and submitted together with the participant’s cancellation request unfortunately are not accepted for the cancellation of hotels where they will stay and services they will receive outside Türkiye.
- Our tour program is organized with a minimum participation requirement of 25 people. If sufficient participation cannot be achieved for the trip, the final cancellation notification date is 20 days before departure. Tours cancelled due to insufficient participation will be notified by İTC TUR.
- In cases where only category information is provided without specifying a name in the tour program and/or where there are options for the same destination, the hotel(s) will be notified by İTC TUR 2 days before departure.
- During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events, sports tournaments, etc., hotels may be used at distances exceeding the specified km. In such cases, İTC TUR will provide information 15 days before the tour departure date.
- Triple rooms may be provided subject to hotel availability, and the bed allocated to the 3rd person in these rooms is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 additional bed. Since additional beds consist of beds referred to as folding beds and coach beds, tour participants in reservations for the 3rd person and/or children are deemed to have declared that they accept the possible lack of space in the rooms and the bed type. Child discounts are valid for one child staying with 2 adults and matching the applicable age group.
- Breakfasts included in the tour program are served in accordance with the breakfast culture of the country visited and generally consist of a limited menu of butter, jam, bread, tea or coffee, known as a continental breakfast, and may be served in a separate room allocated to the group.
- Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are tours lasting a maximum of 2–3 hours, organized for a general introduction to the cities and conducted panoramically with the guide’s narration from inside the vehicle; they do not include museum or archaeological site entrances. İTC TUR is not responsible if panoramic tours, including other tours specified in the program, cannot be carried out because local authorities do not permit visiting or entering the relevant places on the corresponding day and at the corresponding time, because roads are closed due to any event, or when weather conditions make it impossible to conduct the tour. Some tours may be conducted by public transportation or on foot where possible, on closed roads or at points where vehicle entry is not permitted.
- Waiting times at customs gates crossed by road during the journey may exceed standard durations, and İTC TUR cannot be held responsible for inconveniences arising from these waiting times.
- Extra tours are organized by the local İTC TUR service provider we work with, with a minimum participation requirement of 20 people. If sufficient participation cannot be achieved, the excursions may not take place, or the prices, content and vehicle used for extra excursions may vary according to the number of participants. In addition, the days and times of the tours may be changed by the guide according to the opening/closing status of museums and archaeological sites at the destinations and weather conditions.
- Extra tours are optional for participants and are not mandatory. Passengers who do not wish to participate in extra tours organized during the tour are deemed to have agreed to wait at a suitable rest facility along the route. These passengers will be dropped off at a roadside rest facility before the extra tour begins and picked up from the point where they were dropped off after the tour is completed.
- For persons participating in air tours, check-in and boarding procedures are personal procedures and must be completed by the guest before the flight at the relevant airline counters at the airports or online through the airlines’ websites.
- İTC TUR is not responsible for the inability to take the flight of persons who are not present at the specified airport at the times notified by İTC TUR for participation in the tour, who do not complete check-in and boarding procedures on time, or who complete check-in and boarding procedures on time but do not board the aircraft. Persons who miss the flight are responsible for all expenses related to the new round-trip flight tickets required to join the tour and their transfers in the destination region.
- İTC TUR acts as an intermediary between the airline and the passenger and is subject to the Hague Protocol of 28.09.1955. There may be a risk of delays on scheduled and charter flights, or flight times may change before the existing trip and flight. İTC TUR is obliged to notify passengers of these changes as soon as possible. The passenger has purchased the trip by accepting the risk of changes to flight times. Children between 0 and 2 years of age do not pay airport taxes or airport service fees.
- The types of vehicles used on our tours are classified below according to the number of people. The vehicle types listed below are assigned according to the number of people on each of our tours.
- Buses: (Used for groups of 25–46 people) *Mercedes Travego/Tourismo *NEOPLAN Cityliner/Tourliner -*Temsa Safir/Maraton *Man Fortuna, Midibuses: (Used for groups of 17–24 people) *Isuzu Turkuaz , *Otokar Mega, Minibuses: (Used for groups of up to 16 people) *Vw Volt , *Mercedes Sprinter
- All guests are deemed to have accepted the provisions stated above and completed the sale of the tour.