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- Balkan Dream by Bus (6 Nights – All Surrounding Excursions and Extra Tours Included), Departing from Eskişehir and Ankara
Balkan Dream by Bus (6 Nights – All Surrounding Excursions and Extra Tours Included), Departing from Eskişehir and Ankara
Tour Detail
Tour Program
Eskişehir – Ankara – Bolu – Düzce – Sakarya – İzmit
Balkan Dream by Bus
(All Sightseeing Tours, Optional Tours, Dinners and Balkan Night Included)
(8 Days 7 Nights, 6 Nights Accommodation)
9 Countries – 5 Capitals – 24 Cities
Greece – North Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro – Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Serbia - Bulgaria
Kavala – Thessaloniki - Bitola – Resen - Ohrid (1) - Kicevo – Tetovo - SKOPJE (1) – PRISTINA – Prizren – Lezhë - Shkodër (1) – Petrovac - Budva – Kotor – Herceg Novi – Dubrovnik – Medjugorje (1) – Mostar – Jablanica - Konjic - SARAJEVO (1) – BELGRADE (1)
MATKA CANYON INCLUDED DUBROVNIK TOUR INCLUDED 5 DINNERS INCLUDED
MUSICAL AND ENTERTAINING MACEDONIAN NIGHT TOUR INCLUDED BOSNIAN MEATBALL DELICACY POČITELJ VILLAGE INCLUDED KRAVICA WATERFALL INCLUDED
Departure Dates
16 January – 23 January & 13 March – 18 March – 20 March & 24 April – 30 April & 15 May – 22 May – 23 May & 19 June & 3 July – 17 July – 31 July & 14 August – 28 August & 11 September & 2 October – 30 October & 6 November – 13 November
We begin our tour by picking up our valued guests from Eskişehir Özdilek Car Park at 12:00, opposite Ankara Armada Shopping 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 the Kapıkule border gate. After completing our passport and customs procedures here, we continue our journey overnight.
Kavala – Bitola (Monastir) – Ohrid
After breakfast, which will be taken independently in Kavala in the morning, we will taste the famous Kavala cookies before continuing our journey towards Thessaloniki. In Thessaloniki, we will visit the house where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born, then depart and continue towards the Greece–Macedonia border. Following passport and customs procedures, we will arrive in the city of Bitola (Monastir), where the military high school that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk attended is located. During the tour we will take here, the military high school, which today houses the Atatürk Memorial Room as well as the city’s archaeological museum, Širok Sokak, the New Mosque, and Eleni Karite’s balcony are only some of the places we will see. After our tour here, you can have lunch at the restaurants on Širok Sokak during the free time we will provide. At the meeting time announced by our guide, we will depart and continue towards Ohrid. Upon arrival in Ohrid, we will begin our walking tour. During our tour of this beautiful city, famous for its pearl established on the shores of Lake Ohrid and itself as beautiful as a pearl, some of the places we will see are Ohrid houses, the Church of Hagia Sophia, the Damat Ali Pasha Mosque, the Halveti Lodge and Mosque, and the Turkish quarter. After exploring Ohrid on foot, there will be free time for shopping and leisure. We recommend that you enjoy a glass of Turkish tea or Turkish coffee in the Turkish quarter. After our tour, we will meet at the specified place and time and depart for our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel.
Breakfast: Will be taken as an extra on the way. Soup, a breakfast plate, börek, and brewed tea options may be considered (not included in the tour fee).
Lunch: Will be taken during free time in Bitola (Monastir) (not included in the tour fee) Dinner: Will be served at the hotel as an open buffet or set menu (included in the tour fee)
Currencies: € (Euro) in Greece, Dinar in Macedonia (1€ = 61 Dinars)
Route: Istanbul-Kavala (444 km), Kavala - Monastir (370 km), Monastir – Ohrid (70 km)
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 890 km
Estimated Hotel Check-in Time: 20:30, depending on the duration of the border crossing
Ohrid – Tetovo – Skopje
After having breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and leave our hotel with our luggage. Following a short and delicious break in Straza along the way, we continue to Tetovo, one of North Macedonia’s important cities, with an entirely Albanian population. Upon arrival, we visit the Painted Mosque, which perhaps has one of the most colorful appearances you may ever see. During our visit, we also drink ice-cold mountain water from the fountain in the mosque courtyard before continuing our journey toward Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. After arriving in Skopje, we set out to explore the streets of this city that embraces both East and West. As we walk through the surviving section of the largest bazaar built outside the capital in Ottoman history, the Kapan Han, Suli Han, Çifte Hammam, Murat Pasha Mosque, Sultan Murat Mosque, clock tower, Stone Bridge, Skopje Fortress, groups of statues created as part of the 2019 European Capital of Culture celebrations, Macedonia Square, the Vardar River, and the statue of Alexander the Great are only some of the sights we will see in this magnificent city. If you are lucky and they have not sold out early that morning, you should try the famous acıbadem, and if it is the right season, you should definitely drink a cold boravitsa and taste kikiriki. Following our tour, we transfer to our hotel. We depart from the hotel for our evening Macedonian Night tour, featuring dinner, music, and entertainment. After enjoying the meals and having a great time with Rumelian, Balkan, and Macedonian melodies, we transfer to our hotel for the overnight stay.
Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel where we will stay (included in the tour price)
Lunch: Free time in Skopje Bazaar (not included in the tour price).
Dinner: Macedonian Night Tour. (Included in the tour price)
Currency: Macedonian Denar (1€ = 61 Denars)
Route: Ohrid – Skopje (170 km),
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 200 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated: 18:00
Skopje – Matka Canyon – Prizren – Pristina – Shkodër
After having our breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and leave our hotel with our luggage. First, our guide takes us to Matka Canyon, included in our tour program, where we will enjoy a pleasant walk in nature and breathe in the fresh air. Following our enjoyable walk here, we set off and reach the North Macedonia–Kosovo border. After passport and customs procedures, we arrive in Kosovo, the world’s second-newest and Europe’s newest state. First, we arrive in Prizren, which bears many traces of the Ottoman Empire and where you will feel as if you are in an Anatolian town. During our walking tour here, the Sinan Pasha Mosque, the minaret of the Arasta Mosque, the Ottoman bathhouse, the stone bridge, the Turkish consulate and the fortress are just some of the sights we will see. During our free time here, we highly recommend that you try the delicious local dishes of the region. After completing our Prizren tour, we set off to visit the tomb built at the site where one of the important sultans of Ottoman history, Murat Hüdavendigar, had his military camp during his reign, and where his organs were embalmed and buried after he lost his life following the battle. After our visit to the tomb, we view Pristina panoramically from the road, complete our visits in Kosovo and set off toward the city of Shkodër in Albania for our overnight stay. Upon arrival, we settle into the hotel, have dinner and spend the night at our hotel.
Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel where we will stay (included in the tour price)
Lunch: Free time at the Pristina Bazaar (not included in the tour price).
Dinner: Will be served at the hotel as an open buffet or set menu (included in the tour price)
Currencies: Macedonian Denar in North Macedonia (1€ = 61 Denars), € (Euro) in Kosovo, Albanian Lek (1€ = 124 Lek)
Route: Skopje – Pristina (95 km), Pristina – Prizren (86 km), Prizren – Shkodër (187 km)
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 390 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated: 19:30
Shkodër – Budva – Kotor – Dubrovnik – Medjugorje or Surroundings
After having breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and leave our hotel with our luggage. After completing passport and customs procedures at the Albania–Montenegro border, we continue via Podgorica, Sutomore and Petrovac, enjoy a panoramic view of Sveti Stefan Island, which was purchased by a Singaporean multimillionaire, and then proceed by seeing the famous coastal city of Budva panoramically from our vehicle. Immediately after Budva, one of the ideal destinations abroad for a seaside holiday, we arrive in Kotor, one of the important medieval places that has survived to the present day. When you see the city of Kotor, which has defied the centuries in the depths of the bay and on the slopes of the mountain, one of Montenegro’s tourist centres, both your mind and your heart will remain here. During the city tour we will take on foot upon arrival, some of the things we will see and hear include the mansions of the important families of Kotor, St. Tryphon’s Church, the Orthodox church, squares and fascinating stories. During our free time in this city, if the season and weather are suitable, you can climb the stairs to the chapel at the top of the city walls and take magnificent landscape photographs from there; follow the aromas in the narrow streets of the city to taste different and wonderful dishes; sip your drink in one of the squares; or visit the Cat Museum, one of the city’s most interesting museums. Do not forget to ask your guide where that magnificent cake is; it is our recommendation for all sweet lovers. After our free time, we leave Kotor and first cross from Montenegro into Croatia, arriving in Dubrovnik, one of the most popular holiday destinations in recent years, which was also used as a filming location for the popular series Game of Thrones and, historically, was a very important settlement due to its relations with the Ottoman Empire. During our walking tour inside the fortress, some of the places we will see are the Pile Gate, Ploče Gate, Onorphius Fountain, the world’s first pharmacy, the Franciscan Monastery, the Orlando Column, Sponza Palace and the Rector’s Palace. After our enjoyable tour of this medieval city, during our free time you can explore the city’s side streets, shop in the stores, taste seafood or enjoy a pleasant coffee while looking out at the sea or the medieval streets. After our free time, we meet at the time and place specified by our guide, leave Dubrovnik, first cross into Bosnia and Herzegovina, and transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel. (Depending on the regional occupancy, accommodation will be provided in the Medjugorje or Trebinje area.)
Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at our hotel (included in the tour price)
Lunch: Free time in Kotor (not included in the tour price).
Dinner: Will be served at the hotel as an open buffet or set menu (included in the tour price)
Currencies: Albanian Lek (1€ = 124 Lek), € in Montenegro, Croatian Kuna (1€ = 7.6 Kuna) in Croatia
Route: Shkodra – Kotor (110 km), Kotor – Dubrovnik ( 93 km), Dubrovnik – Trebinje (35 km)
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 260 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated: 20:30
Medjugorje – Kravica – Počitelj – Mostar – Sarajevo
After having breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and leave the hotel with our luggage. First, we head to the Kravica Waterfalls, a natural wonder included in our tour program. After some free time here, we arrive at Pocitelj, a garrison village dating back to the Ottoman period. Here, after seeing the Ottoman houses, bathhouse, mosque, and old cobblestone streets, and sipping our Turkish teas and Bosnian coffees, we leave the village. Our next stop is Mostar, one of the most important cities in the region, famous for its bridge, which was destroyed by Croatian artillery fire during the Bosnian War in our recent history and later rebuilt with contributions from the Republic of Türkiye and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its narrow and authentic Ottoman-era streets, Mostar will transport you to a completely different world. During our tour here, the Mostar Bridge, Koski Mehmet Pasha Mosque, Catholic cathedral, Turkish consulate, and martyrs’ cemetery are among the places we will see. If we are lucky, we may also see the young men who jump from the bridge for show, although this tradition dates back many years. During the free time after our tour, you can purchase souvenirs unique to Mostar or enjoy a pleasant meal break. After the free time, we meet our vehicle at the time and place specified by our guide and continue toward Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Upon arrival, we begin exploring the city center on foot. During our walking tour, some of the places we will see include the city’s symbol, the sebil fountain, Gazi Husrev Bey Madrasa, Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque, the bezistan, the clock tower, the various 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 cafés unique to Bosnia, indulge in the wonderful Bosnian börek, or explore the city by getting lost in its European and Ottoman-era streets. After our tour, we have Sarajevo’s famous meatballs, cevapi, for dinner in the city center. After dinner, we transfer to our hotel by vehicle. Overnight at our hotel.
Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel where we will stay (Included in the tour price)
Lunch: Free time in Mostar (Not included in the tour price).
Dinner: We will have famous Bosnian meatballs in Sarajevo’s Baščaršija. 8 Bosnian meatballs, salad, and a drink (Included in the tour price)
Currency: Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark (1 € = 1.96 KM)
Route: Trebinje – Mostar (116 km), Mostar – Sarajevo ( 130 km)
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 290 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated: 20:30
Sarajevo – Belgrade
After having our breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we will check out and depart for Belgrade with our luggage. During a pleasant journey through the highlands and villages of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we will cross the border gate located on the Drina River, which we are familiar with from books, and enter another country included in our itinerary. After the winding roads of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we will arrive in Belgrade while enjoying the wide plains, villages and magnificent views that are the complete opposite of what we have seen. During the walking tour we will take upon arrival, Knez Mihajlova Street, Kale Megdan, the Monument to France, Istanbul Gate, the Tomb of Damat Ali Pasha, the panorama point, the Victor statue, Zindan Gate, Leopoldov Gate, the clock tower and the city walls are just some of the sights we will see. After our walking tour, you can stroll through the lively streets of Belgrade, taste different ice cream flavors at an ice cream parlor recommended by your guide, or enjoy a pleasant coffee while taking in the surroundings and the city. Following our tour, we will transfer to our hotel by vehicle. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel.
Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at the hotel where we will stay (Included in the tour price)
Lunch: At Luna Hotel&Restaurant in the city of Zvornik, we can choose from lamb tandır, fish, meatballs and soup options (Not included in the tour price).
Dinner: Will be served at the hotel as an open buffet or set menu (Included in the tour price)
Currencies: Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark (1 € = 1.96 KM), Serbian Dinar (1€ = 118 Dinars)
Route: Sarajevo – Belgrade ( 294 km)
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 320 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated: 20:30
Belgrade – Sofia – Eskişehir
After having breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we check out and depart for Sofia with our luggage. Upon arriving in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, we begin our panoramic city tour. During this tour, some of the places we will see include Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Russian Church, Hagia Sophia Church, the Rotunda Church, the Archaeological Museum, the Presidency, the Prime Ministry, and the Banya Bashi Mosque, which is the second-largest Orthodox church in the Balkans. After the free time we will have following the panoramic tour, we leave Sofia and continue our journey toward the border gate. Upon arriving at the Kapıkule border gate and completing the passport and customs procedures there, we return to Istanbul via the highway. Upon arriving in Eskişehir, we say goodbye to you, our valued guests, by dropping you off at the points where we picked you up, with the hope of seeing you again 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 in Sofia (Not included in the tour price).
Dinner: Will be served at a roadside facility within the borders of Turkey (Not included in the tour price).
Currency: Euro
General Information
- Guests participating must have a valid Multi (Multiple Entry) Schengen visa for the entire duration of the tour. (Green Passport holders are exempt from the visa requirement.)
- 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 garment for the evening.
- During our weekly tours, rotation (seat changes) is applied in the daily seat planning; therefore, a fixed seat or front-seat guarantee is not provided. Seat changes are organized by the vehicle guide.
- When entering Türkiye from abroad, at least 1 night of accommodation is required in order 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 beverage (excluding alcoholic beverages containing more than 22% alcohol, wine and champagne), Alcoholic Beverages: 2 liters of alcoholic beverage (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
- Depending on weather and road conditions, the Guides may make changes to the program flow, provided that all places specified in the program are shown.
- The Travel Assurance Package can only be added during the tour purchase stage. It cannot be added afterward. It provides guests with an unconditional and uninterrupted cancellation right up to 7 days before the travel date. It is non-refundable if 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 leave documents, and similar documents obtained from authorities in Türkiye and submitted with the participant’s cancellation request are unfortunately not accepted for cancellations 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 the tour departure. İTC TUR will notify participants of tours canceled due to insufficient participation.
- In cases where only category information is provided without specifying a name in the tour program and/or where there are alternatives for the same destination, the hotel(s) will be notified by İTC TUR 2 days before the trip departure.
- During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events, sports tournaments, etc., hotels may be used at distances exceeding the specified kilometers. In such a case, İTC TUR will provide information 15 days before the tour departure date.
- Triple rooms may be provided depending on hotel availability, and in these rooms the bed assigned to the 3rd person is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 extra bed. Since extra beds consist of beds known as folding beds and coach beds, tour participants are deemed to have declared that they accept the possible crowding in the rooms and the bed type in reservations for the 3rd person and/or children. Child discounts are valid for one child who stays with 2 adults and falls within the applicable age group.
- Breakfasts included among the services 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 for groups.
- Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are tours lasting no more than 2–3 hours, organized for the general introduction of cities and conducted panoramically with the guide’s narration from inside the vehicle; they do not include museum or archaeological site admissions. İTC TUR shall not be held responsible if panoramic tours, including other tours specified in the program, cannot take place because local authorities do not permit visiting or entering the relevant places on the day and at the time corresponding to the tour, roads are closed due to an event, or weather conditions make it impossible to conduct the tour. Some tours may be conducted by public transportation or on foot, within the available possibilities, at locations with closed roads or where vehicle access is not permitted.
- At customs gates crossed by road during the journey, waiting times may exceed standard durations, and İTC TUR cannot be held responsible for any inconveniences arising from these waiting periods.
- Extra tours are organized by the local İTC TUR from which we receive service, 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 to be 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 whether the museums and archaeological sites at the destinations are open or closed and according to 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 accepted waiting at an available 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 tours with flights, 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 their check-in and boarding procedures on time, or who complete their check-in and boarding procedures on time but do not board the aircraft. All costs for new round-trip flight tickets required for persons who miss the flight to join the tour and for their transfers in the destination region shall be borne by them.
- 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 special flights, or times may change before the existing trip and flight. İTC TUR is obliged to notify guests of these changes as soon as possible. The passenger has purchased the trip by accepting the risk of schedule changes. Children between 0 and 2 years of age do not pay airport taxes or airport service fees.
- The vehicle types used in our tours are classified according to the number of persons as follows. The vehicle types listed below are assigned according to the number of people participating in 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 completed the sale of the tour by accepting the terms stated above.