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- Balkan Dream by Bus (6 Nights – All Sightseeing Tours and Extra Excursions Included), Departing from Izmir
Balkan Dream by Bus (6 Nights – All Sightseeing Tours and Extra Excursions Included), Departing from Izmir
Tour Detail
Tour Program
Izmir – Manisa – Balikesir - Bursa
Balkan Dream by Bus
(All Sightseeing Tours, Extra 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) - Kičevo – Tetovo(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 TASTE OF BOSNIAN MEATBALLS POČITELJ VILLAGE INCLUDED KRAVICA WATERFALL INCLUDED
Departure Dates
January 16 – January 23 & March 13 – March 18 – March 20 & April 24 – April 30 & May 15 – May 22 – May 23 & June 12 – June 26 & July 10 – July 24 & August 7 – August 21 & September 4 – September 18 & October 16 & November 6 – November 13
Üç Kuyular 15:00, Üç Yol 15:30, Lausanne Square, Karşıyaka Monument 16:00, Bornova Ege University Emergency Entrance 16:30, Manisa Bus Station 17:00, Balıkesir Bus Station 18:00, in front of Bursa Old Stadium 20:00. We begin our tour by picking up our valued guests from our departure points. We arrive at the İpsala border gate via Gallipoli. After completing the passport and customs procedures here, we continue our journey with an overnight trip.
Kavala – Bitola (Monastir) – Ohrid
After having breakfast at our own expense in Kavala in the morning, we taste the famous Kavala cookies and continue on our way towards Thessaloniki. In Thessaloniki, we visit the house where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born, then depart and continue towards the Greece–Macedonia border. After passport and customs procedures, we 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 and also the city’s archaeological museum, Širok Sokak, the New Mosque, and Eleni Karite’s balcony are only some of the places we will see. Following our tour here, you can have lunch at the restaurants on Širok Sokak during the free time we will provide. At the meeting time given by our guide, we depart and continue towards Ohrid. Upon arrival in Ohrid, we 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 are Ohrid houses, the Church of Hagia Sophia, Damat Ali Pasha Mosque, the Halveti Tekke and Mosque, and the Turkish quarter. After exploring Ohrid on foot, free time is provided for shopping and leisure. We recommend that you have a glass of Turkish tea or Turkish coffee in the Turkish quarter. Following our tour, we depart for our hotel after meeting at the specified place and time. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel.
Breakfast: Will be taken as an extra on the way. Alternatives such as soup, a breakfast plate, börek, and brewed tea may be considered (not included in the tour price).
Lunch: Will be taken during free time in the city of Bitola (Monastir) (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: € (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 customs 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 route, we continue to Tetovo, one of the important cities of Macedonia, whose population is entirely Albanian. Upon our arrival, we visit the Painted Mosque, perhaps one of the most colorful sights 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 Macedonia. After arriving in Skopje, we set out to explore the streets of this city that embraces East and West. As we stroll through the surviving section of the largest bazaar built outside the capital in Ottoman history, Kapan Han, Sulu Han, the Double Hammam, Murat Pasha Mosque, Sultan Murat Mosque, the clock tower, the Stone Bridge, Skopje Fortress, the statue groups created as part of the 2019 cultural capital celebrations, Macedonia Square, the Vardar River, and the statue of Alexander the Great are just some of the sights we will see in this magnificent city. If you are lucky and they have not run out early that morning, you should try the famous acıbadem, and if it is in 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 Macedonian Night tour, which will be held in the evening with dinner, music, and entertainment. After enjoying the food and having a great time with Rumelian, Balkan, and Macedonian melodies, we transfer to our hotel for overnight accommodation.
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 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 fill our lungs with fresh air. After the enjoyable walk here, we set off and reach the North Macedonia–Kosovo border. Following 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 strongly recommend that you taste the region's delicious dishes. After completing our Prizren tour, we set off to visit the mausoleum built at the site where Murat Hüdavendigar, one of the important sultans of Ottoman history, had his military camp during his reign and where his organs were embalmed and buried after he lost his life following the battle. After visiting the mausoleum, we view Pristina panoramically from the road, complete our visits in Kosovo and set off toward the city of Shkodra 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 in 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 – Shkodra (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 our passport and customs procedures at the Albania–Montenegro border, we continue via Podgarica, Sutomore and Petrovac, enjoying a panoramic view of Sv. Stefan Island, which was purchased by a Singaporean multi-billionaire. We then proceed while viewing the city of Budva, famous for its beaches, 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 sites 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 minds and hearts will remain here. During the city tour we will take on foot upon our arrival, some of the things we will see and hear include the mansions of the important families of Kotor, the Church of St. Tryphon, the Orthodox church, the squares and their beautiful 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 here, taste different and wonderful dishes by following the aromas found in the city’s narrow streets, 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 wonderful cake can be found; we recommend it to all dessert 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 is historically a very important settlement in terms of its relations with the Ottoman Empire. During our walking tour inside the fortress, some of the sights we will see include 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, sample 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, Kuna in Croatia (1€ = 7.6 Kuna)
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 visit the Kravica Waterfalls, a natural wonder included in our tour program. Following our free time here, we arrive at Pocitelj, a garrison village dating back to the Ottoman era. Here, after seeing the Ottoman houses, bathhouse, mosque and old cobblestone streets, and enjoying 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 Turkey and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mostar will take you to a completely different realm with its narrow and authentic Ottoman-era streets. During our tour here, the Mostar Bridge, Koski Mehmet Pasha Mosque, Catholic cathedral, Turkish consulate and martyrs’ cemetery are some of the places we will see. If we are lucky, we may also see young men who jump from the bridge for show, although this tradition dates back many years. During our free time after the tour, you can buy souvenirs unique to Mostar or take a pleasant meal break. After the free time, we meet our vehicle at the time and place specified by our guide and continue our journey 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 sebil, Gazi Husrev Bey Madrasa, Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque, the bedesten, the clock tower, the various shops of the Old Bazaar, the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Eternal Flame, the Latin Bridge and the Fatih Mosque. After our walking tour, you can enjoy Bosnian coffee in cafés unique to Bosnia, indulge in the magnificent Bosnian pastry, or explore the city by getting lost in its European and Ottoman-era streets. After our tour, we have Bosnia’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-piece Bosnian meatballs, salad, beverage (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 breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we check out and set off for Belgrade with our luggage. We enter another country included in our program by crossing the border gate located on the Drina River, which we are familiar with from books, during a pleasant journey through the highlands and villages of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the winding roads of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we reach 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, Kalemegdan Fortress, the Monument of Gratitude to France, Istanbul Gate, Damat Ali Pasha’s Tomb, the panoramic viewpoint, the Victor monument, Zindan Gate, Leopoldov Gate, the Clock Tower and the city walls are just some of the places 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 shop recommended by your guide, or enjoy a pleasant coffee while taking in the surroundings and the city. After our tour, we 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 tandoori, fish, meatballs and soup options (Not included in the tour price).
Dinner: Will be served as an open buffet or set menu at the hotel (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 - Izmir
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, the second-largest Orthodox church in the Balkans, the Russian Church, the Hagia Sophia Church, the Rotunda Church, the Archaeological Museum, the Presidency, the Prime Ministry, and the Banya Bashi Mosque. After the free time following the panoramic tour, we leave Sofia and continue towards the border gate. Upon arriving at the Kapıkule border gate and completing the passport and customs procedures, we return to Istanbul via the motorway. Upon arriving in Izmir, we drop off our valued guests at the points where we picked them up and bid farewell, hoping to see 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 Türkiye (not included in the tour price).
Currency: Euro
General Information
- Guests participating are required to 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, carrying Euros is sufficient for shopping and spending in all countries included in the program. In regions 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 evening.
- During our weekly tours, rotation (seat changes) is applied to the daily seating plan; therefore, a fixed seat or front-seat guarantee is not provided. Seat changes are organized by the vehicle guide.
- When entering Türkiye from abroad, an overnight stay of at least 1 day is required to bring in goods (alcohol, cigarettes, etc.).
- When entering Türkiye from abroad, the free shop purchase limits are: Cigarettes: 3 cartons, Alcoholic Beverages: 1 liter of alcoholic drinks (excluding alcoholic beverages containing more than 22% alcohol, wine and champagne), Alcoholic Beverages: 2 liters of alcoholic drinks (including alcoholic beverages containing less than 22% alcohol, wine and champagne), Perfume: 600 ml, Makeup or Skincare Products: 5 items, Chocolate and Confectionery: 2 kg, Coffee: 1 kg, Tea: 1 kg
- During the tour program, Guides may make changes to the program flow depending on weather and road conditions, provided that they show all the places specified in the program.
- The Travel Assurance Package can only be added during the tour purchase stage. It cannot be added later. It provides guests with an unconditional, interruption-free 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 when fewer than 30 days remain before the tour date, and a 100% penalty applies when 20 days or fewer remain. Hospital reports, workplace leave documents, etc. obtained from authorities in Türkiye and submitted with the participant’s cancellation request are unfortunately not accepted for the cancellation of hotels where they will stay and services they will receive outside Türkiye.
- Our tour program is organized subject to a minimum participation of 25 people. If sufficient participation cannot be achieved for the trip, the final cancellation notification date is 20 days before departure. İTC TUR will notify participants if the tour is canceled due to insufficient participation.
- When only category information is provided without specifying a name and/or when there are options for the same destination in the tour program, the hotel(s) will be announced by İTC TUR 2 days before departure.
- During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events and sports tournaments, hotels may be used at distances exceeding the specified kilometers. In such cases, İTC TUR will provide information 15 days before the tour departure date.
- Triple rooms may be provided depending on hotel availability, and the bed allocated to the third person in such 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 fold-away beds and coach beds, tour participants making reservations for a third person and/or a child are deemed to have accepted the possible lack of space and bed type in the rooms. Child discounts are valid for one child who stays with 2 adults and falls within the applicable age group.
- Breakfasts included among the services provided 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; for groups, they may be served in a separate room allocated to the group.
- The panoramic city tours included in the tour package are tours lasting no more than 2–3 hours, organized for a general introduction to the cities and conducted panoramically with the Guide’s commentary from inside the vehicle; they do not include museum or archaeological site entrance fees. İTC TUR is not responsible if panoramic tours, including other tours specified in the program, cannot take place because local authorities do not allow the relevant sites to be visited or entered on the corresponding day and time, roads are closed due to an event, or weather conditions make the tour impossible. Some tours may, where possible, be conducted by public transport or on foot on roads that are closed or at locations where vehicle entry is not permitted.
- During road travel, waiting times at customs gates 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 from which we receive service, subject to a minimum participation of 20 people. If sufficient participation is not 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 depending on whether museums and archaeological sites at the destinations are open or closed and on weather conditions.
- Extra tours are optional and not mandatory. Passengers who do not wish to participate in extra tours organized during the tour are deemed to have accepted waiting 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 tours involving flights, check-in and boarding procedures are personal responsibilities and must be completed by the guest before the flight at the relevant airline counters at the airports or online via 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 these procedures on time but do not board the aircraft. All expenses for new round-trip flight tickets required for persons who miss the flight to join the tour, as well as their transfers in the destination region, are their own responsibility.
- 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 accepting the risk of time changes. Children aged 0–2 do not pay airport taxes or airport service fees.
- The vehicle types used on our tours are classified according to the number of participants as follows. The vehicle types listed below are assigned according to the number of participants on each tour.
- Buses: (Used for 25–46 people) *Mercedes Travego/Tourismo *NEOPLAN Cityliner/Tourliner -*Temsa Safir/Maraton *Man Fortuna, Midibuses: (Used for 17–24 people) *Isuzu Turkuaz, *Otokar Mega, Minibuses: (Used for up to 16 people) *VW Volt, *Mercedes Sprinter
- All guests are deemed to have accepted the above terms by completing the purchase of the tour.