Balkan Tale by Bus (7 Nights – All Surrounding Excursions and Extra Tours Included – With an Additional Charge for Thessaloniki Accommodation) Departing from Eskişehir and Ankara

Tour details
Greece – North Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro – Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Serbia – Bulgaria 7 Nights with Half-Board Accommodation Round Trip | By Luxury Coaches
Need to Know
  • Our participating guests are required to have a valid Multi (Multiple-Entry) Schengen visa for the entire duration of the tour. (Holders of Green Passports are exempt from the visa requirement.)
  • During the tour, it is sufficient to have Euros for shopping and spending in all countries included in the itinerary. 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; fixed-seat and front-seat guarantees are not provided. Seat changes are organized by the vehicle guide.
  • When entering Türkiye from abroad, it is mandatory to stay for at least 1 day 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 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 itinerary flow, provided that they show all places specified in the program, depending on weather and road conditions.
  • 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 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 departure. Tours canceled due to insufficient participation will be notified by İTC TUR.
  • When only category information is provided without specifying a name in the tour program and/or when there are options 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, and sports tournaments, 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 referred to 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 for reservations involving a 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 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 hall allocated to the group for groups.
  • 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, excluding museum and archaeological site admissions. İTC TUR is not responsible if panoramic tours, including other tours specified in the program, cannot take place because local authorities do not permit visiting or entering them on the day and at the time corresponding to the tour, roads are closed due to any event, or 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.
  • During border crossings made by road, waiting times at customs gates may exceed standard durations; 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, with a minimum participation requirement of 20 people. If sufficient numbers cannot be achieved, the excursions may not take place, or extra excursion prices, content, and the vehicle to be used 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 join the extra tours organized during the tour are deemed to have accepted waiting at a suitable rest facility on the route. These passengers will be left at a roadside rest facility before the extra tour begins and will be picked up from the point where they were left 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 of the new round-trip flight tickets required for persons who miss the flight to join the tour and their transfers in the destination region are their own responsibility.
  • İTC TUR is an intermediary institution 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 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 people as follows. 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 above-mentioned terms and completed the purchase of the tour.
Eskişehir–Ankara
Tour Program
Eskişehir – Ankara – Bolu – Düzce – Sakarya – İzmit

Balkan Tale by Bus
(Extra Tours, Dinners, Balkan Night & Greek Tavern Included)
(9 Days 8 Nights, 7 Nights Accommodation)

9 Countries – 5 Capitals – 25 Cities

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

Kavala – Thessaloniki (1) – Bitola – Resen - Ohrid (1) - Kičevo – Tetovo (Kalkandelen) - Skopje (1) – Pristina– Prizren – Lezhë – Shkodër (1) – Petrovac – Budva – Kotor – Herceg Novi – Dubrovnik – Medjugorje (1) – Mostar – Jablanica – Konjic – Sarajevo (1) – Belgrade (1) – Sofia

Greek Tavern with Music and Dinner Included  Matka Canyon Included   
Dubrovnik Tour Included   5 Dinners Included  Bosnian Meatball Delight   
Pocitelj Village Included  Kravica Waterfall Included  Musical and Dining Balkan Night Included

Departure Dates
17 January – 24 January & 14 March – 18 March – 19 March & 22 April – 25 April – 30 April & 2 May – 15 May – 22 May – 23 May & 13 June – 27 June & 11 July – 25 July & 8 August – 22 August & 5 September – 18 September & 2 October – 16 October – 30 October & 7 November – 14 November

We begin our tour by picking up our valued guests from Eskişehir Özdilek Car Park 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 Station at 22:00. We arrive at the Kapıkule border gate. After completing our passport and customs procedures here, we continue our journey with an overnight drive.

Kavala – Thessaloniki – Atatürk House – Waterfront – Via Egnatia – Aristotelous Square – Greek Tavern

In the morning, we have breakfast at our own leisure along the way. Afterwards, we proceed to Kavala, one of the important cities of Greece. Following the panoramic tour and photo break here, we continue our journey towards Thessaloniki. Upon arriving in Thessaloniki, during our panoramic city tour, we first see the Church of Hagios Demetrios, the largest church in Greece, followed by the house where the Founder and Great Leader of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, was born and lived. Afterwards, some of the places we will see include the Hagia Sophia Church, Bey Hamam, Hamza Bey Mosque, Bedesten, White Tower, Rotunda, and the International Fair area. During the free time we will have after our tour, we recommend walking along the waterfront promenade, famous for its cafés and shops, and visiting Aristotelous Square. After the free time, we see the statue of Alexander the Great before heading to our hotel. Following our tour, we transfer to our hotel. In the evening, we depart from our hotel for the Greek Taverna Tour , which will be organized at no additional cost. After enjoying our meal and having a wonderful time accompanied by Greek melodies, we transfer to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.

Breakfast: Will be taken as an extra along the way. Soup, breakfast plate, pastry, and brewed tea alternatives 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 (not included in the tour price)
Dinner: Greek Taverna (included in the tour price).
Currency : € (Euro)
Route: Istanbul – Thessaloniki (590 km),
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 590 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated at 17:30, depending on the border crossing time

Thessaloniki – Bitola (Monastir) – Ohrid

After having breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we leave the hotel with our luggage and continue on our way toward the Greece–Macedonia border. Following passport and customs procedures, we arrive in the city of Bitola (Monastir), home to the military high school where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk studied in high school. During the tour we will take here, the military high school, which today houses the Atatürk Memorial Room and also hosts the city’s archaeological museum, Širok Sokak, the New Mosque, and Eleni Karite’s balcony are just 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. We continue toward Ohrid at the meeting time given by our guide. Upon arriving in Ohrid, we begin our walking tour. During our tour of this beautiful city, famous for its pearl and itself like a pearl, built 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 Dervish 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. 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 served as an open buffet at the hotel where we will stay (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, Denar in Macedonia (1€ = 61 Denar)
Route:  Thessaloniki – Monastir (219 km), Monastir – Ohrid (70 km)
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 289 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated, depending on the duration of the border crossing: 20:30

Ohrid – Tetovo (Kalkandelen) – 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, where the majority of the population is Albanian. Upon our 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 the ice-cold mountain water from the fountain in the mosque courtyard before continuing on our way to Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. After arriving in Skopje, we set out to explore the streets of this city that embraces the East and the West. While walking through the surviving part of the largest bazaar built outside the capital in Ottoman history, Kapan Han, Sulu Han, the Double Bath, Murat Pasha Mosque, Sultan Murat Mosque, the clock tower, the Stone Bridge, Skopje Fortress, the groups of statues built as part of the 2014 project, Macedonia Square, the Vardar River and the statue of Alexander the Great are just some of the things 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; if it is in season, you must drink a cold boravitsa and taste kikiriki. After our tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel. In the evening, we depart from the hotel for our dinner, music and entertainment-filled Balkan Night tour , which will be organized as part of the tour fee. After enjoying the food and having lots of fun with Rumelian, Balkan and Macedonian melodies, we transfer back 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 fee)
Lunch: Free time in Skopje Bazaar (Not included in the tour fee).
Dinner: Balkan Night (Included in the tour fee).
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 replenish our oxygen levels. 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 though you are in an Anatolian town. During the walking tour we will take 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. We definitely recommend that you taste the region’s delicious dishes during the free time we will have here. After completing our tour of Prizren, we set off to visit the mausoleum built at the site where Murad Hüdavendigâr, one of the important sultans of Ottoman history, had his camp during his time and where, after he lost his life following the battle, his organs were embalmed and buried. Following our visit to the mausoleum, 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 in the Pristina Bazaar (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: Macedonian Denar (1€ = 61 Denars) in North Macedonia, € (Euro) in Kosovo, Albanian Lek (1€ = 124 Lek) in Albania
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 our passport and customs procedures at the Albania–Montenegro border, we continue via Podgarica, Sutomore and Petrovac, taking in a panoramic view of Sv. Stefan Island, which was purchased by a Singaporean multibillionaire. We then continue 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 centers, both your mind and your heart will remain here. During the walking city tour we will take upon arrival, some of the things we will see and hear include the mansions of the important families of Kotor, St. Tryphon’s Cathedral, the Orthodox church, squares and 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 photographs of the view from here; follow the aromas in the city’s narrow streets to taste different and magnificent 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 can be found; it is our recommendation for 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 due to its relations with the Ottoman Empire. During our walking tour inside the fortress, some of the sights we will see include Pile Gate, Ploce Gate, Onorphius Fountain, the world’s first pharmacy, the Franciscan monastery, the Orlando statue, Sponza Palace and the Rector’s Palace. After our enjoyable tour of this medieval city, during our free time we can explore the city’s side streets, shop in the stores, taste seafood, or enjoy a pleasant coffee while admiring 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 in Medjugorje. 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: 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: Shkodër – 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 the 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 depart from 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. Its narrow and authentic Ottoman-era streets 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 young men diving from the bridge for show, a tradition with roots dating back many years. During the free time we will have after our 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 given 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 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 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 wonderful Bosnian pastry, or explore the city by getting lost in its European-style and Ottoman-era streets. After our tour, we have Bosnia’s famous meatballs, cevapi, for dinner in the city center. (Depending on the hotel where we stay, dinner may also be served at the hotel.) 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 Baščaršija. 8-piece Bosnian meatballs, salad and a drink (included in the tour price) (Depending on the hotel where we stay, dinner may also be served at the hotel)
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 depart for Belgrade with our luggage. Continuing through the highlands and villages of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we enter another country included in our itinerary by crossing the border gate located on the Drina River, with which we are familiar from books. After the winding roads of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we reach Belgrade while enjoying views of wide plains, villages, and magnificent landscapes 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 to France, Istanbul Gate, Damat Ali Pasha’s Tomb, the panoramic viewpoint, the Victor Monument, Zindan Gate, Leopold’s 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 shop recommended by your guide, or enjoy a pleasant coffee while taking in the surroundings and the city. After our tour, transfer to our hotel by vehicle. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel.

Breakfast: Will be served as an open buffet at our hotel (Included in the tour price)
Lunch: At Luna Hotel & Restaurant in the city of Zvornik, we can choose from lamb tandoor, fish, meatballs, and soup options according to preference (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, the second-largest Orthodox church in the Balkans, the Russian Church, the Hagia Sofia 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 by meeting at the time and place specified by our guide. We arrive at the Kapıkule border gate and, following the passport and customs procedures there, return to Eskişehir via the highway. Upon our arrival in Istanbul, we bid farewell to our valued guests at the points where we picked you up, 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
Route: Belgrade – Sofia (391 km), Sofia – Eskişehir (1228 km)
Approximate Distance to Be Covered: 1619 km