13 Days 12 Nights Balkan Circle Tour from Istanbul
Download Program PDF
Trip Info
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Accommodation
12 nights in 4-star hotels, buffet breakfast included.
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City
Istanbul, Edirne, Thessaloniki, Skopje, Ohrid, Shkodër, Trebinje, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Sofia
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Transportation
All transfers between cities by modern air-conditioned vehicles; English-speaking escort and local guides.
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Start Date
Oct 05, 2026
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End Date
Oct 17, 2026
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Duration
13 Days 12 Nights
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Capacity
45 people
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Price
€2,340
Overview
A 13-day, 12-night Balkan circle starting and ending in Istanbul, through Greece, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Bulgaria.
Starting and ending in Istanbul, this comprehensive tour travels via Edirne, Kavala and Thessaloniki to Skopje, Matka Canyon, Tetovo and Ohrid. After Sveti Naum, Tirana and Shkodër, you explore the Adriatic coast with Budva, Kotor and Dubrovnik. Discover Bosnia and Herzegovina in Trebinje, Blagaj, Mostar and Sarajevo, then Belgrade, Sofia and Plovdiv, returning to Istanbul via the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne. Twelve nights in 4-star hotels with buffet breakfast; an English-speaking escort and local guides accompany you.
Tour Gallery
Lake Ohrid and the Church of St. John
Bay of Kotor, Montenegro
Dubrovnik city walls and Old Town
Old Bridge of Mostar
Belgrade, Church of Saint Sava
Belgrade, Kalemegdan Fortress
Meeting Points
- Istanbul, Edirne, Thessaloniki, Skopje, Ohrid, Shkodër, Trebinje, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Sofia central meeting point - 01 Sep 2026 08:30 - Your guide will be waiting with a welcome sign.
- Istanbul, Edirne, Thessaloniki, Skopje, Ohrid, Shkodër, Trebinje, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Sofia transfer point - 01 Sep 2026 09:00 - Please arrive on time for luggage handover.
Things You Should Know
- Payment terms: 30% deposit due upon confirmation or 45 days prior to arrival (whichever comes first); the remaining 70% is due 20 days prior to arrival. Failure to pay voids the reservation. The rooming list is required 15 days prior to arrival. All bank charges are borne by the client (OUR basis).
- Cancellation terms: Free cancellation 40 or more days before arrival. 39–10 days before arrival: up to 4 rooms may be cancelled free of charge; rooms beyond this incur an 80% penalty per person. 9–0 days before arrival, no-show or early departure: 100% of the total fare is charged.
- Child policy: Under 2 years free of charge. Ages 2–11 sharing a room with 2 adults (extra bed): 20% reduction. Ages 2–11 sharing with 1 adult: full adult fare. Age 12 and above: adult fare.
- Hotels: Final hotel names are subject to group confirmation and availability.
- Group size: minimum 10 participants required for the tour to operate; maximum 45.
Included and Not Included
- Accommodation in the hotels listed in the programme with daily buffet breakfast.
- All transfers between cities and hotels (18, 28/30 or 48/54-seat vehicle depending on group size).
- Under EU rules coaches may operate max. 12 hours per day; the itinerary may be adjusted for delays beyond our control.
- 0.5 L of water per person per day.
- English-speaking tour escort from the beginning until the end of the tour.
- Local tour guides in the cities specified in the itinerary.
- All city taxes, parking, local taxes and highway charges.
- Lunches and dinners.
- Flights / airfare.
- Travel insurance.
- Visa fees, if required.
- Personal expenses: drinks, hotel extras, laundry, telephone and medical expenses.
- Porterage services.
- Gratuities for guide and driver (minimum €3.00 per day for the guide + €2.00 per day for the driver).
- Optional activities and any services not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.
Tour Program
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Day 1: Istanbul – the Balkans
Arrival in Istanbul and transfer to the hotel. Overnight: Istanbul.
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Day 2: İstanbul → Edirne
Route: Istanbul → Edirne. Half-day Istanbul city tour (morning). Overnight: Edirne. Breakfast included.
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Day 3: Edirne → Kavala → Selanik
Route: Edirne → Kavala → Thessaloniki. Kavala city tour: Old Town and a photo stop at Kavala Fortress. Overnight: Thessaloniki. Breakfast included.
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Day 4: Selanik → Üsküp
Route: Thessaloniki → Skopje. Thessaloniki tour: the Upper Town (Ano Poli), a photo stop at the White Tower and the Church of Hagios Demetrios. Skopje City Tour: Macedonia Square, the Stone Bridge, the Statue of Alexander the Great, Skopje Fortress, and the Mustafa Pasha, Murat Pasha and Yahya Pasha mosques. Overnight: Skopje. Breakfast included.
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Day 5: Üsküp → Matka Kanyonu → Kalkandelen → Ohri
Route: Skopje → Matka Canyon → Tetovo → Ohrid. Visit to Matka Canyon. Tetovo city tour: the Painted (Alaca) Mosque and the Harabati Baba Tekke. Ohrid City Tour: Činar Square, the Halveti Hayati Tekke, the Church of St. Sophia, the Ancient Theatre and Kuloglu Mosque. Overnight: Ohrid. Breakfast included.
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Day 6: Ohri → Sveti Naum → Tiran → İşkodra
Route: Ohrid → Sveti Naum → Tirana → Shkodër. Visit to Sveti Naum Monastery. Tirana City Tour: photo stops at Tirana Castle, the Pyramid of Tirana and the Clock Tower. Overnight: Shkodër. Breakfast included.
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Day 7: İşkodra → Budva → Kotor → Dubrovnik → Trebinye
Route: Shkodër → Budva → Kotor → Dubrovnik → Trebinje. Panoramic tour of Budva. Kotor City Tour: City Walls, Square of Arms, Clock Tower, Prince's Palace, Napoleon's Theatre, Cathedral of St. Tryphon, Maritime Museum and Orthodox Square. Dubrovnik walking tour: the Bell Tower Clock, Orlando's Column, the Franciscan Monastery, Sponza Palace and the Dominican Monastery. Overnight: Trebinje. Breakfast included.
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Day 8: Trebinye → Blagay → Mostar → Saraybosna
Route: Trebinje → Blagaj → Mostar → Sarajevo. Blagaj: the historic Dervish Lodge (Tekke) at the source of the Buna River. Mostar city tour: Nesuh-aga Mosque, Old Town, Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque, the Old Bridge and the Crooked (Narrow) Bridge. Overnight: Sarajevo. Breakfast included.
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Day 9: Day 9
Route: Sarajevo → Belgrade. Sarajevo City Tour: Eternal Flame, City Hall & the House of Spite, Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque, the Bazaar, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sebilj and Baščaršija Mosque. Belgrade city tour: Bajrakli Mosque, the National Parliament, the Old and New Palace, Terazije Square, the Istanbul Gate, the National Theatre, the National Museum, Knez Mihailova Street, the Cathedral Church and Kalemegdan Fortress. Overnight: Belgrade. Breakfast included.
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Day 10: Day 10
Route: Belgrade → Sofia. Sofia City Tour: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Holy Synod, the National Theatre and Banya Bashi Mosque. Overnight: Sofia. Breakfast included.
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Day 11: Day 11
Route: Sofia → Plovdiv → Edirne. Plovdiv city tour: Old Town and the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis. Overnight: Edirne. Breakfast included.
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Day 12: Day 12
Route: Edirne → Istanbul. Edirne: visit to Selimiye Mosque and the Old Mosque (Eski Cami). Overnight: Istanbul. Breakfast included.
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Day 13: Day 13
Transfer to the airport for departure. Breakfast included.
Accommodation / Oteller
| Gün | City | Otel | Yıldız |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | İstanbul | Hotel Grand Şişli | ★★★★★ |
Frequently Asked Questions
After your reservation request is received, we will contact you and share the payment steps.
The tour capacity is planned for 45 adults and 0 children.
The order of the route may change depending on weather and operational conditions.
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