Kosovo and the Great Balkans Tour: 7 Nights of Fun with Travel Enthusiasts

We meet at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, in front of the airline counter at the departure terminal. We depart for Tirana, the capital of Albania, on AJet flight VF367 at 17:55. After a comfortable flight, we arrive in Tirana at 17:50 local time. After completing our entry procedures, we set off to explore this beautiful city filled with historical and cultural riches with our private vehicle waiting for us. First, we visit the Ethem Bey Mosque. This structure, which began construction in 1789 and was completed in 1923, is one of Albania's important cultural heritages. We take a short break at Skanderbeg Square, where we see the Skanderbeg Statue proudly standing in the center of the square. Additionally, the Clock Tower, built by Ethem Bey in 1821, is also one of the important stops on our tour. Throughout this tour, you will collect unforgettable memories by experiencing both the modern and historical aspects of Tirana. After the tour, we are transferred to our hotel, where we will have our overnight stay and dinner.

Tirana Tour INCLUDED! | 

After breakfast, we leave our hotel and head towards Ohrid, the pearl of the Balkans, via Elbasan. We embark on an exciting journey to Sveti Naum, known as 'A Corner of Heaven in the Balkans,' where the source of Lake Ohrid and the St. Naum Monastery are located. In this enchanting region, you will have the opportunity to photograph the unique landscapes offered by nature. During our free time, we enjoy exploring these historical and natural beauties. After our Sveti Naum tour, we continue to Ohrid. Upon arrival in Ohrid, we take a tour introducing the historical city of Ohrid, which was an important base during the Ottoman period. During the tour, we will see significant structures such as the Monument of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who developed the Cyrillic Alphabet, and the Church of St. Sophia. We will also stroll around the heart of the city, the Plane Tree Square, and have the chance to visit the old Turkish Bazaar from the Ottoman period. Here, you can closely feel the cultural texture of the city by visiting the Halveti Tekke. Then, you will experience local life by visiting the New Bazaar and Ohrid Market. Finally, Ohrid's famous lake and its breathtaking views will accompany our tour. After the tour, we have free time and transfer to our hotel. Overnight stay and dinner will be at our hotel. After dinner, you can take a short walk in Ohrid's enchanting atmosphere or relax.

Sveti Naum INCLUDED!

Tirana – Elbasan: 38 km | Elbasan – Sveti Naum: 99 km | Sveti Naum – Ohrid: 29 km

Total distance to be covered: 166 km

After breakfast, we start our tour to Resne and Bitola, known for their magnificent nature and historical riches. Our first stop is Resne, where we see the Palace of Resneli Niyazi Bey, an important figure in Balkan history, from a panoramic view. Resne offers an impressive atmosphere with both its natural beauties and Ottoman traces. After a short break, we head towards Bitola, one of the important cultural and trade centers of the Ottoman Empire. Upon arrival, we visit the Military Academy where the great leader Atatürk studied and the Atatürk Museum from the outside. In this magical city, we will explore historical Ottoman artifacts such as the Turkish Bazaar, Bedesten, Ishak Pasha Mosque, and Yeni Mosque. While feeling the historical texture of Bitola, you will have the opportunity to take a pleasant walk in the nostalgic streets of the city. After our visit, we head towards Skopje. Upon arrival, our city tour begins. Skopje is one of the important cultural centers of the Balkans with its Ottoman heritage and modern structures. We start our tour with the historical sites in Skopje, the city where the famous Turkish poet Yahya Kemal Beyatlı was born. Our first stop is the Mustafa Pasha Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the city, built in 1492. Then we visit the Murat Pasha Mosque, built in the 15th century. This mosque stands out with its Ottoman-era decorations and architecture. During our tour, we will see Kapan Han and Sulu Han, located in the heart of Skopje. These structures are beautiful examples of Ottoman-era inns, which were once important centers where merchants stayed and traded. Next, we visit the Stone Bridge, which has become a symbol of Skopje. This bridge was built in the 15th century and connects both sides of the Vardar River. Walking from the Stone Bridge, we will see the Turkish and Jewish neighborhoods along the banks of the Vardar River. During our walk along the river, we pass through Macedonia Square. This square is the largest and central point of Skopje, surrounded by modern buildings. Here, we will encounter the statue of Alexander the Great and other monuments. Then, we will see the Ottoman Bridge from the 15th century from the outside and visit the Davut Pasha Hamam to feel the grandeur of the Ottoman period once again. We continue to explore the city by walking towards Skopje's Turkish Bazaar. Before reaching the bazaar, we see the Clock Tower, built in the 16th century and one of Skopje's symbolic structures. Here, we will visit the Sultan Murat Mosque and Isa Bey Mosque, which are among the early Ottoman mosques. These mosques are an important part of the city's Islamic heritage and stand out with their architecture. Finally, we give free time in the Turkish Bazaar. In this bazaar, you can find many products from traditional handicrafts to souvenirs. After enjoying your time in the bazaar, we will return to our hotel in the evening.

Dinner: An unforgettable dinner awaits you accompanied by traditional Balkan music and local dance performances. While experiencing the fun and cultural side of Skopje with this special Balkan night, you will be hosted at Restaurant Gardenia, one of the region's most distinguished venues. With live performances by our artists, all of whom are conservatory students and teachers, presenting the best music and folklore of the Balkans without playback, we will turn this night into an authentic experience. We will be happy to host you at our own Restaurant Gardenia Skopje. Overnight stay will be at our hotel in Skopje.

Resne Tour INCLUDED! | Bitola Tour INCLUDED! | Balkan Night INCLUDED!

Ohrid – Resne: 34 km | Resne – Bitola: 31 km | Bitola – Skopje: 169 km

Total distance to be covered: 234 km

After breakfast, we leave our hotel and head towards Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. Upon our arrival in Pristina, we start our panoramic city tour, where we will explore Kosovo's modern and historical aspects. During the tour, we will also visit many valuable structures from the Ottoman period. We will see the Fatih Sultan Mehmed Mosque and the Yaşar Pasha Mosque from the 18th century. During this tour of the city's historical heritage, we will have the opportunity to visit the Tomb of Sultan Murad Hüdavendigâr, who lost his life in the Kosovo Plain as a result of the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, and commemorate this important historical event and his place in Ottoman history. After our tour in Pristina, we head to Prizren, known as the cultural capital of Kosovo. Upon arrival, we begin to explore the narrow streets of Prizren, filled with architecture reminiscent of an Anatolian Ottoman city and shop signs in Turkish. In the city, we will visit the Sinan Pasha Mosque, one of the most important structures of Ottoman architecture. Other important Ottoman artifacts to be seen include the Halveti Tekke, Bayraklı Mosque, and Mehmet Pasha Bath. After spending free time in Prizren, we begin our journey back to Skopje in the evening. Upon arrival, we are transferred to our hotel, and after having dinner, we retreat to our rooms. Overnight stay will be at our hotel in Skopje.

Pristina Tour INCLUDED! | Prizren Tour INCLUDED!

Skopje – Pristina: 90 km | Pristina – Prizren: 85 km | Prizren – Skopje: 165 km  

Total distance to be covered: 340 km

After breakfast, we embark on a pleasant journey to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Throughout history, Belgrade has been one of the most important cultural and strategic centers of the Balkans, and today it attracts attention with its vibrancy, liveliness, and historical texture. In this fascinating city, we will have the opportunity to explore the intersection of Ottoman and European cultures. Upon our arrival in Belgrade, a panoramic city tour begins, where we will discover the city's grandeur. Here, you can feel the historical atmosphere and explore the texture that brings together Belgrade's past and present. Then, we head to one of the most impressive points of the city, where the Sava River meets the Danube River. In this unique view, it will be a great pleasure to explore this area, which has been the focus of many conquests and victories throughout history. While continuing to explore this ancient city, which Fatih Sultan Mehmed was wounded for, but whose conquest was destined for Suleiman the Magnificent, you will encounter the Belgrade Fortress, which was used as a supply center for the Ottoman navy. While tracing the traces of history in this fortress, we will see important points such as Kale Square and Stone Square. During our tour, we will visit the Tomb of Şehit Ali Pasha, one of the important figures of the Ottoman period. During these visits, you will deeply explore Belgrade's rich history and gain insight into the cultural heritage left from the Ottoman period. At the end of our tour, we leave behind the city's history and lively atmosphere and head to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay will be at our hotel.

Skopje – Belgrade: 430 km                    

After breakfast, we head to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Upon our arrival in Sarajevo, we will explore the city, which has been the cultural capital of the Balkans for centuries and is historically known as the place where World War I broke out after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by Serbs in 1914. In the 1992 war, it suffered significant destruction due to the devastating wars between Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks, but Sarajevo has managed to preserve its beauty to a large extent. During our panoramic city tour, we will see the famous Baščaršija, the historical Ottoman inn Morica Han, the Catholic Cathedral reflecting the city's religious cosmopolitanism, the Synagogue, Hüsrev Bey and Ferhadiye Mosques, the Latin Bridge where the assassination of Franz Ferdinand took place in 1914, the Old Library, and the western-style buildings that emerged during the city's 40-year Austro-Hungarian rule. After the tour, we are transferred to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay will be at our hotel.

Belgrade - Sarajevo: 294 km           

After breakfast, we depart from Sarajevo. Our first stop will be Mostar, famous for its historical, cultural, and architectural richness. Here, we will see the Mostar Bridge, built in 1557 by Architect Hayreddin, one of the students of Architect Sinan, and considered one of the finest examples of Ottoman architecture. This bridge was destroyed during the war in 1992 but was rebuilt in 2004 in its original form with significant contributions from the Republic of Turkey, and it has once again become the symbol of Mostar. Surrounding this bridge, which elegantly connects both banks of the Neretva River, we will have the opportunity to explore the historical bazaar and stone streets. After discovering the enchanting atmosphere of Mostar, we will visit the Koski Mehmet Pasha Mosque, one of the most important religious structures in the city. Here, we will examine the architectural details from the Ottoman period and enjoy the magnificent view of the Mostar Bridge from the mosque's courtyard. Next, we head to Blagaj, known for its natural beauty and peaceful environment. Blagaj is an impressive settlement established at the birthplace of the Buna River, the strongest water source in Europe, where history and nature intertwine. After a short free time here, we proceed to Počitelj, which carries the past to the present with its stone houses and historical texture. In Počitelj, which is largely preserved and known as the Turkish Village, we will have the opportunity to closely see the works built by the Ottomans in the 16th century and feel the unique atmosphere of the region. After our tour, we are transferred to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay will be at our hotel.

Počitelj Tour Included! | Blagaj Tour INCLUDED! | Mostar Tour INCLUDED!

Sarajevo - Mostar: 120 km | Mostar - Blagaj: 12 km | Blagaj – Počitelj: 22 km | Počitelj - Sarajevo: 150 km

Total distance to be covered: 304 km

After breakfast, we have free time until the transfer time after checking out of the rooms. Transfer to Sarajevo Airport. After completing the boarding procedures, we fly to Istanbul on AJet Airlines scheduled flight VF98 at 13:50. After arriving at Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 17:45, our tour ends. We bid farewell to you, hoping to see you on your next journey.