7-Day Highlights of the Balkans

Itinerary

Day 1: Split to Dubrovnik to Kotor

Pass By: Sponza Palace, Stradun 2, Dubrovnik 20000 Croatia
Our adventure begins as we depart from Split en route to Dubrovnik with stunning coastal vistas. Join the guide for an orientation walk of Dubrovnik to explore the surviving renaissance architecture such as the Sponza Palace or partake in an optional Game of Thrones walking tour of the city.

Stop At: Kotor Old City, Stari grad, Kotor, Kotor Municipality 85330 Montenegro
This evening we’ll make our way to gulf-nestled Kotor. This Mediterranean marvel offers gorgeous panoramas of the limestone cliffs and bay and a maze of medieval streets begging travellers to meander through.
Duration: 4 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at Central Kotor Hostel

Day 2: Kotor to Budva

Stop At: Kotor Old City, Stari grad, Kotor, Kotor Municipality 85330 Montenegro
This morning, soak up the views and explore some phenomenal sites within the old Venetian walls. Kotor’s Old Town is history-rich and hosts some of the finest medieval architecture in the Balkans.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Altstadt (Old Town) Budva, Budva, Budva Municipality Montenegro
In the late morning, we’ll depart for the Budva Riviera, a 2,500-year-old settlement on the Adriatic. Here, you can spend the afternoon perfecting your tan as you laze on the Adriatic’s pristine beaches.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at Central Kotor Hostel

Day 3: Kotor to Tirana

Stop At: Skanderbeg Square, At the center of Tirana, Tirana Albania
Join the guide for an orientation walk of the city including the Skanderbeg Square, National History Museum, and Park Rinia.

The rest of the day is yours to enjoy! Marvel at this incredible city’s complex history whilst you explore vast monuments built by the Romans, Ottomans, and Byzantines. See the famous Tirana Mosaic Archaeological Complex or sample genuine Albanian cuisine. Modern history fans should pay a visit to the controversial Pyramid of Tirana.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Central Tirana Hotel

Day 4: Tirana to Gjirokaster to Kalambaka

Stop At: Gjirokastra Bazaar, Old town, Gjirokaster Albania
As we make our way to Greece this morning we’ll be stopping off at the wonderfully preserved Ottoman town of Gjirokaster.

We arrive in Kalambaka (Meteora) this evening with a traditional Greek spread awaiting us. After we devour our feast (no manners required), you’re free to explore the town dubbed Middle of the Sky.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Central Kalambaka Hotel

Day 5: Kalambaka to Thermopylae to Athens

Stop At: Meteora, Kastraki, Kalambaka 422 00 Greece
We know it’s early, but you won’t want to miss this. Today, we’re venturing to the logic-defying monasteries of Meteora, where we’ll enjoy free entry to the best ones. From James Bond to Game of Thrones, these insane rock-formations have spurred more than a few creative minds, and are home to a warren of cave systems. Use the rest of this special morning to bask in the humbling views and absorb the monasteries’ rich history.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Battlefield of Thermopylae, Thermopylae Greece
After lunch, we depart for Athens with a stop at the Spartan Monument in Thermopylae. The “Hot Gates” were host to many a bloody battle. Fans of Greek history and the film “300” both will know this as the stage for King Leonidas’ legendary stand against Xerxes and his advancing Persian armies.
Duration: 40 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Central Athens Hostel

Day 6: Athens

Stop At: Monastiraki Square, Agias Eleousis 3, Athina 105 55, Greece
What better way to kick off your day in Athens than with an optional walking tour to familiarise yourself with this historic city. Afterwards, feel free to explore the cradle of western civilisation and its vast, impressive sights. Visit the Acropolis, which is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. See the Daphne Monastery and Parthenon, and the temple to the Goddess Athena - the symbol of Ancient Greece and the birthplace of democracy.

With your feet sore and your head full of mythology, join us for a traditional farewell Greek dinner. End the day however you see fit. Reminisce with your new friends or head on down to the sea-front for a cooling nighttime swim.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 7: Athens

Pass By: AthenStyle, Agias Theklas 10, Athina 105 54, Greece
The past week has been special, enlightening, and unforgettable. We’re sad to see it end, but ecstatic that it happened.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.