Across the Balkan Peninsula

Fly overnight to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina, and transfer to your hotel upon arrival. Your Balkan odyssey begins with a festive welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

Delve into the history of this intriguing capital city on a guided tour, exploring vestiges of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian rule as well as reminders of the turbulent breakup of Yugoslavia. Venture into the Ottoman market, dating back to the 15th century, and visit the ornate Svrzina Kuca Oriental House. See the bridge where Archiduke Ferdinand was assassinated, setting off World War I, and visit Bey’s Mosque, a stunning example of Ottoman architecture. Then venture into the Sarajevo War Tunnel, which was dug as a conduit for food, supplies, communication during the historic 1,000-day siege of the city in 1993. After a lunch of local specialties, you'll have free time to explore Sarajevo as you wish. (B,L)

Set out on a day trip, beginning in the former Ottoman garrison town of Mostar, long a center of literature and craftsmanship and now a World Heritage site. Spanning the  Neretva River at the heart of the Old Town is the Stari Most, the famous stone bridge for which the city was named. See this single-arched landmark, a remarkable feat of Ottoman engineering, and learn how it was meticulously restored after being destroyed during the Bosnian War. If you wish, climb to the top of the minaret of Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque for a stunning view of the bridge. Then meander through the Turkish House for a glimpse into the life of a wealthy Bosnian family some 350 years ago. Continue to Blagaj for a visit to a Sufi monastery built in 1520 amid dramatic karst cliffs and springs. Ascend to medieval Blagaj Fortress, perched upon rocky crags with panoramic views of the Dinaric Alps. (B,D)

Journey west toward Serbia, stopping in the Bosnian town of Visegrad to see another graceful Ottoman bridge, built over the Drina River in 1577 and now listed as a World Heritage site. Learn about its exceptional engineering and also its symbolism during the ethnic conflicts of the 20th century. After lunch, travel on to Belgrade, the former capital of a united Yugoslavia, poised at the junction of the Danube and Sava Rivers. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore the city’s lively, café-lined streets on your own before meeting for dinner. (B,L,D)

Settled by humans since the Stone Age, Belgrade has been destroyed and rebuilt nearly 40 times over the millennia—counting among its invaders Attila the Hun, the Visigoths, and the Magyars. Trace this fascinating history at the Museum of Yugoslav History, and see the House of Flowers, the mausoleum of Yugoslav president Josep Broz Tito. Step into the recently completed Basilica of St. Sava, whose vast interior sparkles with gold-encrusted mosaics, and descend marble stairs to see the frescoes and Murano glass decor of its vaulted crypt. Later, meander through Belgrade’s artsy Skadarlija district, which began as a Roma encampment and became a hub of writers, artists, and actors. At Belgrade Fortress, find remnants of Roman and Byzantine fortifications and take in expansive views. (B,L)

Travel to Niš, a Roman city poised at the crossroads of five important roads where Emperor Constantine was born in AD 272. Later sacked by the armies of Attila the Hun, Niš now bears reminders from many layers of history, from a fourth-century Roman villa to an Ottoman fortress to a Nazi concentration camp. Visit the Ottoman fortress built atop Roman and Byzantine ruins in the 18th century and surrounded by thick walls and a moat. Continue to Skopje after lunch, and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. (B,L)

Explore the sites of Skopje, including the enchanting Ottoman old town of Čaršija. Meander along the narrow lanes of the old caravanserai, now home to mosques, teahouses, and craft workshops, and pass merchants sell hand-woven textiles, antiques, and produce. Ride the cable car up Vodno Mountain to the Milennium Cross for sweeping views of Skopje, and visit the Memorial House of Mother Teresa, built on the ruins of the church where she was baptized. Later, head to the Chateau Kamnik and learn about the acclaimed North Macedonian wines produced here during a wine tasting. Gather for dinner this evening. (B,D)

Set out on a full day excursion to Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, though its sovereignty is still not universally recognized. Explore the Ottoman-influenced capital of Pristina, and just outside of town, admire life-like frescos at a World Heritage-listed church inside Gračanica Monastery on a tour led by a Serbian Orthodox monk. In the afternoon, meet with an ethnic Albanian family to hear a firsthand account of life during the Kosovo War with Serbia in 1998–1999. Back in Skopje, see the  12th-century Byzantine Church of St. Panteleimon, the Mustafa Pasha Mosque, and visit the Holocaust Memorial Center near the old Jewish Quarter. (B,L)

Drive to the city of Bitola for a visit to the nearby archaeological site of Heraclea, founded by Philip of Macedonia in the fourth century BC and later settled by the Romans and the Byzantines. Explore the ruins and see artifacts from the region at a museum in Bitola. Continue to Ohrid, a World Heritage-listed town perched on a lake that shares its name. Follow its winding cobbled streets to lovely churches including Saint Sophia, home to 1000-year-old frescoes. Tonight, sit down to a lively meze-style feast of traditional Macedonian favorites. (B,D)

Begin the day at the archaeological complex of Plaoshnik, where Saint Clement Church stands on a hilltop overlooking Ohrid, surrounded by the ruins of multiple religious structures that came before it. Trace the shores of Lake Ohrid to the Bay of Bones Museum, where excavations of the lake bed revealed a late Bronze Age village built on piles over the water. Continue along the shore to the 10th-century Monastery of Saint Naum, perched on rocky cliffs above the water. After lunch, cross into Albania and check in to your hotel in its capital city, Tirana. Your evening is at leisure. (B,L)

During a full day in Tirana, learn about the oppressive, four-decade rule of Enver Hoxha—and see how recent beautification efforts have transformed the city’s Soviet-era architecture. Visit the vast Skanderbeg Square, named for Albania’s national hero, who led a 25-year-long rebellion against the Ottomans. Ascend Dajti Mountain for panoramic views of the city, and visit Et’hem Bey Mosque, where the frescoes depict scenes of nature—a rarity in Islamic art. Learn about the 750,000 bunkers Hoxha ordered built across the country, and venture into the biggest of them all, Bunk’Art 1, a massive underground atomic shelter built to protect the country’s elite in the event of an attack. Now a center of contemporary art, the museum showcases artifacts from Hoxha’s repressive reign, and as well as meeting rooms and Hoxha’s own office, left just as they were in the 1970s. (B,L)

Explore the cobbled lanes and castle of Krujë, a charming village backed by dramatic mountains from which Skanderbeg and his small army fended off the Ottomans for two decades. Continue to the town of Shkoder, set between the Adriatic and the Albanian Alps. Visit its landmarks, including an unusual clocktower and a mosques and hilltop citadel on a guided walk. Cross into Montenegro and spend the night in the seaside town of Budva.  (B,D)

Take a walking tour of Budva, a popular beach resort with a picturesque Old Town tucked within walls built during the Venetian Empire. Then travel north to the Kotor region, and explore this World Heritage site, from the unusual Cathedral of Saint Tryphon to the baroque waterfront town of Perast. Ride a boat on the Gulf of Kotor to the iconic Church of Our Lady of the Rocks, said to be built atop rocks sunk by sailors over the centuries. Arrive in the medieval harbor city of Dubrovnik and enjoy the remainder of the day to explore on your own. (B,L)

Ride the cable car up Srđ Hill for incredible views of the walled city below and the Adriatic beyond. Then set out to discover this incomparable World Heritage site, with visits to the Assumption Cathedral—home to a famous work by Titian—as well as the Franciscan Monastery. Gain insight into the city's cultural heritage during a lecture by a member of the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities. Toast your Balkan journey at a festive farewell of traditional Croatian cuisine. (B,D)

Transfer to the airport in time for your flight home today. (B)