TURKEY, BULGARIA, SERBIA AND CROATIA

Arrival in Istanbul. Guided tour in the historic centre of Istanbul - Blue Mosque, St. Sophia which was Episcopal Church of the Byzantine capital, Hippodrome, old Sultan Top Kapi Palace. Visit of “Sapphire” skyscraper with panoramic view of the city. Accommodation. Free time or optional evening Boat cruise of the Bosphorus strait. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Breakfast. Free day in Istanbul or optional tours: 1) visit of the Prince Islands, used during the Byzantine period as a place for exile of inconvenient aristocrats. The islands have preserved many historical and natural landmarks. 2) visit of the New Sultan Palace “Dolmabahche” and the Bulgarian iron church of St. Stephen. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Breakfast. Departure for Bulgaria. Arrival in Plovdiv in the afternoon. Sightseeing tour in the Old Town, including a visit to the Roman Ancient Theatre, which was built in the 2nd century AD under the rule of the Byzantine Emperor Trajan and is nowadays considered to be the largest surviving Roman construction in Bulgaria, visit to the Ethnographic Museum, Roman Stadium, St. Constantine and Helena Church, etc. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Plovdiv.

Breakfast. Departure for Sofia. Sightseeing tour of Sofia including a visit of St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral and the Rotunda of St. George. Accommodation and dinner. Overnight in Sofia.

Breakfast. Free day in Sofia or optional tour to Rila Monastery. Departure for Rila Monastery - the most exquisite example of the monastery art and architecture in Bulgaria. Visit of the Nativity of the Virgin Church with its miraculous icon of the Virgin and splendid gilded iconostasis, the old kitchen, the museum, keeping the long and heroic history of the monastery and the unique wooden cross made for a period of twelve years by monk Rafael. Lunch at a local restaurant in the valley of Rilska river. Return to Sofia. Dinner. Overnight.

Breakfast. Departure for Nish. Sightseeing of the town: Nish fortress built by the Turks in the 18th century, the Tower of Skulls (Chele Kula), Villa Mediana – archaeological reserve, Roman villa-rustica from the 3rd century, probable birthplace of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Arrival in Belgrade in the late afternoon and accommodation. Dinner. Overnight.

Breakfast. Walking tour in Belgrade from the Republic Square along the main pedestrian street (“Knez Mihaylova”) to Kalemegdan Park and the Belgrade Fortress with its picturesque panoramic view towards the confluence of Sava and Danube rivers. In the afternoon – free time in Belgrade, or optional tour to Sremski Karlovci and Novi Sad. Sremski Karlovci has been the most important cultural center of Serbs under the rule of the Habsburg Empire, seat of the Serbian Archbishop and, till 1936, of the Serbian Patriarch. It is also one of the most important wine-production regions in Serbia, where you can visit some of dozens of local family wineries, the oldest of which have more than 3 centuries of history. Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia, known as the Serbian Athens for its great role in the Revival of the Serbian people – here is the seat of some of the most important Serbian cultural institutions, including Matica Srpska. Here, on the shore of Danube River, you can witness one of the most impressive fortresses in Europe – Petrovaradin, called “Gibraltar on Danube” – masterpiece of the fortification construction of the 18th century. Return to Belgrade. Dinner. Overnight in Belgrade.

Breakfast. Departure for Croatia. Arrival in Zagreb. Accommodation. Walking tour in the city centre - the central square, the Old town: Kaptol and Gradec, the Cathedral, Dolac market, the Blood Bridge, the Parliament, etc. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Zagreb.

Breakfast. A free day in Zagreb for shopping, visiting museums, galleries, or optional one-day tour to Plitvice Lakes National Park. Here you can witness series of 16 pristine lakes with spectacular cascading waterfalls. Spend time in this magical forest hiking the wooden walkways, enjoy the scenery, and pause to feel the tranquility. Walk in the area following one of the tourist paths. Drive back to Zagreb. Dinner. Overnight in Zagreb.

Breakfast. Transfer to Zagreb airport and departure.