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. Along the way – visit of Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, a project of the most famous Ottoman architect from the magnificent century of the empire, Mimar Sinan. Short walk in the historic centre of Edirne. Arrival in Plovdiv in the late afternoon. Accommodation. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Plovdiv.

Breakfast. 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. 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. Departure for Belgrade. Arrival in the Serbian capital in the afternoon. 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. Accommodation and 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 Gradets, 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.