Wonders of the Balkans Cultural Odyssey - 9 Days

Arrival in Zagreb, where we’ll be ready to transfer you to your hotel. Around lunchtime our guide joins us as the group from Slovenia connects with the tour. In the afternoon – at about 4.00 pm, time may vary – we set out on a panoramic tour with a local guide, taking in the city’s two hills, the historic Upper Town and the newer neighbourhoods of Croatia’s capital. Dinner is included. Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.

We depart early for Bosnia – please allow extra time for border formalities. The route crosses areas still marked by the 1990s conflict and passes through territory of Bosnia where the population is predominantly Serb. Our first stop is Banja Luka, capital of the autonomous entity of Republika Srpska and the country’s second largest city. You’ll have time to explore its centre, known for its fortress and Orthodox cathedral, and there will be time for lunch.

We continue to Jajce, often considered one of Bosnia’s most beautiful towns, noted for its cultural diversity, mosque and hilltop fortress. Admission to its impressive waterfall is included, and we allow time to look around. We then travel on to Sarajevo, arriving in the evening. You can wander the historic centre and visit the old Ottoman bazaar with its traditional shops. Dinner is included.

We start the day with a guided tour of Sarajevo – often called the Jerusalem of Europe for its blend of faiths – where mosques, churches and synagogues sit close together. We’ll explore the Ottoman‑influenced old town, including its centuries‑old mosque and elegant fountain. After the visit, we travel through striking scenery to Mostar to discover its historic centre and see the iconic stone bridge that links Orthodox, Muslim and Catholic communities. You’ll have free time for lunch and to explore at your own pace. We then continue into Croatia – border formalities can be lengthy – arriving in Dubrovnik at the end of the day. Dinner is included.

This morning we take a panoramic tour of Dubrovnik with a local guide. We’ll explore one of Europe’s most beautiful cities – a clifftop old town encircled by walls on the Adriatic – and pause at a scenic viewpoint along the coastal road for sweeping views. Our visit includes entry to the Franciscan Monastery, home to the oldest pharmacy in Europe, and the Cathedral of the Assumption. We also take a short boat ride of around 15 minutes to Lokrum, a small island with the remains of an eleventh century Benedictine monastery and a Game of Thrones filming location.

Afterwards, you’ll have free time to explore at your own pace before we return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner is included. On some departures we may stay in Cavtat – a coastal town near Dubrovnik. From November to March there is no boat service to Lokrum – during these months we will not visit the island.

We depart Dubrovnik in the morning, travelling along the Croatian coast – a route of wide sea views and scattered islands. We stop in Ston, a small town noted for having one of the longest defensive walls in the world. Continuing through striking landscapes, we cross the impressive Pelješac Bridge over the sea and head north to Split, arriving around midday. In Split, we meet a local guide for a tour with entry to Diocletian’s Palace included – we explore this vast Roman complex, its maze of lanes and views towards the water. Dinner will be included.

We travel inland through hilly landscapes to Plitvice Lakes National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its lakes and waterfalls. You can follow the scenic trails at your own pace, and we include tickets for either the park boat or the train, depending on conditions. After lunch, we continue north back to the coast and arrive in Opatija, where dinner is included and we settle into our accommodation in this charming resort town known for its great atmosphere. Please note that, due to weather or high visitor numbers, the boat or train in Plitvice may not operate or may be inadvisable to use.

We leave Opatija and travel into Slovenia to visit Postojna Cave – one of the world’s largest – where we ride part of the route by underground train. We then continue to Bled, a postcard‑perfect town on the shore of Lake Bled, and take a boat to the island, where the monastery’s bell tower stands out below the medieval castle. Our journey continues to Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital, where we join a guided tour to get to know this compact Central European city. Dinner is included.

We travel to Maribor, Slovenia’s second-largest city, noted for its Austrian influence and landmarks such as the cathedral and castle. Afterwards, we continue to Croatia, arriving in Zagreb around 3 pm. In winter, to ensure we visit Ljubljana in daylight, the city tour may take place this morning before we depart for Maribor.

After breakfast, our journey concludes in Zagreb – we hope you depart with lasting memories.