Skopje International Airport / Belgrade Return Flight
Skopje, Stobi Archeological Park, Ohrid *UNESCO, Mavrovo, Saint Jovan Bigorski, Tetovo, Skopje, Rila Monastery, Sofia (Bulgaria), Sofia City Tour, Nis (Serbia), Oplenac, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci, Belgrade
9 Days
All year
Skopje International Airport – Skopje City Tour
Arrival at Skopje International Airport. Transfer at the hotel. In the afternoon we start the city tour, inhabited since at least 4000 BC We visit the city center, the old bazaar, Kale Fortress, and the memorial house of Mother Tereza. Welcome dinner and overnight in Skopje.
Skopje – Stobi Archeological Park and Wine tasting – Ohrid *UNESCO
After breakfast we visit the archeological park of Stobi; an ancient town of Paeonia, dating from the 168 BC. Stobi region is famous also for its vineyards and wineries, so after the visits we stop for lunch and wine tasting. Afternoon transfer to Ohrid. Guided tour of the old town. In it’s narrow alleys lies history dating back over 3.000 years. Both the city and the lake are inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage list. We walk through the streets of Ohrid to reach the highest point – Samuil’s Fortress, which offers wonderful landscapes of the city and Lake. We will visit the cathedral Church of St. Sofia, the Ancient theatre, and from the medieval church St. John the Evangelist. Dinner by the lake with fresh trout menu, and overnight.
Ohrid – National Park of Mavrovo – The Monastery of Saint Jovan Bigorski – The painted mosque in Tetovo – Skopje
This morning we return towards Skopje. First we pass through the panoramic mountain road in Mavrovo National Park.While in Mavrovo we visit the Monastery of Saint Jovan Bigorski. Hidden away on the side of a mountain just off the main road between Debar and Gostivar and dedicated to John the Baptist, it’s said that the history of this masterpiece of a monastery dates back 1,000 years. Destroyed by the Ottomans in the 16th century and rebuilt in 1743 with further expansions taking place the following century, the complex was seriously damaged by fire in 2009 and much of what you see today is a modern imitation. Thankfully however most of the important artefacts, including some outstanding gold-encrusted icons, one of which is said to date from the 11th century, and the church’s gorgeous carved wooden iconostasis, survive. Further, we stop at the small town of Tetovo for a short sightseeing and entrance to the mosque, called Šarena Džamija- meaning the decorated mosque. Afternoon arrival in Skopje and overnight.
Skopje – – Rila Monastery – Sofia (Bulgaria)
This morning we drive to the Rila Monastery – the biggest and most important symbol of Bulgarian Orthodox church. The Monastery has been founded in the 10-th century and rebuilt in 13-th and 14-th centuries. It is one of Europe’s oldest and included in UNESCO’S list in 1983. Behind the 20 meters walls lie impressive monastery buildings, a church and a chapel with valuable murals.
In the afternoon, we reach the capital city of Bulgaria, Sofia. Dinner and overnight in Sofia.
Sofia City Tour
We spend a full day exploring Sofia. In the morning we start the city tour which will include the most important sites of Sofia, such as Alexander Nevski Cathedral, which the biggest one in Bulgaria, the Holy Synod, St. Sophia Church, National Gallery for Foreign Art, National Library, National Palace of Culture, Borisova Garden, Eagle’s Bridge, Council of Ministers, Banya Bashi Mosque, St. Nedelya – an old metropolitan church, and the National Assembly Square.
Dinner and overnight in Sofia.
Sofia – Nis (Serbia)
Today we transfer to Serbia. We will stop for visit and overnight in the city of Nis, an important crossroad between Central Europe and the Middle East. Nis is a city with many historically sites, which was settled in pre-Roman times and flourished during the time of Emperor Constantine. During the city tour we will see the remains of the Turkish fort from the 18th century, now a bustling central recreation area filled with shops, cafes and restaurants; the bridge on the Nišava River, and the Square of King Milan where we will see the authentic facades of old Niš
We visit the Skull Tower Museum – a unique monument in the world and one of the most moving monuments of Serbian history with human skulls walled in stone. It represents a sad period of the Serbian history, the Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire (1804-1813). Stoped by the Ottoman military, the rebels were murdered and their skulls were used as building blocks for a tower built by the main road at the entrance of the city. A warning to the local populace of an impending fate to any potential future rebels. The authorities of Serbia in 1892 built a chapel around the tower to preserve this unique monument representing the nations bravery and sufferings.
Dinner and overnight in Nis.
Nis – Oplenac – Belgrade
Morning transfer to Belgrade. Along the way we visit Oplenac. We will climb to the Oplenac hill, a beautiful green area covered with wood, where is located the St. George churchm buit in the 20th century, as a house of prayer for all the members of the Serbian Royal family. The church has Byzantine style, with five domes and completely covered with white marble. The interior of the church is a spectacle of colors and light, with lavishly decorated marble floors and colored glass mosaics. A surface of 3 500m2 is covered with more than 40 million peace of tiles, in more than 15 000 shades of different colors representing the most extensive gallery of copies of Serbian medieval fresco paintings in one place. We’ll also visit Petar’s House, the Museum of the Karađorđević family, palace, Royal vineyards and the Winery. Next we enjoy some wine degustation and visit of the cellars.
Evening in Belgrade for dinner and overnight.
Belgrade – 2021 European Capital of Culture Novi Sad 1 hrs – Petrovaradin Fortess – Rural Lunch in an ethno village – Wine Tasting in Sremski Karlovci – Belgrade 1 hrs
This morning we transfer towards Vojvodina region, one of the most panoramic sites of Serbia, to visit 2 of the most beautiful cities of the region: Novi Sad and Sremski Karlovci. Along the way we stop in the Krušedol Monastery. Further we reach Novi Sad, the 2021 European Capital of Culture, where we enjoy the walking tour in the city center, passing through The City Hall, The Cathedral, Assembly of Vojvodina, shopping zone with restaurants and coffee-shops.We continue to visit the Fortress of Petrovaradin, the so-called ‘Danube’s Gibraltar’, where the fortress is located. At the fortress, we will see the clock tower, old fortress walls, and have great views over the Danube, including the many bridges spanning the river. We stop for lunch in an ethno village, with authentic farm houses still in use today, who offer traditional menus in a traditional setting. In the afternoon we start our return transfer towards Belgrade. Along the way we stop for a visit of Sremski Karlovci, a city of vineyards, rich in culture and history. Sremski Karlovci feels like a ‘museum town’ with its Baroque centre, the Patriarchal Court, the Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Nicholas and the first Serbian secondary school (gymnasium). It is also famous for wine production and the town’s annual Wineball festival. We visit a local winery and enjoy degustation of wines. Dinner and overnight in Belgrade.
Belgrade – Airport
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time in Belgrade until airport transfer for the return flight.