Grand Balkan Tour; Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia; Zagreb-Athens 16nts (Saturday)

Itinerary and Inclusions:

Open age Escorted Coach Tour (up to 40 passengers) conducted in English. Solo travellers must book their own room for solo use.

Other Group Tours:
https://discovercroatia.com.au/tours/

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INCLUSIONS AND FULL ITINERARY:
17 days from Zagreb, Lake Bled, Ljubljana, Plitvice Lakes, Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Tivat (Montenegro), Tirana (Albania), Ohrid (Macedonia), Kalambaka (Greece) and to Athens

INCLUDED:
• First class hotels, rooms with private facilities
• Arrival transfer Zagreb (ZAG to hotel) on day 1
• Departure transfer in Athens (hotel to ATH) on day 17
• Breakfast daily and 10 dinners
• Touring by modern air-conditioned motor coach
• Professional Tour Director throughout
• Luggage handling
• Whisper technology enhanced touring
• Service charges and hotel taxes


Sightseeing Tours Included:
• Zagreb
• Bled
• Postojna Cave
• Plitvice Lakes
• Split
• Dubrovnik
• Kotor
• Tirana
• Ohrid
• Kalambaka
• Athens

Entrance Tickets Included:
• Postojna Cave
• Bled Castle
• Plitvice - Lower Lakes
• Split - Diocletian's Palace
• Dubrovnik - Rector's Palace & Pharmacy
• Shkodra - Rozafa Castle
• Tirana - National History Museum
• Ohrid - Cathedral of St. Sofia
• Meteora - Great Meteoro
• Delphi - Archaeological Museum of Delphi & Temple of Apollo
• Athens - Acropolis


Hotel list:
• Zagreb: Sheraton/Westin or similar
• Bled: Rikli Balance or similar
• Plitvice: Jezero or similar
• Split: Atrium or similar
• Dubrovnik: Lacroma or similar
• Tivat: Palma or similar
• Tirana: Colloseo or similar
• Ohrid: Granit or similar
• Kalambaka: Grand Meteora or similar
• Athens: Stanley/Titania or similar


NOT INCLUDED:
• Meals not listed
• Tips and gratuities
• Transfers on days other than the tour start and finish days

#OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS:
• Home hosted Dubelj with dinner
• Jet Set spot of rich and famous – Island of Hvar.

ITINERARY:

Check-in to your room from 14.00hrs. Passengers who arrive earlier can leave their bags at Reception until their room is ready. Dinner and first overnight in hotel, so late arrivals are possible.

Day 1, Saturday, arrival ZAGREB, CROATIA (D)
On arrival at ZAG airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day is free. Meet your fellow travelers tonight at your Welcome Dinner.

Day 2, Sunday, ZAGREB (B)
This morning, enjoy a city tour featuring the historic Upper Town, St. Mark’s Church, St. Catherine’s Church, the Cathedral, Parliament, and Government Palace. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the winding streets of the old town or take an optional excursion to see the countryside.

Day 3, Monday, to Ljubljana, and to BLED, SLOVENIA (B, D)
After breakfast head towards Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. See the most significant sights of the old city center on a walking tour. Highlights include the picturesque open-air Central Market, the Three Bridges, Baroque Town Hall, and Robba's Fountain. Then, continue to Bled.

Day 4, Tuesday, BLED (B)
An Alpine Lake surrounded by high peaks, Bled was “discovered” by travelers in the middle of the 19th century. Since then, a small town of hotels, villas, and restaurants has developed around the lake, turning Bled into a lively, all-seasons resort. A sightseeing tour features the charming town and the lakeshore, and visits imposing Bled Castle, perched on a cliff high above the lake. The balance of the day is at leisure. Perhaps join an optional excursion visiting the small island in the middle of the lake, browse through the shops and boutiques, or simply relax and enjoy the enchanting scenery.

Day 5, Wednesday, to Postojna, then Opatija and to PLITVICE, CROATIA (B, D)
Journey continues to Postojna, home to one of the largest caves in Europe. Tour this fantastic subterranean world by miniature electric train. Afterward, continue to the coast, have a stop in Opatija. Enjoy the walking tour of this fashionable resort in the 19th century, dotted with Habsburg era villas. After some free time, continue towards Plitvice Lakes.

Day 6, Thursday, to SPLIT (B, D)
After breakfast, have your camera ready as you take a walking tour around the lower lakes. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery of this natural wonder of sixteen terraced lakes surrounded by thickly wooded mountains and lush vegetation. After the tour, head to Split. Overnight in Split

Day 7, Friday, SPLIT - Hvar Excursion (B)
In the morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour featuring the historic inner city, built around the Roman Emperor Diocletian's Palace, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Then see the remnants of Split's Roman heritage, its Renaissance and Gothic structures, Jupiter's Temple, the Peristyle, and the Cathedral. The rest of the day at leisure to stroll through the beautiful streets of Split, enjoy at the beach or join us on an optional excursion to Hvar.
#Optional Excursion: Visit Hvar, the Jet Set spot of rich and famous – Island of Hvar.

Day 8, Saturday, to DUBROVNIK (B, D)
After breakfast travel to Dubrovnik. Day at leisure to explore Dubrovnik to your heart's content. Perhaps take a walk along the walls. Dinner at hotel.

Day 9, Sunday, in DUBROVNIK (B)
After the breakfast, walking tour of Old Dubrovnik visit the Rector's Palace, and see the Bell Tower Clock, Orlando's Column, Sponza Palace, the Dominican Monastery, and Franciscan Monastery with its Pharmacy, one of the oldest in the world. The rest of the day is free or join us for an optional dinner excursion.
#Optional Excursion: home hosted Dubelj with dinner.

Day 10, Monday, to TIVAT, MONTENEGRO (B, D)
After the breakfast, continue to Tivat. On the way you will see Kotor Bay, the only South European fiord. Walking tour of town Kotor.

Day11, Tuesday, to Shkodra, then to TIRANA, ALBANIA (B, D)
After breakfast we leave Tivat and drive via Budva and Bar towards town of Shkodra, nowadays a major Albanian cultural center. Shkodra was the center of the Illyrian tribe Labeat and was taken by the Romans in the year 168 B.C. We have views of the Rozafa Castle, magnificently situated on a rocky outcrop of limestone high above the city. Continue drive to Tirana.

Day 12, Wednesday, TIRANA (B)
On a Morning sightseeing tour, see Sheshi Skenderbej (Skanderbeg Square) the Mosque of Ethem Bey, the Clock Tower, and the statue of G.K. Skanderbeg, Albania’s national hero; the Palace of Culture, built with Soviet assistance, and the National History Museum with a mosaic on its façade portraying Albanian history. Your afternoon is free to continue exploring on your own, shop, or simply just relax.

Day 13, Thursday, to OHRID, the REPUBLIC of NORTH MACEDONIA (B, D)
The lakeside resort of Ohrid is an important cultural and spiritual center, classified as UNESCO’s World Heritage site. Enjoy sightseeing tour will take you strolling through the cobblestone streets of the old town. Visit the Cathedral of St. Sofia, containing some magnificent frescoes from the 10th century.

Day 14, Friday, to KALAMBAKA, GREECE (B, D)
After breakfast, admire the fantastic landscapes of Meteora, known as “the rocks that fell from the sky”, where monks built their rock – top monasteries far away from civilization. Out of the 13 large and 20 small monasteries and hermit’s cells, only four are now active. The most important is Megalo of Great Meteoro, of peculiar architecture with its tall and intricate dome, twelve sides and fine frescoes.

Day 15, Saturday, to Delphi, then to ATHENS (B)
Your first stop is Delphi, where the famous Oracle once foretold the destiny of men. The temple of Apollo in which the Oracle functioned, was built in the 6th century B.C. Also see the Sacred Way, the Stadium and the Castilian Fountain, where pilgrims cleansed themselves in preparation for consulting the Oracle. Visit the Archaeological Museum of Delphi, which contains an impressive collection of finds from the site, including the beautiful “Bronze Charioteer”, before continuing to Athens.

Day 16, Sunday. ATHENS (B, D)
See the highlights of Athens this morning on a sightseeing tour. This cosmopolitan and bustling capital city is set amid reminders of a long and a glorious past: graceful temples, centuries – old monasteries and ornate Byzantine churches. Visit the immortal Acropolis, the Parthenon, said to be the most perfectly proportioned building of all time, Also, see the Erectheion with the Porch of the Maidens, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Wingless Victory. Below the Acropolis lies the Ancient Agora and the Theaters of Dionysus and Herodus Atticus. Your afternoon and evening are free. Join us for Farewell Taverna Dinner in the Plaka beside the Acropolis.

Day 17, Monday, departure ATHENS, GREECE (B)
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport ATH for your departure flight.

NOTE: Because of the narrow and cobbled streets, walking is the primary way of getting around. Please make sure you pack comfortable walking shoes.


B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner

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