15-Nights Treasures of the Balkans - Classic Group from $4,856

Insight Vacations

OFFER ID 1517410

Treasures Of The Balkans - Classic Group
Explore the former Communist headquarters of Romania in Bucharest, see Bulgaria’s Roman ruins in Sofia and marvel at Bosnia’s Tunnel of Hope in Sarajevo. After exploring the medieval city of Bra ov, take the mountain roads to the Transylvanian border and join a private visit of Bran Castle after hours - better known as Dracula’s haunted abode in Bram Stoker’s infamous novel, followed by private dinner. Delve into the myths and legends before adventuring onwards to Mostar, where a Local Expert guides you through the city’s iconic sights ahead of a Sarajevo Dine at Home experience. Sit down with a Sarajevan family for a feast of local delicacies, traditional Bosnian coffee and tales of local life before your adventure ends in Belgrade.

Dining Summary

6 Dinner (D)
15 Breakfast (B)
3 Dinner with Wine (DW)

Choice Highlights

Choose between two carefully selected activities
Sarajevo: Take a nature walk to the spring of the Bosna River, a protectedpark just beyond the city, led by a conservation guide. This experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.
Sarajevo: Meet an expert of the Bosnian War for a visit to Sarajevo's Tunnel of Hope and hear a first-hand account of when the city was under siege for 44 months. Alternatively, take a nature walk to the spring of the Bosna River, a picturesque park just beyond the city.

Additional Included Highlights

Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Authentic Dining

Bucharest: Join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for your dinner.
Dubrovnik: You will be offered a varied selection of charming restaurants to choose from for your Dine-Around Evening.
Sarajevo: Experience authentic Bosnian coffee and learn about the traditional ritual of coffee preparation.
Belgrade: Toast the culmination of your travels with dinner.

Insight Choice

Sarajevo: Meet an expert of the Bosnian War for a visit to Sarajevo's Tunnel of Hope and hear a first-hand account of when the city was under siege for 44 months. Alternatively, take a nature walk to the spring of the Bosna River, a picturesque park just beyond the city.

Insight Experiences

Bran: Learn about the story of the infamous Count Dracula during a private after-hours visit of Bran Castle, followed by dinner.

Make Travel Matter

Sarajevo: You are invited into a Sarajevan family home for a dinner and drinks. Savor the warm hospitality and authentic cuisine as you hear inspirational stories about their culture. This experience advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 10 & 11: Reduced Inequalities & Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Sarajevo: Take a nature walk to the spring of the Bosna River, a protectedpark just beyond the city, led by a conservation guide. This experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.

Top Rated Highlights

Bucharest: During sightseeing with your Local Expert see University Square and the former Communist Headquarters.
Bucharest: Walk the cavernous halls of the vast Palace of Parliament, learn about the history and listen to amusing tales from your Local Expert.
Sinaia: Witness the opulent and sumptuous decor in Pele Castle, the fairy-tale Royal summer residence, at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains.
Veliko Tarnovo: Ascend Tsarevets, the King's Hill, crowned by a ruined medieval citadel. Enjoy the views and imagine yourself back in the days of the Crusades when this was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom.
Arbanasi: At the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Arbanassi, visit a traditional 17th-century merchants' house and enjoy the acoustics in the Church of the Holy Nativity.
Sofia: Sightseeing with your Local Expert takes you to St. Sofia Church, across the square from the golden domed St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the archaeological complex, dominated by the church of St. George Rotonda.
Skopje: Visit the capital of Macedonia with your Local Expert, explore Square Macedonia and see the Stone Bridge before walking through the Old Bazaar.
Ohrid: Walk the cobbled, narrow streets of the Old Town.
Tirana: Meet a local resident who will show you Skanderbeg Square and walk you through their home city as they explain what it's like to live in the Albanian capital.
Kotor: Visit the Stari Grad, also referred to as the Old Town, perfectly positioned on a beautiful bay.
Dubrovnik: Explore the Pearl of the Adriatic with your Local Expert. Walk the stone-paved streets of the Old Town to see Onofrio's Fountain, Rector's Palace and the medieval city walls. Admire the Franciscan and Dominican monasteries.
Mostar: Learn the history and symbolic significance of Star

15 nights from $4,856 per person

Itinerary

Click here for Full Itinerary Details

Itinerary Details

Insight Vacations: Treasures of the Balkans - Classic Group

Day 1 - Welcome to Bucharest
Welcome to Bucharest! Join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: Radisson Blu Bucharest
Meals: Dinner

Day 2 - Bucharest and Castles of Transylvania
Join a Local Expert for sightseeing to view University Square and the former communist headquarters. Visit the immense Parliament Palace, one of the most impressive buildings in the world. Enjoy a delicious private dinner in the recently renovated Queen Mary’s Tea House. This evening after the crowds have left enjoy a private visit to the iconic Bran Castle, said to be the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. Learn about Queen Maria of Romania, the last inhabitant of the castle, visit the torture rooms and relive the tales of the infamous Count Dracula.
Accommodations: Radisson Blu Aurum, Bra?ov
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3 - Brasov and Sinaia
Travel along the Prahova Valley to the elegant mountain resort of Sinaia to visit Pele? Castle. Admire the lavish rooms filled with art, armor and tapestries. Return through the Carpathian Mountains to the charming medieval city of Bra?ov, founded in 1211 by the Teutonic Knights. With your Local Expert, walk around Town Hall Square, lined with beautiful red-roofed houses and dominated by the Black Church.
Accommodations: Radisson Blu Aurum, Bra?ov
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - Veliko Tarnovo
Cross the Danube into Bulgaria and continue to Veliko Tarnovo, the City of the Tsars, where houses cling to the cliffs of the River Yantra, making it one of the country's most beautiful towns. In the evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Accommodations: Yantra, Veliko Tarnovo
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5 - To Sofia Relaxed Start
Meet your Local Expert to climb up to the ruined Tsarevets Fortress, a reminder of the town's former imperial status. Enjoy the stunning views over the old Bulgarian capital and the Yantra Valley. Arbanasi is one of Bulgaria’s most beautiful villages and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The frescoed churches and fortified dwellings offer a unique insight into the former wealth and spiritual commitment of the settlement. Visit a traditional 17th-century merchant's house and the Church of the Holy Nativity. Cross the Balkan Mountains to Bulgaria's modern day capital of Sofia. On arrival, sightseeing with a Local Expert takes you to St. Sofia Church, across the square from the golden domed St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the archaeological complex, dominated by the church of St. George Rotonda.
Accommodations: Grand Millennium Sofia
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Sofia at Your Pace Relaxed Start
Enjoy the day at your leisure. Perhaps visit the Rila Monastery to enjoy a fascinating insight into the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria?
Accommodations: Grand Millennium Sofia
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7 - Skopje
Cross the border and continue to the North Macedonian capital of Skopje, an ultra-modern city juxtaposed by an ancient bazaar, where Turkish influences can still be seen and felt. Enjoy sightseeing with a Local Expert.
Accommodations: Bushi Resort & Spa, Skopje
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 8 - Lake Ohrid and Tirana
Making your way to the border, stop by the scenic Lake Ohrid for lunch. Cross into Albania and journey to Tirana, renowned for its friendly locals. Continue to the landmark Skanderbeg Square for an insider’s look at the Albanian capital with a Local Expert.
Accommodations: MAK Albania, Tirana
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9 - Journey to Montenegro’s Budva
Soak up Montenegro’s natural beauty as you drive towards Budva where your Travel Director will provide an orientation tour before you have the rest of the day to explore 'Montenegro's Miami' on your own. Head to Stari Grad (the Old Town) surrounded by 15th-century ramparts to explore its labyrinthine lanes and small squares where you could choose to sit back and watch the world go by.
Accommodations: TQ Plaza, Budva
Meals: Breakfast

Day 10 - Kotor and Dubrovnik
Journey through the spectacular scenery of Montenegro to the Old Town of Kotor, known as Stari Grad. Located beside a beautiful bay near the limestone cliffs of Mt. Lovcen, its no surprise it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At night, you may choose from a fine selection of restaurants for your Dine-Around evening.
Accommodations: Kompas Dubrovnik
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 11 - Dubrovnik Sightseeing Relaxed Start
Join a Local Expert for a morning of exploring the stone-paved streets within the 16th century bastions. See Onofrio's Fountain and the Rector's Palace, the city walls and the Franciscan and Dominican monasteries. The rest of the day is free for you to immerse yourself in the beautiful surroundings. Perhaps enjoy an optional experience to a stunning town on the Adriatic coast, Cavtat, where you can wander along the pine-forest paths beside the crystal-clear sea.
Accommodations: Kompas Dubrovnik
Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 - Mostar and Sarajevo
Journey to Mostar. With your Local Expert, see the famous Stari Most, the Old Bridge, reconstructed after being almost completely destroyed during the war. Explore the cobbled streets of the Old Town, stretching on both sides of the bridge and filled with shops selling traditional handicrafts. Continue your travels following the scenic route to Sarajevo for a unique and rewarding insight into the local way of life as you are invited into a Sarajevan family home for dinner. Savor the authentic cuisine as you hear inspirational stories.
Accommodations: Europe, Sarajevo
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 13 - Sarajevo, City of Culture
Explore Sarajevo with Insight Choice. Choose to meet an expert on the Bosnian War for a visit to Sarajevo’s astonishing Tunnel of Hope. Alternatively, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience for a nature walk to the spring of the Bosna River, a protected park just beyond the city, led by a conservation guide. The rest of the afternoon is for you to explore as you wish.
Accommodations: Europe, Sarajevo
Meals: Breakfast

Day 14 - The Serbian Capital of Belgrade Relaxed Start
Trace your way along the Drina River, that lies on the border of Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Take in beautiful landscapes of lush, green mountains that create magical forest canyons, winding your way through deep valleys as you make your way to Belgrade.
Accommodations: Radisson Collection, Old Mill Belgrade
Meals: Breakfast

Day 15 - The Best of Belgrade Relaxed Start
Join a Local Expert to see the best of Belgrade including Terazije Street, the national museum and national theater in Republic Square, as well as a visit to the famous St. Sava Church. Finish your sightseeing at the Kalemegdan Fortress, situated at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure before joining your fellow travelers for dinner this evening.
Accommodations: Radisson Collection, Old Mill Belgrade
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 16 - Farewell Belgrade
Your journey through the Balkans has come to an end. All that’s left is to say a fond dovidenja as you bid your new friends farewell.
Meals: Breakfast

Featured Destinations

Skopje

Veliko Tarnovo

Belgrade

Sarajevo

Dubrovnik

Classed as a world heritage treasure by UNESCO, Dubrovnik is a place of ancient streets lined with stone palaces, Venetian-style buildings and bell towers. The city is enclosed by stone walls, and the highlight is a leisurely walk atop these massive walls for a great view of the city and the sea. Entering Dubrovnik, you are greeted by an impressive pedestrian promenade, the Placa, which extends before you all the way to the clock tower at the other end of town. The Orlando Tower here is a favorite meeting place. Just inside the city walls near the Pile Gate is the Franciscan Monastery housing the third-oldest functioning pharmacy in Europe, operating since 1391. For a fantastic panorama of the city, take a cable car ride to the summit of the 1,340-foot Mount Srdj.

Excursions

Buggy safari tour with private sightseeing of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik pick up, bike tour, wine tasting and lunch in Konavle, 5 hours

Dubrovnik & Oysters Tasting, 4 hours, from Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik sightseeing, 3 hours, from Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik & Wine tasting, 3 hours, from Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik & Game of thrones, full day, from Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik pick up, Peljesac wine & oyster story, 5 hours

Dubrovnik pick up, Kayak safari tour, 4 hours

Dubrovnik pick up, Dubrovnik and silk experience, 5 hours

Dubrovnik pick up, car&driver on disposal, 6 hours

Dubrovnik tour and Coral factory

Dubrovnik tour with emphasis on Jewish Heritage

Dubrovnik Cooking class

Magic gastro and history experience in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik: Pearl of the Adriatic Walking Tour - 4 hours

Dubrovnik: Kayaking the Adriatic - 4 hours

Dubrovnik: Tastes of the Peljesac Peninsula - 6 hours

Dubrovnik: Elaphite Islands by Private Motor Yacht - 8 hours

Dubrovnik: Cooking Class in the Konavle Valley - 6 hours

Tirana

Sofia

Brasov

Bucharest

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

04/21/2025 - 05/06/2025

from $4,856 per person *

05/12/2025 - 05/27/2025

from $5,495 per person *

05/19/2025 - 06/03/2025

from $5,495 per person *

06/02/2025 - 06/17/2025

from $4,968 per person *

06/09/2025 - 06/24/2025

from $5,545 per person *

07/14/2025 - 07/29/2025

from $5,058 per person *

08/11/2025 - 08/26/2025

from $5,620 per person

08/18/2025 - 09/02/2025

from $5,058 per person *

09/01/2025 - 09/16/2025

from $5,620 per person *

09/08/2025 - 09/23/2025

from $5,620 per person *

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $4,856 per person

Length

15 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Deluxe

Remarks

Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change. Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1517410

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