The Balkans

Departure from Manila Check in at NAIA Terminal 3 on TK085 MANILA ISTANBUL departing at 22:20

 

Arrival in Vienna estimated at 08:30 am via TK1883. Meet your Tour escort then board your coach.. Visit Schoenbrunn palace, Hofburg palace and the main historical sights of Vienna. During free time walk along Graben street, one of the most famous shopping streets in all of Vienna and see St. Stephen’s cathedral in nearby Stephansplatz Dinner & overnight in Vienna

 

Breakfast in the hotel then check out. Transfer to Slovenia. Visit Lake Bled, an alpine lake surrounding an island with a church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. You will ride a pletna wooden boat to get to the island walking 99 stone steps leading up to the church. Ring the wishing bell inside. See the Bled castle perched on a cliff high above the lake. Continue to Lake Bohinj and enjoy a relaxing walk along the lakeshore and some free time. Dinner and overnight in Bled.

 

Breakfast in the hotel then drive to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Walk by the river, see the triple bridge, St. Nicolas Cathedral and the Old Market. Enjoy the funicular ride that will take you to the Ljubljana castle where you will have a great view over the city. Transfer to Lipica and visit the Lipica stud farm where you can see Lipizaner horses, same horses that can be seen in Vienna. Transfer to Piran, a pictureseque seaside town on the Slovenian riviera and one of the loveliest towns along the adriatic coast known for its colorful main square, medievel walls and Venetian style bell tower. Early dinner in local restaurant. Transfer back to Bled for overnight

 

Breakfast in the hotel then check out and continue to Croatia starting with a visit to Marija Bistrica, Croatia’s largest catholic pilgrimage site. Visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Bistrica and the Black Madonna. Afterwards transfer to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Have a city tour of Zagreb visiting St. Mark’s church, Stone gate, the typically gothic Zagreb cathedral which is Zagreb’s most defining landmark. You will get to ride on the blue tram that moves around Zagreb reaching all parts of the city. Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in Zagreb

 

Breakfast in the hotel, checkout then transfer to Plitvice Lakes. You will be spending around 4 hours here enjoying the breathtaking scenery of terraced lakes, thickly wooded mountains and lush vegetation. You will get to ride on a boat and a train to move around. Later you will get to see a water mill village, the Rastoke Village and have some free time. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Plitvice.

 

Breakfast in the hotel then check out and transfer to Zadar, a seaside city famous for its historic old town with cobblestone streets. Afterwards continue to Šibenik, a small coastal town in a beautiful location by the sea where you can visit the Cathedral of St. James Transfer to Trogir, a historic town and harbour on the adriatic coast listed as a UNESCO World heritage site being one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe. Here you will not miss the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, a Roman catholic basilica serving as the most imposing monument in the city. Continue to the port city of Split. Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in Split.

 

Breakfast in the hotel, checkout before your morning city tour of Split. It is the second largest city in Croatia with its ruins dating back to the Roman Empire. See the remnants of Split’s roman heritage, the Diocletian Palace, the temple of Jupiter and the Cathedral of St. Dominus among others. Depart Split then drive along the picturesque croatian coast and transfer to Dubrovnik the Pearl of the Adriatic. Walking tour of old Dubrovnik seeing the city walls, Rector’s palace, Bell tower clock and Franciscan monastery. Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in Dubrovnik.

 

Breakfast in the hotel before heading to the Republic of Montenegro and see the beautiful bay of Kotor. Explore Kotor with a local guide and enjoy its remarkable scenic views. Transfer to Budva and explore this beautiful old town with a local guide On the way back to Dubrovnik we will be taking the Kamenari – Lepetane ferry and continue to enjoy the view. Dinner at the hotel and overnight in Dubrovnik

 

Breakfast in the hotel, check out and proceed to Medjugorje, a small village in Bosnia & Herzegovina visited by millions of people all over the world since the apparition of the Blessed Mother occured in 1981. It had since then become a place of world wide pilgrimage. Explore the village with a local guide and on your free time you may climb up the Apparition hill where the Lady made Her apparition. One important place to visit is the Statue of the Risen Christ. The special thing about this bronze statue is that water flows from the knees with its composition identical to human tears. Celebrate mass at St. James Church. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.

 

Breakfast in the hotel, check out then depart from Medjugorje and continue to Sarajevo with a short stop in Mostar, well known for its beautiful and historic Ottoman bridge, the symbol of Mostar. Walk along the main square of the old town filled with historic buildings. Enjoy a tour of the city with a local guide Continue to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina. Explore the city with a local guide. See the Sebilj (the most iconic fountain of Sarajevo), the war tunnel, the Latin bridge and the Bascarsija, Sarajevo’s old bazaar and the cultural and historical center of the city. Dinner and overnight in Sarajevo.

 

Free time in Sarajevo before the group is transferred to the airport for your flight back to Manila