Trio Balkans: Belgrade, Sofia and Bucharest

• Arrival in Belgrade International Airport and transfer to hotel. Belgrade, a Balkan jewel, will charm you with the old center’s cobbled streets full of local traditional restaurants and the Fortress of Kalamegdan situated at the confluence of the mighty Danube and Sava rivers.
• In the evening you can always mix through the vibrant life of the locals and try one of the hundreds of pubs and clubs. Belgrade has been the capital of Serbia since 1403, when Despot Stefan, son of Tsar Lazar, moved his palace here.

Overnight: Belgrade | Meals: B – –

• Breakfast at hotel. Meet your guide and start explore the fascinating city of Belgrade. Start with Republic Square boasts architectonic monuments such as the National Theatre and the National Museum, Knez Mihajlova Street the main shopping and meeting place with few other masterpieces of Belgrade’s architecture such as the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Nearby in a 19th century quarter you will find the ‘Question mark sign’ Inn, Princess Ljubica’s Residence, the Patriarchy and the Orthodox Cathedral. Learn about life under Tito and Milosevic and how modern Serbia is preparing itself for a new era.
• See Kalemegdan Fortress situated at the confluence of the mighty Danube and Sava rivers. The Upper fortress area includes well-preserved artillery structures dating from the mid-18th century as well as a medieval fortification – an acropolis with original or partly reconstructed ramparts, gateways, towers and the excavated ruins of a 15th century castle, an elegant 18th century Baroque Clock Tower and the Roman Well. The Eastern Ward includes the Rose Church of Our Lady along with a panoramic view of the Lower fortress and its monuments – the Nebojsa Tower, the Baroque Gate of Karl VI, and the remains of the medieval Metropolitan Palace.
• A cosmopolitan and historic city sitting at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, Belgrade sits comfortably between the past and the future. From the medieval fortress of Kalemegdan and its intriguing history on the frontier between East and West, to the city’s teeming cafés, excellent food and the best nightlife in the Balkans, Belgrade has something for everyone.

Recommendation: In the afternoon you can join to an optional trip to Novi Sad.

Overnight: Belgrade | Meals: B  – –

• Breakfast at hotel. Meet your guide and departure to Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria. On the way you’ll do a short stop in Niš, the birthplace of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. The modern tourist center, Niš is has been a gate embodies the combination of exotic East and elegant West. Do not miss the Niš fortress (best preserved Ottoman fort in this part of the Balkans) or “Ćele kula” (“The Skull tower“, a unique structure built by the order of the Ottoman Hursid pasha using the skulls of Serbian soldiers killed in the Battle of Čegar during the First Serbian uprising.
• In the afternoon continue your adventure towards the Serbian – Bulgarian border (Gradina – Kalotina customs).
• In the evening arrival in Sofia, a dynamic Eastern European capital, distinguished by its unique combination of European and Communist-style architecture as well as many beautiful orthodox churches. Furthermore, it claims to be one of the few European capitals with beautiful scenery and a developed ski-resort so close to it – the Vitosha Mountain. Accommodation at your hotel.

Recommendation: In the evening you can join to a special dinner with folk show in a local restaurant.

Overnight: Sofia | Meals: B  – –

• After breakfast a sightseeing tour of the city centre of Sofia, including visits to one of the biggest cathedrals from the Balkans: Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the oldest surviving Christian church in Sofia – St. Sofia Church, the Rotunda of Saint George with medieval paintings, National Archeological Museum, 16th century Banya Bashi Mosque, St. Nedelya – old metropolitan church, National Theatre, former Royal Palace (now housing National Revival Art Gallery and Ethnographic Museum), National Assembly Square, where in the middle of the square sits the impressive Tsar Osvoboditel (King Liberator) monument erected in 1907 by the Italian sculptor Arnoldo Zocchi, Holy Synod, St. Sofia Church, Bulgarian National Gallery for Foreign Art. Accommodation at hotel.

Recommendation: In the afternoon you can join to an optional trip to Rila Monastery (UNESCO site).

Overnight: Sofia | Meals: B  – –

• Breakfast at hotel, meet your guide and departure to your next destination: Romania. On the way stop in Veliko Tarnovo, the medieval capital of Bulgaria. The town flourished between the 12th and 14th century, when the territory of Bulgaria spanned over most of the Balkans. During the 5 centuries of Ottoman oppression, the town developed as a merchant and craftsmen town with “distribution channels” extending into North Africa and Central Europe.
• See Tsaravets Fortress, the Byzantine Citadel, first built in the 5th century, one of Bulgaria’s most famous monuments. You can wander through Tarnovo’s medieval old town, stopping for a drink at one of the quaint sidewalk cafes.
•  In the afternoon continue to Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, a vibrant city with a stunning night life. Accommodation to your hotel.

Recommendation: In the evening you can join to a special dinner with folk show in a local restaurant.

Overnight: Bucharest | Meals: B – –

•  After breakfast, enjoy visiting the Romanian capital city. First dated in official documents in the year of 1459, Bucharest became the capital in 1862. Across the years the capital city draw attention to the public with its architecture mix combining the neo-classical, interbellum, communist-era and modern styles.

•  The tour starts with Victoria street, the oldest boulevard in Bucharest, Triumph Arch, the place where Romanian army was marching after the ending of the two world wars; continue with Revolution Square where the Ceausescu, the Dictator, kept his last public appearance in December 1989 and where the Romanian Revolution started.

•  Walk thru the old centre with the narrow streets full of coffee shops, restaurants, pubs and in the evening the best clubbing area in the South – Eastern Europe; see Romanian Athenaeum, the former Royal Palace and the People’s Palace (exterior) – the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon, with its original purpose to be Ceausescu’s residence. Accommodation at hotel. 

Recommendation: In the afternoon you can join to an optional trip to Snagov Monastery and the biggest thermal complex in Europe.

Overnight: Bucharest | Meals: B – –

Transfer to airport according your departure flight schedule or join an additional day in Bucharest for an exquisite trip to Peles and Dracula’s Castles.