Compare Best of the Balkans: From Medieval Fortresses to the Majestic Adriatic Sea by Road Scholar

Day 1 In Transit to Program In Flight

Day 2 Arrive, Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner Herceg Novi

Check-in available from 2:00 PM.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room, enjoy a Welcome Dinner. Unless otherwise noted, dinners on this program are typically a three-course set menu. Please note that water is included in the program cost at all meals.

Day 3 Herceg Novi Bay, Herceg Novi Herceg Novi

The boat ride along the Adriatic will be 3 hours long with one stop to get out in the afternoon. Today’s activities will include up to 2 hours of walking throughout the day along city streets. Please note that Herceg Novi is known as the “city of stairs”, so there will be a long of steps with and without railings.

Enjoy an expert-led boat excursion on the Adriatic in Herceg Novi Bay. View an Austrian-built fortress on a small island, the Blue Cave, and then stop in Rose, one of the oldest settlements in the region, for a short stroll.

Our Group Leader will lead us on an expert-led walk of Herceg Novi. Founded in 1382, this medieval town was formerly known as Castel Nuovo, or “new castle” in Italian, because of its many fortresses. Walk through the winding streets, the Forte Mare, and the port of the city alongside your group, and then enjoy some free time to independently explore on your own. After returning to the hotel, we will listen to a lecture on the history and present-day life of Montenegro.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room, the daily breakfast will offer a buffet with breads, cheeses, cold-cuts, yogurt, fruit, cereals, juice, milk, coffee, tea and water.

At a local restaurant in Herceg Novi, enjoy a light lunch of local fare. Unless otherwise noted, lunches on this program are typically a two-course set menu.

On your own. This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to explore local fare. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

Day 4 Kotor and Kotor Bay Herceg Novi

Today’s activities include up to 3 hours of walking during the day.

Begin the morning with a panoramic drive through Herceg Novi, where we will see some of the small coastal towns and islands off the Bay of Kotor. These sites are internationally recognized as some of Montenegro’s most iconic cultural treasures. Led by a local expert, explore the small town of Perast. Despite its current small population of 400 people, palaces from the Renaissance and Baroque eras attest to this town’s history as a favored vacation spot for Venetian and Russian nobles. Home to one of the best maritime schools in the 18th century, this town was also has a strong seafaring heritage. After exploring Perast, we will take a short motor boat ride into the bay to an artificial island known as Our Lady of the Rocks. According to legend, two sailors passing by this part of the bay in 1452 encountered the image of Madonna and the Child upon a rock. Since then, generations of seamen have pledged their faith to the saint by laying a rock on the bay after each successful voyage. Over time, an islet emerged from the sea, upon which a small chapel was erected. Such was its fame that the chapel was gifted masterful paintings and thousands of silver plates. After some time to explore the island, we will return to shore once again via motor boat.

We will board the motorcoach once again and head to explore Kotor’s Old Town. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its exceptional architecture and stunning natural setting. Founded by the Romans, and traded back and forth between empires for centuries, Kotor was an important center of commerce and the arts. See some of the town’s famous sites, such as its Venetian city walls and the local Maritime Museum, during a short walking excursion before having time on your own to explore Kotor independently.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

On your own.

In the hotel dining room.

Day 5 Dubrovnik, Free Time Neum

Coach ride from Herceg Novi to Dubrovnik is approximately 2 hours. It is then another 2 hours to Neum. Today’s activities will include up to 3 hours of walking during the day.

After breakfast, we will board a motorcoach and journey towards Dubrovnik. Enjoy a lecture on present-day life in Croatia, with a focus on the region of Dalmatia. We will then take an excursion of Dubrovnik’s Old Town on foot, passing by the Onofrio Fountain, Saint Blaise’s Church, the Franciscan Monastery and the famous Rector’s Palace.

Free Time. Enjoy some time to explore Dubrovnik on your own before we board the coach once again and make our way to Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Once there, we will check-in and settle into our rooms before dinner.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

On your own.

In the hotel dining room.

Day 6 Cetina Valley, Mestrovic Gallery Split

Coach ride from Neum to Omis is 2 hours, it is then another 1 hour to Split. Today’s activities will include up to 3 hours of walking and standing for long periods of time. There are over 60 stairs leading to the main house of the Mestrovic Gallery, as well as additional steps to reach the upper floors of the museum.

We will check-out of our hotel and make our way to Omis, Croatia. The coach with travel along the beautiful seafront, where we will enjoy a stunning view of picturesque islands and rich Mediterranean vegetation. We will get an opportunity to enjoy this view further upon our arrival in Omis, where we will take a short boat ride from Omis to Radmanove Mlinice.

Board the coach once again as we make our way to Split. Upon arrival, we will take an expert-led excursion of the Mestrovic Gallery, situated in the villa where sculptor Ivan Mestrovic used to live. Known as the greatest 20th century sculptor in Croatia, Mestrovic's works can be found all over the world. On display at the gallery are bronze, marble and wood sculptures, along with drawings, architectural plans and family furniture.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

En route, we will enjoy lunch at an old mill next to the Cetina River.

On your own.

Day 7 Split, Free Time Split

Today’s activities will include up to 3 hours of walking during the day.

We will head out on an expert-led walking tour of the city of Split. We will begin at Diocletian’s Palace, a palace and fortress built by Roman Emperor Diocletian shortly after abdicating his throne at the turn of the 4th century. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, this palace is considered one of the most significant monuments of the Roman Era. It’s remain lie on what is considered the old town of Split, and after our visit, we will continue our exploration of the old town by visiting the Peristyle, the Cathedral, and some of the majestic statues of Ivan Mestrovic – the greatest Croatian sculptor of the 20th century.

Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in the city of Split. Once back at the hotel, we will enjoy an expert-led lecture.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

On your own.

At a local restaurant.

Day 8 Mostar, Free Time Sarajevo

Coach ride from Split to Mostar is approximately 3 hours, it is then another 2 more hours to Sarajevo. Today’s activities include up to 3 hours of walking during the day. Please be careful when crossing the Old Bridge at Mostar, as the stone work makes it very smooth and slippery.

We will check-out of our hotel and begin our journey to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. On our way we will stop by Mostar. Here we will explore the Old Town and the bridge of Mostar, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and a symbol of unity between the different nationalities living in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The bridge of Mostar, originally a 16th century Ottoman bridge, was destroyed during the Croat-Bosniak War in 1993, but was reconstructed to its original design in 2004.

Free time in Mostar. We then continue on to Sarajevo to check-in to our hotel.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

On your own.

In the hotel dining room.

Day 9 Sarajevo, Free Time Sarajevo

Today’s activities will include up to 3 hours of walking during the day.

We will take an expert-led excursion in Sarajevo by bus and on foot. We will see such sights as the former Austro-Hungarian area, the Bascarsija Bazaar and the former Jewish quarter of the city. As we venture further into the Old Town, we will also make a visit to the “war tunnel”, also known as the Tunnel of Hope, which connected the city of Sarajevo to an area controlled by the United Nations during the Bosnian War. This tunnel was built by the Bosnian Army in 1993 and made it possible for both supplies to make their way into the city, and for people to get out.

Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions. Before dinner, enjoy a lecture on the history and present day of Bosnia-Herzegovina at the hotel.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

On your own.

At a local restaurant.

Day 10 Visegrad, Andricgrad & Drvengrad Zlatibor

Coach ride from Sarajevo to Visergrad is 2 hours. It is then another 1.5 hours to Zlatibor. Today’s activities will include up to 3 hours of walking during the day.

Today we will depart by motorcoach and head towards Visegrad. Explore the historic Ottoman bridge built in 1577 for Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasa Sokolovic, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Then take a short walking field trip of the nearby town of Andricgrad, built and dedicated to Yugoslav novelist and Nobel Prize winner Ivo Andric.

Depart by coach and visit Dobrun Monastery, built in 1343 and dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin. After our visit, we will board the coach once again and cross the border into Serbia. We will visit the traditional Serbian village of Drvengrad, built by Serbian director Emir Kusturica for his film Life is a Miracle. After our field trip we will board the coach once again and head to Zlatibor, where we will check-in to our hotel.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

At a local restaurant.

At the hotel.

Day 11 Belgrade Belgrade

Coach ride from Zlatibor to Belgarde is approximately 3 hours. Today’s activities will include up to 2 hours of walking during the day.

After breakfast, we will board a motorcoach and begin our journey to Belgrade, Serbia.

Take an exciting bus and walking excursion through Belgrade, the capital of Serbia and former Yugoslavia. See the main pedestrian street, Knez Mihailova, which is always alive with activity and features a number of buildings and mansions of the 1870s. We will also explore the old Kalemegdan fortress, Saint Sava Church and the Mausoleum of former Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

En route to Belgrade.

At a local restaurant on Skadarlija Street in the bohemian quarter of Belgrade. Enjoy live music with dinner.

Day 12 Novi Sad, Srijemski Karlovci Belgrade

Coach ride from Belgrade to Novi Sad is approximately 1.5 hours each way. Today’s activities will include up to 4 hours of walking during the day.

Today we will take a full-day excursion through northern Serbia, beginning with a walking exploration of the city of Novi Sad. Founded in 1694 by merchant Serbs and quickly becoming an important trading, manufacturing and cultural center, Novi Sad has earned the nickname of “Serbian Athens”. It is today the second largest city in all of Serbia, and is a key industrial and financial center in the country. After our walk, you will have time to explore the city on your own.

Drive to the nearby town of Srijemski Karlovci, passing by the Petrovaradin Fortress on the way. Learn about the past and present history of the region of Voljvodina, an area on the border of the Ottoman Empire and the Western World. Our field trip will end with a honey tasting in a local Beekeeping Museum.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

At a local restaurant.

On your own.

Day 13 Free Time, Transfer to Zagreb Zagreb

Coach ride from Belgrade to Zagreb is approximately 5 hours.

Today we will have a late morning departure. Enjoy some time to sleep in or to explore Belgrade on your own. Right before noon we will all board a coach and begin our journey towards Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Along the way we will cross the northeastern part of Croatia, known as the “bread-basket” of the country.

We will arrive to Zagreb in the late afternoon. Check-in to our new hotel and take some time to settle into your rooms and relax before dinner.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

On your own, en route to Zagreb.

In the hotel dining room.

Day 14 Zagreb, Free Time Zagreb

Today’s activities will include up to 2 hours of walking during the day.

This morning we will explore the historic city of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Enjoy a walking excursion from the Upper Town to the lively main square of the city, Ban Jelacic Square. This square is named after city’s founder, Count Josip Jelacic, after he formerly unified the neighboring settlements of Kaptol and Gradec into a single city in 1850. Among some of the sites we will see during our excursion are the Cathedral and Saint Marks Church.

Free Time. Enjoy some time to explore Zagreb on your own.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

On your own.

At a local restaurant.

Day 15 Lake Bled Ljubljana

Coach ride from Zagreb to Bled is approximately 3 hours. It is then another hour to Ljubljana. Today’s activities will include up to 2 hours of walking during the day.

We will check-out of our hotel and begin our journey towards Ljubljana, Slovenia. On our way, we will visit Lake Bled, one of the most famous sites in all of Slovenia.

As we continue our way to Ljubljana, we will enjoy the view of a tiny island in the middle of Lake Bled. This island with a romantic castle on a hilltop is the most photographed site in Slovenia. Upon arrival, we will then check in to our hotel and listen to a lecture by a local expert on the topic of Slovenia.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

En route, we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

In the hotel dining room.

Day 16 Ljubljana, Free Time Ljubljana

Today’s activities will include up to 2 hours of walking during the day.

We will begin our morning with an expert-led excursion through Ljubljana on foot. Walking through the charming downtown, appreciate the unique character of the area designed by famous architect, José Plecnik.

Free time. Continue exploring Ljubljana on your own.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

On your own.

At a local restaurant, we will enjoy a Farewell Dinner with folk music.

Day 17 Program Concludes In Flight

Check-out by 11:00 AM.

In the hotel dining room.