13-Nights Balkan Adventure

Mostar

Mostar is a small historic town in southwestern Bosnia, surrounded on three sides by rugged mountains. Mostar is Bosnia's most famous and popular destination, mainly because of its impressive Ottoman-era historic district and famous Ottoman-built arched stone bridge over the Neretva River gorge. Although quite small, Mostar is the capital of the Herzegovina district.

Since Mostar lies on the trading route between the Adriatic Sea and mineral-rich Bosnian lands, the site was occupied for many centuries prior to Ottoman rule of the region. However, it was the Ottoman Turks who established the present-day town when taking control of the region in 1468. They began building many Ottoman-style buildings, Turkish-style mosques and large private mansions for wealthy citizens. Their most-acclaimed architectural structure is the arched stone bridge, Stari Most, built in 1566.

Like nearly every town and city in Bosnia, Mostar was badly damaged by the 1990s regional wars. Many historic mansions and buildings, private homes and all of Mostar's bridges were completely destroyed. A major incident in Mostar took place in 1993, when Bosnian Croats began a 10-month siege of the Muslim quarter of the city, rendering its landmark, stone-arch bridge, Stari Most, and mosques to rubble.

Fortunately, Mostar has been able to rebuild, in great part thanks to various international organizations and governments contributions. The reconstruction of Stari Most (the Old Bridge) has been completed and it is well worth a visit. On the other hand, many large buildings have been left in states of destruction, complete with bullet and grenade holes, providing a stark reminder of the devastation. Rebuilding of the city continues, and tourists are warmly welcomed.

The annual bridge jumping competition from Stari Most into the Neretva River below is famous throughout the regions. Having taken place for more than four centuries, this competition attracts both swimmers and spectators from all over Europe.

Kotor

Take a step back in time and visit the old town of Kotor, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in this part of the Mediterranean. The asymmetric structure of the narrow streets and squares, combined with the awesome monuments of medieval architecture, contributed to Kotor being placed on UNESCO’s “World’s natural and cultural inheritance” list. From ancient fortification systems surrounding the city to 12th century cathedrals, Kotor is a dream come true for those who revel in history. Entrance to town from the Gurdic spring, consists of 3 separate gates, built from the 13th, 16th and 18th centuries. The Cathedral of St. Tryphon is one of the most visited and impressive churches in the city. According to some texts, the original church was erected in the 8th century and rebuilt in 1166. Two earthquakes, one in 1667 and one in 1979 seriously damaged the cathedral and it continues to be restored to this day. The city is breathtaking in every respect and only a visit will truly reveal all it has to offer.

Budva

Budva, Montenegro, located 45 mi/75 km southwest of Podgorica, is one of the busiest resort towns along the country's coast. Budva was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1979 but was rebuilt, including the Venetian-style old town center and its surrounding wall. The city has a solid tourist infrastructure with large hotels, holiday apartments, well-developed sports facilities and the liveliest nightlife on the coast. It has expanded rapidly in recent years, with a profusion of hotels covering the coast.

Down the coast is Sveti Stefan, a spectacular little gem of an island. Once a fishing village, Sveti Stefan is now a resort island run by Aman Resorts. Other nearby beach resorts include Becici, Rafailovici, Przno and Milocer.

Skopje

The capital and modern city of Skopje has everything that any other capital city can offer—fabulous churches, mosques, excellent museums, galleries, shopping, concerts, theater, opera, ballet and even casinos—but all on a smaller scale. And one of its greatest highlights is the biggest and oldest Turkish bazaar in Europe, originally rivaling the one in old Baghdad.

Skopje sits on the banks of the Vardar River, and much of its modernity is the result of an earthquake that leveled large sections of the city in 1963—the clock in the railway station has been preserved, forever stopped at 5:17 am, the moment when the quake struck. Fortunately for visitors, much of the old town survived. Cross the 11 arches of the Stone Bridge, built by the Turks in the 1400s, and you will find cultural and historical monuments that span centuries. Especially notable are the 15th-century Daud Pasha Turkish Baths, the largest in the region. But don't plan on getting your feet wet—today, the City Art Gallery occupies the premises. For a nice overview of the city, climb to the Kale Fortress, a ruined castle. Then visit the nearby Church of Sveti Spas (note the beautiful iconostasis). In the Mosque of Mustafa Pasha, look for the cracked dome caused by an earthquake.

A day trip can also be made to man-made Lake Matka, where you'll find a fantastic 22-mi/35-km canyon with a cliff-side footpath and numerous old churches surrounding the lake. There is also swimming, hiking, canoeing, climbing, cave exploring and great seafood restaurants there. Ohrid or Stobi, a colorful ancient town on the road to Greece, are also good day trips from Skopje. 120 mi/195 km northeast of Ohrid.

Veliko Tarnovo

The former medieval capital, Veliko Tarnovo is easily recognized as a historical and cultural center of contemporary Bulgaria. The cities museums are rich in artifacts and historical monuments and monasteries dot the landscape. The most visited spot in Veliko Tarnovo is the Arbanasi village. The St. Virgin Mary convent lies on one end of the village, the St Nikola monastery on the other. Exploring the village will be a memorable experience.

Belgrade

Belgrade is the capital of Serbia with about 1.6 million inhabitants. It is located in southeast Europe, in the Balkan Peninsula, at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe and since ancient times it has been an important traffic focal point, an intersection of the roads of Eastern and Western Europe. Belgrade is the capital of Serbian culture, education, science and economy. As a result of its tumultuous history, many nations live in Belgrade for centuries, and the majority of the population make Serbs (86%) of Orthodox persuasion.

Sarajevo

Sarajevo is one of the most historically interesting cities in Europe. It is the place where the Western & Eastern Roman Empire split; where the people of the Eastern Orthodox east, the Ottoman south and the Roman Catholic west, met, lived and warred. It has been both an example of historical turbulence and the clash of civilizations, as well as a beacon of hope for peace and tolerance through multi-cultural integration.

Today the city has physically recovered from most of the war damage caused by the Yugoslav Wars of the early nineties. Sarajevo is a cosmopolitan European capital with a unique Eastern twist that is a delight to visit. The people are very friendly, be they Bosniak, Serb, or Croat. There is very little crime, not nearly as many tourists as on the Dalmatian coast and a wealth of architecture (not to mention history) to see.

Tirana

Tirana (pronounced: Tih-rana) is the capital and the largest city (1991 est. pop. 300,000) of Albania. It is the administrative, cultural, economic, and industrial center of the Republic of Albania.

Sofia

Sofia is capital of Bulgaria with a motto “Ever growing, never aging". Influences of many different cultures can be spotted through the city. Alexander Nevski Memorial Church has a gold dome considered one of the finest pieces of architecture in the Balkans. Other points of interest include 4th-6th century Church of St. Sofia; Boyana Church, a good example of 11th century East European Medieval art; and 15th century Dragalevtsi monastery. The National Palace of Culture is the Balkans' biggest congress center. Vassil Levski monument is where the main architect of the campaign to free Bulgaria from oppression of the Ottoman Empire was hanged by Turks in 1873. The National History Museum, Archaeological Museum and National Natural History Museum are there. There are many areas around downtown for nightlife. Sofia sits near Mount Vitosha and during the winter months this is a prime skiing spot.

Brasov

Brasov is a medieval city located in central Romania, originally founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 and settled by the Saxons as a walled citadel. The city was located at an influential intersection linking trade routes of the Ottoman Empire and Europe. It is part of the Transylvania region, and is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains. A wealth of historical attractions can be visited, including Bran Castle, attracting many fans of Dracula, the Black Church (Biserica Neagra), the largest gothic church in Romania, and Rope Street, the narrowest street in Romania.

Bucharest

Bucharest is the capital and largest city in Romania and is located in the southern part of the country. Referred to as the ‘Paris of the Balkans’, Bucharest has ornate buildings, wide boulevards and gardens fashioned after French architecture and city planning. In the name of progress and modernization, North Korean style buildings began being erected – many of which still stand unfinished today. Sights to see in Bucharest range from the stately to the heavenly. The Palace of Parliament should not be missed while in Bucharest – and it’s hard not to. It’s the second largest building in the world behind the Pentagon. Containing over 1,000 rooms, restaurants, conference areas and an art gallery, it houses the Romanian Parliament. There are several museums in the city, such as the National Art Museum and the Village Museum - an open–air museum containing over 300 houses, churches and mills from all over Romania and displays of some of the best folk architecture in the region. The Antim Monastery and Patriarchate Church are among Bucharest's outstanding religious structures.