Balkans Rail Adventure

Our journey through the Balkans starts today in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. This historic city lies in the shadow of its old castle and upon the banks of the Ljubljanica River, which meanders through the pedestrianised centre.



For those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 8.30pm for a welcome meeting followed by dinner for those that wish. There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Ljubljana at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport (LJU), which is around a 40-minute drive from the hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will catch you up as soon as possible.



If your flight arrives earlier in the day, or if you are extending your stay by a night, then we'd recommend visiting the castle today.



This evening, you might like to have dinner in one of the city's 'Gostilna' restaurants, where traditional recipes are prepared with local ingredients and paired with good wines. Some of the most popular Slovenian dishes include prekmurje (a layered cake made with cottage cheese, poppy seeds and with a walnut and apple filling), kras prosciutto (an air-dried ham) and bleki (a beef soup with noodles). If you'd like to drink like the locals, finish off your night with a glass of Slovenia's Pleterska Khruska liquor made with brandy and pears.

Ljubljana is brimming with art, culture and music, and topped off with stunning Germanic-style architecture. This morning, we'll explore the city on foot with a local guide to take in some of its most attractive landmarks including the Opera House, National Gallery, Republic Square and arguably the city's most famous site, Triple Bridge. Connecting the old Medieval town to the modern business centre, the bridge, originally served as the entrance to the fortified part of the city, but now is bustling with locals.



Late morning we'll take an excursion to Lake Bled, which is about a one-hour on a public bus. The picturesque resort town of Bled is situated on a tranquil lake. In the early 20th century, it was home to the Yugoslavian Royal Family and the summer residence of President Tito, making it one of Europe's most fashionable resorts. You might like to visit the island in the lake by traditional gondola boat (known as a Pletne). Once on the island, you'll find the Baroque Church of the Assumption as well as Bled Castle, perched on a steep cliff above. If you'd prefer to stretch your legs, you can walk the six kilometres around the lake past linden, chestnut and willow trees and swans and water lilies on the water. we'll return to Ljubljana by public bus in time for dinner.

This morning, you're free to relax in Ljubljana and grab some lunch before we hop aboard our train to Zagreb, this afternoon. The journey will see us cross the border into Croatia and will take around three hours.



On arrival, we'll begin exploring Croatia's capital, Zagreb, with a guided walking tour. While the city is rich in art and gastronomy, it doesn't draw the same tourist crowds as other European capitals. Nonetheless, it's deserving of a bucket-list spot, thanks its blend of Austro-Hungarian architecture and its more hard-edged socialist buildings. The city's centrepieces are the Gothic Zagreb Cathedral and 13th-century Saint Mark's Church.



We'll walk to our hotel to check in before having the opportunity to go out for dinner.



Tonight, you might like to try the traditional delicacies, like Zagreb meat and Cuspajz vegetable stew, followed by Strukli (a boiled dough filled with sour cream and cottage cheese) or Knedli (a sweet potato dumpling rolled in sugar and stuffed with fruit such as plum) for dessert. Wash it all down with the more unusual local drink, Bambus - a concoction of red wine and cola served over ice.

Today we drive around three hours out of the city to the stunning Plitvice National Park. The park boasts 16 interconnecting lakes, waterfalls, and dense woodland with an array of wildlife. The rare fauna includes wild brown bear, wolves, lynx, and eagles, but more commonly lizards, butterflies and various birdlife can be spotted. We'll take a couple of ferries and follow the well-marked walking trails (mostly on wooden promenades) through this magical landscape. Every turn leads us to new breathtaking scene and yet another stunning waterfall. After time for a picnic lunch, we'll return to Zagreb for the evening.

This morning, we'll walk from our hotel to the railway station to start our journey to the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo. We'll take the train from Zagreb to Vrpolje - a journey of around three hours. In Vrpolje, we'll change to a private bus for the border crossing and then drive to Doboj in Sarajevo, around a four-and-a-half-hour journey. We'll arrive in Sarajevo in the late afternoon and walk to our nearby hotel. Our journey lets us witness the spectacular mountain scenery as we pass through Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A poignant start this morning, we'll take taxis into the city centre to learn about the events that triggered World War I on 28th June 1914 - the assassination of assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. We'll join a local guide to find out more and along the way, we'll see the Eternal Flame, which is a memorial to all those that lost their lives during the war. We'll also see excellent examples of Austro-Hungarian architecture, namely the City Hall and learn more about the dreadful fate of the Jewish community which once thrived in this city, then known as 'Little Jerusalem'.



The afternoon, you\ re free to explore more at your own pace and return to the hotel whenever you wish. You might like to take a relaxing wander through the city's Old Town or, as with everywhere else in the Balkans, grab a strong coffee and people watch. There's an array of museums dedicated to the varied histories of the capital, including the Tunnel Museum depicting life during the Sarajevo Siege in 1992-1995 and telling how the resident civilians managed to keep themselves supplied during the longest siege in modern history. It's recommended to join the Times of Misfortune tour which includes entry to the Tunnel Museum.



Bosnian cuisine tends to use a range of subtle spices and is similar in some ways to Turkish food with grilled meats and pita bread followed by sweet and sticky nutty Baklava being popular. Other local specialities include Burek, a spiral of meat filled pastry served in slices or Rastika, kale leaves stuffed with rice and minced meat. Another tasty dessert option is Tulumba, deep-fried dough served in syrup. To wash it down, you could try the non-alcoholic drink Kompot made with fruit such as rhubarb or gooseberries soaked in water, sugar and spices like vanilla or cinnamon.

This morning, we'll walk to the railway station and board our train for a very scenic journey between Sarajevo and Mostar (taking just under three hours). As we chug slowly through the mountains, which were occupied by Bosnian Serbs during the Bosnian War, take a moment to take in the dramatic scenery. On arrival in Mostar in the late morning, we'll take taxis to our hotel to check in before returning to the city centre for a guided walking tour.



Mostar is in the Herzegovina region of the country and displays vivid scars from the 18-month-long siege the city was held under in the nineties. With its relaxed atmosphere, it's hard to believe the conflicts are such recent history. The city's Ottoman past is still very evident, with winding cobbled stone streets and a skyline dotted with domes and minarets. We'll see the bazaar, mosque, and old city on the way to one of the country's most famous landmarks, Stari Most. The city is divided by the Neretva River and, traditionally, Muslims lived on the east bank and Christians on the west. The UNESCO-listed Stari Most (Old Bridge) provided a crossing between the two and became a symbol of Bosnia's multi-ethnicity and the friendship between the two communities. Both the town and its historic bridge were badly damaged during the Balkan conflict of the early 1990s. The old Ottoman bridge was rebuilt after the war and much of the old city has also been restored to its former glory.

Today we have a jam-packed but rewarding schedule. Leaving Mostar early this morning (at around 7.30am) we'll drive to Podgorica in Montenegro via Dubrovnik, Croatia, and the Bay of Kotor.



Depending on border crossings we hope to have around two and half hours to see the Old Town area of Dubrovnik. This city stands proudly on the coast, surrounded by its ancient walls and the crystal-clear Adriatic Sea just beyond. Despite the horrific shelling Dubrovnik came under in 1991, the Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been remarkably well restored.



We'll then continue down the coastline, crossing into Montenegro where we'll stop in the old Mediterranean port of Kotor. Sitting on the coast, Kotor is surrounded by dramatic cliffs and is one of the best-preserved Medieval old towns on the Adriatic Sea. We hope to have about three hours to explore before heading to Podgorica for the night.

This morning, we'll take a bus (162km) to the small town of Prijepolje, Serbia. From here, we'll board our train to take one of the most scenic rail routes in Europe. The six-hour journey from Prijepolje to Belgrade introduces us to stunning scenery - soak in the landscape of gorges, canyons and snow-capped mountains as we ascend and descend, following the natural topography of the land. The scenery here is so beautiful, Yugoslavia's Head of State, Tito, built his own train in 1959 to take it all in. Between the trains' inaugural trip until his death in 1980, Tito made this journey often, regularly hosting famous guests within the deluxe carriages, including Queen Elizabeth II.



We'll arrive in Belgrade this evening and take a taxi to the hotel where we'll stay for the next two nights.



Paprika is arguably the most popular ingredient in Serbian cooking and they tend to use the red fruit itself rather than the dried spice. You'll find it chopped up in salads with tomatoes, cucumber, and cheese, chargrilled with barbequed meats, pickled, stuffed and even mashed. They also love cream and Kajmak, a partially fermented thick cream which is often served with grilled meats or fresh bread (t's a bit like a cross between sour cream and clotted cream). Rakia is the most popular spirit and it's normally distilled with plums or grapes, but you can also find more unusual variations like quince, walnut, or honey.

This morning, we'll walk the short distance to the train station where we'll board a train to Novi Sad, a journey of around one hour. Although the second largest city in Serbia, Novi Sad offers a much more laidback atmosphere, standing tall above the Danube River. The city is thought to have originated and expanded from the historic Petrovaradin Fortress, which sits proudly on the cityscape. We'll be guided around here on foot and using the local buses to see the main points of interest including the fortress that is rich in Roman, Greek, and Byzantine history, the Greek school, and the Orthodox cathedral. We'll then have free time to wander through the pedestrian area of the city, maybe choosing to have a drink at one of the many cafes that line the riverbank, before taking the train back to Belgrade.



Tonight, we'll walk from our hotel to a local restaurant where we'll experience a traditional Serbian barbeque dinner with live music.

We'll begin today with a guided walking tour to see the earliest known areas of the city, Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park. The fortress is an appropriate setting to learn about the city's history through the centuries including Medieval, Roman and Ottoman periods. The Romans originally built a fortification here in 2nd century AD, due to its strategic viewpoint on the hill overlooking the city and the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers. When the Huns and the Goths later waged war, the original structure was burnt down but was fortunately rebuilt in the 6th century.



You'll have a little free time for lunch before we hop aboard a private bus for the seven-hour journey to Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia and once home of Mother Teresa.

Today, we'll explore Skopje. We'll take taxis to the city centre for and orientation tour which will include highlights such as the fortress, 12th-century Old Bazaar (which is the largest and most well-preserved bazaar in south-east Europe), and the Holocaust Museum. In 1963 a huge earthquake rocked the city and destroyed an estimated 75% of the town, but it's still rich in historic culture and Ottoman heritage.



Skopje has been used a pawn in many wars, including World War II, and many empires have ruled over the city, all influencing the architecture, religion, and traditions. Despite the turbulent and sometimes violent history, Skopje is now a peaceful city where residents are free to practice all religions, the main faiths being Macedonian Orthodox and Islam. The city is awash with stunning places of worship, though you might notice the skyline dotted with minarets - this is due to a law enforced by the Turks stating Christian buildings could not be taller than mosques.



This afternoon, you have free time to further enjoy the city or to relax following the busy morning explorations. We'll end today with dinner in a traditional local North Macedonian restaurant.

Taking a step back in time, today we'll visit the ancient Macedonian city of Heraclea. Leaving our hotel this morning it's a three hour drive to Bitola in southern North Macedonia, which is a short distance from Heraclea. We'll check-in at our hotel before a local guide takes us on an orientation tour of Bitola. Sitting on the bank of the Dragor River, the exact origin of bustling Bitola is unknown, but it seems it grew up in the shadow of Heraclea only to outlive its parent city. Today, despite being a busy commercial centre, Bitola still radiates the relaxed cafe culture that is so popular in this area of Europe.



This afternoon, we'll drive the short distance to ancient Heraclea for a guided walking tour. Named after the legendary Greek mythical hero, Heracles, it dates to approximately 4th century BC, but many of the remains discovered are from around 2nd century BC when the Romans invaded and conquered it. The site of this once prosperous city has some excellent ruins including an amphitheatre once used for gladiator fighting and preserved mosaic floors.



This evening, you're free to have dinner in Bitola. A popular North Macedonian dish is Turlitava, a meat and vegetable stew baked in a terracotta pot. Ravanija is a traditional dessert which originates from when the country was under Ottoman rule (a type of cake with a sherbet top). If you want to try North Macedonian wine, red is the more dominate option. It's usually made using the Vranec grape or sometimes Stanusina Crna, which is indigenous to the country.

This morning, we'll drive through the beautiful Galicica National Park to Ohrid. Popular for its natural scenery including mountains, lakes and caves, the national park is also very important to the area's agricultural industry. We'll make a number of short stops along the way to soak up the landscapes and, of course, to take photographs.



Before arriving in Ohrid, we'll also visit the Saint Naum Monastery, which is one of the most photographed places in the country, with its red tiled roof set at the water's edge on the banks of Lake Ohrid; one of Europe's oldest and deepest lakes.



Later this afternoon, we'll arrive into the 3000-year-old town of Ohrid, where we'll join a local guide for a tour of the historic settlement. Weather permitting, we'll take a trip out onto the lake by boat, so we can see the town from a different perspective, too. Then, to end the day, we'll walk the short distance to a local restaurant to have a traditional fish supper. If we're lucky this will include Lake Ohrid brown trout which is a speciality often served in soups or as a whole stuffed fish.

This morning, we'll begin the nine-hour journey to Kosovo's capital, Pristina. To break up the long drive, we'll make plenty of stops. We'll visit Saint Jovan Bigorski Monastery, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and built almost 1000 years ago. We'll also stop in the Mavrovo National Park, which is home to a wealth of pine forests, field covered plains, waterfalls and also North Macedonia's highest mountain, Mount Korab, standing at 2,764 metres high.



Once we cross the border into Kosovo, we'll drive the final section to the capital city Pristina. Kosovo remains practically untouched by tourism, and we'll get a taste of this unique destination with an overnight stay. After checking in to our hotel, we'll have about an hour free before having the opportunity to join our tour leader for a final dinner and then to take a walk through Mother Teresa Square before returning to our hotel.



Cuisine in Kosovo has been influenced by many different countries over the years and is quite similar to that found in Albania. Bread and dairy are important elements of most dishes and Flia is a popular dish (a crepe like layered tart normally served with Kaymak cream). Pies, stews and grilled meats with potatoes and rice are also all popular. If you want to try a local liquor, get a taste of Boza (a thick sticky sweet drink made from malted corn and flour).

Our trip ends this morning in Pristina.



There are no activities planned today, so you\ re free to depart from Pristina at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you\ d like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Pristina International Airport 'Adem Jashari' (PRN), which is a 25-minute drive away.



Depending on the time of your flight, or if you're extending your stay by a night, we'd recommend exploring more of the city. It might not be the most attractive city on the tour but what it lacks in lustre, it makes up for in lively atmosphere.



There\ d plenty to keep you busy. You could visit the Emin Gjiku Ethnographic Museum, which gives you a great introduction to traditional Kosovan culture. Set in two charmingly preserved Ottoman houses, within a large walled garden, there's a range of weapons, clothing and jewellery and household items exhibited. In the city's bazaar, you can see a 26-metre-high clock tower, which dictated when stall holders should close for pray. It's worth stopping by at the National Library to admire the unique architecture of the bizarre building, too. The Independent House of Kosovo tells the story of the former president Ibrahim Rugova and Kosovo's campaign for independence from Serbia, and you can also see the Newborn Monument, which was unveiled on the 17 February 2008 when Kosovo first declared its liberation. Sultan Mehmet Fatih Mosque is the city's most important, and Jashar Pasha Mosque was recently restored as a gift from the Turkish Government. If all the exploring makes you thirsty, then you could stop by at Pristina's first microbrewery, Sabaja Craft Brewery for a local tipple.