Balkans and Asia Trip

After breakfast we drive to Korca but before we stop to Elbasan, which is one of the largest cities in Albania, it is located on the Shkumbini River. In August 2010 archaeologists discovered two Illyrian graves near the walls of the castle of Elbasan. In the second century BC, a trading post called Mansio Scampa near the site of modern Elbasan developed close to a junction of two branches of an important Roman road, the Via Egnatia, which connected the Adriatic Coast with Byzantium at the Hellespont. We will also visit Old Town, King Mosque. Then we will drive to Korca. in Korca we visit the Museum of Medieval Arts and the Mosque of Mirahori one of the oldest in the country, old town and city centre. Overnight in Korca.

After breakfast we will drive to Ohrid, Macedonia but first we will stop to visit Drilon Park. We continue to the beautiful National Park of Drilon, where you can enjoy a walk through nature. Keep an eye out for happy couples; the rippling water, willow trees, and picturesque swamps make the National Park a popular spot for wedding photos. After leaving the park, head to one of the area's quaint villages, Tushemisht. This traditional Orthodox village is a favorite for Albanian filmmakers because of its beautiful springs running above the houses. During communist time Drilon Park was the favorit Albanian Dictactor holiday place. Then we will drive to St Naum Monastery. The original monastery was built on this very same plateau, in 905 by Saint Naum of Ohrid himself. Taken down between the 11^th and 13^th century, the monastery was then rebuilt in the 16^th century as the multidomed byzantine structure that you see today. St. Naum of Ohrid (Sveti Naum in Macedonian), was a medieval scholar and writer, who together with Saint Clement continued the task of spreading Christianity among the Slavic speaking people of the region. Building upon the work of the sainted brothers Cyril and Methodius, St. Naum is associated with the creation of the Glagolitic and Cyrillic scripts. Around the 16^th century, the St. Naum monastery served as a Greek school. It was always, in one way or another, connected with literacy, teaching, and continuing the work of Saint Naum and Clement, and the sainted brothers Cyril and Methodius. In the 20^th century, the monastery was briefly held by Albania (from 1912 to 1925). We will drive to Ohrid. Overnight in Ohrid.

After breakfast we travel in Ohrid. Macedonia. Ohrid is notable for once having had 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and has been referred to as a “Jerusalem (of the Balkans)”. The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments and tourism is predominant. The Lake of Ohrid, the ancient Greek Lacus Lychnitis, whose blue and exceedingly transparent waters in antiquity gave to the lake its Greek name; it was still called so occasionally in the Middle Ages. After we will drive to Skopje. Skopje is a city in the west where you can find the signs of East as it was under the rule of Ottoman Empire for a long time. Also we will visit, Clock Tower, Turkish Bazaar, Isa Bey Mosque, Kapan Khan, Sulu Khan, Davut Pasa Bath, Stone Bridge. Overnight in Skopje.

After breakfast we depart for Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki is Greece’s second major economic, industrial, commercial and political center, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe; its commercial port is also of great importance for Greece and the southeastern European hinterland. The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general, and is considered to be Greece’s cultural capital. Thessalonica became a free city of the Roman Republic under Mark Antony  in 41 BC. We also will visit, White tower, Αno Poli, Ladadika (the nightlife hotspot), Τhe Archaeological Museum,  The Arch of Galerius. Overnight in Thessaloniki.

After breakfast we drive to Kavala, Greece,  the capital and main port of the Kavala prefecture is amphitheatrically built on the slopes of Mt. Symvolo forming one of the most picturesque cities in Greece. The city’s breeze sweeps through its historic buildings, which perfectly reflect the city’s modern character. Kavala is located on the Egnatia motorway and is a one and a half-hour drive to Thessaloniki, Neapoli, Christoupoli, Kavala: according to archaeological finds, the city’s history dates back to the Prehistoric times. Initially the city’s core was restricted to the district of Panayia, which has been uninterruptedly inhabited since the 7th century BC. After 2500 years though, at the beginning of the 16th century, Kavala expanded maintaining these new borders until 1870; it was only after 1928 that it began to shape its today structure. Its strategic and economic importance over the centuries is attributed to its strategic position in Via Egnatia, which traversed the city connecting East and West, to its port and to the natural fortification of the peninsula, on which the old city was built. We also will visit, Byzantine fortress, The Muhammad Ali House Museum,  Imaret of Sultan Muhammad Ali (today is a hotel), The Aqueduct Kamares, Town Hall,  the Tobacco museum. Overnight in Kavala.

After breakfast we will drive to Istanbul, Turkey. Free afternoon in Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast we will join to our historical tour and you will have a full day historical tour with our knowledgeable, experienced and professional local guide. Today, we will walk together on the stairs of history. Starting from East Roman, we will continue to Byzantium, Ottoman and today’s Republic of Turkey. We also will visit, Haghia Sophia Museum is closed on Monday, Blue Mosque closed on Friday due to Prayer, Grand Covered Bazaar is closed on Sunday, Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday, Sultans Tombs closed on Monday, Little Hagia Sophia Mosque. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast we will drive to the Istanbul airport. This is end of our service. Hope to see you again.