| Day |
Schedules and Accommodations |
1-3
[top] |
Depart Home / Arrive in Tirana, Albania
The Soviet shadow is long gone from Albania’s small but lively capital. When you arrive on Day 2, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, the best in the city, located near the university and the main boulevard.
On Day 3, explore this charming city set between the mountains and the plains on a panoramic tour. Highlights include the 18th-century Tabak Bridge; the Mosque of Ethem Bey; the 115-foot Clock Tower; and the tomb of Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, who founded the city in 1614. We’ve also included your admission to the National Museum. In the afternoon, share tea at the home of a local family, then enjoy time on your own before gathering for a Welcome Dinner at your hotel.
Sheraton Tirana Hotel & Towers  (B,D) |
4-6
[top] |
Ohrid, Macedonia
This morning you’ll visit the ancient port city of Durres on Albania’s Adriatic coast. Enjoy a panoramic tour, with a visit to the 20,000-seat Roman amphitheater. Continue to Elbasan for lunch before continuing across the border to Macedonia. Then, admire the lush scenery of Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest, deepest lakes in the world, on the way to your lakeside hotel, where you are guaranteed a lake view! Enjoy dinner at your hotel tonight.
Prepare to be enchanted as you explore scenic and architecturally rich Ohrid on a walking tour on Day 5. The Ohrid region was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1980. View the Old Town; the Cathedral Church St. Sofia, oldest of the city’s 365 churches; the Antique (Greek) Theater; Samuil Fortress and the first Slavic university. You’ll then visit the National Museum, located in the historic Robev House. Enjoy a home-hosted visit with snack and an included dinner at the hotel, followed by a fascinating talk by an Art Historian.
On Day 6, cast off from the hotel pier for a boat ride on Lake Ohrid to beautiful St. Naum Monastery, built on a rock above the lake. Later, enjoy a performance by a local folklore group. Dinner is included at your hotel this evening.
Hotel Bellevue (3B,L,3D) |
7-8
[top] |
Thessaloniki, Greece
This morning you’ll head southeast along the Via Egnatia, the ancient Roman Road linking Rome and Constantinople. During this long and very rewarding day you will stop to see numerous sites. You’ll cross the border into Greece, stopping in Edessa, where you'll have free time for lunch. Then continue to Pella, birthplace of Alexander the Great, where you will be able to view the ruins of the city from the outside and gain entrance to the Pella Archeological Museum before continuing to Thessaloniki to check into your centrally located waterfront hotel. Dinner is included tonight.
On Day 8, enjoy a panoramic tour of Thessaloniki, named for the sister of Alexander the Great. The highlight of your day is a visit to the Royal Tombs in Vergina, now universally accepted as those of Philip of Macedon — father of Alexander The Great — and his family.
Mediterranean Palace  (2B,1D) |
9-10
[top] |
Bansko, Bulgaria
Enter Bulgaria this morning, where you’ll enjoy a walking tour of Melnik, a beautiful mountain town. After sampling typical fare at a local restaurant, enjoy a tasting of Bulgarian wine, then continue to Bansko, a historic town and fashionable ski resort. Enjoy dinner at the hotel tonight.
Begin your morning on Day 10 at leisure or relax and pamper yourself by purchasing our optional spa package at the hotel — at a reduced rate just for Vantage travellers! This afternoon you’ll take a walking tour of Bansko. Highlights include the outside of historic Benina House; the antifascist poet Nikola Vaptsarov’s house; and a visit to the Revival Period Art School. During time on your own here, perhaps you’ll take a gondola ride up the mountain to enjoy fantastic scenery. Dinner is included tonight.
Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena (2B,1L,2D) |
11-13
[top] |
Sofia, Bulgaria
On Day 11 you’ll visit Rila Monastery — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — where breathtaking mountain views are matched by the unique architecture, magnificent paintings and murals, and exquisite carved-wood interiors. Enjoy a lunch of the region’s delicious fare before driving along the stunning mountain gorges of Rila National Park. Dinner is included at your hotel.
On Day 12’s morning tour of Bulgaria’s 7,000-year-old capital, enter the crypt at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and view St. Sofia Church, the Parliament building, stunning Sofia Synagogue, the Royal Palace, the National Theater, and St. George’s Basilica. Explore the city’s lovely parks and boulevards on your own this afternoon.
Day 13 is yours to further explore Sofia’s many historic and cultural highlights. The National History Museum featuring Thracian gold treasures is definitely worth a visit, or you can shop among Sofia’s fashion boutiques or bargain for fabulous antiques and icon paintings. This evening is at leisure, or you can join an optional dinner at a local restaurant and a folklore show.
Kempinski Hotel Zografski Sofia (3B,1L,1D) |
14-15
[top] |
Nesebar, Bulgaria
We’ll set out today on a scenic drive to the Black Sea. You’ll stop for an included lunch en route. Arriving at Sunny Beach, you’ll check into the Victoria Palace Hotel, where you’ll enjoy two nights in a sea-view room. Dinner tonight is included at your hotel.
Bulgaria’s National Revival of the 18th and 19th centuries produced a charming array of architectural styles, exemplified in the Captain’s House and other picturesque homes scattered along cobbled streets. You’ll view them on a Nesebar walking tour on Day 15, which also features the medieval city walls, town gate, and tower; the 11th-century Church of St. Ivan; and the wooden windmill at the head of the causeway. This evening enjoy dinner and a Bulgarian folkloric show at your hotel.
Victoria Palace Hotel (2B,1L,2D) |
16-17
[top] |
Istanbul, Turkey
Transfer through Bulgaria, and after an included lunch, travel into Turkey, where you’ll head to Istanbul. You will be staying at one of the newest hotels in Istanbul, located on the chic “European” side of the city. Tonight, enjoy a Farewell Dinner at your hotel.
On Day 17’s morning tour of Istanbul, you’ll delve into the Old City, including entrance to Hagia Sophia, a marvel of Byzantine architecture, built by Emperor Justinian. You’ll also visit the enormous Blue Mosque, famous for its six minarets and the blue Iznik tiles that adorn its walls. Your tour also features views of the Roman Hippodrome, where chariots once raced; the Obelisk; and the Grand Bazaar. After your tour, you’ll visit a carpet-making factory to learn the intricacies of Turkish carpet making. Your afternoon and evening are free to explore more of Istanbul’s treasures.
Conrad Istanbul (2B,L,D) |
18
[top] |
Return Home
(or begin optional 3-night extension in Istanbul)
(B)
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Please note: This itinerary offers unique opportunities to visit unexplored lands. However, you will have long, full-day transfers on Days 7, 14 and 16. Some of the old towns you visit are on hills, and the terrain may be difficult to negotiate. Also, you will be visiting museums where there are a lot of steps. Depending on your departure date, the order of your included tours may vary slightly and you may have similar accommodations in Tirana, Ohrid, Nesebar, and Istanbul.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The above day-by-day itinerary is preliminary and therefore subject to change. If any major changes occur in advance of your departure, you will be notified in writing by Vantage Deluxe World Travel. If changes occur while on tour, you will be notified by your Vantage Program Manager.
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