South East Balkans Tour through Egnatia Route

We will visit Edessa,we will stop in waterfalls and enjoy the amazing view

Then continue to Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki is one of the best places to visit not only for city breaks but also for longer holidays! And that is because Thessaloniki is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the numerous Byzantine monuments, but it is also a beautiful modern European city full of life! Possibility to visit Galerius Arch (Kamara), Rotunda, Archaeological Museum, St. Demetrius church, Roman Forum, Our Lady "of the Coppersmiths'' church, Bey Hamam Baths (Paradise Baths, church of Holy Wisdom, Museum of Byzantine Civilization, White Tower.

Then continue to Alexandroupolis. Its old name in Ottomans time was Dedeagach, and it was a fishing village. During the numerous wars, it was occupied by different cultures: Bulgarians, Turks, Russians etc. Not only is the city pretty, but so is its natural environment: located on the seashore, near Turkey and also very close to spectacular natural parks, such as those in Dadia and Lefkimi. We walk around the lighthouse; there are lots of bars and locals, with a great atmosphere. As for one of the city's main attractions, the Ethnological Museum of Thrace, the stone building is impressive, but I found the visit really boring. In this museum, you can look at artefacts to imagine how life was for the majority of Thrace's inhabitants.

Then continue to Istanbul. Istanbul is a major city in Turkey that straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. Its Old City reflects cultural influences of the many empires that once ruled here. Explore the historic Old City on a fascinating place where we can see Istanbul's top 6 attractions: the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar.

After breakfast Bosphorus Boat Tour. In the afternoon leisure time to explore the city on your own and the possibility of shopping around at numerous souvenir shops, etc.

After breakfast, continue to Edirne. Edirne, formerly Adrianople of Adrianople, city, extreme western Turkey. It lies at the junction of the Tunca and Maritsa (Turkish: Meriç) rivers, near the borders of Greece and Bulgaria. The largest and oldest part of the town occupies a meander of the Tunca around the ruins of an ancient citadel. Edirne’s site and turbulent history were determined by its strategic position on the main route from Asia Minor (Anatolia) to the Balkans. We will visit Selimiye Mosque, Old Mosque, Uc Serefeli Mosque and Tower Gate in the city center.

This morning we will continue to reach Plovdiv, the “City of the seven hills’’. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe, still existing today. It was called Philippopolis in the IV century B.C. in honor of King Philip II of Macedonia. Today Plovdiv is a cultural center and is selected as European Capital of Culture for 2019. walking through the cobbled streets of Plovdiv’s Old Town, The Ancient Roman Theater, Kapana Creative District, The Roman Stadium, The Longest Pedestrian Street in Europe and The Secretive Tobacco Town that once was the heart of the tobacco industry in Bulgaria.

After breakfast, departure to Sofia. Panoramic tour around the Bulgarian capital an 8500-years old city called “My Rome” by the emperor Constantine The Great. Visit the most fascinating places of interest: the forum of Ancient Serdica (the old name of the city) with the newest archeological discoveries from Roman time, which are exhibited next to the Bulgarian presidency. Next is the St. Nedelya square, where 4 worship buildings of the main religions in Bulgaria are located next to each other. These are the Orthodox Church St. Nedelya, the Catholic church, the Synagogue and the Mosque. They form a quadrangle, symbolizing the peace between different religions in Bulgaria. Our tour continues with the “Alexander I” square where the Royal Palace and the National Theatre are located, “Tzar Osvoboditel” boulevard, the Parliament, the Church of ”St. Sofia” (the name means wisdom), which had given the name of the city, the Sofia University and the “Alexander Nevski” Cathedral .

After breakfast continue to Skopje. After we arrive, a city tour. Walk through the landmarks of the old part of Skopje, starting with the Skopje Castle placed on a hill, which gives a view to the old and the new part of Skopje. Then continue with walking down toward Mustafa Pasha Mosque (1492) and the church of Holy Savior (18th Century), then to the historical district known as the Skopje’s Old Bazaar characterized by architectural mixture of churches, mosques, inns, baths, many craftsmen’s shops, old buildings, restaurants and pubs and small shops.

Proceed to Pristina Kosova’s capital. Where we have a walking tour to explore the city visiting its main sites such as the Orthodox Church and the Carshi Mosque, dating back to the early 15th century.

We continue to Prizren. This city, probably is the most attractive town in Kosovo with superbly preserved buildings from the Ottoman era. We visit the castle which is one of the oldest in the Balkans (almost 3 millenniums), built to protect the city from attacks, the ornate Bajrakli Mosque and the old Turkish Hammam among other sights. Prizren is an absolute highlight of any visit to Kosovo and to see the old houses of the old town in low light as the sun sets is a delight.

After breakfast, continue the tour by enjoying the wonderful panorama of Black Drini River Valley and Firza Lake to arrive in Kukes. This city became famous and later was a Nobel Candidate city for the hospitality shown for about 1 million refugees from the Kosovo War in 1999. Then continue to Rubik via Has and Kukes in Drini River valley and the Rruga e Kombit Hiwayay. Visit in Info Kulla Rubik, where you will be introduced to the history of Mirdita which is the most authentic region in Albania, because it was never fully occupied fully in the last two millenniums by the various invaders starting from Hellenic, Roman, Byzantines, and the Ottomans. Introduction to Kanuni i Maleve, or known as “The Illyrian Code, Or Code of Lek Dukagjini”, where a similar one is found in Hittite civilization dating back 3500 year ago. Visit to the Shelbuemi Church of Rubik (dated in 1162), built over an ancient Illyrian Temple/Castle over the hill/rock in the strategic control of Fani River Valley.

Then we will continue to Tirana, Albania’s capital. We will visit Skanderbeg Square, dedicated to Albania’s national hero, the Mosque of Ethem Bey, one of the oldest buildings in Tirana, and the Archaeological Museum among other sites