The Balkans are an amazing region with a gripping past and a fascinating present. We will travel from the Danube bed to the Adriatic coast to learn its culture and history.
Accommodation All the transportations Entrance fees and services of local guides Travel insurance that covers costs in case of COVID-19 symptoms during the journey Guiding service
Flight to Belgrade and back from Tirana (we will help you find the best tickets) Tips for local guides (optional) Meals (about $30–40 per day)
We arrive in Belgrade and check into a hotel. In the evening we get to know the Serbian cuisine which has absorbed the traditions of Central Europe, Anatolia, and Greece. Food is a cult in this country and any city is full of cafes, restaurants, and bistros serving local dishes.
The next morning we get traditional Balkan pastries for breakfast and start to explore the Serbian capital. We visit Kalemegdan Park and explore the ancient Belgrade Fortress.
We cross the Sava river and walk along the streets of the Zemun district. It used to be a separate city within Austria-Hungary, which has been developing apart from Belgrade. And now the historical buildings of Zemun differ strongly from the socialist architecture of the Serbian capital.
We get to know the newest history of Serbia, visiting the mausoleum of the Yugoslavian President Tito and see the buildings of the Ministry of Defense destroyed by NATO bombing 20 years ago. In the evening we explore the modern Belgrade and walk along Knez Mihailova Street with its bars serving local craft beers and rakija.
We leave Belgrade and head north (about 1,5 hours). Our first stop is Sremski Karlovci. This small town played a significant role for centuries. Its old Austro-Hungarian buildings are still preserved, and make Sremski Karlovci one of the most beautiful towns of modern Serbia. Apart from this Sremski Karlovci is famous for its wineries, and we visit one of them to taste local products.
Then we go to the Petrovaradin fortress, which has been nicknamed “Gibraltar on the Danube” because of its riverbank location. We will explore this old castle and enjoy a beautiful view of the Danube.
We move to the Danube’s other bank and enter Novi Sad. It is the second most populous Serbian city and the capital of the multinational region of Vojvodina. After lunch we take a walk through the historic quarters with their Austro-Hungarian architecture. We stay for the night in Novi Sad.
We drive to the Tara National Park on the western border of Serbia (5 hours).
On our way, we make a few stops near Yugoslav monuments dedicated to the heroes and victims of World War II. They are better known by their Serbo-Croatian name – spomeniki (memorials). These monstrous constructions were erected during Tito's time in remote regions of the country. Now concrete giants have lost their ideological background, but they still amaze people with their shapes and sizes, especially against deserted surroundings.
In Tara we have a short walk to enjoy a stunning view of the Drina river and the Perućac lake – the opposite bank belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the night we stay on the shores of the picturesque Zaovine lake.
This trip is of light physical grade. It includes long walks around the cities and short outdoor treks.
