Express Balkan Tour by Bus, Including Extra Tours and Dinner 2026
Day 1: Istanbul - Edirne
Meeting at 21:00 and departure opposite Kadıköy Tepe Nautilus Mall (Ayrılıkçeşme Metro İspark Parking Lot), then at 21:30 in front of Mecidiyeköy Polat Holding - 22:00 in front of İncirli Ömür Plaza, and after departure we follow the Çorlu-Edirne route via the TEM highway and arrive at the Kapıkule Border Gate. After passport and customs procedures, we enter Bulgaria and continue our journey to Sofia.
Day 2: Plovdiv - Sofia – Skopje
Early in the morning, passing through Plovdiv, the second-largest city of Bulgaria, we arrive in Sofia and begin our panoramic city tour. St. Nedelya Church, Rotunda Church, Russian Church, St. Sofia Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Prime Ministry, Parliament, Sofia University, NDK National Palace of Culture, and the Army House, where the famous ball attended by the Great Leader Atatürk in his Janissary outfit was held, are among the places to be seen. After the city tour, departure for Skopje. Upon arrival, our Skopje panoramic city tour begins. The Old Bazaar, which has historically been the center of the city's commercial activities and has retained its importance today, with its stone streets and historic buildings, the Vardar River, the Fortress, the Stone Bridge dating back to the 6th century, the Davut Pasha Complex, Mustafa Pasha Mosque, Sultan Murat Mosque, Isa Bey Mosque, the Double Bath, Sulu Han, Kapan Han, Kurşunlu Han, the Clock Tower, Macedonia Square, the old and new train stations, the government building, parliament, the St. Spas Church dating back to the 17th century, and the Mother Teresa Memorial are among the places to be seen. After free time, departure to our hotel. In the evening, at the time set by our guide, we will enjoy an entertaining Balkan Night tour with local dances and shows, together with dinner. You will experience a unique Balkan Night. Overnight at our hotel.
Food-inclusive Fun Balkan Night Tour IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!
Breakfast: Will be taken as an extra at a rest stop in Plovdiv.
Lunch: Will be taken as an extra at a Turkish restaurant in the city center of Sofia, to be determined by the guide. Free time.
Dinner: Balkan Night with local dishes and music at a place determined by the guide is Included in the Price!
Accommodation: Hotel Karpos, Hotel Vlaho etc. - Skopje
Currencies: Bulgaria - Lev, Macedonia - Denar (Average 1 Euro: 1.95 Lev / 1 Euro: 60 Denar)
Route: Istanbul - Sofia (567 km), Sofia - Skopje (244 km)
Total Distance to Be Covered: 811 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated depending on customs crossing time: 20:00
Day 3 Skopje - Matka Canyon - Tetova (Kalkandelen) - Ohrid
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for Matka Canyon, a natural wonder covering an area of approximately 5,000 hectares where the Treska and Vardar rivers meet. After free time, departure for Ohrid, the Pearl of the Balkans. On the way, we stop in Tetova (Kalkandelen) and visit the Painted Mosque and the 500-year-old Harabati Baba Tekke, founded in the 16th century by Sersem Ali Baba, one of Kanuni’s viziers, on the Silk Road. After our visits and a short journey, arrival in Ohrid. During this walking tour, the Historic Plane Tree Square, St. Bogorodica Kameusko, Aya Sofia Churches (from the outside), the Statue and Square of St. Klement of Ohrid, the Old Turkish Mansions used as museums, the Ancient Theatre from the Roman period, and St. Panteleimon Church are among the places to be seen. After our city tour, we take a boat tour on Lake Ohrid, where we can get to know the city in a different way. After the boat tour and free time, we depart for our hotel. Overnight and dinner at our hotel.
Matka Canyon IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!
Breakfast: Will be taken at the hotel and is included in the tour fee.
Lunch: Will be taken as free time.
Dinner: Will be taken at the hotel and is included in the price.
Accommodation: Hotel International etc. – Hotel Sileks etc. – Ohrid
Currencies: Macedonia – Denar (Average 1 Euro: 60 Denar)
Route: Skopje-Matka (16 Km), Matka – Tetova (38 Km), Tetova – Ohrid (130 Km)
Total Distance to Be Covered: 184 km
Hotel Check-in Time: 19:00 – 20:00
Day 4 Ohrid – Thessaloniki - Kavala – Istanbul
After breakfast, departure for Thessaloniki. The waterfront, White Tower, Rotating Tower, fairground square, Ottoman and Byzantine artifacts, Aya Dimitros Cathedral, the largest cathedral in Greece, the statue of Alexander the Great, Hamza Bey Mosque, the statues of E. Venizelos and P. Konstantin, Vardar, Makedonia, Aristotle, Eleftherios squares, and the house of the Great Leader Atatürk are among the places to be seen from the outside. After free time, we head towards Kavala. We do our panoramic city tour of Kavala. Mehmet Ali Pasha Complex, Kavala Castle (panoramic), aqueducts, municipality building, and the port are among the places to be seen during our tour. Arrival at the border after a journey of approximately 2 hours. Passport and customs procedures and entry into Turkey from the İpsala border gate. After our journey of approximately 3 hours, arrival in Istanbul late in the evening and the end of our tour. We hope to see you at our next event.
Breakfast: Open buffet at the hotel, included in the tour fee.
Lunch: Extra free time in the city center of Kavala.
Dinner: Rest stop on the Edirne - Istanbul highway.
Currencies: Greece – Euro
Route: Ohrid – Thessaloniki (285 Km), Thessaloniki - Kavala (153 km) - Kavala - İpsala Border Gate (196 Km), İpsala Border Gate - Istanbul (255 km)
Total Distance to Be Covered: 630 km
Istanbul Arrival Time: Estimated depending on customs crossing time: 23:00