Macedonia – Kosovo – Montenegro tour

Arrival and welcome the group at the International Skopje Airport. Transfer to the hotel and accommodation. In the afternoon, we start a walking tour from the centuries-old Kale - Skopje Fortress. We will continue to the Old Turkish Bazaar, mingling with the locals, meeting different cultures and religions and old forgotten crafts. Later, we go to the Archaeological Museum of Macedonia with one of the largest antique coins collection in the world exclusively from the Macedonian territory. We walk across the Stone Bridge, the landmark of the city, and stop in front of the biggest monument and fountain of Alexander the Great. The next stop will be the Memorial House of Mother Teresa. She was born in Skopje in 1910. In the evening, we have welcome dinner in a national restaurant in Skopje.

Today, we enter the youngest European country - Kosovo, and its capital Prishtina. Close to the capital, we will make the first stop to visit the UNESCO-protected medieval monastery in Grachanitsa, completed in 1321 by the Serbian King Milutin. The monastery is rich with medieval era fresco paintings. We drive to Prishtina. Accommodation in a hotel and start exploring the city visiting Emin Gjiku Ethnographic Museum, set in a few Ottoman houses, with a range of Ottoman weapons, clothing and jewelry and household items. In the city center, we will see the 26-meter clock tower. We will stop at the National Library to see the unique architecture of this building. In the Independent House of Kosovo, we will find out the story for the former President Ibrahim Rugova and Kosovo's campaign for independence. Sultan Mehmet Fatih Mosque and Jashar Pasha Mosque are the next important Ottoman mosques and local attractions. Free evening.

In the morning, on the way to Montenegro, we stop in another important Kosovo town – Prizren (85 km, around 1 hour and 30 minutes), famous for its gold and silver filigree craftsmen, hammams, Museum of Prizren League, Helveti Tekke, Sinia Pasha Mosque and the church of Our Lady. Prizren has the largest number of preserved Ottoman buildings in Kosovo, with old cobbled streets, mosques and tekkes. We leave Kosovo and head to the coastal town of Budva (260 km, 4 hours and 15 minutes). Accommodation in a hotel. We start the tour from the old town in the fortress - narrow streets, squares and stone. We will go to the high clock tower - the bell tower of St. John's Church, the most famous Catholic monument in Budva. Next stop is the Citadel Fortress, with preserved watchtowers, ramparts, stairs and barracks, built by the Austrians in 1836. Within the walls of the Citadel there is also a valuable collection of books and maps dedicated to the Balkans. A small Maritime Museum presents a few models of medieval ships. Organized dinner in a restaurant. Overnight.

We start the day with visit of Kotor (25 km, 30 minutes), a UNESCO World Heritage city, with a long history dating from 1.000 years B.C. We will take you round the Old Town and show you the Square of Arms, Byzantium Palace, Beskuca Palace, Pima Palace, St. Tryphon Cathedral, Maritime Museum, St. Nicholas Church, Blessed Ozana Church as well as the North Gate. Next point is one of the most iconic places on the bay - Perast (12 km, 15 minutes). We will admire the gorgeous Baroque and Venetian architecture and perhaps take a optional boat trip to the small island of Our Lady of the Rocks. Free time for lunch on your own. Later, we drive to the island of Sveti Stefan (45 km, around 1 hour) for photo stop at the famous and most luxurious resort in Montenegro, Sveti Stefan, built in the 15th century on a rocky island and originally a refuge for those fleeing the invasions of the Turks. Back in Budva and organized dinner.

Morning departure to Cetinje (30 km, around 40 minutes), the historical and cultural capital of Montenegro. We visit Prince Nikola's Palace and Vlashka Church, dating from the 15th century. We will have time to wander about the Cetinje streets and admire the architecture of this once capital, even to see the still-standing buildings of once embassies in this small town. Coffee break and depart to Podgorica (35 km, around 40 minutes), the capital of Montenegro. After accommodation in a hotel, we take you around the city and show you some of the most important historical monuments and buildings in the city - Skaline (the stairs) which is a historical and picturesque site of Podgorica, Republic Square, St. George church from the 11th century Millennium Bridge, Clock Tower (Sahat Kula) from the 17th century, etc. We will have an organized dinner in a restaurant. Overnight.

Morning departure to Skopje (395 km, around 4 hours and 30 minutes). Arrival and accommodation. Free time in the city for a lunch on your own. In the afternoon, we drive to the Vodno mountain, where we visit the Millennium Cross. To visit this landmark of Skopje, we take a cable car up to the top of the hill, a great place to admire the panoramic view of the city and Skopje plain. Back to Skopje, free evening.

After breakfast, we drive to one of the most beautiful canyons in Europe – Matka (15 km, 30 minutes) and river Treska. By small boats, we will set sail 6 km upstream to visit the cave Vrelo, full of cave decorations, like stalactites and stalagmites. We have lunch at the restaurant in the Matka Canyon, tasting river trout. Drive back to Skopje and free afternoon. Farewell dinner with wine tasting in a winery. Overnight in Skopje.

Breakfast and transfer to the International Airport Skopje.