Private Balkan Tours

Two other UNESCO sites, the rock-hewn churches near the village of Ivanovo, in the Rousse region, and the ancient buildings in the old part of Nessebar, a town by the Black Sea, show the skills and strife of people to excel in diverse areas. Bulgaria is a great choice for a private Balkan tour because it boasts a host of nature spots which range from seaside beaches inviting with soft sand and soaked in sunshine, fringed by verdant forests, to majestic mountains which comprise verdure, plenty of water features, lakes, streams, a raft of trails to take to explore the Bulgarian mountains. Pirin is the most visited mountain owing to its stern and rugged beauty, and Rila is the combination of forests, mountain peaks, and lots of streams and lakes – the Seven Rila Lakes locality is world-famous.

The country comprises part of the Balkan Peninsula, the Panonian Plain, and the Wallachian Plain in the easternmost part. The territory is overall hilly, and is traversed by rivers, the Drina and the Ibar.

The wealth of hills and water features create auspicious settings for animal breeding, and bird species are numerous too. Especially, outstanding is the Tara mountain in the west, where bears roam in freedom. Not only the mountains but also Serbia’s spas are attractive to tourists who are coming for private tours around the Balkans. Belgrade is a favorite choice for foreigners during their Balkan tour, on account of magnificent city break opportunities. The mountain resorts that enjoy the most fame are Kopaonik, Zlatibor, and Stara Planina. Among the spas, it suffices to mention Vrnjačka Banja, Banja Koviljača, and Soko Banja. Orthodox monasteries abound, and river cruising on the Danube is another must for tourists to explore during their tour of the Balkans.

After belonging to Yugoslavia, Macedonia became an independent republic.

Now it appeals to the Vardar river valley and with its mountain ranges framing the valley, the Sar and Osogovo. The principal lakes are large – Ohrid, Prespa, and Dojran, they are shared with Albania and Greece. The mountains also comprise the Osogovo-Belasica and the Dinaric Range. During your private tour of Balkan, it is a must to visit the three national parks, Mavrovo, Galičica, and Pelister. The country has one heritage site under UNESCO, the Ohrid region which is of natural and cultural importance alike. If you want to Visit the Balkans I suggest visiting Ohrid in Macedonia, which is located on the namesake lake and is famed for having 365 churches in the past, i.e. one church for each day in the year. The architecture and monuments, together with the lake, make Ohrid universally appealing. The town of Ohrid is located near the border between Macedonia and Albania, so let’s continue our Balkans private tour there.

The Mediterranean climate, welcoming with mild winters and caressing with sun-soaked summers, invites together with the country’s landmarks and nature. Among them, Albania boasts the three largest lakes in the Balkans, Shkoder, shared with Montenegro, Ohrid, shared with Macedonia, and Butrinti, in the Butrint National Park.

The beaches along the coast of this Balkan country are both pristine and captivating, replete with coves, lagoons, capes, etc. Rugged mountain beauty is guaranteed in the Albanian Alps. The Tomorr, Theth, Dajti, and Valbona Valley National Parks, the lakes, and the beaches form a palette of spots worth visiting. UNESCO has added two Albanian gems to its list, which you can visit during your Balkans private tour – Berat and Gjirokastër. Berat is called the town having 1,001 windows, as its boasts a plethora of buildings featuring architectural and historical significance. Gjirokastër is a former Ottoman town dating from medieval times.

Following a string of tumultuous periods, Montenegro gained independence thanks to the Berlin Treaty in 1878, was a kingdom, then part of Yugoslavia, and became an independent country in 2006.

If you choose to include Montenegro in your private tour Balkans list the diversity of high peaks, bear the borders with Serbia and Albania, and a coastal plain, the Zeta river valley, etc. promise a plethora of opportunities for great time. The mountain peaks rise to an average of 2,000 meters, e.g. Bobotov Kuk, 2,522 high, in the Durmitor mountains, which are a national park. Zla Kolata is the highest peak in Montenegro and one of the highest in the Balkans, 2,534 m, and among the lakes, the largest is Skadar. Visiting the national parks immerses in nature’s beauty, as people visit Durmitor, Lovcen, Biogradska Gora, etc. UNESCO’s heritage comprises Durmitor, also the canyon of the Tara River, the deepest European and second deepest worldwide, and, too – Kotor city. Kotor, on the Kotor Gulf, boasts fortifications constructed in the Venetian period. The entire region belongs to the UNESCO Nature and Culture Treasure List. Reaching any point in Montenegro is easy from its two international airports, in the capital Podgorica and in Tivat where you can even start with your round Balkan private tour.

Forests cover approximately one-third of Kosovo. The Sar Mountains are the country’s only national park, with alpine and glacial lakes dotting the area, and the park boasts Brezovica, a welcoming ski resort. Another famed feature in Kosovo is the Nerodimka, Europe’s only river which is divided and its two parts flow into different seas. The proximity of the Balkan Peace Park, by the border between Kosovo and Montenegro, enables enthusiasts to plan more hours and days in the open. The capital, Pristina, is worth visiting, too.

The attractiveness of the country for tourists is due to its beautiful nature, cultural heritage, cuisine, and especially winter sports. The capital Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympics in 1984. The Bosnian Alps offer one of the best conditions for skiing and hiking in the Balkans. White water rafting is a national sport, thanks to the rivers, especially the Tara with its canyon. Međugorje, a religious center, draws Christian pilgrims from far and wide. In Višegrad, the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge is a UNESCO heritage site. Sutjeska National Park comprises ancient forests and draws with the canyon of the Sutjeska river.

Passing through periods of Sovereignty union with Hungary, being constituent of Yugoslavia, etc., nowadays Croatia is a republic, and it is a European Union member.

On the Adriatic coast, Opatija, a health resort, enjoys fame. Nautical tourism thrives along with cultural tourism which comprises touring the medieval cities by the coast. The country boasts 118 beaches flying the Blue Flag. For aficionados of Mediterranean cuisine, in Dalmatia and Istria dishes abound in seafood, vegetables and pasta. Influences of scrumptious Hungarian and Turkish cuisine also attract gourmets. Wine lovers will also be pampered by red wines, in Mediterranean style: wine is among the country’s staple drinks.

This Balkan country preserves remains of the ancient Roman period when it was the Dacia province, and Romanians have a statue of the she-wolf feeding Romulus and Rem in each of their towns, to remind them of their origin. Romania was formed by the merging of two principalities, Moldavia and Wallachia, and after being in the Ottoman Empire, it gained independence in 1877. The Kingdom of Romania united with the regions of Bessarabia, Transylvania, and Bukovina. Romania became a republic, shortly after WWII, but the opulent palaces in actions of Peleș have remained and are open for visits. Transylvania is the most picturesque region you can see in Romania during your private Balkan tour, with the famed castle of Dracula in Bran, and the Parliament building, in mid-Bucharest, Romania’s capital, is the second largest building worldwide, after the Pentagon.

The Orthodox Church of Greece transmitted its traditions around the entire Orthodox world. The modern Greek state was founded in 1830, after a war aimed at gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire.

The largest city, the capital Athens, and the second largest one, Thessaloniki, are the most visited spots. Thessaloniki has been ranked as one of the most auspicious towns for partying. One attractive feature of the country that goes without saying is its cuisine. Local dishes are scrumptious and unique, with moussaka and feta cheese, olives, and olive oil in abundance. Among the historical sites, the Acropolis located in Athens, dating to the fifth century, stands out. Other sites comprise the ancient sanctuary of Delphi, in central Greece, the site of Olympia in Ellis where the Olympics originated, and many more.