Explore the Balkans: Where Every Dish Tells a Story
Price $6,999 CAD per person, land only, double occupancy, tour inclusions and available options may vary based on departure date.
Departure date: July 14, 2025
Return date: July 29, 2025
Journey through the heart of the Balkans on Collette’s small group Explorations tour, The Balkans: From Coastal Croatia to Legendary Greece, and immerse yourself in a region rich in flavour, tradition, and hospitality. Sip a glass of locally produced wine as you listen to the story behind the bottle. Roll up your sleeves and join locals in preparing traditional dishes and freshly baked bread for dinner. Gather around the table at a family home in Sarajevo and enjoy warm hospitality over a homemade meal and Bosnian coffee. Gain a new appreciation for the region’s culinary heritage during a hands-on lesson in prosciutto and homemade cheese traditions. From seaside towns to mountaintop villages, experience the Balkans through its people, food, and unforgettable culture on an adventure designed by travellers, for travellers.
Travellers enjoying a drink in Dubrovnik | Collette | The Balkans
Your Tour Includes:
- 8 Handpicked Accommodations
- 23 Meals
Must-See Inclusions:
- Take a private boat to explore Our Lady of the Rocks Island and breathtaking Boka Bay.
- Explore the historic and architectural evolution of Tirana.
- Come to know Metéora and visit one of its Byzantine monasteries, built over 600 years ago.
Cultural Experiences:
- Impact Moment: Uncover Sarajevo’s wartime history with a siege survivor.
- Discover Gjirokastra’s Old Town, bazaar, and castle.
- Visit a traditional icon-painting workshop in Kalambaka.
Culinary Inclusions:
- Enjoy traditional Albanian food and folk entertainment in the capital city, Tirana.
- Get to know locals and participate in preparing local specialties and bread in Karanac.
- Experience Bosnian hospitality and regional dishes, joining a local family for a meal in a Sarajevo home.
The Balkans from Croatia to Greece Map
Itinerary details:
Day: 1
Overnight Flight
Set off for an adventure to the Balkans, a region where rocky coastlines and towering mountains meet a complex history and medieval cities. On your journey, generations of traditions come to life through local experiences amid stunning backdrops.
Day: 2
Zagreb, Croatia
Dinner Boutique Hotel Le Premier
Arrive in Croatia’s fascinating capital city, Zagreb. Get ready to discover this modern metropolis with its Old Town, medieval settlements, open squares, museums, and cobbled streets meant for strolling. Your day is free until tonight, when you gather with your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner.
Day: 3
Zagreb - Karanac
Breakfast & Dinner Baranjska Kuca Hotel and Etno Restaurant
This morning, join a local guide on a walking tour of Zagreb’s highlights, from the main square to Upper Town. Enjoy some free time to explore and have lunch on your own before the journey continues to the northeast corner of Croatia. Travel off the beaten path toward the rural village of Karanac, nestled at the confluence of the Drava and Danube Rivers. Tonight, meet your local hosts for a delightful dinner accompanied by folk entertainment.
Saravejo Square | Collette | The Balkans
Day: 4
Karanac - Osijek - Karanac
Breakfast & Dinner Baranjska Kuca Hotel and Etno Restaurant
Immerse yourself in country life this morning, perhaps joining your hosts in preparing breakfast. Then join your local guide in the nearby city of Osijek, learning about its Roman and Ottoman history. Take free time to have lunch and explore the city centre on your own, marvelling at the architecture, museums, historic buildings, city parks, and monuments. This afternoon, find out how wine is made in this region – while enjoying a glass. Then, roll up your sleeves alongside locals to prepare traditional dishes and bread for dinner.
Day: 5
Karanac - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Breakfast & Lunch Colorsinn Hotel Sarajevo
This morning, continue to Sarajevo – Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital city, where East meets West, and your home for the next two nights. Reminiscent of a European Jerusalem, experience a city shaped by its rich history and the coexistence of various religious sects. Perhaps you’ll join a guided stroll this evening to get acquainted with the area.
Day: 6
Sarajevo
Breakfast & Dinner Colorsinn Hotel Sarajevo
With a local expert, uncover the history of Sarajevo, the starting point of the First World War. Meander the storied roadways and take in its blend of religions and architectural styles. Free time means independent exploration of this historic city. During an Impact Moment, meet with a local siege survivor, who will uncover more of Sarajevo’s past. Spend time in the Sarajevo Tunnel Museum, the site of the “Tunnel of Hope” that connected the besieged city to the outside world. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore Sarajevo on your own. Tonight, locals welcome you to their home for dinner. Enjoy regional favorites such as klepe (meat dumplings) and burek (flaky filled pastries). Sip Bosnian coffee as a soundtrack of traditional folk music sets the tone for a truly memorable evening.
Local making food over fire during a hosted meal | Collette | The Balkans
Day: 7
Sarajevo - Mostar - Dubrovnik, Croatia
Breakfast Royal Hotels & Resort Ariston
This morning, on your way to Croatia, spend time in Mostar, home to the iconic arched Stari Most Bridge (UNESCO). Explore Mostar on a guided walk before lunching on your own in the historic part of the city. This afternoon, be greeted by views of the Adriatic Sea when you arrive in Dubrovnik.
Day: 8
Dubrovnik
Breakfast Royal Hotels & Resort Ariston
Dubrovnik’s ancient streets share their history and timeless appeal during a tour of the city. Then, let the city continue to reveal itself to you because it’s your choice! Take a harbour cruise for magnificent views of Dubrovnik’s medieval city walls and visit Lokrum Island -OR- get a bird’s-eye view of the city by cable car, riding up to Srd Hill, a breathtaking vantage point to look over the Old Town below and the Adriatic Sea. With the remainder of your day free, you do you – Croatia-style.
Day: 9
Dubrovnik - Kotor, Montenegro
Breakfast & Dinner Hotel Cattaro
It’s “Dovidenja” to Croatia as you head to Montenegro. Set sail on a private boat* for the islet of Our Lady of the Rocks. Visit the church before coasting through the breathtaking Kotor Bay towards the Old Town of Kotor (UNESCO). Complete your visit to Kotor with a locally guided tour before you settle into your hotel located within the historic walls of Kotor town.
Day: 10
Kotor
Breakfast Hotel Cattaro
Today, have fun exploring Kotor your way. Perhaps you’ll go on an optional excursion to Njeguši, a quiet and peaceful village located on the slope of Mount Lovcen about 900 meters above sea level. Soak in the views from a cable car and get a tasty local lesson on the traditions of prosciutto and homemade cheeses famously produced here – and, of course, sample these specialties. Learn more about Montenegrin history while visiting the royal town of Cetinje. Upon return, the remainder of the day is yours to explore the hidden corners of Kotor.
Lunch at Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina | Collette | The Balkans
Day: 11
Kotor - Shkodër, Albania - Tirana
Breakfast Rogner Hotel Tirana
Cross another border today and arrive in Albania! Get to know Shkodër, one of the most historic cities in the country. Admire mosques and churches on a guided stroll along the main pedestrian street and try some of the local cuisine. Continue your travel day on your way to Tirana, the capital city of Albania. Explore its history and architecture on a locally guided tour while learning more about Albania’s intriguing past. Visit a former top-secret nuclear bunker, now a museum dedicated to the victims of one of most controlling communist regimes in Europe.
Day: 12
Tirana
Breakfast & Dinner Rogner Hotel Tirana
Today, explore Tirana as you wish. Perhaps you’ll decide to join an optional excursion to the coastal ancient city of Durrës, where the Roman Amphitheatre of Emperor Hadrian stands as the city’s most prominent attraction. Join a local guide to see the historic city’s ruins, and later, get an introduction to the viticulture in the region while enjoying a wine tasting paired with local specialties at a prominent winery. No matter how you fill your day, experience the best of the local cuisine and a show of rich folk traditions during dinner at a local restaurant.
Day: 13
Tirana - Gjirokastra - Kalambaka, Greece
Breakfast & Dinner Hotel Divani Meteora
Soak in the beauty of the countryside with its winding roads and stretches of green on your way to Gjirokastra in southern Albania. Perhaps one of the steepest cities in the world, explore its unique architecture and glorious history. After having some free time in this fascinating town join your local guide on a tour of Gjirokastra’s dominant castle on the hill. Cross into Greece, your last border on this travel journey. Arrive in Kalambaka** in the late afternoon in time to freshen up for dinner at the hotel.
View of Dubrovnik from the city walls | Collette The Balkans
Day: 14
Kalambaka - Metéora - Athens
Breakfast at NYX Esperia Palace, Athens
This morning, explore Metéora. Visit one of the remote monasteries*** situated in a unique landscape, where limestone rock “towers” extend nearly 900 feet into the air. Over 600 years ago, Byzantine monks built their monastic community perched atop these rocks. Later, learn how Byzantine icons are created by visiting an icon-painting workshop in Kalambaka. Watch some of the process at this atelier, where icons are made using traditional methods. Spend some time on your own in this enchanting town before continuing your journey to Athens.
Day: 15
Athens
Breakfast & Dinner NYX Esperia Palace Athens
Later this morning, explore the sights of Athens on a locally-guided walking tour. From Syntagma Square and the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, wander through the streets, soaking in the essence of this iconic city and savouring its charm and energy. Visit the new Acropolis Museum, considered one of the most important museums in the world, to trace the story of the ancient city. Located within a short walking distance of the Acropolis, the museum houses archeological treasures from the Acropolis and offers wonderful views on the ancient site. The rest of the day is yours to explore more of Athens on your own before joining your fellow travellers for dinner and toasting to the end of your journey.
Day: 16
Athens - Tour Ends
Breakfast
Your tour ends today.
