Explore Kosovo and FYR of Macedonia - two countries full of history and traditions. This tour includes the UNESCO sites of both countries while you will also enjoy some spectacular natural highlights these countries offer.
Location: Kosovo
Duration: 7 days
We welcome you at Pristina Airport and transfer to Peja to check in at the hotel and visit Patriarchate of Peja, part of the UNESCO protected Medieval Monuments of Kosovo. The complex of churches which started being built in the beginning of the 13 century and was completed around beginning of the 14th, is the spiritual seat and mausoleum of the Serbian archbishops and patriarchs. It displays great cultural interest through the architecture and the beautiful frescoes. Overnight in Peja.
After breakfast depart for Prizren. Stop for visit to another beautiful religious monument, the Monastery of Decan which is part of UNESCO with beautiful frescos. The catholicon of the monastery has striking similarities with a Roman Catholic church. This is attributed to its designer which it seems was a catholic priest from the town of Kotor in Montenegro which has had ties and influence from both Venice and Ragusa. Monks leave there and they produce their own cheese and wine. After visits we arrive in Gjakova for a stroll around the old bazaar (the oldest in Kosovo in fact) and a visit to Hadum Aga mosque build at the end of the 16th century, which displays beautiful floral and arabesque motives in its entrance and inside. Prizren offers some great religious monuments representing different faiths, with possibly the 14th century Orthodox Church of “Our Lady of Ljevis” being the most important becoming part of the UNESCO list of protected Medieval Monuments of Kosovo in 2006. Other monuments and sites we visit are: The Stone Bridge, the Sinan Pasha Mosque built in 1615 and the Old Bazaar. Spend the night in Prizren.
After breakfast drive from Prizren to Skopje through forests of Sharr National Park. Make a stop in Brezovica beautiful ski resort for a walk in the beautiful forest. Then proceed to Skopje where we visit the Kale fortress, which is on the highest point in Skopje and overlooks the river Vardar, walk through Çarshia the oldest part and bazaar full of souvenirs, the old Stone Bridge, visit Mustafa Pasha Mosque, Macedonia Square and statue of Mother Teresa. Overnight in Skopje.
In the morning depart to Stobi, one of the most important archaeological sites in Macedonia. It is the largest and best preserved ancient city in Macedonia with outstanding cultural and historical significance, a real representative site not only of the Macedonian, but of the world cultural heritage as well. After the visit proceed to the city of Ohrid, one of the most important ones in Macedonia, situated on the shores of the lake with the same name, in an area under the protection of UNESCO. Visits include: Saint Sophia church with beautiful frescoes, Plashonik, Saint Painteleimon Church, The Holy Virgin of Peribleptos Church and Icon Gallery considered the largest in the Balkans. Overnight in Ohrid.
After breakfast we will visit the monastery complex of Kalista where small cave churches are situated high in the rocks. The paintings in the churches date from the 14th -16th century. The trip continues towards the village Vevcani built on a steep hillside and sheltered by a mountain. Its architecture is most appealing with many old houses and buildings of all styles and shapes. The Vevcani springs have a water flow of between 400-4000Lt/sec. which explains the many water-mills of this area. Continue on to Tetovo one of the largest cities in Macedonia home to a majority ethnic Albanian population, to visit one of its most important monuments known as the Painted or Decorated Mosque. The colourful mosque was originally built in 1438 and later rebuilt in 1833 by Abdurrahman Pasha. Most mosques of the time had sultans, beys or pashas financing their constructions, but the Painted Mosque, however, was financed by two sisters from Tetovo. More than 30,000 eggs were used to prepare the paint and glaze that went into the elaborate decorations. After visiting this exquisite example of Islamic art we continue on to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo for overnight.
After breakfast we take a drive just outside of Pristina to visit Battle of Kosovo monument dedicated to the battle of 1389. Both the Balkan Alliance’s leader Prince Lazar and the Ottoman Sultan, Murad I, were killed in battle. Close by in fact we visit the Tomb of the Sultan, which is statistically the oldest ottoman monument in Kosovo. At Gracanica a few kilometres from Pristina, we visit a superb Orthodox Church founded by the Serbian king Stefan Milutin in 1321, a triumph of Byzantine architecture and part of the Kosovo Medieval Monuments protected by UNESCO. Close by, the ancient remains of Ulpiana, a Roman town in the province of Dardania, also known as Justiniana Secunda, have been found, testimony to Kosovo’s ancient past. Return to Pristina where we will explore its main attractions including: the Mother Teresa Boulevard, the Monument of Scanderbeg (Albanian National Hero), the clock tower, and the “New Born” monument which is becoming the symbol of this new state. Of particular interest are the Ottoman period mosques of Pristina with probably the most beautiful, being the Fatih Mosque dating back to 1461. We end our tour with a visit to the Ethnographic Museum situated in a typical Ottoman architecture house, beautifully stocked with original artefacts testifying the traditions of the people in Kosovo. Overnight in Pristina.
Free time to explore the capital until departure time to the Airport of Pristina. End of our service.
525 Euro per person sharing a double or twin room for minimum 6 participants
595 Euro per person sharing a double or twin room for minimum 4 participants
925 Euro per person sharing a double or twin room for minimum 2 participants
Single supplement = 100 Euro. (Single rooms will usually be double or twin for single use.)
Includes:
March, April, May, June, September, October, November
