Fantastic Brown Line——7- days Balkan Peninsula Loop Tour

This morning, we will set off for the picturesque Lake Balaton. It is an excellent vacation resort in Hungary largely due to its alluring blend of lakes and mountains. It is also one of the most favored tourist attractions among locals who lovingly call it “the Hungarian Sea”. After Balaton, we will cross the border and enter Croatia, more specifically, the capital Zagreb. Here you can see a city featuring the tradition of resisting invaders but still registering complete old buildings. This ancient city is characterized by beautiful Gothic buildings everywhere and its Mediterranean food, local wines as well as friendly Croats will leave you with a favorable impression. All these can offer you a rare and unique experience. Afterward, you can explore famous tourist attractions like Zagreb Cathedral, Croatian National Theatre, and the Column of the Virgin Mary, etc.

In the morning, we will go to Plitvice Lakes National Park, often referred to as the Jiuzhaigou of Europe. This world heritage is composed of sixteen terraced lakes connecting with each other along mountain trails. Hidden within lush, forested hills, layers and layers of travertine barriers form natural dams, creating a fairytale-like landscape of turquoise lakes. The water there has special hues as submerged trees are coated with calcium-rich deposits which turn into bronze-like substances. All this creates an extraordinary underwater spectacle. With verdant meadows, rushing streams and waterfalls, and clear lakes surrounded, this place indeed feels like a paradise on earth. You can stroll along the park’s walkways which will offer a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life when you are accompanied by the gentle sound of flowing water and falling cascades. After the park, we will depart for Zadar.

Plitvice Lakes National Park requires pre-booking of tickets online at  https://ticketing.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/?_gl=1*1ihr3l8*_gcl_au*MTIzNDIxODQ3LjE3NDU4MjE5MzI. It is recommended to visit between 11:00AM and 12:00 AM.Please choose “Entrance 1”.

Please note: Due to the high cost of accommodation in Zadar, Dubrovnik, and Neum (Brown Line), an additional surcharge of €25 per person per night will be required at the time of booking.

Spend the first part of the day exploring the deeply spiritual city of Zadar. This ancient city still retains narrow cobbled streets and historic buildings with a lot of medieval charm that could transport you back to ancient times. However, you can find two modern installations favored by most travelers: the Sea Organ, which plays music with the movement of the waves, and the Greeting to the Sun, a solar-powered light display that can show different regions of the world. Visit to Split, Croatia’s second-largest city, full of remnants of the Roman Empire. The majestic Diocletian’s Palace once was a lavish retreat for Roman emperors and now is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It is estimated that the city boasts more than 1,700 years of history. For the rest time, we will head to Dubrovnik. Maybe you are not familiar with this name, but you must know King’s Landing. Yes, this thousand-year-old city became a hot travel destination for being the King’s Landing in Game of Thrones.

Please note: Due to the high cost of accommodation in Zadar, Dubrovnik, and Neum (brown  line), an additional surcharge of €25 per person per night will be required at the time of booking.

In the morning, we continue our trip to Dubrovnik. Nobel Literature Prize laureate George Bernard Shaw once described this place as “If you want to see heaven on Earth, come to Dubrovnik”. This is never an exaggeration. Dubrovnik is truly the kind of city that captures peoples’ hearts at first sight. Once an affluent trade hub of both land and maritime business rivaling Venice, this city was exposed to warfare during the Yugoslav era. Nevertheless, thanks to the supervision and reconstruction from UNESCO and the European Union, it now thrives as one of the European most hot tourist attractions. When you step into this filming location as King’s Landing of Game of Thrones, you will feel like being in a reality-like dream. Meet those attractions including the old town, ancient city walls, defense towers, the Rector’s Palace, and the Franciscan Monastery. Afterward, I recommend taking the cable car up to the mountain and reaching all the stunning scenery of this Adriatic pearl before you. At last, we will make our way to Neum.

Please note: Due to the high cost of accommodation in Zadar, Dubrovnik, and Neum (brown line), an additional surcharge of €25 per person per night will be required at the time of booking.

Our major schedule for today is to cross the border and visit the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s one of the six socialist republics of the former Yugoslavia. The Pocitelj, built in the Middle Ages, now is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later we will travel to the sacred site of Medjugorje. In 1981, someone claimed to have witnessed the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje. While the Vatican has not yet officially confirmed the authenticity, there are still many people making a pilgrimage here. Nowadays, Medjugorje has already become an important pilgrimage destination for Catholics, actually, the third most-visited Marian apparition site in Europe, with more than one million pilgrims annually. After the saint place, we move to Blagaj, the hidden gem, where a Dervish Monastery (Tekija) was built into a cliffside beside clear spring waters. Trust me, this secluded place is indeed stunning. Then we continue to the historic town of Mostar. You can walk through the iconic Stari Most, which is a majestic arched bridge registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Standing on it, you can have the perfect view of riverbanks and the whole town. For the night, we drive on to Sarajevo.

Besides, please note that due to border regulations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of group members entering and exiting must remain consistent. As a result, leaving the group during this part is not allowed.

In the morning, we pay a visit to Sarajevo. This city is reborn from warfare. It was a vital connection between East and West. Therefore, it is tolerant of different religions and cultures, boasting a unique style in European countries. Lonely Planet put it as one of the world’s top ten must-visit cities. This place has witnessed so many historical events, like the infamous Latin Bridge event, the ignition of the First World War, and the line where East meets West which is still preserved in this old city. This is all the historical part while you can see the rebirth of this city through its modern architecture in the newly built town. In the afternoon, we will depart Sarajevo and go to the Serbian border. We will arrive in Belgrade by dusk.

Besides, please note that due to border regulations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of group members entering and exiting must remain consistent. As a result, leaving the group during this part is not allowed.

Our Complimentary Offer will be today: a one-hour Citywalk in Belgrade, accompanied by a local Chinese-speaking tour guide.

In the morning, we will first explore Belgrade. It is known as the Key to the Balkans because it lies at the heart of the Balkan Peninsula and once was the capital of the former Yugoslav Federation. Today it is proud of its Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, which were important medieval strongholds. You can easily find the architectural traces of the Roman and Austro-Hungarian eras. You can also visit other iconic landmarks at the same time such as St. Sava Temple, the House of Flowers, St. Mark’s Church, and the National Assembly of Serbia. In 1999, with the outbreak of the Kosovo War, this country witnessed the tragedy of the Chinese Embassy in the former Yugoslavia being bombarded. A small memorial at the site was built to commemorate this event. People here are hospitable and friendly. It also has been recognized as one of the European new hot travel destinations. In the afternoon, we will drive straight to Budapest, Hungary.

Citywalk reminder: As this activity is physically demanding, we advise you to wear comfortable sneakers and baggy garments; if it is disrupted by force majeure (such as bad weather, traffic restriction, or strike), we will have the right to temporarily cancel this activity and all tourist attractions are not available for the tourists.