EKPRESS BALKAN TOUR
3 COUNTRIES – 2 CAPITALS
2 NIGHTS 4 DAYS
Greece - Macedonia – Bulgaria
Greece - Macedonia – Bulgaria
Tour Departure Dates :
January 22 / January 29 / February 12 / March 19 / April 23 / April 30 / May 16 / May 28 / June 11 / June 25 / July 9 / July 23 / August 6 / August 20 / September 3 / September 17 / October 15 / October 29 / November 12 / November 26 / December 10
January 22 / January 29 / February 12 / March 19 / April 23 / April 30 / May 16 / May 28 / June 11 / June 25 / July 9 / July 23 / August 6 / August 20 / September 3 / September 17 / October 15 / October 29 / November 12 / November 26 / December 10
Special Days :
January Semester: January 22 / January 29
Ramadan Feast and April Semester : March 19
April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day: April 23
May 1 Labor and Solidarity Day: April 30
May 19 Youth and Sports Day: May 16
Sacrifice Festival: May 28
November Semester: November 12
Tour Program
Day 1 Istanbul – Kavala
On the first day of our trip, we depart from Kadıköy Marriage Office at 21:00, from Mecidiyeköy Oto Ekspertiz at 21:30, and from İncirli Ömür Plaza at 22:00, continuing our journey from Beylikdüzü Marmara Park Front. We proceed to the Ipsala border gate via Tekirdag. After completing passport and customs procedures, we arrive in Kavala via Dedeagac, Gumulcine, and Iskece.
Day 1 Istanbul – Kavala
On the first day of our trip, we depart from Kadıköy Marriage Office at 21:00, from Mecidiyeköy Oto Ekspertiz at 21:30, and from İncirli Ömür Plaza at 22:00, continuing our journey from Beylikdüzü Marmara Park Front. We proceed to the Ipsala border gate via Tekirdag. After completing passport and customs procedures, we arrive in Kavala via Dedeagac, Gumulcine, and Iskece.
Day 2 Kavala – Thessaloniki - Skopje
After arriving in Kavala, we stop to have breakfast and taste the delicious Kavala cookies. After the breakfast break, we take a brief photo stop along the beautiful Kavala beaches and head towards Thessaloniki. Upon our arrival in Thessaloniki, we begin our panoramic city tour.During our panoramic city tour, we will see the Kordon, White Tower, Rotunda, Fair, Thessaloniki Fortress, and Ottoman and Byzantine artifacts. After visiting the house of Ulu Önder Atatürk, which is currently in the garden of the Turkish consulate, we proceed to Skopje. Upon arrival, we start our Skopje city tour; we will make a half-day panoramic tour of Skopje, the birthplace of Yahya Kemal Beyatlı. Among the places to see are the Old Train Station, the statue and house of Mother Teresa, Stone Bridge, Fortress, Old Town from the Ottoman period, Bazaar, and Mustafa Pasha, Sultan Murad Mosques, Davud Pasha Bath, Kapan, Sulu and Kurshunlu Hancers, which are among the finest architectural heritages of the Ottomans in the Balkans. We will stay at our hotel in Skopje.
Day 3 Skopje (Tetovo - Ohrid) )
After having breakfast at our hotel, we have a full day of free time. Guests who wish can join the optional Tetovo - Ohrid tour including a boat trip (60 EUR). We set off for Ohrid, known as the Pearl of the Balkans. On the way, we stop in Tetovo (Kalkandelen) to visit the Alaca Mosque and city center. After our visits, we make a short journey to Ohrid. During our walking tour, we will see the Historical Plane Tree Square, the Churches of St. Bogorodica Kameusko, St. Sophia (from outside), the Statue of St. Clement of Ohrid and its Square, the Old Turkish Mansions used as a museum, the Ancient Theater from the Roman era, and St. Pantaleon Church. After our city tour, we take a boat trip on Ohrid Lake to explore the city in a different way. After the boat trip and free time, we head back to Skopje. Overnight at our hotel. Guests who wish can join the optional Macedonian Night tour (40 EUR).
Day 4 Skopje – Sofia – Istanbul
After breakfast, we depart from Skopje towards Sofia. Guests who wish can join the optional tour of Matka Canyon, which is known for its unique beauty (25 EUR). After the journey, we arrive in Sofia. During our panoramic city tour, we will see the largest church in the Balkans, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, National Library, Sofia University, Old Royal Palace, National Bulgarian Theater built in neoclassical style, Archaeological Museum, Old Sofia - Syndicate city, and Rotunda Church. After visiting, we will walk from the parliament building to have a panoramic view of Sofia Statue and take a photo break; we will visit the landmark Banya Bashi Mosque. After our visits and free time, we head towards Istanbul. After a short free time, we embark on our journey to Istanbul. After passport and customs procedures at Svilengrad border gate, we reach Istanbul via Edirne and bid farewell until our next tour.
After breakfast, we depart from Skopje towards Sofia. Guests who wish can join the optional tour of Matka Canyon, which is known for its unique beauty (25 EUR). After the journey, we arrive in Sofia. During our panoramic city tour, we will see the largest church in the Balkans, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, National Library, Sofia University, Old Royal Palace, National Bulgarian Theater built in neoclassical style, Archaeological Museum, Old Sofia - Syndicate city, and Rotunda Church. After visiting, we will walk from the parliament building to have a panoramic view of Sofia Statue and take a photo break; we will visit the landmark Banya Bashi Mosque. After our visits and free time, we head towards Istanbul. After a short free time, we embark on our journey to Istanbul. After passport and customs procedures at Svilengrad border gate, we reach Istanbul via Edirne and bid farewell until our next tour.
* Transportation with Lux Buses
* Local professional Turkish guiding services
* 2 Nights accommodation in Skopje in 3 or 4* Hotels and breakfast
* Mandatory local guiding services in some cities
* Kavala tour
* Thessaloniki tour
* Skopje tour
* Sofia tour
* All highway check-point and parking fees
* City Taxes
* Customs Fees
* Panoramic city tours specified in the program.
* Limited water service on the bus
* Local professional Turkish guiding services
* 2 Nights accommodation in Skopje in 3 or 4* Hotels and breakfast
* Mandatory local guiding services in some cities
* Kavala tour
* Thessaloniki tour
* Skopje tour
* Sofia tour
* All highway check-point and parking fees
* City Taxes
* Customs Fees
* Panoramic city tours specified in the program.
* Limited water service on the bus
* Museum and historical site entrance fees.
* Extras purchased at the hotel.
* All personal expenses
* Breakfast taken during the break in Kavala.
* Lunch and dinner
* Tips for the driver and guide
* MULTI SCHENGEN VISA (HOLDERS OF GREEN PASSPORTS ARE EXEMPT FROM VISA).
* International departure fee
* International travel health insurance
INFORMATION ,
- All of our guests participating must hold a valid Multi (Multiple Entry) Schengen visa throughout the tour duration. (Green Passport holders are exempt from the visa requirement.)
- To make purchases and expenses in all countries included in the tour program, it is sufficient to carry Euros. In areas where local currency is used, the guide will assist with currency exchange.
- Comfortable walking shoes or sports shoes should be preferred during the trip. It is also beneficial to carry a sweater or similar clothing for the night.
- To bring items (such as alcohol - cigarettes, etc.) into Turkey from abroad, a minimum stay of 3 days is required.
- The shopping limit for duty-free purchases upon entry into Turkey is: Cigarettes: 3 cartons , Alcoholic Beverages: 1 liter of alcoholic beverages (except for alcoholic drinks containing more than 22% alcohol, wine, and champagne) , Alcoholic Beverages: 2 liters of alcoholic beverages (including drinks containing less than 22% alcohol, wine, and champagne) , Perfume: 600 ml , Makeup or Skin Care Products: 5 items , Chocolate and Sweets: 2 kg , Coffee: 1 kg , Tea: 1 kg
- The guides on the tour program can make changes in the program flow, provided that they show every place indicated in the program, depending on weather and road conditions.
- Guests who register for the tour have the right to cancel free of charge up to 30 days prior to the tour date. In case of cancellation less than 30 days before the tour date, a penalty of 30% is applied, and a penalty of 100% is applied if cancellation is made 20 days or less before the tour date. Documents such as hospital reports, workplace permission documents, etc. from Turkish authorities submitted with the participant's cancellation request, as well as cancellations of hotels they will stay at and services they will receive outside of Turkey, are unfortunately not accepted.
-The tour program is organized with a minimum participation of 25 people. If adequate participation for the trip is not achieved, the last cancellation notification date is 20 days before the tour departure. The tour canceled due to insufficient participation will be notified by Viyatravel.
-In cases where only the category information is given without specifying names in the tour program and/or where there are alternative options for the same destination, the hotels will be announced by Viyatravel 2 days before the tour movement.
-During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events, and sports tournaments, hotels may be used at distances greater than the specified kilometers. In such cases, information will be provided by Viyatravel 15 days before the tour departure date
- Triple rooms may be provided depending on hotel availability, and in such rooms, the bed assigned to the 3rd person is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 extra bed. Since extra beds are composed of cots referred to as fold-out or coach beds, tour participants should accept that they are aware of the potential tightness in rooms for the 3rd person and/or child reservations. Child discounts are valid only for a single child who meets the age group staying with 2 adults.
-Breakfasts included in the tour package are served in accordance with the breakfast culture of the country being visited and generally consist of a limited menu defined as a continental breakfast with butter, jam, bread, tea or coffee; it may be served in a separate hall assigned for the group.
-Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are organized for the general introduction of the cities and are conducted with a guide’s narration from inside the vehicle, not including museum or archaeological site entrances, for a maximum of 2-3 hours. Panoramic tours, including other indicated tours in the program, may not be carried out in case local authorities do not allow visits due to reasons such as closure, or if it becomes impossible to conduct the tour due to weather conditions, in which case Viyatravel shall not be held responsible for the inability to perform the mentioned tours. Some tours may be conducted using public transportation or on foot at points where closed roads or restricted vehicle access are present.
- During the journey, waiting times at border checkpoints crossed by land may exceed standards, and Viyatravel shall not be held responsible for any negative experiences arising from these waiting times.
-Extra tours are organized by the local Viyatravel with a minimum participation of 20 people. If the required number is not reached, the trips cannot be made, or extra tour prices, content, and the vehicles used may vary according to the number of participants. Additionally, the days and times of the tours may be changed by the guide due to the open/closed status of the museums and archaeological sites to be visited and weather conditions.
- Participation in extra tours is at the discretion of the participants and is not mandatory. Passengers who do not wish to participate in the extra tours organized during the tour shall be deemed to have accepted to wait at a suitable rest area along the way. These passengers will be dropped off at a roadside rest area before the extra tour begins and will be picked up from the location they were dropped off after the completion of the tour.
- For those participating in tours by plane, the check-in and boarding processes must be carried out personally by the guest at the relevant airline counters at the airports or online on the airline companies’ websites before the flight.
- The guests who are not present at the specified airport at the times notified by Viyatravel for participation in the tour, who do not complete check-in and boarding procedures on time, or those who complete check-in and boarding procedures but do not board the plane shall not hold Viyatravel responsible for their inability to fly. All costs for new round-trip flight tickets required for those who miss their flight to join the tour and any transfers to be made at the destination are their own responsibility.
- Viyatravel acts as an intermediary between the airline and the passenger and is subject to the 28.09.1955 Hague Protocol. There may be a risk of delays on scheduled and charter flights, or flight times may change before the current trip and flight. Viyatravel is obliged to notify these changes as soon as possible. The passenger accepts the risk of hour changes when purchasing the trip. Children aged 0-2 do not pay airport taxes and fees.
-The types of vehicles used in our tours are classified according to the number of participants as follows. The types of vehicles listed below are determined according to the number of participants in each tour.
Buses: (Used for 25 - 46 Participants) *Mercedes Travego/Tourismo *NEOPLAN Cityliner/Tourliner -*Temsa Safir/Maraton *Man Fortuna
Midibuses: (Used for 17 - 24 Participants) *Isuzu Turkuaz , *Otokar Mega
Minibuses: (Used for up to 16 Participants) *Vw Volt , *Mercedes Sprinter
-All guests are considered to have accepted the sale of the tour by agreeing to the above-mentioned items.
- To make purchases and expenses in all countries included in the tour program, it is sufficient to carry Euros. In areas where local currency is used, the guide will assist with currency exchange.
- Comfortable walking shoes or sports shoes should be preferred during the trip. It is also beneficial to carry a sweater or similar clothing for the night.
- To bring items (such as alcohol - cigarettes, etc.) into Turkey from abroad, a minimum stay of 3 days is required.
- The shopping limit for duty-free purchases upon entry into Turkey is: Cigarettes: 3 cartons , Alcoholic Beverages: 1 liter of alcoholic beverages (except for alcoholic drinks containing more than 22% alcohol, wine, and champagne) , Alcoholic Beverages: 2 liters of alcoholic beverages (including drinks containing less than 22% alcohol, wine, and champagne) , Perfume: 600 ml , Makeup or Skin Care Products: 5 items , Chocolate and Sweets: 2 kg , Coffee: 1 kg , Tea: 1 kg
- The guides on the tour program can make changes in the program flow, provided that they show every place indicated in the program, depending on weather and road conditions.
- Guests who register for the tour have the right to cancel free of charge up to 30 days prior to the tour date. In case of cancellation less than 30 days before the tour date, a penalty of 30% is applied, and a penalty of 100% is applied if cancellation is made 20 days or less before the tour date. Documents such as hospital reports, workplace permission documents, etc. from Turkish authorities submitted with the participant's cancellation request, as well as cancellations of hotels they will stay at and services they will receive outside of Turkey, are unfortunately not accepted.
-The tour program is organized with a minimum participation of 25 people. If adequate participation for the trip is not achieved, the last cancellation notification date is 20 days before the tour departure. The tour canceled due to insufficient participation will be notified by Viyatravel.
-In cases where only the category information is given without specifying names in the tour program and/or where there are alternative options for the same destination, the hotels will be announced by Viyatravel 2 days before the tour movement.
-During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events, and sports tournaments, hotels may be used at distances greater than the specified kilometers. In such cases, information will be provided by Viyatravel 15 days before the tour departure date
- Triple rooms may be provided depending on hotel availability, and in such rooms, the bed assigned to the 3rd person is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 extra bed. Since extra beds are composed of cots referred to as fold-out or coach beds, tour participants should accept that they are aware of the potential tightness in rooms for the 3rd person and/or child reservations. Child discounts are valid only for a single child who meets the age group staying with 2 adults.
-Breakfasts included in the tour package are served in accordance with the breakfast culture of the country being visited and generally consist of a limited menu defined as a continental breakfast with butter, jam, bread, tea or coffee; it may be served in a separate hall assigned for the group.
-Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are organized for the general introduction of the cities and are conducted with a guide’s narration from inside the vehicle, not including museum or archaeological site entrances, for a maximum of 2-3 hours. Panoramic tours, including other indicated tours in the program, may not be carried out in case local authorities do not allow visits due to reasons such as closure, or if it becomes impossible to conduct the tour due to weather conditions, in which case Viyatravel shall not be held responsible for the inability to perform the mentioned tours. Some tours may be conducted using public transportation or on foot at points where closed roads or restricted vehicle access are present.
- During the journey, waiting times at border checkpoints crossed by land may exceed standards, and Viyatravel shall not be held responsible for any negative experiences arising from these waiting times.
-Extra tours are organized by the local Viyatravel with a minimum participation of 20 people. If the required number is not reached, the trips cannot be made, or extra tour prices, content, and the vehicles used may vary according to the number of participants. Additionally, the days and times of the tours may be changed by the guide due to the open/closed status of the museums and archaeological sites to be visited and weather conditions.
- Participation in extra tours is at the discretion of the participants and is not mandatory. Passengers who do not wish to participate in the extra tours organized during the tour shall be deemed to have accepted to wait at a suitable rest area along the way. These passengers will be dropped off at a roadside rest area before the extra tour begins and will be picked up from the location they were dropped off after the completion of the tour.
- For those participating in tours by plane, the check-in and boarding processes must be carried out personally by the guest at the relevant airline counters at the airports or online on the airline companies’ websites before the flight.
- The guests who are not present at the specified airport at the times notified by Viyatravel for participation in the tour, who do not complete check-in and boarding procedures on time, or those who complete check-in and boarding procedures but do not board the plane shall not hold Viyatravel responsible for their inability to fly. All costs for new round-trip flight tickets required for those who miss their flight to join the tour and any transfers to be made at the destination are their own responsibility.
- Viyatravel acts as an intermediary between the airline and the passenger and is subject to the 28.09.1955 Hague Protocol. There may be a risk of delays on scheduled and charter flights, or flight times may change before the current trip and flight. Viyatravel is obliged to notify these changes as soon as possible. The passenger accepts the risk of hour changes when purchasing the trip. Children aged 0-2 do not pay airport taxes and fees.
-The types of vehicles used in our tours are classified according to the number of participants as follows. The types of vehicles listed below are determined according to the number of participants in each tour.
Buses: (Used for 25 - 46 Participants) *Mercedes Travego/Tourismo *NEOPLAN Cityliner/Tourliner -*Temsa Safir/Maraton *Man Fortuna
Midibuses: (Used for 17 - 24 Participants) *Isuzu Turkuaz , *Otokar Mega
Minibuses: (Used for up to 16 Participants) *Vw Volt , *Mercedes Sprinter
-All guests are considered to have accepted the sale of the tour by agreeing to the above-mentioned items.