New Year Express Balkan Tour 2 Nights 4 Days 26243
New Year Express Balkan Tour 2 Nights 4 Days
Day 1 Istanbul – Kavala
Day 2 Kavala – Thessaloniki - Skopje
Day 3 Skopje (Tetovo (Kalkandelen) – Ohrid)
NEW YEAR EXPRESS BALKAN TOUR
3 COUNTRIES – 2 CAPITALS
3 COUNTRIES – 2 CAPITALS
2 NIGHTS 4 DAYS
2 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION IN A 4* HOTEL
Greece - North Macedonia – Bulgaria
2 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION IN A 4* HOTEL
Greece - North Macedonia – Bulgaria
Tour Departure Dates :
December 30
December 30
Day 1 Istanbul – Kavala
On the first day of our tour, we depart at 21:00 from Kadıköy Marriage Office Parking, 21:30 from Mecidiyeköy Auto Expertise Front, and 22:00 from Bakırköy Ömür Shopping Center Front. Accompanied by in-vehicle refreshments, we follow the Silivri – Keşan highway to reach İpsala border crossing. After passport and customs procedures, we follow the Dedeağaç - Gümülcine - İskeçe route to arrive in Kavala.
Day 2 Kavala – Thessaloniki - Skopje
After arriving in Kavala, we stop for breakfast and to taste the delicious Kavala cookies. After the breakfast break, we take a short photo stop on the Kavala waterfront before heading to Thessaloniki. Upon arrival in Thessaloniki, we begin a panoramic city tour; places to see include the Kordon, White Tower, Rotunda, Exhibition Square, Ottoman and Byzantine monuments, the Agios Dimitrios Cathedral (the largest cathedral in Greece), the Alexander the Great Statue, Hamza Bey Mosque, statues of E. Venezelo and P. Konstantin, Vardar, Makedonia, Aristotle, and Eleftherios squares. At the end of the tour, we visit the house of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. After a short free time at Aristotle Square, we meet with the vehicle and begin the journey to Skopje. After crossing the border, upon arrival in the capital Skopje, we start our city tour. In our half-day panoramic tour introducing Skopje, the birthplace of Yahya Kemal Beyatlı, places to see include the Old Train Station, the monument and house of philanthropist Mother Teresa (born in Skopje), Stone Bridge, Castle Walls, the Old City dating back to the Ottoman period, Çarşı, and Ottoman architectural heritage in the Balkans including Mustafa Paşa, Sultan Murad, and Gazi Isa Bey Mosques, Davud Paşa Hammam, Kapan, Sulu, and Kurşunlu Han. Accommodation is at our hotel in Skopje. We join the New Year celebrations held in the city square. (Return transfers are at the guests' own expense.)
Morning Breakfast: Will be taken additionally at a rest facility in Kavala.
Lunch: Will be taken additionally during free time in Thessaloniki. You can taste all local flavors. Guide recommendation: Seafood and Meze.
Dinner: Will be taken additionally during free time in Skopje. You can taste all local flavors. Guide recommendation: Skopje meatballs, dry beans in a clay pot.
Accommodation: Hotel Gold etc. – Skopje
Dinner: Will be taken additionally during free time in Skopje. You can taste all local flavors. Guide recommendation: Skopje meatballs, dry beans in a clay pot.
Accommodation: Hotel Gold etc. – Skopje
Route: Istanbul-Kavala (445 km), Kavala – Thessaloniki (136 km) , Thessaloniki-Skopje (245 km)
Total Distance Covered: 826 km
Total Distance Covered: 826 km
Hotel Check-in Time: Estimated depending on customs clearance time: 20:00
Day 3 Skopje (Tetovo (Kalkandelen) – Ohrid)
After breakfast at the hotel, you have a full day of free time. Guests who wish may join the Tetovo – Ohrid tour organized by our guide, which includes a boat tour. (65 EUR). After meeting with the vehicle in front of the hotel, we head to the Pearl of the Balkans, Ohrid. On the route, we stop in Tetovo (Kalkandelen) to visit the Alaca Mosque and Imaret. After our visit, we continue our journey to Ohrid. In our walking tour, places to see include the historic Çınar Square, Pir Mehmet Hayati Mosque and Tekke, Aziz Bogorodica Kameusko, Hagia Sophia Churches (exterior view), the statue and square of St. Kliment of Ohrid, old Turkish mansions used as museums, the ancient theater dating back to the Roman period, and St. Pant Alemon Church. After our city tour, we carry out our exclusive boat tour where the group will have the opportunity to view and admire the silhouette of the UNESCO city of Ohrid from the lake. After the boat tour and free time for shopping in Ohrid bazaar, we head to Skopje. Upon arrival in Skopje, we transfer to the hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
Morning Breakfast: Will be taken as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: Will be taken additionally during free time in Ohrid city center.- You can taste all local flavors. Guide Recommendation: Ohrid Trout, Meatballs, and Dry Beans in a Clay Pot.
Dinner: Will be taken additionally during free time in Skopje. You can taste all local flavors. Guide recommendation: Skopje meatballs, dry beans in a clay pot.
Accommodation: Hotel Gold etc. – Ohrid
Accommodation: Hotel Gold etc. – Ohrid
Route: Skopje – Tetovo (45 km) , Tetovo - Ohrid (133 km) , Ohrid – Skopje (172 km)
Total Distance Covered: 350 km
Hotel Check-in Time: 19:30
Day 4 Skopje – Sofia – Istanbul
After breakfast at the hotel, we begin the journey to Bulgaria. Guests who wish may join the extra Matka Canyon Tour organized by our guide. Enjoy a pleasant walk and photo stops amidst the unique natural landscapes of the Matka Canyon, known for its exceptional beauty. (25 EUR). After crossing the border, we embark on an approximately 4-hour journey to the capital Sofia. Upon arrival in Sofia, we begin a panoramic city tour. Places to see during our tour include the Alexander Nevski Cathedral (the largest church in the Balkans), the National Library, Sofia University, the Old Royal Palace, the National Bulgarian Theatre built in Neoclassical style, the Archaeology Museum, the Old Sofia - Sendika district, the Rotonda Church. Afterward, after a panoramic view and photo stop at the Sofia Monument near the parliament building, we visit the Banya Bashi Mosque, the symbol of the city. After our visits and free time, we head to Istanbul. After passport and customs procedures at the Svilengrad border crossing, we arrive at our starting points in Istanbul via Edirne, concluding our tour.
Morning Breakfast: Will be taken as an open buffet at the hotel and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: Free time in Sofia city center.- You can taste all local flavors.
Dinner: At a rest facility along the route.
Dinner: At a rest facility along the route.
Route: Skopje – Sofia (230 km) , Sofia – Istanbul (550 km)
Total Distance Covered: 780 km
Istanbul Arrival Time: Estimated depending on customs clearance time: 02:00
What's Included
* Transport with Lux Viyatravel buses
* Local professional Turkish guide services
* 2 nights accommodation in Skopje 4* hotels, room – breakfast
* Mandatory local guide services in some cities
* All highway checkpoint and parking fees
* Customs duties
* Panoramic city tours as specified in the program.
* Complimentary water on board
* Local professional Turkish guide services
* 2 nights accommodation in Skopje 4* hotels, room – breakfast
* Mandatory local guide services in some cities
* All highway checkpoint and parking fees
* Customs duties
* Panoramic city tours as specified in the program.
* Complimentary water on board
Not Included
* Museum and archaeological site entrance fees.
* Extras taken at the hotel and all personal expenses
* Hotel accommodation and tourist city taxes (10 EUR per person)
* Breakfast taken during the Kavala stop.
* Lunch and dinner meals
* Tips for the driver and guide
* Foreign departure tax
* International travel health insurance
* Extras taken at the hotel and all personal expenses
* Hotel accommodation and tourist city taxes (10 EUR per person)
* Breakfast taken during the Kavala stop.
* Lunch and dinner meals
* Tips for the driver and guide
* Foreign departure tax
* International travel health insurance
General Information
- All participating guests must possess a valid Multi-Entry Schengen visa for the entire duration of the tour. (Green passport holders are exempt from the visa requirement.)
- For our New Year tours, guests who wish to add the Gala Dinner must pay the Gala Dinner fee at the time of tour registration.
- To enable shopping and spending in all countries included in the program during the tour, it is sufficient to carry Euros. In regions where local currency is used, the guide will assist with currency exchange.
- Comfortable walking shoes or sneakers should be worn during the trip. It is advisable to bring a sweater or similar clothing for the evenings.
- When entering Turkey from abroad, a minimum stay of 3 days is required to bring goods (alcohol, tobacco, etc.).
- Duty-free shopping limits when entering Turkey from abroad: Cigarettes: 3 cartons; Alcoholic Beverages: 1 liter of spirits (excluding spirits with more than 22% alcohol, wine, and champagne); Alcoholic Beverages: 2 liters of spirits (including spirits with less than 22% alcohol, wine, and champagne); Perfume: 600 ml; Makeup or Skin Care Products: 5 items; Chocolate and Confectionery: 2 kg; Coffee: 1 kg; Tea: 1 kg
- During the tour, guides may make changes to the itinerary while ensuring all countries listed in the program are visited, depending on weather and road conditions.
- Guests who register for the tour have the right to cancel free of charge up to 30 days before the departure date. If cancellation occurs less than 30 days before the tour date, a 30% penalty applies; if 20 days or less remain, a 100% penalty applies. Documents such as hospital reports or work permission letters obtained from Turkish authorities submitted along with a participant's cancellation request are unfortunately not accepted for cancellations of accommodations and services booked outside Turkey.
- Our tour programs are organized subject to a minimum participation of 25 people. If sufficient participation is not achieved, the final cancellation notification date is 20 days before the tour departure. Tours cancelled due to insufficient participation will be notified by Viyatravel.
- In cases where the tour program provides only category information without specifying hotel names and/or offers options for the same destination, the hotel(s) will be communicated by Viyatravel 2 days prior to the tour departure.
- During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events, sports tournaments, etc., hotels may be located further than the specified kilometers. In such cases, information will be provided by Viyatravel 15 days before the tour departure date.
- Triple rooms are subject to hotel availability. In these rooms, the third bed is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 extra bed. Since extra beds are foldable or coach-style beds, participants booking triple rooms for the 3rd person and/or children are deemed to have accepted any potential crowding and the type of bed in the room. Child discounts apply only to one child per two adults within the applicable age group.
- Breakfasts included in the tour package are served according to the local breakfast culture of the country visited, typically as a limited continental menu consisting of butter, jam, bread, tea, or coffee. These may be served in a separate hall allocated exclusively for the group.
- Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are short tours (maximum 2–3 hours) designed to provide a general introduction to cities, conducted from the vehicle with guide commentary. They do not include entry to museums or historical sites. Viyatravel is not responsible for the inability to conduct these panoramic tours if they coincide with other scheduled tours, or if access is prohibited by local authorities on the day and time of the tour, or if roads are closed due to any event, or if weather conditions make the tour impossible. Some tours may be conducted via public transport or on foot where vehicle access is restricted, within available means.
- Waiting times at border crossings during overland travel may exceed standard limits. Viyatravel cannot be held liable for any negative consequences arising from such waiting times.
- Optional excursions are organized by our local partner Viyatravel subject to a minimum participation of 20 people. If this number is not reached, the excursions may not take place. Additionally, optional excursion prices, content, and vehicles used may vary based on the number of participants. Furthermore, the days and times of excursions may be changed by the guide depending on whether museums and historical sites are open or closed, and weather conditions.
- Optional excursions are voluntary and not mandatory. Passengers who choose not to participate in optional excursions organized during the tour are deemed to have agreed to wait at a suitable rest facility along the route. These passengers will be dropped off at the roadside rest facility before the optional tour begins and picked up again from that location after the main tour is completed.
- Check-in and boarding procedures for flights are personal responsibilities. Guests must complete these procedures either at airline counters at the airport before the flight or online via the airline company websites.
- Viyatravel is not responsible for any failure to board the flight if guests do not arrive at the designated airport at the time specified by Viyatravel, fail to complete check-in and boarding procedures on time, or complete them on time but do not board the aircraft. All costs associated with new round-trip flight tickets and transfers to the destination region for passengers who miss their flight are the responsibility of the passenger themselves.
- Viyatravel acts as an intermediary between the passenger and the airline and is subject to the Hague Protocol of September 28, 1955. There may be risks of delays in scheduled and special flights, or flight times may change prior to the current tour and flight. Viyatravel is obligated to notify passengers of such changes as soon as possible. By purchasing the tour, the passenger accepts the risk of schedule changes. Children aged 0–2 years are exempt from airport taxes and airport service fees.
- Vehicle types used in our tours are classified according to the number of passengers as follows. The specific vehicle type for each tour is determined based on the number of participants:
Buses: (Used for groups of 25–46 people) *Mercedes Travego/Tourismo *NEOPLAN Cityliner/Tourliner *Temsa Safir/Maraton *Man Fortuna
Midibuses: (Used for groups of 17–24 people) *Isuzu Turkuaz, *Otokar Mega
Minibuses: (Used for groups up to 16 people) *VW Volt, *Mercedes Sprinter
- All guests are deemed to have accepted the above terms upon completing the tour purchase.
- For our New Year tours, guests who wish to add the Gala Dinner must pay the Gala Dinner fee at the time of tour registration.
- To enable shopping and spending in all countries included in the program during the tour, it is sufficient to carry Euros. In regions where local currency is used, the guide will assist with currency exchange.
- Comfortable walking shoes or sneakers should be worn during the trip. It is advisable to bring a sweater or similar clothing for the evenings.
- When entering Turkey from abroad, a minimum stay of 3 days is required to bring goods (alcohol, tobacco, etc.).
- Duty-free shopping limits when entering Turkey from abroad: Cigarettes: 3 cartons; Alcoholic Beverages: 1 liter of spirits (excluding spirits with more than 22% alcohol, wine, and champagne); Alcoholic Beverages: 2 liters of spirits (including spirits with less than 22% alcohol, wine, and champagne); Perfume: 600 ml; Makeup or Skin Care Products: 5 items; Chocolate and Confectionery: 2 kg; Coffee: 1 kg; Tea: 1 kg
- During the tour, guides may make changes to the itinerary while ensuring all countries listed in the program are visited, depending on weather and road conditions.
- Guests who register for the tour have the right to cancel free of charge up to 30 days before the departure date. If cancellation occurs less than 30 days before the tour date, a 30% penalty applies; if 20 days or less remain, a 100% penalty applies. Documents such as hospital reports or work permission letters obtained from Turkish authorities submitted along with a participant's cancellation request are unfortunately not accepted for cancellations of accommodations and services booked outside Turkey.
- Our tour programs are organized subject to a minimum participation of 25 people. If sufficient participation is not achieved, the final cancellation notification date is 20 days before the tour departure. Tours cancelled due to insufficient participation will be notified by Viyatravel.
- In cases where the tour program provides only category information without specifying hotel names and/or offers options for the same destination, the hotel(s) will be communicated by Viyatravel 2 days prior to the tour departure.
- During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events, sports tournaments, etc., hotels may be located further than the specified kilometers. In such cases, information will be provided by Viyatravel 15 days before the tour departure date.
- Triple rooms are subject to hotel availability. In these rooms, the third bed is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 extra bed. Since extra beds are foldable or coach-style beds, participants booking triple rooms for the 3rd person and/or children are deemed to have accepted any potential crowding and the type of bed in the room. Child discounts apply only to one child per two adults within the applicable age group.
- Breakfasts included in the tour package are served according to the local breakfast culture of the country visited, typically as a limited continental menu consisting of butter, jam, bread, tea, or coffee. These may be served in a separate hall allocated exclusively for the group.
- Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are short tours (maximum 2–3 hours) designed to provide a general introduction to cities, conducted from the vehicle with guide commentary. They do not include entry to museums or historical sites. Viyatravel is not responsible for the inability to conduct these panoramic tours if they coincide with other scheduled tours, or if access is prohibited by local authorities on the day and time of the tour, or if roads are closed due to any event, or if weather conditions make the tour impossible. Some tours may be conducted via public transport or on foot where vehicle access is restricted, within available means.
- Waiting times at border crossings during overland travel may exceed standard limits. Viyatravel cannot be held liable for any negative consequences arising from such waiting times.
- Optional excursions are organized by our local partner Viyatravel subject to a minimum participation of 20 people. If this number is not reached, the excursions may not take place. Additionally, optional excursion prices, content, and vehicles used may vary based on the number of participants. Furthermore, the days and times of excursions may be changed by the guide depending on whether museums and historical sites are open or closed, and weather conditions.
- Optional excursions are voluntary and not mandatory. Passengers who choose not to participate in optional excursions organized during the tour are deemed to have agreed to wait at a suitable rest facility along the route. These passengers will be dropped off at the roadside rest facility before the optional tour begins and picked up again from that location after the main tour is completed.
- Check-in and boarding procedures for flights are personal responsibilities. Guests must complete these procedures either at airline counters at the airport before the flight or online via the airline company websites.
- Viyatravel is not responsible for any failure to board the flight if guests do not arrive at the designated airport at the time specified by Viyatravel, fail to complete check-in and boarding procedures on time, or complete them on time but do not board the aircraft. All costs associated with new round-trip flight tickets and transfers to the destination region for passengers who miss their flight are the responsibility of the passenger themselves.
- Viyatravel acts as an intermediary between the passenger and the airline and is subject to the Hague Protocol of September 28, 1955. There may be risks of delays in scheduled and special flights, or flight times may change prior to the current tour and flight. Viyatravel is obligated to notify passengers of such changes as soon as possible. By purchasing the tour, the passenger accepts the risk of schedule changes. Children aged 0–2 years are exempt from airport taxes and airport service fees.
- Vehicle types used in our tours are classified according to the number of passengers as follows. The specific vehicle type for each tour is determined based on the number of participants:
Buses: (Used for groups of 25–46 people) *Mercedes Travego/Tourismo *NEOPLAN Cityliner/Tourliner *Temsa Safir/Maraton *Man Fortuna
Midibuses: (Used for groups of 17–24 people) *Isuzu Turkuaz, *Otokar Mega
Minibuses: (Used for groups up to 16 people) *VW Volt, *Mercedes Sprinter
- All guests are deemed to have accepted the above terms upon completing the tour purchase.