Take in incredible mountain monasteries and historic sites
Chasms, mountains, blue lakes and Greek temples
From beautiful Sofia, wind your way all the way down the Balkan Peninsula, relaxing in Macedonia, touching Albania and really getting beneath that tourist veneer in Greece. In Bulgaria enjoy a visit to the exquisite Rila Monastery before lunch beside a tumbling river. In Macedonia relax in Alexander the Great’s Skopje, with its enormous statues, and grand old Turkish Bazaar before cruising under the cliffs of the gorgeous Matka Canyon to the Vrelo Caves. Relax over three nights beside the shores of delightful Lake Ohrid, take in the panoramic views of the lake from Tsar Samuel's Fortress, enjoy a lake cruise to visit Naum Monastery, the Freshwater springs and lakeside lunch. Discover the UNESCO listed ‘Bay of Bones’ reconstructed village built of wooden piles sunk into the crystal-clear lake waters, drive deep into Greece’s spectacular Pindos Mountains to stay three nights in the fabulous, multi award winning Aristi Mountain Resort. Explore the UNESCO listed Zagori region known for its steep mountains and cliffs, perched Monasteries, stone bridges and timeless feeling remote villages, and dine on a shady terrace with views across the enormous Vikos Gorge. Visit Corfu, explore the old town and take an exclusive 4WD tour deep into the mountains, for a remote village lunch. Stay 2 nights in Kalabaka and visit three of Meteora’s amazing, perched monasteries, visit Delphi’s incredible ruins and dine in a shady restaurant high over the olive tree filled plains and the Sea of Corinth. At Thermopylae, take in the site of the famous Spartan stand against the Persians and spend a final night beside the beach nearby beautiful Cape Sounion. After a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear sea, relax through the evening beside the magnificent 2,500-year-old, cliff top ruins of the Temple of Poseidon and take in the awesome sunset spilling over the Aegeon Islands. What an adventure!
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Travel in a first-class air-conditioned touring coach
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A complimentary glass of wine, beer or soft drink with all included dinners 30 meals including breakfast daily (B), 4 lunches (L) and 9 evening meals (D) Welcome drink on Day 1
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Hotel porterage of 1 bag per person (where available) 17 nights specially selected hotel accommodation Free WiFi at most hotels (where available)
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ALL tips for your Tour Manager, Driver and Local Guides Local guides as described in the itinerary Fully escorted by our experienced Tour Manager
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ALL excursions, scenic drives, sightseeing and entrances as described
Tour itinerary
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Hand Selected Experiences
These are just a few of the very special hand selected experiences that will really make your touring experience exceptional and unique, and don’t forget, with Albatross they are always included.
Matka Canyon & Vrelo Caves
Canyon cruise & Cave visit
At Matka Canyon we board a boat to gently glide down the length of this incredibly beautiful natural canyon. When the Treska River was dammed nearly 90 years ago they created an artificial lake that became a place renowned for its serenity and beauty due to the deep mountain slopes above the peaceful waterway. Halfway along the gorge we disembark to visit the easily accessible, main illuminated halls of stalactites and stalagmites of the Vrelo Caves, one of the deepest underwater cave systems in the world.Lake Ohrid
Boat cruise along the crystal clear water of Lake Ohrid & lunch in a lakeside village
Boarding private boats we cruise to the bottom of the lake and back, surrounded on both sides by the mountains of the rugged Albanian coastline. At the foot of the lake, we disembark to visit the Macedonian Orthodox Monastery of Naum, established in the Bulgarian Empire way back in the year 905. Afterwards a visit to the nearby crystal clear, freshwater springs, which bubble out of the mountain and feed and fill Lake Ohrid. We also enjoy lunch in a lakeside restaurant in the tiny village of Trpejca.Bay of Bones
Visit the UNESCO listed ‘Bay of Bones’ Museum
We discover this re-creation of a prehistoric pile-dwelling village dating back to between 1,200 and 600-years BC. Surrounded by incredibly clear water and sitting above the submerged archaeological site, this wooden platform village provides a fascinating insight into the life of this fishing community so long ago.Aristi Mountain Resort
Enjoy a fabulous 3 night stay in the multi award winning Aristi Mountain Resort and Villas.
Located in the UNESCO listed region of Zagori, in the Pindos Mountains, known for its steep mountains and cliffs, perched Monasteries and remote, timeless villages such as Aristi. This small, intimate resort uses local materials like stone and wood to blend into the village hillside. In their own words, “The experience at Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas transcends mere accommodation, as it is an immersive journey, where comfort converges with the timeless beauty of the Greek mountains.”Vikos Gorge
Stunning Vikos Canyon – ‘the Grand Canyon of Greece’
We discover the awe-inspiring Vikos Gorge with its historical stone bridges, including the Lazaridi Kontodimou Bridge which was built back in 1753 and Kyr Noutsos. These beautiful single span, arched bridges cross deep, craggy gorges and were built to connect the various mountain villages. Taking a short stroll we reach the Oxia viewpoint where you see the mighty Vikos Canyon Falls far away beneath you. According to the Guiness Book of Records the 32-kilometre long Vikos Canyon is the ‘deepest canyon in the world – relative to its width’ and is nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Greece.Megalo Papingo
Drive the ‘Snake Road’ to enjoy dinner on the vine covered terrace of a village Taverna
We will drive the ‘Snake Road’, winding our way up 17 hairpin bends to the mountain village of Megalo Papingo where we have included dinner in a restaurant on their vine covered terrace. As the sun wanes, the rocks and cliffs turn golden and the views across to the illuminated, mountains are outstanding.Corfu
Sample and taste typical ‘Corfiot’ local products
We take time to sample and taste a variety of Corfiot (local Corfu) products including the likes of numbulo (smoked and cured pork), sikomaida (flavoured figs), locally grown kumquat, olives & mantola (sugared almonds). Yum!Corfu Mountains
A 4WD mountain adventure
We have included a full day 4 WD tour of the stunning northern region of the island. Driving in convoy, we will experience both on-road and off-road driving, as we head away from the tourist spots and into the hills and mountains, delve into quaint villages and indulge in a leisurely lunch, visit an olive mill for a tasting and an ancient Monastery.Meteora
Suspended in the air - UNESCO Meteora Monasteries
We include visits to three different monasteries – the Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron, which is considered the oldest and largest of the Meteoron Monasteries, the Monastery of St Stephen and the Monastery of Rousanou. Three visits, a series of astounding views, what a terrific day!Delphi
Dinner with a view
In ancient Delphi, we have included dinner in a shaded cliff top Greek restaurant with massive views down across the plains of olive trees to the Gulf of Corinth in the distance.Cape Sounion
Temple of Poseidon Sunset
From the Temple of Poseidon you can bathe in the world famous spectacular sunset. Equally as famous as any sunset you will find in the Greek Islands. Gaze out as the sea and sky take in the vibrant colours, whilst the ebbing sun turns the Doric columns of the ancient Greek Temple first yellow, then orange and gold.Dates and Prices
* The itinerary and hotels featured are based on 2025 tour departures and may be subject to change. Any questions, please contact our European Tour Specialists for further details.
Pre-register your interest
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Your Hotels
Tour Suitability
- In mid-summer, the heat may be energy sapping.
- There are a number of beautiful towns and historic sites we visit which require exploring on foot.
- You will be required to hop on and off 4WD vehicles.
- In this itinerary there will be the use of smaller chartered boats. Porterage or assistance is unavailable. Whilst not actually very difficult to do I do need to point out that you must be able to wheel your own bags on and off the ferries without assistance.
Please refer to our Tour Suitability section for more information.
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