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Treasures of the Balkans (Classic, 18 Days)

18 days
From Bucharest to Budapest
4.4
6 traveler reviews

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:
In-depth Cultural
Immerse yourself in rich history and local traditions
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Guided in English
Group Size 20 - 40
Age range 5 to 99
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Listen to amusing tales from the locals in Budapest
  • Visit the former Communist Headquarters of Bucharest
  • Witness the opulent and sumptuous décor in Peleș Castle
  • Embrace the myths and legends of Bran Castle
  • Enjoy acoustics in the Church of the Holy Nativity

Itinerary

Expand All
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Welcome to Bucharest
  2. Day 2 Bucharest and Castles of Transylvania
  3. Day 3 Brasov and Sinaia
  4. Day 4 Veliko Tarnovo
  5. Day 5 To Sofia Relaxed Start
  6. Day 6 Sofia at Your Pace Relaxed Start
  7. Day 7 Skopje
  8. Day 8 Lake Ohrid and Tirana
  9. Day 9 Kotor and Dubrovnik
  10. Day 10 Dubrovnik Sightseeing Relaxed Start
  11. Day 11 Dubrovnik, Paradise on Earth Relaxed Start
  12. Day 12 Mostar and Sarajevo
  13. Day 13 Sarajevo, City of Culture
  14. Day 14 The Serbian Capital of Belgrade Relaxed Start
  15. Day 15 The Best of Belgrade Relaxed Start
  16. Day 16 Across to Budapest Relaxed Start
  17. Day 17 Budapest, Queen of the Danube
  18. Day 18 Depart Budapest
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

Number of tours

753

Age Range

5 to 99 years old

Response time

11 hours

Response rate

96%

When you travel with Insight Vacations every second is magical. You won’t...

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Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • Overall Rating
    Excellent
    4.4
  • Itinerary
    Excellent
    4.6
  • Guide
    Excellent
    4.2
  • Transport
    Excellent
    4.8
  • Accommodation
    Excellent
    4.5
  • Food
    Excellent
    4.2
  • 4.5
  • Most Recent
  • Most Popular
  • Highest First
  • Lowest First
  • WW
    · June 27th, 2022
    Excellent tour director, most hotels were 5 star, meals were very good, and sights and experience were great.
    Show more
    Trip date: June 2022
  • D
    · July 13th, 2019
    My 11th tour with Insight Vacations and by far one of the best. The attention to detail was amazing. Mario our TD and Dario our driver were 'the best'. Accomodation was first class. Overall an exceptional experience, even the border crossings
    Show more
    Insight Vacations commented on this review
    Thank you so much for sharing this with us. We are very happy to learn that you enjoyed every bit of your Insight Vacations experience; from our very knowledgeable and attentive staff to our wide-ranging itinerary. Most of all, we are extremely pleased... Show more
    Trip date: June 2019
  • RL
    · July 6th, 2019
    Good itinerary, accommodation, fellow travelers and driver. Worst ever guide!
    Show more
    Insight Vacations commented on this review
    Thank you for sharing this with us. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your overall experience with Insight Vacations. However, we acknowledge your observations in relation to your Travel Director which will be shared with our team for further... Show more
    Trip date: June 2019
  • GA
    · October 3rd, 2018
    Trip review Considering the places we visited, it was an ambitious one. I believe Bucharest is a very interesting city, which deserved more than 3 hours visit. And on top of it, the guide tour, was a very mediocre one, he just gave us the minimum info, thank God I have researched it and I was able to take a free walking tour on my own... no comparison. Many of us were very disappointed to flight to Bucharest just to sleep one night and continue without having a real idea of how the city looks like. You should tell us to flight 2 or 3 days prior to star the tour to see this interesting place. The Welcoming dinner at the Hilton Hotel left much to be desired, the dried and tough peace of chicken was uneatable. The Braşov dinner and entertainment for EUR 53 was a rip off, the ribs were burnt, I had to return them, and they did not have more, so I had to wait about 30 minutes to eat after everybody was already finished their meal. I expected real Romanian delicacies because they are really nice, not what they served there. The music was average and no dancing was performed. The hotel in Veliko Tărnovo was Ok considering the area but the bench where they put my suitcase had 3 nails and my loggage was damaged. The shower drainage in The bathroom at the Sofia Hilton Hotel was overflowing and had a hard time taking shower.
    Show more
    Insight Vacations commented on this review
    We are delighted to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed your overall experience on the road with us. However, we acknowledge your observations in regards to the accommodations and meals provided at certain destinations and also the itinerary. Rest assured... Show more
    Trip date: September 2018
  • WH
    · August 25th, 2018
    Overall excellent. Very nice group of people, without exception, who were fun to socialize with.
    Show more
    Insight Vacations commented on this review
    Thank you for informing us about the wonderful time you had on the Treasures of the Balkans trip. We are extremely proud to hear that our staff helped set the perfect tone for a memorable holiday. Similarly, we are very happy to learn that you enjoyed... Show more
    Trip date: August 2018
  • Treasures of the Balkans (Classic, 18 Days) reviewer 6
    · October 25th, 2013
    Came back on October 16th after a two day extension in Bucharest. All that I can say is the Treasures of the Balkans tour that my wife and I were involved with was excellent! Accommodations super ( lower quality in poorer areas) but in main centres fabulous. Dubrovnik was the highlight of the trip as well as the Rila Monastery and Pelee Castle in Sinai. Passing through the borders was a breeze with our competent tour director Louis and driver van. Can say nothing bad about those two. Both were courteous, professional, organized and ensured travellers interests and security throughout trip. Matter in fact, after crossing the border from Hungary to Serbia and waiting at the border station, one of our travellers became ill and collapsed. Both Louis and Ivan took control of the situation and an ambulance was immediately dispatched and arrived as soon as possible. Very impressed with the reaction. Louis ensured to keep travellers up to date with situation the following days. The only difficult thing was the long travelling on same days, particularly in Romania from Brasov to see Pelee Castle and Bran to see Vlad the Impalers castle. But understand it was the only day to see these highlights. It was nice having two day stopovers in most cities. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is interested in the post-communist lifestyle and who wants to witness the architecture, the churches, the mosques, the history of the area, the Turkish markets and how the area is rebuilding itself after the 90s civil aware that affected them. Albania was a real eye awakener.. the poverty yet people driving Mercedes. The farmers in the country still harvesting the crops like they did here in Canada 100 years ago. I have nothing but praise for this tour and its director and driver. Thank you for a great time and adventure!!
    Show more
    Trip date: September 2013

Dates & Availability

18 days
Treasures of the Balkans (Classic, 18 Days)
From Bucharest to Budapest

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Plan your adventure:

What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
  • S

    Sarah

    Asked on January 28th, 2024

    Prices for somebody traveling alone?

    Price / Availability
    Single supplement
    • Insight VacationsOperatorWritten January 2024

      We understand and apologize for the confusion. May we know the date you're planning to go so we can check the price and availability?

  • W

    Wayne

    Asked on May 20th, 2023

    On day 16 when does the tour group arrive in Budapest? Will there be enough time to book a river dinner cruise?

    Tour Details
    Travel Support
    • Insight VacationsOperatorWritten May 2023

      The time for arrival at the Budapest is approximately 4:00pm. The optional experiences are subject to availability and may change for any number of reasons. The Travel Director will provide a final list of optional experiences at the start of the trip.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Insight Vacations with your enquiry, they usually respond within 11 hours.

Good to Know

Tour ID: 93353

  • Currencies
    L
    Lek
    Albania
    KM
    Convertible Mark
    Bosnia
    лв.
    Bulgarian Lev
    Bulgaria
    kn
    Kuna
    Croatia
    Ft
    Forint
    Hungary
    ден
    Denar
    Macedonia
    Euro
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from New Zealand you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F.

    Type C
    Albania, Bosnia, Hungary, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro
    Type E
    Albania, Bosnia, Hungary, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro
    Type F
    Albania, Bosnia, Hungary, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for Albania and Romania. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania and Montenegro. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania and Montenegro. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an infected area for Albania. Ideally 10 days before travel.
    • Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Albania, Croatia and Hungary. Ideally 6 months before travel.
    • Tuberculosis - Recommended for Bosnia, Bulgaria and Romania. Ideally 3 months before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before August 20th, 2025 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after August 20th, 2025, a minimum payment of $300 is required to confirm your booking with Insight Vacations. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 65 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
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