Summary : Fantastic Fam Trip to Balkan and European countries for you to experience it by the first hand. If you are planning to explore Europe and Balkan countries in a combined country tour, then this Fam Trip is just for you. We designed our Fam Trip Program for only travel agencies and tour operators who want to promote these 5 different countries and more than 10 Europe and Balkan cities as listed above. This exclusive tour is consisted of Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Northern Macedonia, Albania, with an exciting itinerary to let you enjoy the Adriatic coast and the Balkans entirely where you will also get to see Aegean Region and experience a journey through Greece. With this Fam Trip, you will witness and enjoy 5 different cultural background, 5 different historical sceneries, 5 different culinary and cuisine along the way. This Combined Fam Trip Program is a great opportunity for travel agencies and operators to get to experience Balkans and Europe closely as multi-destinations.

Route : 5 different countries and more than 10 destinations combined, including Istanbul - Turkey - Plovdiv - Sofia - Sandaski - Melnik - Bulgaria - Thessaloniki - Vergina - Thermopylae - Athens - Kalambaka - Greece- Ohrid - Northern Macedonia - Tirana - Albania

Day 1 – Istanbul - Arrival Day - ( 07 Nov 2022, Monday)
Dinner Included

Welcome to Istanbul! Upon your arrival at Istanbul Airport / Sabiha Gokcen Airport our representative will meet you at the international arrivals exit gate, at a designated area and transfer to your hotel. You will be given your room key and the rest of the day is yours to explore Istanbul. There are two airports in Istanbul. Istanbul New Airport is 50 km away from the city center and Sabiha Gokcen airport is 55 km away from city center. Please note that; Our arrival airport transfer services will be available between 07:00am to 22:00pm from Istanbul Airport.

Day 2 - Istanbul City Tour - ( 08 Nov 2022, Tuesday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

Pick up at 08:30am from your hotel for daily tour of old Istanbul city. Hagia Sophia Mosque, formerly known as the Church of Divine Wisdom, is simply the best of its kind which is the greatest surviving example of Byzantine Architecture! When it was built, the temple itself was so rich and artistically ornamented that the Roman Emperor Justinianus proclaimed it as his greatest masterpiece. SULTANAHMET IMPERIAL MOSQUE Across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is known as the BLUE MOSQUE because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. HIPPODROME Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. Lunch break at 13:00pm after the lunch Murtis Tour will then take you to the GRAND SPICE BAZAAR for Shopping and After shopping, come back to Hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 3 - Private Istanbul Bosporus Cruise and Half Day Conference - ( 09 Nov 2022, Wednesday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

Pickup time is about 08:30 am. (Approximately) from your hotel. We will take you to the Bosphorus Cruise, through the water way separating the two continents, Europe and Asia, with a possibility to take photographs of marble palaces, ancient wooden villas of Ottoman architecture besides modern residential and luxurious apartments. Rumeli Fortress (from the boat – no interior visit), historical armament built by the Conqueror to control and protect the Bosphorus. A unique example of military architecture. Lunch at around 13:00 pm. After lunch, there will be Half Day Conference and presentations about Travel Shop Turkey Programs. Overnight in Istanbul. -The boat trip is operated depending on weather conditions. The local cruise boats are with standard conditions and should not be considered of high quality deluxe boats, but rather daily operational boats to introduce you the Bosporus. Drinks are available on the boat at an extra charge.

Day 4 - Turkey - Istanbul - Plovdiv - Bulgaria - ( 10 Nov 2022, Thursday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

After breakfast check out from the hotel and depart for Bulgaria. Arrival in Plovdiv around noon. In Bulgaria, check in to hotel and rest of day is yours. Explore Plovdiv city, shop in the local markets, or enjoy many big party or games in Casinos. Overnight in Plovdiv.

Day 5 - Bulgaria - Plovdiv - Sofia - ( 11 Nov 2022, Friday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

Departure for Sofia. Guided sightseeing tour of the city center, including visit to Alexander Nevski Cathedral - one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in Europe, as well as one of Sofia’s symbols and a primary tourist attraction; St. George Rotunda, St. Sophia Church, built by the Roman Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, National Theatre, former Royal Palace, today housing the National Revival Art Gallery and the Ethnographic Museum, Presidency, etc. Dinner at a traditional restaurant with folklore music and dances. Overnight in Sofia.

Day 6 - Sofia - Bulgaria – Thessaloniki – Greece - ( 12 Nov 2022, Saturday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

Drive to Thessaloniki, after breakfast. Arrival at Greece around noon. It is your free day to explore and enjoy Thessaloniki on your own. Depending on the time of arrival, you can spend the day walking around, doing the shopping or relaxing in one of many cafeterias or Taverns in Thessaloniki down town. Thessaloniki (520 km. north of Athens) is the second largest city of Greece and the most important center of the area. Built near the sea (at the back of the Thermaïkos Gulf), it is a modern metropolis bearing the marks of its stormy history and its cosmopolitan character, which give it a special beauty and charm. Thessaloniki, with its host of Byzantine monuments (due to its significance during the Byzantine period), justifiably is considered an open-air museum of Byzantine art. Dinner and Overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 7 – Thessaloniki - Athens - ( 13 Nov 2022, Sunday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

After breakfast, drive to Athens. The day will be at your leisure. Dinner and overnight at hotel. Overnight in Athens.

Day 8 – Athens - Greece - ( 14 Nov 2022, Monday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

Today we will do a full day Athens city tour starting with a visit to Acropolis, Parthenon, Olympic Stadium, Olympian Zeus Temple, Lycabettus Hill and Greek Ancient Market. Lunch and shopping afterwards at Syntagma Square, Monastiraki. Back to hotel, Dinner and overnight at hotel. Overnight in Athens.

Day 9 - Athens – Kalambaka – Greece - ( 15 Nov 2022, Tuesday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, drive to Vergina, the most important remains of the monumental palace of the Kingdom of Macedonia, lavishly decorated with mosaics and painted stuccoes and the burial ground with more than 300 tombs some of which date from the 11th century B.C. One of the royal tombs is identified as that of Philip II, who conquered all the Greek cities, paving the way for his son Alexander and the expansion of the Hellenistic world. Lunch will be offered at a local restaurant in Vergina. After lunch, drive to Kalambaka. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Kalambaka.

Day 10 – Kalambaka - Greece – Ohrid – Macedonia - ( 16 Nov 2022, Wednesday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

After breakfast, depart on a half day tour of Meteora. Meteora is a monumental rock formation that hosts one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, built atop towering natural rock pillars. After time for lunch (not included), drive to Ohrid, Macedonia where you will check in and enjoy dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Ohrid.

Day 11 – Ohrid - Macedonia – Tirana - Albania - ( 17 Nov 2022, Thursday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

After breakfast, we depart for Ohrid for a half day city tour to include Hadzi Turgut Mosque/ Krst Dazmija. The Haji Turgut Mosque was built in 1466 by the Turkish Empire and is believed to be the oldest mosque in town. It was built on the former site of the St. Kyriakia church. The legend says that the minaret of the mosque had collapsed several times until the Turks left the original cross on the top of the building. Sightseeing also includes Old Bazaar and Zeynel Abidin Pasha Tekke. Ohrid is an UNESCO City with beautiful landscapes, Byzantine frescoes and icons of traditional architecture. After lunch, we drive to Tirana. Dinner at hotel. Overnight in Tirana, Albania.

Day 12 – Tirana - End of Tour – ( 18 Nov 2022, Friday)
Breakfast Included

Breakfast at hotel. Check-out the hotel. Departure to the airport. We hope this was a memorable tour for you and looking forward to see you again on another tour of ours. Thank you for joining us.