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Map of Premium Dubrovnik to Bucharest including Bosnia And Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania and Serbia

Behind the scenes and beyond the crowds in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Romania

Discover the beauty and history of the Balkans on this 19-day tour that travels from Dubrovnik in Croatia through Bosnia and Herzegovina and onto the lively nightlife of Belgrade in Serbia, through the heart of Transylvania and on to Bucharest. Along the way you’ll sample excellent wines, learn about the war years, stop by the famed Old Bridge of Mostar, discover Tara National Park’s spectacular scenery, and traverse medieval fortresses and fairytale castles. This tour combines battle zones, mountain scenery, bunkers and bars and melds the past with the present, the historic with the euphoric, to create an adventure that ticks all of the boxes.

Start
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Finish
Bucharest, Romania
Destinations
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania, Serbia
Style
Premium
Theme
Explorer
Code
ZMPBC
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

premium accommodation

Our best accommodation and highest level of service.

premium experiences

Unusual, exceptional and authentic on-trip experiences.

premium knowledge

Led by our most experienced and highest rated local leaders.

  • Take a scenic steam train ride through Tara National Park’s forests and mountains on a historic railway that forms part of the famous Ciro trail connecting Belgrade and the Adriatic Sea, a Premium Exclusive Experience.

  • Explore Balkan history, discovering Saxon villages with fairytale scenery, mideivel Old Towns with pretty market squares, and Orthodox monasteries where you'll taste the famous Tvrdos wine made by its monks.

  • Stay in 2 Premium Feature Stays to connect with local culture: an Ethno Village created by a famed Serbian film maker, and a bucolic Romanian mansion in the countryside.

  • Dive deep into one of the oldest salt mines in Europe, in use for about 2,000 years. Spanning more than 43 kilometers Turda Salt Mine contains a huge array of attractions - from an amusement park to a contemporary art museum to an underground lake.

  • Tour one of the best-kept secrets in former Yugoslavia, Tito's nuclear bunker, which was built to protect Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito and his top military advisors.

Is this trip right for you?

  • This trip is new to our range this year. And while we have thoroughly researched every detail of the logistics, new destinations and working with new partners can sometimes throw us some unexpected surprises. More often than not, it’ll be a great surprise. But every now and again there might be a hiccup. We like to think that’s what puts the ‘adventure’ in ‘adventure travel’.

  • This trip spends limited time in Dubrovnik at the start of the trip. You may want to consider arriving a few days earlier to make sure you are not missing out on everything that Dubrovnik has to offer.

  • Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C). It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

  • Many of the wonderful cities and sites of this trip are explored on foot. Please ensure you bring sturdy walking shoes and comfortable clothes, plus suitable luggage for navigating cobblestone streets.

  • There are some long drives on this trip so bring along headphones and your favourites tunes or use this time to go through your photographs. Or you can simply sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery.

Female traveller looking out onto landscape of Tara National Park, Croatia
Surrounding blue waters and houseboats of Tara National Park, Croatia
View of Trebinje City from across the water, Bosnia
Learn how to make the traditional dish of Sogan Dolma at a Bosnian cooking class
Aerial view of the old town of Dubrovnik and its architecture
Couple trying wine on a wine cellar tour, Azuga, Romania
Houses in old Malancrav Village, Romania
The view of Corvins Castle in Hunedoara, Romania

Itinerary
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Dobro Dosli! Welcome to Croatia – the undisputed jewel of the Dalmatian Coast. On arrival, you will be collected from the airport and transferred to your hotel. If you arrive early, you may like to head out and explore Dubrovnik’s old town which is surrounded entirely by city walls and easily covered on foot. Although Dubrovnik experienced devastation during the war in the early 1990s, the restored old town remains as charming as ever. There are many monuments to explore in the city proper, including the 15th century Rector's Palace, monasteries with cloistered gardens, and fine baroque churches with copper domes. After your welcome meeting this evening, join your leader and fellow travellers for dinner at a local restaurant showcasing Croatia’s traditional cuisine.
Accommodation
  • Grand Hotel Park or similar (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Dubrovnik - Discover Game of Thrones Filming Locations Urban Adventure - EUR69
  • Dubrovnik - Hike up Mt Srd - Free
  • Dubrovnik - Dubrovnik Card (1 day local transport & entry to sites) - EUR35
  • Dubrovnik - Mt Srd Museum of Croatian War of Independence - EUR4
  • Dubrovnik - Lokrum Island Boat Trip - EUR27
  • Dubrovnik - War Photography Museum - EUR10
  • Dubrovnik - Rector's Palace - EUR13
  • Dubrovnik - Mt Srd Cable Car - EUR27
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

The arrival transfer is only valid if arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-trip accommodation through Intrepid. Please provide your flight details at the time of booking, or at a minimum 14 days prior to travel, as we may not be able to confirm a request made within 14 days of travel.

After breakfast, drive from your hotel to the Konavle region south of Dubrovnik. The region is known as the Golden Valley of Dubrovnik as it has the most fertile grounds in the area and is filled with vineyards and fruit trees. Visit the small town of Cavtat with its beautiful architecture, ancient history and pebble beaches. After exploring the town, you’ll head further into the Konavle region for a traditional ‘peka’ lunch featuring lamb and other meats cooked under an iron bell. No meal in this region is complete without a glass of Croatian wine, so toast your hearty meal with a glass of Grk or Plavac Mali local wine. On your return to Dubrovnik, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy your way, perhaps with a walk around the city walls or a swim in the sparkling Adriatic Sea.
Accommodation
  • Grand Hotel Park or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Dubrovnik - Cavtat Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Today you’ll cross the border and travel into Bosnia & Herzegovina, stopping at several beautiful destinations in the Herzegovina region along the way. Your first stop is Trebinje where you’ll join your leader for a walking tour that takes in the compact Old Town and its pretty market square, followed by a stop at an Orthodox monastery to taste the famous Tvrdos wine. After you’ve quenched your thirst, your trip continues to Stolac where you may like to join your leader for a walk to visit the old medieval fortress high on the hill. After you’ve explored the sights of Stolac, you’ll arrive in Mostar in an hour. Here you’ll join an expert local guide for a guided tour around town that reveals why there is such a strong connection between the locals and coffee.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Eden or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Mostar - Guided Tour with Coffee Experience
  • Stolac - Town Visit
  • Trebinje - Tvrdos Monastery Wine Tasting
  • Trebinje - Walking Tour
Optional Activities
  • Mostar - Old Bridge Museum - EUR5
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 6 hours.

Leave Mostar and travel towards Sarajevo, but not without a stop at Konjic where you’ll discover one of the best-kept secrets in former Yugoslavia, Tito's nuclear bunker. The military bunker was built to protect Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito and hundreds of his top military personnel and has only recently opened to the public. Go back in time on a guided tour of the bunker and learn about Yugoslav history and how life used to be in not-so-distant past. After touring the bunker, continue to Sarajevo and settle into your hotel before heading out to explore the city with an expert local guide. Tonight you may like to join your group for dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Festival or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Konjic - Tito`s Bunker Tour
  • Sarajevo - Walking Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 2.5 hours.

Today is yours to explore your way. Taste your way through the market stalls of Bascarsija, visit one of the museums dedicated to the Yugoslav war or perhaps take a cable car up Trebevic mountain to enjoy magnificent views over the city. You’ll finish the day with a memorable home-cooked meal shared with your hosts Mustafa and Mersiha who proudly claim their kitchen has the best view over Sarajevo. Your night begins learning how Bosnian pita is made before a hearty meal of sogan dolma (stuffed onions) and dolam (stuffed paprika). Of course, you’ll get to try the freshly made pita too.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Festival or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Sarajevo - Cooking Demo and Home-made Dinner
Optional Activities
  • Sarajevo - National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina - BAM8
  • Sarajevo - Sarajevo Museum - BAM10
  • Sarajevo - War Tunnel - BAM10
  • Sarajevo - Trebević Mountain Cable Car - BAM20
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Today you’ll travel onwards to Serbia with a stop in the small town of Višegrad where a magnificent 16th-century bridge dominates the horizon and provided the inspiration for the Nobel Prize winning literary work, The Bridge on the Drina. From Višegrad, you’ll cross the border into Serbia and continue your journey to Tara National Park. Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular destinations in the country, Tara National Park is home to the world’s third largest river canyon and filled with forested slopes and dramatic ravines. Tonight you’ll bed down in Mećavnik in your Feature Stay, a traditional village that Serbian film director Emir Kusturica built for his film Life Is a Miracle. Explore the village before joining your group for a traditional dinner to celebrate your first night in Serbia.
Accommodation
  • Mecavik Drvengrad (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Višegrad - Town Visit
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is 6.5 hours.

This morning you'll take an easy two hour hike through Tara National Park followed by a scenic steam train ride through the park’s forest and mountains. This section of the railway is part of the famous Ciro trail that connects Belgrade and the Adriatic Sea. Rattle along the tracks as the narrow gauge engine and historic carriages takes you through the jaw dropping scenery, with four stops along the way so passengers can take photos of the incredible views. After spending a half day exploring Tara National Park on foot and riding the rails, settle back for the four hour drive to Belgrade where you’ll check into your hotel and enjoy a leisurely evening after a long day of travel.
Accommodation
  • Royal Inn Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Tara National Park - Hike
  • Tara National Park - Steam Train
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is 4 hours.

Start your day with a guided walking tour and discover all that Belgrade has to offer including Republic Square, Knez Mihailova Street which is lined with historic buildings and Kalemegdan Park and the Belgrade Fortress where the Danube and Sava Rivers meet. Immerse yourself in the town’s rich history and perhaps ask your local guide for suggestions on where to experience the best night life in the Balkans as Belgrade is known for its party scene. This afternoon is yours to explore your way, perhaps with a visit to the city market or Nikola Tesla Museum or by catching a trolleybus to Zemun - a bohemian, village like neighbourhood that’s known for its cafes and fish restaurants along the riverside promenade. This evening, join your group for a traditional dinner in the bohemian Skadarska quarter to celebrate the penultimate night of your trip.
Accommodation
  • Royal Inn Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Belgrade - Walking Tour
Optional Activities
  • Belgrade - House of Flowers - RSD400
  • Belgrade - Saint Sava Temple - Free
  • Belgrade - Nikola Tesla Museum - RSD800
  • Belgrade - Military Museum - RSD350
  • Belgrade - Ethnographic Museum - RSD300
  • Belgrade - Danube River Cruise - RSD800
  • Belgrade - National Museum - RSD300
  • Belgrade - Belgrade Fortress - Free
  • Belgrade - Museum of Yugoslav History - RSD400
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Spend a free day in Belgrade. You may like to check out the city’s many museums, including the one dedicated to Nikola Tesla, the Serbian-American inventor known for transforming our understanding of electricity. If you fancy a caffeine fix, grab a Turkish coffee at a kafana – traditional coffee houses dating back to the Ottoman era. Tonight you’ll meet your local leader and any new travellers joining you for the next leg of your adventure at 6 pm. After the meeting, you’ll join the group for dinner at one of the city’s fantastic local restaurants and learn about Serbian produce and cuisine.
Accommodation
  • Royal Inn or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
As this is a combination trip, your group leader and the composition of your group will likely change at this location. There will be a group meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary. We suggest you attend, as this is also a great chance to meet your new fellow travellers. It’s important that you attend the welcome meeting as your new group leader will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

This morning you’ll travel by private vehicle to Timisoara, crossing the Serbia-Romania border en route. Timisoara is a pretty park-filled city with a remarkable past. It was here that an uprising of local people sparked the Romanian Revolution in 1989, which saw the fall of the country’s Communist regime – reflecting the broader political change seen across Eastern Europe at the time. On a guided walking tour you’ll take in some of Timisoara’s most significant sights – including the grand and aptly named Victory, Liberty and Union Squares – and learn more about the city’s history.
Accommodation
  • Old Town Hotel Timisoara or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Timisoara - City Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Today you’ll make your way to Sibiu, stopping on the way to visit the striking Hunedoara Castle (also known as Corvin Castle). The Gothic-Renaissance building looks like a cross between Hogwarts and something from a German fairy tale, with a huge drawbridge and a cluster of cloud-piercing turrets – you’ll learn more about its history, plus a few hair-raising myths, on a guided tour.

Upon arrival in Sibiu, you’ll get acquainted with the city’s cobbled streets and historic squares on a guided walking tour. Sibiu is something of a cultural heavyweight, known for its creative, bohemian atmosphere, rich history and eye-catching architecture. Explore what remains of the city’s medieval walls and towers, cross the legend-shrouded Bridge of Lies and take in the grandeur of Brukenthal National Museum, comprising numerous ornate palaces.
Accommodation
  • Continental Forum Sibiu or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Sibiu - Evening Walking Tour
  • Hunedoara - Castle Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

This morning you’ll head to the outskirts of the city to explore ASTRA Village Museum. Set across 96 acres surrounding a sparkling lake, this open air living museum seeks to preserve, showcase and celebrate Romanian folk culture and traditional ways of life. Wander the grounds to discover reconstructed old dwellings, windmills and workshops and learn how Romanian people of centuries past grew food, raised families and made a living.

The afternoon is yours to explore. You could gaze at the incredible interiors and towering dome of the Orthodox Cathedral, or admire the slightly less imposing (but equally magnificent) Gothic Lutheran church. Alternatively, grab a covrigi (a tasty Romanian pretzel), wander the old town and snap photos of the colourful, Wes Anderson-style architecture.
Accommodation
  • Continental Forum Sibiu or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Sibiu - ASTRA Village Museum
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Depart Sibiu and head to Alba Lulia, one of the oldest cities in Romania. It is home to an 18th-century citadel with a history that dates back to Roman times. Shaped like a seven-point star, the fortress features a collection of ornate gates and vantage points, as well as numerous museums and cafes. Wander the cobbled streets with an expert guide to hear more about what went on within these ancient walls over the last two millennia.

Next, take a drive into the Trascău Mountains to reach Coltesti and check in to Szekler Mansion, your exclusive feature stay. Freshen up in your room – decked out with local textiles and hand-painted decorative furniture – before enjoying a traditional dinner, which could feature hearty bowls of borsch or goulash, locally-made cheese and sarmale (smoky, meat-filled cabbage rolls).
Accommodation
  • Szekler Mansion (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Alba Lulia - Citadel Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Prepare for an unforgettable underground experience as you make your way to Turda Salt Mine. The gargantuan subterranean space was renovated and opened to the public in the early 1990s and resembles an alien planet or a Bond villain’s lair. Don’t forget to pack a sweatshirt – it gets chilly 119 metres down. Once you resurface, you’ll discover plenty of choices when it comes to your optional lunch – including a nearby winery.

This afternoon, travel to Unesco-listed Sighisoara – your home for the next two nights, and birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the historical figure and inspiration behind Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Accommodation
  • Fronius Residence or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Turda - Salt Mines Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

This morning, explore the colourful streets of Sighisoara’s old town on a guided walk. You’ll visit the 14th-century Clock Tower that dominates the skyline (and offers 360 views from the top), and climb the 176 creaking covered steps that connect the upper and lower parts of town to reach the so-called Church on the Hill.

Drive to Malancrav to share lunch in a bucolic setting. The Saxon village was once owned by one family, the Apafis, and populated with German farmers. Highlights here include Apafi Mansion and a 14th-century church with the largest Gothic fresco in Transylvania. After your meal you’ll swing by the neighbouring World Heritage site of Biertan and its spectacular fortified church before heading to Medias – known for its medieval fortifications and wine (‘Golden Mediasch’ is even mentioned in the novel Dracula). Enjoy some free time before making your way back to Sighisoara for the evening.
Accommodation
  • Fronius Residence or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Malancrav - Village Stop
  • Medias - Town Stop
  • Biertan - Town Stop
  • Sighisoara - Walking Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

After breakfast you’ll make your way to Brasov, making a pitstop at hilltop Rupea Fortress. The restored citadel’s steep and rocky pathways spiral up to the highest point, offering broad sweeping views over the surrounding green fields. Next, you'll visit Bran Castle, perhaps Romania’s most famous attraction, given its associations with the tale of Count Dracula. Vampire myths aside (it was never actually host to Vlad the Impaler or Bram Stoker) the forested surroundings and lofty location of this 14th-century castle will have you hypnotised. This evening you’ll reach Brasov and will enjoy dinner together at a quality local restaurant.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Ambient or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Rupea - Fortress Stop
  • Bran Castle - Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Your tour of Romanian castles continues with Peles, but this one is somewhat more modern. Built in the late 19th century, the neo-Renaissance creation is even more extravagant on the inside than it is on the outside. Return to Brasov, and in the afternoon join your guide for a guided walking tour to learn about the city’s most notable sights – including what’s left of the old medieval fortifications, the Black Church that was charred in the Great Fire of 1689 but since restored, and the wedge-shaped Council Square, lined with historic buildings. By now you’ll have spotted the fact that Brasov has its own Hollywood-style sign, perched high on the slopes of Mount Tampa. Ridd a cable car ride to the top, where you’ll enjoy sensational views of the town below. The journey only takes a few minutes – but if you’d prefer to hike up or down, the steep journey takes around an hour each way.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Ambient or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Mount Tampa - Cable Car
  • Brasov - Walking Tour
  • Peles - Castle Visit
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Enjoy a free morning in Brasov. Perhaps seek out tiny String Street, which is 44 inches at its narrowest point or indulge in some Romanian sweet treats such as kurtoskalacs, a cinnamon-sprinkled delight known as chimney cake, or papanasi, a sweet cream doughnut topped with blueberry jam. Depart the city and head for lunch in the Prahova Valley, where you’ll tour a local winery – known for its sparkling rose – in the mountain town of Azuga. Hit the road one last time, reaching Bucharest in the late afternoon.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Capitol or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Azuga - Winery Tour and Tasting with Lunch
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you’d like to spend some more time in Bucharest, let us know in advance – we would be happy to organise additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

18 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 7 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle, Train

Accommodation

Comfortable hotel (15 nights), Feature Stay (3 nights)

Included activities

  • Dubrovnik - Cavtat Tour
  • Mostar - Guided Tour with Coffee Experience
  • Stolac - Town Visit
  • Trebinje - Tvrdos Monastery Wine Tasting
  • Trebinje - Walking Tour
  • Konjic - Tito`s Bunker Tour
  • Sarajevo - Walking Tour
  • Sarajevo - Cooking Demo and Home-made Dinner
  • Višegrad - Town Visit
  • Tara National Park - Hike
  • Tara National Park - Steam Train
  • Belgrade - Walking Tour
  • Timisoara - City Tour
  • Sibiu - Evening Walking Tour
  • Hunedoara - Castle Tour
  • Sibiu - ASTRA Village Museum
  • Alba Lulia - Citadel Tour
  • Turda - Salt Mines Tour
  • Malancrav - Village Stop
  • Medias - Town Stop
  • Biertan - Town Stop
  • Sighisoara - Walking Tour
  • Rupea - Fortress Stop
  • Bran Castle - Tour
  • Mount Tampa - Cable Car
  • Brasov - Walking Tour
  • Peles - Castle Visit
  • Azuga - Winery Tour and Tasting with Lunch

Premium Inclusions

  • Arrival airport transfer
  • Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
  • Luggage transfer
  • Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
  • 24/7 on-ground support

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Premium Dubrovnik to Bucharest trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

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Important notes

1. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

Essential trip information

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