11D ISLAMIC BALKAN STATES HERITAGE DISCOVERY WEU11B 26/Apr/2018 to 31/Dec/2018
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS SERBIA Belgrade - Kalamegdan Fortress and The House of Flowers BOSNIA Sarajevo - City Tour with Gazi Husref Beys Mosque Complex Mostar - Old Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasa Mosque MONTENEGRO Kotor - UNESCO "World Natural and Historical Heritage Site" Podgorica - City Tour ALBANIA Shkodra - Rozafa Castle Tirana - Mother Theresa Square and the Mosque of Et'them Bey Berat - The Mangalemi and Onufri Museum MACEDONIA Skopje - Stone Bridge and Mustafa Pasha Skopje Fortress and Turkish Bazaar Ohrid Samuel Castle and Roman Amphitheatre D1 SINGAPORE BELGRADE Assemble at Singapore Changi Airport for your flight to Belgrade Serbia.
D2 BELGRADE Upon arrival at Nicola Tesla International Airport in Belgrade, be greeted by local representative and embark on a city tour. Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia, is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. Start with a visit to Kalamegdan Fortress which was built as a defensive structure on a ridge overlooking the confluence of the Sava and the Danube rivers during the period from the 2nd to the 18th century. Today the fortress is a unique museum of the history of Belgrade. The complex is made up of the Fortress itself, divided into the Upper and Lower Town (Gornji/Donji Grad), and the Kalemegdan Park. The House of Flowers is the mausoleum of the leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito and his wife Jovanka Broz. Its name comes from the fact that many flowers surrounded the tomb until it was closed to the public after the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Today there are only white rocks where the flowers used to be. Dinner D3 BELGRADE SKOPJE After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive toward Skopje Macedonia. Skopje, the capital city of Macedonia was an important city for the Ottomans from the end of the 14th century. The Skopje of today retains that influence and is a thriving modern city. The largest Turkish bath in the Balkans is located here and is now an art museum. During your city tour we will visit the old Stone Bridge, Mother Theresa Memorial House, Mustafa Pasha Mosque, The Skopje Fortress which commonly referred to as Kale Fortress, or simply Kale the Turkish word for 'fortress', a historic fortress located in the old town and on the highest point in the city overlooking the Vardar River. The fortress is also depicted on the coat of arms of Skopje, which in turn is incorporated in the city's flag. We will also visit the old Turkish Bazaar and the National Museum. D4 SKOPJE OHRID From Skopje head towards Ohrid the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the eighth-largest city of Macedonia. The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments. In 1979 and in 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. In fact, Ohrid is one of only 28 sites that are part of UNESCO's World Heritage that are both Cultural and Natural sites. Visit the 11th century Samuel Castle, which commands a superb view of the whole lake, is also one of the largest medieval fortifications preserved on Macedonian soil. Other sights included are important ancient churches such as Kelment Church, Saint Sofia Church and the 2000 year old Roman Amphitheatre which is still in use. Later you have time at leisure to explore the city and shop.
D5 OHRID BERAT TIRANA Bid farewell to Macedonia and continue your scenic drive to Berat - Albania. Berat Castle is a fortress overlooking the town dates mainly from the 13th century and contains many Byzantine churches in the area and Ottoman mosques. Visit The Onufri National Museum of Icons which is located in the inhabited quarter of Berat Castle. Near the street which descends from the fortress is the Bachelors' Mosque, built in 1827 has an attractive portico and an interesting external decoration of flowers, plants, and houses. The King s Mosque, the oldest in the town built in the reign of Bayazid II (1481 1512), is notable for its fine ceiling. The Lead Mosque, built in 1555 and is so called from the covering of its cupola. The Halveti Teqe of 1790 has a porch and a carved and gilded ceiling. Near of tekke is purported to be the grave of Shabbatai Zevi, a Turkish Jew who had been banished to Dulcigno (present day Ulcinj) who created controversy among his followers upon his conversion to Islam. Depart Berat and continue to Tirana the capital of Albania. D6 TIRANA SHKODRA PODGORCIA Enjoy a walking tour of Tirana, where we will visit some important landmarks such as the City Square, Clock tower, Ethem Bej Mosque, Pyramid and Mother Teresa Square. North western of Albania is the town of Shkodra, a cultural center and one of Albania's oldest cities. After lunch view the ruins of Rozafa Castle, set on a hill high above the city before crossing the border into Montenegro and to the capital Podgorica. D7 PODGORICA BUDVA KOTOR MOSTAR Enjoy a drive along the spectacular Montenegrin coast passing by the city of Budva followed by a spectacularly steep road down to the Bay of Kotor, the deepest fjord in Southern Europe and the only fjord in the Mediterranean. Visit the old town of Kotor which is protected by UNESCO and one of the best preserved and most beautiful medieval fortified towns in the Mediterranean. The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon the patron and protector of the city, is built on the same site where an older church had already existed long ago. Later cross the Montenegrin Croatian border to Dubrovnik and onwards to Mostar Bosnia & Herzegovina.
D8 MOSTAR SARAJEVO Mostar is a city situated on the Neretva River is the fifth-largest city in the country. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers who in the medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva. The Old Bridge, built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's most recognizable landmarks, and is considered one of the most exemplary pieces of Islamic architecture in the Balkans. Explore the Old Bazaar and the cobbled old town that extends on both sides of the bridge and is filled with shops selling Oriental souvenirs. Some of the sights included are the 1618 Koski Mehmed Pasa Mosque with a commanding view of the Stari from its minaret. Within the mosque, lit by an immense chandelier plus natural light filtered through coloured glass, is some beautiful linear design work outlining the interior architectural shapes and mihrab. Continue to Sarajevo the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Included in your city tour of this capital is Stari Grad ("Old Town") the oldest and most historically significant part of Sarajevo. Visit Bascarsija Square with its Sebilj Fountain and Gazi Husrev Bey's Mosque Complex to view some of the important and the city s most remarkable monument from the Ottoman period. Lastly visit Latin Bridge - the place where World War One started. D9 SARAJEVO BELGRADE In the morning we will visit the Tunnel of Hope which was constructed during the Bosnian War as a means by which to link two Bosniak held territories that had been cut off by the Army of Republika Srpska. The tunnel provided a crudish way to supply Bosniak, Pakistani, and UN units in Sarajevo. It also allowed for communication between the Bosniak and Bosniakallied forces in Sarajevo and outside territories and it became a symbol of the city s struggle. Thereafter back to Belgrade Serbia via Zvornik for lunch. D10 BELGRADE SINGAPORE After breakfast, free at leisure till you transfer to the airport for your flight home. Breakfast
D11 ARRIVE SINGAPORE
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