Are you ready to get to know the real people, real stories, and authentic culture of the Balkans beyond the postcard images you see on social media? The "REAL BALKANS WITH SEYDİN KURTIŞ" tour offers you a groundbreaking journey with a guide who has grown up in the region, accompanying you like a friend who knows every street. In this experience where history, nature, food, music, and daily life intertwine, you will visit neighborhoods unreachable by crowded tour buses, local tables, and unforgettable stories.
Skopje Bazaar
Stone Bridge
Matka Canyon
Lake Ohrid
Prizren Fortress
Mostar Bridge
Sarajevo Baščaršija
Blagaj Tekke
Bay of Kotor
Seydin Kurtiş, with his mastery of both the history and the soul of the region, doesn’t just "show" you around; he tells you the background stories behind every step, the traces of war, the hope for peace, and the heritage left by cultures that have lived side by side for centuries. While wandering through streets still alive with Ottoman traces, you will hear the call to prayer from a mosque on one side and the bells from a church on the other; sometimes you will blend into the scent of a grandmother’s tarhana, and at other times, into the steam of freshly baked borek from a Bosnian bakery. During the journey, you will take breaks at local cafes, sharing the same table with the locals, feeling the difference of being seen as a "host" rather than just a "guest." This tour also includes not only museums and monuments but also leisurely seaside walks at sunset, serene coffee breaks by the lake, and the luxury of getting lost in narrow streets. You won’t rush while taking photos; you will have enough free time to find your inner rhythm in every city. By the end of the day, with anecdotes from Seydin, you will understand much better why the Balkans are referred to as a "melancholic yet warm" geography. "REAL BALKANS WITH SEYDİN KURTIŞ" is much more than a commercial tour program: it is a cultural journey designed for travelers who ask questions, seek to understand, and truly connect. If you want to not just see the Balkans, but also feel, smell, and listen to them, pack your curiosity in your suitcase and take your place on this journey. The greatest thing you will discover here is actually your own story.
✅ Pegasus Airlines scheduled flights with round-trip economy class airfare on the SAW-SKP/PRN-SAW route
✅ Airport taxes
✅ 6 nights accommodation in the specified or similar hotels
✅ Breakfasts included in the program
✅ Professional guiding services and an introduction to the region with Seydin Kurtiş
✅ 6 nights accommodation as specified in the program
✅ Intercity and city transportation by private tour bus
✅ City tours as specified in the program
✅ Airport - hotel - airport transfers
✅ Selected meals from the region's traditional Balkan cuisine and restaurant experiences
✅ Historical Ottoman heritage city tours (mosques, bazaars, castles, bridges)
✅ Opportunities to connect with locals through visits to local markets, bazaars, and villages
✅ Turkish guiding services
✅ Professional liability insurance (insurance arranged under the 1618 law)
❌ International exit fee
❌ Personal expenses (shopping, extra food and drinks)
❌ Travel insurance
❌ Optional tours and activities not included in the program
❌ Beverages during meals
❌ Personal transfers between airport and hotel (outside the program)
❌ Entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites not specified as included
❌ Meals not specified as included
❌ Extra tours
❌ All services not explicitly stated as included in the tour program
❌ Tips are optional
Comfortable walking shoes and season-appropriate clothing
Passport, ID, and necessary visa/travel documents
Travel insurance policy and emergency contact information
Cash in Euro, bank card, and small change for coins
Personal medications, basic first aid supplies, and hygiene products
Phone, camera, charger, and plug adapter
Small backpack, water bottle, and snacks
Passport, ID, and necessary visa/travel documents
Travel insurance policy and emergency contact information
Cash in Euro, bank card, and small change for coins
Personal medications, basic first aid supplies, and hygiene products
Phone, camera, charger, and plug adapter
Small backpack, water bottle, and snacks
⬟ July 14 - July 20, 2026 ⬟ August 18 - August 24, 2026 ⬟ September 18 - September 24, 2026
📍 Kalkan Delen Monastery 📍 Ohrid 📍 Tirana 📍 Shkodër 📍 Budva 📍 Motor (Kotor) 📍 Trebinje 📍 Medjugorje 📍 Mostar 📍 Sarajevo 📍 Belgrade 📍 Skopje 📍 Pristina 📍 Prizren
Day 1: ISTANBUL Q SKOPJE ð KALANDOL ð BITOLA ð OHRID MAY 11, 2026
Meeting at 07:00 in front of the Pegasus Airlines counter at the international departure terminal of Sabiha Gökçen Airport. After ticket, luggage, and passport procedures, we will fly to Skopje with Pegasus Airlines’ flight number PC 351, departing at 10:20. Arriving in Skopje at 10:45 local time. After passport and luggage procedures, we will move to Kalandol with our vehicle. Upon arrival in Kalandol, we will visit the Bektaşi Harabati Baba Tekkesi, established in the 16th century, and the architectural masterpiece Alaca Mosque. Afterwards, our journey will continue to Bitola. After a break at Mavrovo National Park along the way, we will arrive in Bitola. In Bitola, we will visit the Turkish Bazaar, Bedesten, Ishak Mosque, New Mosque, and emotional moments at the Military Secondary School where Atatürk graduated, and Atatürk Museum. At the end of our tour, we will arrive in Ohrid passing through Resne. After our arrival, transfer to our hotel and complete our check-in procedures and settle into our rooms. In the evening, we will have our dinner at a local restaurant with Macedonian music and dances, then return to our hotel. We will spend the night at our hotel in Ohrid. (B, D)
Day 2: OHRID ð ST. NAUM ð SHKODRA MAY 12, 2026
After breakfast at our hotel, we will complete our check-out procedures and set off for the St. Naum Tour. First, we will travel alongside the magnificent views by Lake Ohrid, and then we will arrive at the spring sources of St. Naum. After visiting the wonderful natural scenery and drinkable water sources, we will head back to Ohrid. During our Ohrid City Tour, we will visit St. Panteleymon, the most significant church in Ohrid during the Byzantine period, the Aya Sofya Church, still used for concerts today, the Roman amphitheater, Chinar Square, and Ohrid Halveti Tekke. After a lunch break, we will set off for Tirana, the capital of Albania. After a short journey, we will arrive at the border crossing with Albania, Kjafasan. After completing our passport and customs procedures, we will move toward Tirana. Not long after our arrival, we will begin our panoramic Tirana City Tour which will include Ethem Bey Mosque, the Clock Tower, Skanderbeg Square and Statue, and the Lana River. After the tour, we will go to Shkodra. Upon arrival in Shkodra, we will transfer to our hotel. After check-in, we will settle into our rooms. Dinner and overnight will be at our hotel in Shkodra. (B, L)
Day 3: SHKODRA ð BUDVA ð KOTOR ð TREBINJE ð MEDJUGORJE MAY 13, 2026
After breakfast at the hotel, we will check out and leave the hotel. After a short journey, we will arrive at the border of one of the youngest states in the world, Montenegro. After completing customs procedures at the border, we will have the opportunity to see the magnificent St. Stefan, which has been restored for tourism after it was expropriated from fishermen, from our bus window. Next, we will visit Budva, one of the most famous vacation centers in the Balkans with its breathtaking beaches and vibrant nightlife. During our walking panoramic Budva City Tour, we will see Stari Grad (the old town) and the fortress. Free time for lunch. We will leave at the time announced by the guide. Our next stop will be Kotor, which is known for its historical value, natural beauty, and tourist attraction. Here, we will conduct a walking panoramic Kotor City Tour, getting to know this charming town in Stari Grad (Old Town-Fortress). Afterward, we will travel via Trebinje to Medjugorje, which is deemed holy for Catholics, and to our hotel. Upon arrival, we will perform our check-in procedures and settle into our rooms. Dinner and overnight will be at our hotel in Medjugorje. (B, D)
Day 4: MEDJUGORJE ð POČITELJ ð BLAGAJ ð MOSTAR ð SARAJEVO MAY 14, 2026
After breakfast at our hotel, we will check out and head towards Sarajevo. Our first stop will be Počitelj, known as the Turkish Village, where we will see buildings from the 16th century preserved with all their historical charm. Then, we will move on to Blagaj and visit the Blagaj Dervish Monastery, the first tekke in Bosnia. After arrival, we will embark on a walking panoramic Mostar City Tour to see the Mostar Bridge. Built by Architect Hayreddin in 1566, this bridge is a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture. It was destroyed by Croatian artillery during the war between 1992 and 1995, and reconstructed in 2004 with significant contributions from the Republic of Turkey. Next, we will visit the Koska Mehmet Pasha Mosque. After the tour, we will move towards Sarajevo. We will start the Sarajevo City Tour. During our city tour, we will see important landmarks such as the Central Library, Inat Kuca, the Latin Bridge built in the Ottoman era, and the spot where Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife were assassinated, which caused the outbreak of World War I. We then head towards Baščaršija, the heart of the city. Our tour will include the Sebil, which is a tradition from the Ottoman Empire and the Sebil Square named after this fountain, continuing with the historic streets of Baščaršija. The historical sites we will see include the Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque, the Kurşunlu Medrese, and the Clock Tower. The tour will continue with the most popular avenue in the city, Ferhadija, showcasing buildings that reflect the Austrian-Hungarian Empire architecture, the Catholic Cathedral, Markale Market, and the covered market, ending at the Eternal Flame Monument, commemorating the victims of World War II. Dinner will be in a local restaurant, followed by free time for shopping or enjoying Turkish tea and Bosnian coffee in the historical ambiance of Moriça Han. After the tour, we will transfer to our hotel, complete our check-in procedures, and settle into our rooms. Overnight will be at our hotel in Sarajevo. (B, D)
Day 5: SARAJEVO ð BELGRADE MAY 15, 2026
After breakfast at our hotel, we will check out and leave the hotel. After the passport and customs procedures at the Serbian border, we will continue our journey. Upon arrival, we will begin our Belgrade City Tour. During our tour, we will see Dört Yol neighborhood, Bayraklı Mosque, Kalemegdan Park, Leopold Gate, Dungeon Gate, Despot Gate, and the magnificent view where the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers is located, Damat Ali Pasha Tomb, Clock Gate, and the Military Museum, as well as the Istanbul Gate and Karadjordjevic Gate. Our tour will culminate on Knez Mihailova Street, famous for its cafes and restaurants. At the end of the tour, we will transfer to our hotel, complete our check-in procedures, and settle into our rooms. Dinner and overnight will be at our hotel in Belgrade. (B, D)
Day 6: BELGRADE ð SKOPJE MAY 16, 2026
After breakfast at our hotel, we will check out and leave the hotel. After a break near the city of Niš, we will continue our journey towards Skopje after completing passport and customs procedures at the Macedonia border. Upon arrival, we will start our panoramic Skopje City Tour. In Skopje, the birthplace of our famous poet Yahya Kemal Beyatlı, we will see Sultan Murad Mosque, the Clock Tower, Isa Bey Mosque, Kuršumlija Han, Suli Han, the Double Bath, Kapan Han, and Davut Pasha Hamam, along with the Philip II statue. We will arrive at Macedonia Square after crossing the Stone Bridge, where we will see the statue of Alexander the Great. After the tour, we will transfer to our hotel, complete our check-in procedures, and settle into our rooms. Dinner will be at a local restaurant, followed by free time. Overnight will be at our hotel in Skopje. (B, D)
Day 7: SKOPJE ð PRISTINA ð PRIZREN MAY 17, 2026
After breakfast at our hotel, we will complete our check-out procedures and leave the hotel. After a short journey, we will visit the tomb and museum of Murad I Hüdavendigâr, the Ottoman Sultan who was martyred on the Kosovo Plain in the Battle of Kosovo of 1389. After these visits, we will move towards Prizren, which gives the impression of a typical Anatolian city with its architectural silhouette, sounds of the call to prayer rising from its minarets, and Turkish signs on the streets and shops. Upon arrival, we will conduct a panoramic Prizren City Tour, where we will see some historical sites including Sinan Pasha Mosque, Halveti Tekke, Bayraklı Mosque, and Mehmet Pasha Hamam. At the end of the tour, we will have free time. At the time set by the guide, we will head to Pristina airport. After completing ticket, luggage, and passport procedures, we will fly to Istanbul with Pegasus Airlines' flight number PC 344, departing at 20:05. We will arrive at Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 22:10 local time, ending our tour. We look forward to meeting you on our next enjoyable trip. (B)