Depart From: Depart from individual departure cities for overnight flight to Albania.

Afternoon: Program Arrival and Orientation: Arrive in Tirana, meet you Study Leader and transfer to the hotel. Check-in to the hotel and rest before an early evening orientation led by your Study Leader. Meet your fellow participants, and learn about customs, currency and logistics on this multi-country program.

Dinner: Wine and local specialties will be served during dinner.

Lodging: Sheraton Hotel Tirana

Meals Included: Dinner

Note: Afternoon: Walking for up to 2 hours whilst visiting the museum, steps to first floor and steps to main entrance of the museum.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Presentation "Albania from Closed Country to Open Borders": Led by a local expert, learn about the recent political history of this interesting country. Following the presentation, meet students living in Tirana. Enjoy this chance to talk to young Albanians about life in their country.

Lunch: Enjoy lunch in town.

Afternoon: Field Trip "History of Tirana": Visit the National History Museum, followed by a panoramic city tour of Tirana: explore the Urae Tabakeve Bridge, the Mosque of Etem Bej, the Clock Tower and the tomb of Sulejman Pasha.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: Performance "Albanian Folklore": This evening enjoy learning about Albanian folklore through a performance accompanied by lively music.

Lodging: Sheraton Hotel Tirana

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Morning: Walking for up to 2 hours and 30 minutes whilst visiting the museum, steep approach to the castle, steps to first floor and steps to main entrance of the castle.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Travel to Kruja, the hometown of Albania’s national hero, Gjerg Castrioti, widely known as "Skanderbeg". Skanderbeg is known for his stoic defense of what is now Albania agains the Ottoman armies. Visit the 13th century castle which Skanderbeg's army successfully defended from the Ottomans for 35 years.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Afternoon at leisure to explore Tirana or simply consolidate your thoughts and relax.

Dinner: Dinner on your own to explore local flavors.

Lodging: Sheraton Hotel Tirana

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: Morning: Walking for up to 30 minutes whilst visiting the church and Roman theatre in Durres, some steps to main entrance and inside. Afternoon: Walking for up to 15 minutes in Elbasan and in Struga on the shores of Lake Ohrid before arriving at the hotel in Ohrid.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Transit to Ohrid and Field Trip "Travel Along the Via Egnatia": This morning we transit from Tirana to Ohrid by coach. We first visit Durres, the most ancient city in Albania, once a major naval and military base of the Roman Empire at the most western end of Via Egnatia linking Rome and Constantinople. Here we visit the remains of the Roman Theater that could accommodate 15,000 spectators in its heyday. Following the 2000 year old road, Via Egnatia, we will visit Elbasan (site of the ancient city of Skampa) and take a leisurely stroll around its ramparts.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant in Elbasan.

Afternoon: Presentation "Ancient Civilizations from the Adriatic to the Aegean" and Field Trip "A Walk through Struga": As you continue the drive to Ohrid, enjoy a presentation led by your Study Leader about the peoples who inhabited these regions throughout history. Cross the border into Macedonia near Qaf Thanne and stop in Struga on the shores of Lake Ohrid before arriving at the hotel in Ohrid.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Royal View Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Morning: Predominantly flat and downhill walking and standing for up to 3 hours whilst visiting the Old Town, uneven cobbled surfaces, steps inside the Citadel, some steps to main entrance of churches and the Cathedral.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Presentation "The Life of the Balkan People" and Field Trip "Ohrid Ancient City of Natural Beauty": This morning, enjoy a presentation led by your local expert about everyday life and cultural history of the Blakan People. Then, enjoy a morning walking tour of Ohrid to see the Old Town. Visit Tzar Samuil Fortress and the gallery of icons, the Church of Holy Mother of God Perivleptos, the first Slavic University, the Antique Theatre and St. Sofija Cathedral. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of only 28 sites to be listed for both Cultural Heritage and Natural Beauty.

Lunch: Enjoy snack lunch at a local family home.

Afternoon: Presentation "Education in Macedonia": Walk through the streets of beautiful Ohrid to the nearby Ohrid University to for a presentation and discussion with a local professor. Learn about the role and the system of education in Macedonia before returning to the hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Royal View Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Morning: Walking for up to 45 minutes downhill from the bus to the prehisoric site. Some walking and standing for approximately one hour while visiting the Monastery of St. Noam. Walking up steps to main entrance of the monastery. Afternoon: Walking for up to ten minutes each way from the coach through the campus of the folklore group on cobbled streets and uneven surfaces.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Field Trip "Discovering Prehistory": Enjoy a morning trip around Lake Ohrid where you will see the prehistoric settlement at Gradishte mentioned by Herodotus in this Fifth Book of Histories. Continue to the monastery dedicated to St. Naum, the disciple of Cyril and Methodius. The monastery dates back to the year AD900.

Lunch: Enjoy lunch on your own to explore local flavors.

Afternoon: After lunch, rejoin the group and be part of a presentation called "Folk Traditions and Heritage" at the campus of a local folklore group. See the traditional dances and costumes and have the chance to interact with the young dancers.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Royal View Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Transfer from Ohrid to Edessa along Via Egnatia. Visit Bitola, Heraclea Lyncestis & Edessa.

Note: Morning: Walking for up to 2 hours and standing whilst visiting the museum, steps to first floor and steps to main entrance of the museum, flat walking through the centre of town to the restaurant. Afternoon: Walking and standing for up to 2 hours whilst visiting the archaeological site, uneven terrain, dirt path. Throughout: Riding in coach bus along route between Ohrid and Edessa with time to stop and stretch your legs at historic and interesting sites.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Presentation "Alexander and Phillip: Father and Son" and Field Trip "Bitola, City of Consuls": While en route to Bitola, enjoy a presentation called given by a local expert. Learn about the relationship between Alexander the Great and his father Phillip II. Arrive in Bitola and discover the second largest city in Macedonia. It was the city of the consuls during the Ottoman time and. Bitola was an important trading center on the Via Egnatia, an ancient Roman road which linked Rome with Constantinople.

Lunch: Enjoy lunch at a restaurant in Bitola offering traditional local dishes.

Afternoon: Field Trip "The City Rich With Water": Finish the day's journey and discover Edessa, "the city rich with water". Water was considered the "white coal" of the time before the industrial revolution - towns relied on it for all energy needs before coal came about. Discover the city through a short sightseeing trip before checking into the hotel.

Afternoon: Field Trip "Heraclea Lyncestis": After a short jaunt on the coach, discover the ancient town of Heraclea Lyncestis founded by Phillip II Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. The town was first mentioned in documents dated back to the 4th century B.C. You will view the towns famous mosaics and antique ruins.

Dinner: Enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Aigai Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Transfer from Edessa to Thessaloniki. Discover the Royal Tombs in Vergina, and Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great.

Note: Morning: Walking and standing for up to 2 hours whilst visiting the Royal Burial Ground, some steps and ramp down and up. Afternoon: Walking and standing for up to 2 hours whilst visiting the museum and archaeological site in Pella, steps to first floor and steps to main entrance of the museum.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Presentation "Alexander: The Later Years" and Field Trip "The Royal Tombs": En route to Vergina, enjoy a presentation led by your Study Leader about Alexander the Great. Morning coach trip to Vergina where you will discover the Royal Tombs, the funerary site of the father of Alexander the Great, Phillip II.

Lunch: Lunch on your own at a self-service restaurant in Vergina.

Afternoon: Presentation "Alexander: The Early Years" and Field Trip "Birthplace of a Great Man": On the coachbus, enjoy an expert-led presentation describing the life of young Alexander before he was known as "the Great". Discover the ancient site of Pella, birthplace of Alexander the Great, and the new archaeological museum. Board the coach and continue the drive to Thessaloniki.

Dinner: Check in to the hotel and have some time to relax before enjoying a leisurely dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Lodging: Mediterranean Palace Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: Morning: Walking and standing for up to 30 minutes whilst visiting the Church.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Field Trip "Overview of Ancient Thessaloniki" and Presentation "Alexander: The Rise to Power": Take a panoramic tour of Thessaloniki. View many unmissable sites: the White Tower, the university areas, the Rotunda and the Triumphal Arch of Galerius, the remains of the city walls, UNESCO protected Byzantine monuments, and the churches of St Demetrius and Sofija. Throughout the visit, enjoy an expert-let lecture about Alexander's rise to Greatness.

Lunch: Lunch on your own in Thessaloniki to explore local cuisine.

Afternoon: Enjoy a leisurely afternoon on your own. We suggest you visit the Achaeological Museum Chronologically. Your guide will show you the entrance to this museum during your morning tour and can help arrange transport there for you this afternoon.

Dinner: Take this time to explore the flavors of Thessaloniki tonight for a dinner on your own.

Lodging: Mediterranean Palace Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Note: Riding in a coach bus for about 4 hours during the transfer from Thessaloniki to Bansko.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Transit to Melnik, Presentation "Bulgaria Today: From Communist Country to the European Union" and Field Trip "Exploring Melnick": On the ride to Melnick, your study leader will provide an expert lecture on his home country, Bulgaria. Feel free to ask questions about his country. Arrive in Melnik and take a short walking site visit before lunch.

Lunch: Lunch at a restaurant in Melnik.

Afternoon: Presentation "The Wines of Bulgaria": Led by a local wine maker, learn about Bulgarian wines. Enjoy some local specialty cheeses as you learn about local wines. Continue on to the hotel, and have time to relax before dinner.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Martin Bansko

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Morning: Walking for up to 2 hours whilst visiting the monastery, cobbled stone surface inside steps to first floor.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Field Trip "Panoramic Bansko" and Field Trip "Impressive Art and Architecture at the Rila Monastery": As we leave Bansko, enjoy a short panoramic tour of the main sites. On the way to Sofia, visit the Rila Monastery and walk through the monastery complex. It remains one of the most impressive monasteries on the continent due to its unique architecture and abundance of frescoes. Admire the 1,200 mural paintings at the Blessed Virgin Church, and see the Hrelyo Tower, built in 1335, as well as the Monastery’s museum collection.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant featuring local specialties.

Afternoon: Check in to the hotel and enjoy time to relax before dinner.

Dinner: Enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Radisson Blu Sofia

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Discover the city of Sofia, the Boyana Church and the National Museum of History

Note: Afternoon: Walking and standing for up to 3 hours around Sofia steps to enter the crypt at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, predominantly flat terrain.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Field Trip "Boyana Church": Take a field trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Boyana Church surrounded by trees over a hundered years old. Enter the church and be astounded by the frescoes, probably painted in 1259. Be amazed by the lively characters, and how the seperate frescoes become a whole.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant

Afternoon: Field Trip "A Walking Discovery of Sofia": Discover the city of Sofia by walking tour. Enter the crypt at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and see culturally significant sites such as the St. Sofia Basilica, the Parliament building, the Synagogue, the Royal Palace, the National Theatre and St. Georges Rotunda.

Dinner: Explore the diverse flavors of Bulgaria on your own.

Lodging: Radisson Blu Sofia

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel

Morning: Presentation and Hands-On "Education in Bulgaria": Visit one of the leading secondary schools and meet with last-year students of about 18-19 years of age. A teacher will deliver a short presentation about the educational system in Bulgaria following which participants may interact with the students over a drink.

Lunch: Explore Sofia for lunch on your own to find the perfect local cuisine.

Afternoon: Enjoy the afternoon at leisure. We suggest you visit the National Institute of Archaeology and Museum. Ask your group leader for details on how to get there.

Dinner: Your farewell dinner will be at the hotel. Take this opportunity to exchange contact information with your fellow travellers and enjoy your final night in Bulgaria.

Lodging: Radisson Blu Sofia

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Mini bus transfer to the airport for flight departures.

Meals Included: Breakfast