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Eastern Europe

Best of the Balkans: From Medieval Fortresses to the Majestic Adriatic Sea

Program No. 15878RJ
Discover the rich cultural and social history of the Balkans, a place of ancient trade routes, architecture, breath-taking scenery and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Sep 10 - Sep 26, 2023
Starting at
4,399
Sep 17 - Oct 3, 2023
Starting at
4,399
Oct 1 - Oct 17, 2023
Starting at
4,299
Apr 21 - May 7, 2024
Starting at
3,999
May 5 - May 21, 2024
Starting at
4,299
Sep 15 - Oct 1, 2024
Starting at
4,399
Sep 22 - Oct 8, 2024
Starting at
4,349
Oct 6 - Oct 22, 2024
Starting at
4,299
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Sep 10 - Sep 26, 2023
Starting at
5,109
Sep 17 - Oct 3, 2023
Starting at
5,109
Oct 1 - Oct 17, 2023
Starting at
4,949
Filling Fast!
Apr 21 - May 7, 2024
Starting at
4,699
Filling Fast!
May 5 - May 21, 2024
Starting at
4,999
Filling Fast!
Sep 15 - Oct 1, 2024
Starting at
5,109
Sep 22 - Oct 8, 2024
Starting at
5,049
Oct 6 - Oct 22, 2024
Starting at
4,999

At a Glance

Journey through five nations of the former Yugoslavia, crossing the dramatic Dinaric Alps, discovering ancient palaces and marveling at the sun-dappled water of the Adriatic Sea. Learn about the complex ancient and recent history of these resilient countries at medieval UNESCO World Heritage Sites and in bustling capital cities. Immerse yourself in the Balkans' renowned scenic splendor, admiring the lush countryside on boat excursions and discovering picture-perfect Lake Bled, Slovenia's most photographed site.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking through city streets; cobblestones and many stairs.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Montenegro, Dubrovnik, Split, and more.
  • Enjoy a boat excursion on the captivating Adriatic Sea.
  • Discover Lake Bled, a scene right out of a storybook with a romantic hilltop castle.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Srdjan Boskovic
Srdjan Boskovic lives in Novi Sad, Serbia, graduated from the University of Novi Sad, gained a curator certificate from the Museum of Vojvodina and became a travel professional in Serbia. He is fluent in Serbian, English and Croatian. As a historian, Srdjan’s greatest passion is history, how people and events of the past shape the future. He likes sharing different points of view, opinions and experiences with others. He loves animals as well, and with his dachshund, he enjoys spending time outside.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Srdjan Boskovic
Srdjan Boskovic View biography
Srdjan Boskovic lives in Novi Sad, Serbia, graduated from the University of Novi Sad, gained a curator certificate from the Museum of Vojvodina and became a travel professional in Serbia. He is fluent in Serbian, English and Croatian. As a historian, Srdjan’s greatest passion is history, how people and events of the past shape the future. He likes sharing different points of view, opinions and experiences with others. He loves animals as well, and with his dachshund, he enjoys spending time outside.
Profile Image of Dejan Rilak
Dejan Rilak View biography
Dejan Rilak was a foreign language teacher, translator and journalist before becoming a group leader. Living in Zagreb, Croatia, he is fluent in Croatian, English, French and Portuguese and is interested in foreign languages, cultures, arts, cinema and cycling, but his secret passion has always been acting in small theater productions. Dejan likes to combine the best of all the worlds when showing Croatia from the amazing mountain region to the sunny coast and the culture of the continental capital.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of the Balkans
by Dennis Hupchick
The changing borders and complex history of the Balkans are clearly and concisely shown through 50 double-page maps and accompanying essays, organized chronologically.
Yugoslavia, Death of a Nation
by Laura Silber, Allan Little
Called "one of the finest volumes to come out of the war" by the New York Times, this book combines eyewitness reports, political commentary and documentary photographs to elucidate the origins and aftermath of the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Balkan Ghosts, A Journey through History
by Robert D. Kaplan
Kaplan interweaves history, art and culture with his travels through Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece in this regional portrait.
Realm of the Black Mountain, A History of Montenegro
by Elizabeth Roberts
An authoritative history of Montenegro from prehistory through independence in 2006.
The Balkans, From Constantinople to Communism
by Dennis Hupchick
Hupchick looks at European, Orthodox Christian and Muslim influences in the Balkans from early kingdoms through the 1990s in this important survey.
A Traveller's History of Croatia
by Benjamin Curtis
Curtis untangles with alacrity the complex history of this nation at the crossroads of Europe.
Eastern Europe!
by Tomek E. Jankowski
An entertaining history of the region from its stint as an outpost of Rome through the formation of states, Medieval splendor, Ottoman incursions, wars, the Soviet period and the fall of Yugoslavia. Jankowski divulges, in an epilogue, the recipe for Mrs. Jankowska's Homemade Pierogis.
Bury Me Standing
by Isabel Fonseca
This marvelous portrait of the Roma, also known as the Gypsies, offers insight into their music, foods, religions and folk traditions and also examines their influential but complex relationship with Eastern Europe.
The Bridge on the Drina
by Ivo Andric, Lovette F. Edwards (Translator)
These linked stories by the Nobel Prize-winning author capture the history and complexity of Christian and Muslim relations during Ottoman occupation. Hewn of stone, the bridge dividing the town of Visegrad was Andric's inspiration.
Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia
by Rebecca West, Christopher Hitchens (Introduction)
First published in 1941, this monumental work explores the complex history of Yugoslavia, its heroes, politics and culture. It's a big, challenging book -- some call it the best ever written on the Balkans.
Lonely Planet Southeastern Europe
by Lonely Planet
A compact, practical guide to the region from Slovenia and Croatia, to Bosnia & Hercegovina, Serbia & Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania, as well as Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.
The Balkans, A Short History
by Mark Mazower
With eloquence and clarity, Mazower addresses issues of geography, nationalism and nation in this indispensable survey.
How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed
by Slavenka Drakulic
These short essays capture the absurdity, struggle and day-to-day reality of being a woman in Yugoslavia under communism. Drakulic is an award-winning Croatian journalist and novelist.
Zagreb, A Cultural History
by Celia Hawkesworth
An illuminating account of the tumultuous but vibrant history of Croatia's capital, with a strong focus on the art and architecture of the city.
Spies of the Balkans
by Alan Furst
A master storyteller, Furst places senior police official Costa Zannis at the center of this taut World War II thriller, his eleventh. The action (and there is plenty) plays out against a backdrop of the Nazi occupation of Salonika.
The Balkans in World History
by Andrew Wachtel
A professor at Northwestern University, Wachtel focuses on the traditions and contributions of overlapping cultures in this lively short history.
The Balkans: Nationalism, War, and the Great Powers, 1804-2011
by Misha Glenny
Longtime central European correspondent for the BBC based in Vienna, Glenny (The Fall of Yugoslavia) poignantly challenges the role of the Great Powers in this survey, newly revised and updated to cover developments in the region through 2011.
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, Macedonia Map
by Michelin Travel Publications
A handy, folded regional travel map (at a scale of 1:1,000,0000), covering former Yugoslavia.





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