Passage Through the Balkans with Croatian Island Discovery

We'll meet you on arrival in the Serbian capital of Belgrade today and transfer you to your hotel. There's time to relax before a welcome dinner with fellow guests this evening.

Stay: Two Nights, Belgrade, Hilton Hotel

• Dinner

After breakfast this morning, head for Zlatibor, a region of mountains, rolling hills and rural villages, considered one of the most beautiful in Serbia. Along the way, linger in a local winery, which has been family-owned for generations, where warm hospitality and wine tasting are the order of the day. Later, continue to your hotel for the next two nights.

Stay: Two Nights, Hotel Zlatibor Mona

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

It’s all aboard the Sargan Eight Railroad this morning, as this heritage narrow-gauge railway loops through lovely scenery. You’ll also learn about this historical feat of engineering, which was built by Austro-Hungarian forces during World War I. Afterwards, continue to the timber village of Drvengard for lunch. Filmmaker Emir Kusturica created this village as the setting for his film Life is a Miracle and it is now an open-air museum depicting traditional life. This afternoon is dedicated to exploring Tara National Park. You’ll see a region nothing short of breathtaking, admiring pristine forested slopes, ravines and the dramatic Drina River Canyon, which is the third largest of its kind in the world.

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Sit back and watch the views slide by as you journey from Zlatibor to Sarajevo this morning. Once you’ve arrived in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, there’s time to settle into your hotel and enjoy this afternoon as you like. With a full day set aside to discovering Sarajevo tomorrow, you might like to relax a while before dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

Stay: Two Nights, Sarajevo, Hotel Europe

• Breakfast
• Dinner

FREEDOM OF CHOICE™

Perhaps visit Sarajevo's Old Town, including the Bascarsija, which is the city's ancient bazaar as well as its cultural and historical centre. Bascarsija dates back to the 15th century when it was founded by Isa-Beg Isakovic. Afterwards, enjoy a wander along Coppersmith's Street and see the Yellow and White Bastions, which are part of the old wall that originally protected the city. Alternatively, journey to Bijambare Nature Park, not far from Sarajevo, and explore the ancient Bijambare caves. This limestone cave complex, filled with stalagmites and stalactites, sits within a stunning natural setting of pine forests and pasture.

Fascinating Sarajevo was at the centre of monumental events in the 20th century - the assassination which launched World War I, and the four-year siege of the city during the Balkans conflict in the 1990s. While scars remain, it has regained its status as a beautiful and cosmopolitan city.

• Breakfast
• Dinner

Leaving Sarajevo, set out for the historic city of Mostar today, arriving in time for lunch. Spreading over a valley carved out by the Neretva River, this is a city packed with charming streets and architecture, clustered along steep river banks. First, sample traditional street food, the delicious meat or cheese pastry known as burek, before continuing to see Stari Most (Old Bridge). This is the city's centrepiece, a magnificent stone arch between medieval towers which straddles the Neretva River. This 16th-century Ottoman treasure was rebuilt in 2004 after being damaged in the 1190s Balkan conflicts, and is now a World Heritage-listed structure known for its tradition of bridge diving. Later, take your time discovering the colourful stalls and handicrafts on display at the local bazaar of Kujundziluk.

Stay: Mostar, Hotel Mepas

• Breakfast
• Lunch