Balkans Escape
Experience Overview
From Budapest to Dubrovnik, there's so much to explore with this 8-day adventure around the Balkans. With some of the hottest 'it' destinations on the clock, these drool worthy spots might have names that are hard to pronounce, but we promise, they'll be hard to forget too! Eat, sleep, explore, repeat is the name of the game on this incredible snippet of these Balkan faves.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 2 Dinner (D)
- 7 Breakfast (B)
FAQs
- London: What does a modular trip mean? A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.
Included Experience
- Lake Bled: Take it easy with your new besties as you walk around the scenic lake, framed by the Julian Alps.
- Plitvice Lakes National Park: Turquoise lakes. Sparkling waterfalls. Lush green forests. You’ll never want to leave this little slice of heaven.
- Dubrovnik: Stroll through the UNESCO-listed old town with a local guide. And play a game of ‘spot the Game of Thrones film set’ as you go.
Trip Details
Product Code: 18981
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Contiki (CA)
Supplier Code: 238.2210B
Starts: Budapest, Hungary
Finishes: Dubrovnik, Croatia (Hrvatska)
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $1,930 ($241 /day)
Itinerary
Good evening, travellers! Hope you’re ready for an exciting ride across the beautiful Balkans. Today, you’ll exchange hellos with your Trip Manager (and your new crew too!). To celebrate, we’ll feast on a delicious welcome dinner and watch the sun set over this historical city.
Accommodation: Ibis Budapest City South Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Dinner
This morning we'll hop onto the coach for a guided tour to explore to what this city has on offer. You'll see Heroes Square, Fisherman's Bastion, as well as the famed chain bridge & the stunning parliament building, before we depart for our next city. After a morning full of awesome ancient architecture, we'll be ready to arrive in Ljubljana. You've got a free evening on your hands. So roam around the city, grab a bite to eat, and rest up for the all the Alpine scenery that awaits us tomorrow.
Accommodation: Ibis Styles Ljubljana Centre (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Ljubljana, you've been lovely. But we’ll be back in a while. Because today, something even more exciting is on the agenda. You've probably seen pictures of Lake Bled, but nothing will prepare you for the real thing. With its fairytale medieval castle reaching out of an islet, surrounded by the towering peaks of the Julian Alps and the turquoise waters of the lake itself, it really is like something out of a Disney movie. Satisfied your soul soaking in all that natural beauty? Now satisfy your hungry tummies with some lunch at this quaint Medieval town. It’s been a long but pleasing day. Tonight, you can choose to join a traditional Slovenian evening. We're talking: a traditional dancing show paired with a spread of authentic dishes. A feast for your mind and tastebuds alike!
Accommodation: Ibis Styles Ljubljana Centre (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Next up is something altogether drop dead gorgeous....A strong introduction to Croatia is on the cards today with cascading teal forest pools at Plitvice Lakes. Why this place is not famous world over as one of the prettiest places in Europe, we have no idea.
Accommodation: Hotel Big House Plitvika Jezera (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Morning, explorers! Fill up on your included breakfast. It’s time to hit the road again… Zadar is the perfect mix of history and modern flair. Explore ancient Roman ruins, chill by the Sea Organ where waves make music, and grab a bite at one of the city's cool cafes. Whether you're soaking in the culture or diving into the local scene, there's always something exciting around the corner in this laid-back Croatian gem.Welcome to the sea-side heaven of Split. With the oh-so-inviting aquamarine waters on our side, we’ll check into our stay. You’ve got some time to explore this beautiful city. And then, you can choose to join us for some dinner at a traditional Dalmatian tavern.
Accommodation: Hotel Split Inn (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Split it's been fantastic, but we have to leave for other Croatian gems further down the coast. Ston is a charming town on the Dalmatian coast, famous for its impressive medieval walls and ancient salt pans. It’s the perfect spot to explore history, sample fresh seafood, and take in the scenic surroundings. A great place to unwind and enjoy the slow pace before heading to your next adventure. The drive along the Dalmatian coastline to Dubrovnik is a sightseeing must do all on its own. On arrival in the city you'll be greeted by limestone walls; an Old Town filled with quintessentially Croatian cafes and plenty of clubs; and a mountain meets sea situation will see you falling in love within seconds.
Accommodation: Akademis Akademia (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
The city of Dubrovnik is so much more than just a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Game of Thrones location - not that either of those claims to fame are even mildly mediocre. After you've been guided around the city with intricate detail with our local guide you'll be armed with the knowledge to pick out a waterside rock bar where you can swim and indulge 'til your heart's content. Tonight over an optional dinner with the crew, spirits will no doubt be high!
Accommodation: Akademis Akademia (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
That's a wrap! Our love affair with the Balkans has sadly come to an end! But perhaps we can get the squad back together for a reunion trip?
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Contiki (CA)
Contiki is a New Zealand-based tour company that caters to 18 to 35-year-olds, offering over 350 different tours in over 75 countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.[1] It is a subsidiary of The Travel Corporation. Its tours historically had a reputation for partying;[2][3] however, it also operates wellness trips culturally immersive experiences that focus less on alcohol, which are more popular with Generation Z.[4] The company owns lodging facilities in Europe, including the Chateau De Cruix, a 16th century castle in the Beaujolais wine region, and the Gasthof Schoneck in the Austrian Tyrol. The name "Contiki" comes from the portmanteau 'Con' from the word 'Continent' and 'Tiki'; from the Māori referring to the first man, often symbolised as a pendant known as hei-tiki. It can also be attributed to the New Zealand slang 'Tiki-tour' describing taking a longer route to a destination in order to explore.[5]
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Anonymous - Traveled, January 2024
I really enjoyed this trip and would recommend to others. Highlights for me were Ljubljana, Plitvice Lakes and Zadar. A lot of time is spent on the bus but it was still a fun trip with lots covered. Kate was a fantastic tour manager - kind, helpful & knowledgeable. Recommend if you're wanting a short group trip around the Balkans. The average age was higher than some other Contiki trips I've been on (mid-late 20s). The only negatives (which certainly don't outweigh the positives!) which could be improved are: the Ljubljana hotel had slightly see-through bathroom walls which wasn't ideal for shared rooms, it would've been better to spend a bit more time in Zadar (such as staying there instead of the unusual hotel in Plitvice Lakes) and the hotel in Split was quite far out of the centre. Highly recommend the final night dinner - if you only pick one of the FTAs, choose that. Overall I had a fantastic trip, met lots of awesome people and saw the beauty of Slovenia and Croatia. The trip was easy to book, Contiki was very responsive to my questions and the pre-trip information was comprehensive and helpful.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/31/2024
Will - Traveled, September 2024
Places were lovely. starting a trip with an 8 hour coach journey was horrible and felt like a wasted day. Start the trip in Ljubljana!!!! More time is needed in places like Lake Bled. THE WORST PART IS BEING TOLD THAT THE DAY IN Ljubljana IS A GOOD DAY TO DO LAUNDRY... we'd only been on the trip for 2 days... Also very annoying that the things we were recommended to do were the top 10 things to do on TripAdvisor..
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/30/2024
Samuel - Traveled, August 2024
The trip was so good, highly recommend to anyone! was such a good trip manager, had so much knowledge and was the perfect balance of free time and group activities! Give a pay rise he was great can’t speak highly enough of him.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/29/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, July 2024
The Balkans Escape was such a fun trip! Got to see some cool locations that I likely wouldn’t have gone to on my own. Our tour guide did a great job explaining all the historical backgrounds of all the places we visited, and also planning really fun activities! Definitely one of the best Contikis I’ve done so far!! Easy to book, I wish contiki would disclose when trips are modular, because it can be annoying paying all this money when you’re joining a group that’s already been on a trip for quite a while.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/28/2024
Jacob - Traveled, July 2024
Lake bled was the best, it was so gorgeous I just wish we had more time there. Very easy to book, maybe have a save login button because it got tedious logging in every time.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/27/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2024
I wish the trip did a little bit of a tour of Budapest on day 1. When I ended in Split, the group continuing on still stayed in Split for 1 more night, I’m not sure why Budapest-Split group wasn’t included in staying 1 more night together as well. I switched to my own accommodation upon check out, but still met up with the rest of the group in their free time in the evening. Would’ve been nice if we were all together in one place for that day/night as well before they carried on to Dubrovnik. I loved my trip and everything was organized and went well. I liked the option of a “modular trip” where people can hop on or off at different points in the trip- I wish more Contiki’s had this option.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/26/2024
Emerson - Traveled, October 2024
I picked this trip with the stops at Lake Bled and Plitvice Lakes as the main 2 attractions and I have to say the whole trip exceeded all expectations!! It was super easy to book! I was a little confused on when the trip documents would arrive as the emails said 7-10 business days before the trip and everything arrived 2 business days before. That’s my only complaint.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/25/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2024
Making new friends from all around the world.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/24/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
The Plitvicer Lakes were beautiful. During a flat and easy hike, we had 4 hours to surround the lake with the deep blue water and explore the breathtaking waterfalls! Lake Bled, Ljubljana, Zadar and Split were also beautiful cities. The two add-on dinners in Ljubljana (with traditional dancers) and Split (beautiful farm) were well worth the money. Trip was easy to book and the instructions given prior to the trip sufficient.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/23/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2024
Rasto was fantastic! Very social and made sure everyone felt comfortable. Great trip, excellent tour manager and accomodation.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/22/2024
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