Dubrovnik Trip Overview
Surround yourself with the beautiful nature around Skadar lake, go back in history while walking through the old streets in Budva and admire the breath-taking Stari Most bridge on this 8-day tour of Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. All three countries have their own characteristics and charm, from big metropolitan cities (2 UNESCO) to rural villages in national parks.
Additional Info
Duration: 8 days
Starts: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Dubrovnik Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Croatia
Surround yourself with the beautiful nature around Skadar lake, go back in history while walking through the old streets in Budva and admire the breath-taking Stari Most bridge on this 8-day tour of Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. All three countries have their own characteristics and charm, from big metropolitan cities (2 UNESCO) to rural villages in national parks.
Itinerary
Day 1: Dubrovnik (Croatia) (UNESCO) – Mostar
Pass By: Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Dalmatia
Our professional tour guide will come and pick you up at your hotel in Dubrovnik at 9:00 am to begin our tour through three fascinating but very different countries. Dubrovnik used to compete with Venice as a trading port, having huge strong city walls that were built between the 11th and 17th century. Nowadays the city is more famous for being the setting of Game of Thrones, more specifically the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, King’s Landing! This is said to be the world’s best-preserved medieval city, reason enough for it to be an UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979. The city is also full of markets, bazaars, cafes, bars and restaurants creating a pleasant atmosphere.
Stop At: Mostar, Mostar, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
After this, we will continue our visit of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Mostar.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in Mostar.
Day 2: Mostar (UNESCO) – Medjugorje – Mostar
Stop At: Old Bridge (Stari Most), Mostar Bosnia and Herzegovina
Before we leave Bosnia and Herzegovina and cross the border to Montenegro, we will have a city tour of Mostar. Here we will, of course, visit the iconic Old Bridge also known as Stari Most, part of UNESCO world heritage and built in a typical Islamic architectural style in the 16th century.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar, Stari Most, Mostar Bosnia and Herzegovina
We will also wander through the Old Bazaar with its colourful streets and lively atmosphere. The city has stones with “Don’t Forget” all around the city, commemorating the city’s history. Mostar combines the old with the new, which you will notice while wandering through the streets. We will also visit the Blagaj monastery, a little bit outside of the city, on the foot of a cliff with beautiful blue waters in front of it.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Medjugorje, Medjugorje, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Our next destination is the village of Medjugorje a holly destination visited by many piligrims from different religions. The church of St. James is the symbol of this village, with its two towers and at the entrance the Statue of Our Lady. The name of the place, Medjurgorje, means “between mountains” and is located in the Herzegovina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We will also visit the Via Domini, meaning “The Way of the Lord”. The Via Domini is a pathway existing out of mosaics that represent the story of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, illustrating the life of Jesus.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Mostar.
Day 3: Mostar – Ostrog Monastery (Montenegro) – Cetinje
Stop At: Ostrog Monastery, Ostrog, Dabojevici, Danilovgrad Municipality 81400 Montenegro
Our first destination in Montenegro is Ostrog Monastery, one of the most visited monasteries in Montenegro. It is visited by believers from all over the world, individually or in groups. It is a confluence of all three confessions: Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim, as it is believed that the relics of St. Vasilije of Ostrog are miraculous. According to pilgrims’ testimonials, praying in front of these relics has helped them cure or lessen their life’s troubles
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Cetinje, Cetinje
After we will head to Cetinje. The city offers an exclusive glimpse in the Balkan life before the First World War began. We will make a walk through the city to see the fascinating architecture.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Court Church on Cipur, Dvorski trg bb, Cetinje 81250 Montenegro
We will visit the Cetinje monastery and the Court Church on Cipur, which was dedicated to the Birth of Our Lady. The monastery and church seem to have the same kind of style, but there are centuries full of history between the two. As we walk through the historical centre of Cetinje, we will also get a taste of the authentic atmosphere in the city created by the old buildings.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Cetinje.
Day 4: Cetinje – Rijeka Crnojevica – Mrizi i Zanave Agro-tourism Farm (Albania) – Shkoder
Stop At: Rijeka Crnojevica, Rijeka Crnojevica, Cetinje
Rijeka Crnojevica, which is a small historical town in Central Montenegro on the ancient trading route through Montenegro. The city is very near the most beautiful part of Lake Skadar National Park. It is worth visiting for both the lake and the old architecture left over from the trader days. In the period of the reign of King Nikola, Rijeka Crnojevica was used as a winter king’s residence, because of its unusual beauty
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Fishte, Fishte, Lezhe County
We cross the border toward Fishte, Albania where we begin with a tour around the farm. We will learn about the story of this farm and how it created jobs for more than 400 people in the region. The farm collects, elaborates and preserves regional bio fresh local products. We will also learn how this family business adapted some old communist buildings to serve as storage for local-made bio products. During lunch, we will enjoy the spectacular view of the hilly landscapes surrounding the farm. You will taste unique gastronomic flavours of slow food that combine grandmother’s recipe with the chef’s modern touch. While enjoying a wide variety of delicious food, we will learn about the history, culture, and food that makes the region so unique from the rest of Albania.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight on Shkoder.
Day 5: Day tour of Shkodra
Stop At: Shkoder, Shkoder, Shkoder County
Shkodra is situated in the north-western part of Albania, giving its name to the biggest lake in the Balkans.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Rozafa Castle, Rozafa, Shkoder Albania
The oldest wall of the Shkodra castle dates from the 1st millennium B.C. The Roman historian Livy cited the town as the capital of the Illyrian king Gent, who fought the Romans in 168 B.C. We will visit the Rozafa castle offering a tremendous scenery of Shkoder Lake and the three rivers melting all together in the Adriatic Sea.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Shkodër, Albania
The city’s architecture is highly influenced by the Venetian style and if you are lucky enough to join the tour of Shkodra in February, you might experience the carnival festival. Most of the guests are surprised to learn that most of the Venetian masks are handmade and produced in Shkodra. The city’s favourable geographic position has always been an important trading tie through the centuries, making it possible for different civilisations to encounter.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight Shkoder
Day 6: Shkodra – Sveti Stefan (Montenegro) – Budva – Kotor
Stop At: Sveti Stefan, Sveti Stefan, Budva Municipality
After breakfast, we will drive towards Sveti Stefan, historically a fishing town on a small island near the coast. However, nowadays it is not possible to visit the island anymore as it has turned into a five-star resort. Even while standing on the coast, Sveti Stefan is a sight for sore eyes – worthy of a picture.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Budva, Budva, Budva Municipality
Our next destination is Budva, a popular tourist destination, famous for its beaches, gorgeous nature and old characteristic buildings. The city is separated between an old and new part.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Old Town, Budva, Montenegro
On the other hand, in the Old Budva, there is the historical center and many sights to visit, such as the St. Ivan church, the small church of St. Mary and the Citadel, which we will visit on this tour.
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Kotor.
Day 7: Day tour of Kotor (UNESCO)
Stop At: Kotor Serpentine, Route P 1, Kotor, Kotor Municipality 85330 Montenegro
Today we will go from the bustling city to the rural area of Montenegro. We will drive over the famous Kotor serpentine road, a zigzag road near Kotor with 25 serpentines. From the top, you can see the Boka Bay as well as the sea – a spectacular view. The road leads to a small rural village, located on the slopes of Mount Lovcen and on the other side of Lovcen National Park. The village has only 50 houses and a population of 200 people. They produce their own famous prosciutto, cheeses and natural mountain honey. We will learn more about the production process and have a chance to taste some of their delicious homemade products.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Kotor, Kotor, Kotor Municipality
Kotor is a UNESCO world heritage city. We will wander through the maze of narrow, cobblestone streets crisscrossing the old town. This street plan seems quite chaotic, but it was created this way on purpose. The intention was to confuse intruders who came to plunder the town, while nowadays it characterizes the city. Many of the old buildings and churches have small plaques on it with their dates of construction and original use.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: St. Tryphon Cathedral, Trg Sv. Tripuna 336, Kotor, Kotor Municipality 85330 Montenegro
We will stop at the Saint Tryphon cathedral, which is one of the only two Roman cathedrals in the city. The Saint Tryphon relics are kept inside the cathedral. Next to the Saint Tryphon cathedral, the Saint Luke’s church can easily be missed as it is a lot smaller, but of great significance for the locals because it represents unity to them.
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Montenegro.
Day 8: Kotor– Tivat – Dubrovnik (Croatia)
Stop At: Tivat, Tivat, Tivat Municipality
After breakfast, before we will go back to Croatia, we will have a city tour of Tivat. Tivat went from a not-so-interesting to a popular destination in Montenegro, but you can still experience local life here instead of being overwhelmed by tourists. It is a small place said to be named after queen Teuta. She was an Illyrian queen who ruled over a part of Montenegro. Her summer house, which she built for herself, was located in Tivat and this is where she fell back to when she got attacked by the Romans in 229 B.C. We will visit the clocktower, the medieval Buca family house, consisting out of five buildings, and go for a stroll over the long promenade that offers a lovely view.
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: Porto Montenegro, Tivat Bay, Tivat Municipality Montenegro
Porto Montenegro is another interesting spot in Tivat in the Bay of Kotor. The place is full of luxury yachts. We will return to Dubrovnik, Croatia. In the late afternoon, our tour of three countries will come to an end.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
