13-Day 11 UNESCO Sites of The Balkans

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In the morning, you'll set off on a tour to Bled to admire the beautiful Alpine lake with its charming island and castle 130 metres above the lake. Bled is one of Slovenia's proudest landmarks and you'll see why as you explore this incredibly scenic area. You'll then drive deeper into the Julian Alps to explore another Alpine pearl, Lake Bohinj, with a cable car ride to Mt. Vogel to admire the view below before heading back to Ljubljana.

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After breakfast, you'll continue your Balkan trip towards Idrija to visit the UNESCO-protected mercury mine which used to be one of the largest in the world. Here, you'll visit the shaft of the mine and walk through the town centre to learn about what life would have been like during the time the mine was functioning. En route back to Ljubljana, you'll stop to visit the marshy area and ancient dwellings raised above the water before reaching the city for the evening.

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Today, the drive to Rovinj will take you to another UNESCO site in Slovenia – the Škocjan Caves - a unique natural phenomenon totalling a length of six kilometres. Later, you'll head towards Croatia, your next destination and its northern coastal region, Istria. First, you'll visit Poreč and the Euphrasian Basilica which dates back to the 6th century – yet another UNESCO site for the list. In the afternoon, you'll head to Rovinj where you'll stay for the night.

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After breakfast, you'll continue with the tour of Istria in Croatia, beginning with a visit to Pula and its Roman amphitheatre which could seat around 20,000 people, and also one of the six largest remaining fully intact Roman amphitheatres in the world. After exploring Pula, you'll head towards the Croatian capital of Zagreb which will take around three hours.

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You'll start the day with a morning sightseeing tour of the old Croatian capital, Zagreb. You'll visit the Church of St. Mark's, Zagreb Cathedral, Parliament, Ban Jelačić Square and many more sights. Next, you'll head to the Plitvice Lakes National Park that is also protected under UNESCO. Sixteen large and small lakes connected by 92 waterfalls make up one of the most magnificent sites in the world.

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You'll leave after breakfast and head towards the Dalmatia region of Croatia, where your first stop is Zadar. Here, you'll listen to the stunning sounding of the Sea Organ, view the "Salutation of the Sun" and admire its medieval churches of St. Donatus and St. Anastasia, as well as visiting the old Roman Forum. Your journey will then take you to Šibenik with its UNESCO protected Cathedral of St. James and the medieval town surrounding it. In the evening, you'll continue to Split to stay.

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In the morning, you'll leave Split to visit Trogir, a charming medieval Renaissance town built on a small island, and also another a UNESCO site. Here, you'll admire the famous Cathedral of St. Lawrence and fortified city walls. In the afternoon, you'll return to Split for a tour of the old town, Diocletian's Palace, the Cathedral of St. Duje and Riva, one of Split's most stunning places to relax, get a bite to eat and watch the world go by.

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You'll start the day taking a ferry to the island of Hvar, one of the most famous along the Dalmatian coast known for its old town and many sunshine hours. Upon arrival at Hvar, you'll visit Stari Grad, which is protected by UNESCO. In the afternoon, you'll head to Hvar town to visit one of the best-protected towns on the Dalmatian islands. Here you can explore this wonderfully picturesque town surrounded by 13th-century walls and filled with gothic palaces and marble stone streets.

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After breakfast, you'll head towards Bosnia & Herzegovina to visit Mostar and the iconic bridge over the Neretva, also protected by UNESCO. In the morning before arriving in Mostar, you'll make a short stop at Počitelj, a beautiful "Turkish-style" village which is under the UNESCO protection. You'll then continue your journey along the Neretva River to admire the millions of mandarin trees before reaching Dubrovnik in the late evening.

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Today, you'll have a full day to admire the pearl of the Adriatic, UNESCO protected Dubrovnik. You'll explore the wonders of the city beginning with the Rector's Palace, Dubrovnik Cathedral, Franciscan Monastery, and the Old Port. In the afternoon, you'll have some free time to further roam the old town or take a trip to nearby Lokrum Island. In the evening, you'll walk part of the city's walls which are the best way to have a wonderful view of both the old town and the Adriatic sea.

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You'll complete your journey visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of The Balkans in Montenegro. Here you'll visit the Bay of Kotor and explore the largest fjord of the Adriatic, the UNESCO-protected town of Kotor and the coastal city of Budva. Kotor has been inhabited long before the Middle Ages and the abundance of Orthodox and Catholic churches, monasteries and religious buildings stand testament to this. The medieval towns around the bay are connected by stunning scenic roads.