13 days · 6 countries
Transylvania and the Balkans
From AED 9,016per person, twin share
See the best of Transylvania and the Balkans with a group of like-minded travellers. Journey from Romania to Hungary, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bulgaria on this 13-day group tour.
- Duration
- 13 Days / 12 Nights
- Route
- Starts and ends in Bucharest
- Countries
- Romania, Hungary, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Kosovo
- Activity level
- Moderate (3 of 5)
- A fast-moving coach tour through six countries, with guided walking tours of castles and old towns and a hotel change most nights
- Accommodation
- 12 nights in mostly 3 and 4 star hotels, with a new city most nights across Romania and the Balkans
- Meals
- 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 dinners
- Group
- Group tour, up to 51
- Guide
- English-speaking tour leader throughout, plus local guides at some sites
- Transport
- Air-conditioned Coach
- Best time to go
- Runs in September and October: warm late-summer days easing into cool, comfortable autumn across Romania and the Balkans
Tour overview
This tour gives you the best of Transylvania and the Balkans. Explore Bucharest and its famous castles, including Bran Castle, long associated with the Dracula legend. Try traditional Romanian cuisine in Sibiu. Get to know Budapest, where the Danube River separates the city’s Buda and Pest sides. Discover Belgrade on a guided tour and see the Church of Saint Sava, one of the largest Orthodox church buildings in the world. Visit North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, a city with nearly 2,000 years of history, and tour Bulgaria’s UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery. Walk through Etar, an open-air ethnographic village that preserves traditional 18th-century Bulgarian life, and taste local food and wine in Ruse.
Highlights
- An orientation walk in Bucharest
- Welcome Dinner in Buchares
- A guided tour of Peleș Castle
- A guided tour of Bran Castle
- An orientation walk in Brașov
- A guided tour of Sighișoara
- Traditional Romanian dinner in Sibiu
- A guided tour of Corvin Castle
Show all 20 highlightsShow fewer highlights
- A visit to the star-shaped Alba Carolina Citadel
- A guided tour of Budapest
- Visit Liberty Square in Novi Sad
- A guided tour of Belgrade
- Explore Tinker’s Alley in Niš
- A guided tour of Skopje
- See Rila Monastery
- Visit the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia
- An orientation walk in Plovdiv
- Visit the open-air museum village of Etar
- A guided tasting of Bulgarian wine
- Farewell Lunch in Ruse
Route and hotels
Where the tour goes and where you sleep, night by night.
Bucharest
1 night · Day 1
Hotel CH Bucharest
Sinaia
Day 2 · on the way
Bran
Day 2 · on the way
Brasov
1 night · Day 2
Hotel Ambient
Sighisoara
Day 3 · on the way
Sibiu
1 night · Day 3
ibis Styles Sibiu Arsenal
Corvin Castle
Day 4 · on the way
Alba Carolina
Day 4 · on the way
Show all 22 stopsShow fewer stops
Cluj-Napoca
1 night · Day 4
Wyndham Cluj
Oradea
Day 5 · on the way
Budapest
2 nights · Days 5–6
ibis Styles Budapest City
Novi Sad
Day 7 · on the way
Belgrade
1 night · Day 7
Nobel Design Belgrade
Niš
Day 8 · on the way
Skopje
2 nights · Days 8–9
Hotel Turist City Center
Rila Monastery
Day 10 · on the way
Sofia
1 night · Day 10
Ramada by Wyndham Sofia City Center
Plovdiv
Day 11 · on the way
Etar
Day 11 · on the way
Veliko Tarnovo
1 night · Day 11
Hotel Panorama Veliko Tarnovo
Ruse
Day 12 · on the way
Bucharest
1 night · Day 12
Hotel CH Bucharest
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Start of tour in Bucharest
Meals included: Dinner
Start your tour in Bucharest. You meet your tour leader and the rest of the group at the hotel for a short overview of the days ahead, then head out on an orientation walk through the city. Later, you can join the optional excursion to see different sides of Bucharest. In the evening, the group sits down together for a welcome dinner.
Included
- Orientation walk through Bucharest’s historic centre, past the Parliament and Old Town
- Welcome dinner with the group
Optional extras
- Romania in Two Worlds · AED 340 per person
- Overnight
- Bucharest
- Hotel
- Hotel CH Bucharest
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2
Bucharest – Sinaia – Bran – Brasov
Meals included: Breakfast
The itinerary today is classic Transylvania. The route from Bucharest climbs into the mountains, taking you to two of Romania’s best-known castles: Peleș Castle, set above the Carpathian Mountains, and Bran Castle, the home of the Dracula legend. Later, an orientation walk leads you through the old streets of medieval Brasov, including one of Europe’s narrowest streets, just 1.3 metres across.
Included
- Guided tour of Peleș Castle in Sinaia
- Guided tour of Bran Castle
- Orientation walk in medieval Brașov
- Travel
- Bucharest → Sinaia → Bran → Brașov by coach
- Overnight
- Brasov
- Hotel
- Hotel Ambient
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 3
Brasov – Sighisoara – Sibiu
Meals included: BreakfastDinner
The route continues to Sighișoara, a medieval town whose fortress is both UNESCO-listed and counted among the best-preserved citadels anywhere in Europe: a guided tour takes you through it. From there, you move on to Sibiu, where an orientation walk uncovers the legacy left by Saxon settlers from the 12th century, including the ‘Bridge of Lies’, Romania’s oldest cast-iron bridge. In the evening, an included dinner brings traditional Romanian cooking to the table.
Included
- Guided tour of Sighișoara’s fortified old town
- Traditional Romanian dinner in Sibiu
- Travel
- Brașov → Sighișoara → Sibiu by coach
- Overnight
- Sibiu
- Hotel
- ibis Styles Sibiu Arsenal
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 4
Sibiu – Corvin Castle – Alba Carolina – Cluj-Napoca
Meals included: Breakfast
A local guide leads you around Corvin Castle, widely considered one of the most dramatic Gothic castles in Europe and among the most photographed. From there, the nearby Alba Carolina Citadel comes into view: star-shaped, with over 12 kilometres of defensive walls still standing. Cluj-Napoca is next, where you spend the night after a short orientation walk, leaving the rest of the evening free to explore on your own.
Included
- Guided tour of Corvin Castle
- Visit to the star-shaped Alba Carolina Citadel
- Orientation walk in Cluj-Napoca
- Travel
- Sibiu → Corvin Castle → Alba Carolina → Cluj-Napoca by coach
- Overnight
- Cluj-Napoca
- Hotel
- Wyndham Cluj
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 5
Cluj-Napoca – Oradea – Budapest
Meals included: BreakfastDinnerThe morning crosses from Romania into Hungary, with a stop to see Oradea’s Art Nouveau square on the way. Budapest comes into view lit up in the early evening, when a guided tour takes you through the city. An included Hungarian dinner with the group follows.
Included
- Guided tour of Budapest, taking in Heroes’ Square and the Parliament Building
- Included Hungarian dinner
- Travel
- Cluj-Napoca → Oradea → Budapest by coach
- Overnight
- Budapest
- Hotel
- ibis Styles Budapest City
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 6
Budapest: Free Day
Meals included: BreakfastThe day is free to spend as you like. You can book an excursion to the thermal baths, join the optional city sightseeing tour that takes in two different areas of the city, or watch the Parliament lit up from the water during a Danube dinner cruise. There is also time to wander on your own through medieval corners such as the alleys of Castle Hill, or to shop for souvenirs.
Included
- Free time in Budapest: thermal baths, sightseeing or shopping at your own pace
Optional extras
- Buda vs Pest · AED 340 per person
- Budapest Baths · AED 235 per person
- Danube Dinner Cruise · AED 320 per person
- Overnight
- Budapest
- Hotel
- ibis Styles Budapest City
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 7
Budapest – Novi Sad – Belgrade
Meals included: BreakfastDinnerNovi Sad is the first stop after the border crossing into Serbia, with its historic centre and Liberty Square in the Old Town. Belgrade follows, where a guided tour takes in an impressive fortress standing where the Danube and Sava rivers meet. In the evening, an included dinner offers a taste of Serbian culture.
Included
- Visit to Liberty Square in Novi Sad
- Guided tour of Belgrade, including Belgrade Fortress
- Included Serbian dinner
- Travel
- Budapest → Novi Sad → Belgrade by coach
- Overnight
- Belgrade
- Hotel
- Nobel Design Belgrade
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 8
Belgrade – Niš – Skopje
Meals included: BreakfastDinnerThe drive today heads south through Serbia, passing vineyards, plum orchards and dense forest along the way. On the road to North Macedonia, there is a stop in Niš to explore Tinker’s Alley before the border crossing into Skopje. A local guide then shows you around the city’s eclectic, statue-filled centre, ahead of an included dinner.
Included
- Visit to Tinker’s Alley in Niš
- Guided tour of Skopje’s old town
- Included dinner
- Travel
- Belgrade → Niš → Skopje by coach
- Overnight
- Skopje
- Hotel
- Hotel Turist City Center
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 9
Skopje: Free Day
Meals included: BreakfastSkopje is yours to explore at leisure today, or you can choose one of two excursions. One option is a guided day trip into Kosovo, taking in Pristina and Gracanica Monastery, with lunch included. The other heads to Matka Canyon, where caves reach up to 176 metres deep, before continuing to the blue waters of Lake Ohrid for boat rides.
Included
- Free time in Skopje
Optional extras
- Kosovo Day Trip · AED 340 per person
- Lake Ohrid & Matka Canyon · AED 340 per person
- Overnight
- Skopje
- Hotel
- Hotel Turist City Center
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 10
Skopje – Rila Monastery – Sofia
Meals included: BreakfastDinner
The border crossing into Bulgaria today leads to the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery, a centre of Bulgarian religion and culture that holds sacred relics dating back to the medieval period. Sofia follows, where a guided walking tour covers the capital’s landmark sights, among them the Neo-Byzantine St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. An included Bulgarian dinner closes the day.
Included
- Visit to the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery
- Guided walking tour of Sofia, including Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
- Included Bulgarian dinner
- Travel
- Skopje → Rila Monastery → Sofia by coach
- Overnight
- Sofia
- Hotel
- Ramada by Wyndham Sofia City Center
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 11
Sofia – Plovdiv – Etar – Veliko Tarnovo
Meals included: Breakfast
The day is devoted to Bulgarian heritage. A short orientation walk introduces Plovdiv, including its Roman theatre and old town. From there, the route leads to Etar, an open-air ethnographic village recreating a traditional Bulgarian village of the 18th and 19th centuries. The day ends at the hilltop town of Veliko Tarnovo, where you spend the night.
Included
- Orientation walk in Plovdiv’s old town
- Visit to the open-air museum village of Etar
- Travel
- Sofia → Plovdiv → Etar → Veliko Tarnovo by coach
- Overnight
- Veliko Tarnovo
- Hotel
- Hotel Panorama Veliko Tarnovo
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 12
Veliko Tarnovo – Ruse – Bucharest
Meals included: BreakfastLunchToday heads back into Romania. Ruse is the stop for a wine tasting led by a local sommelier, who explains how the region’s continental climate along the Danube River shapes its wines. The same winery hosts a celebratory lunch with the group before the final stretch into Bucharest for the last evening of the tour.
Included
- Guided wine tasting near Ruse
- Farewell lunch with the group
- Travel
- Veliko Tarnovo → Ruse → Bucharest by coach
- Overnight
- Bucharest
- Hotel
- Hotel CH Bucharest
- Meals
- Breakfast and lunch
Day 13
Bucharest
Meals included: BreakfastThe tour wraps up this morning, following one last breakfast together as a group. It is time for last goodbyes, exchanging contact details and sharing photos. Anyone not heading home right away can spend a few more hours in the city: perhaps a walk through one of the public gardens, a coffee, or some last-minute souvenir shopping.
Included
- Free time in Bucharest before you head home
- Meals
- Breakfast
Dates & prices
Prices per person, sharing a double or twin room. A single room costs the supplement shown.
FromSat 4 Sept 2027ToThu 16 Sept 2027
Available
AED 9,016
Single room supplement +AED 3,287 single
FromSat 18 Sept 2027ToThu 30 Sept 2027
Available
AED 9,016
Single room supplement +AED 3,287 single
FromSat 2 Oct 2027ToThu 14 Oct 2027
Available
AED 9,016
Single room supplement +AED 3,287 single
FromSat 16 Oct 2027ToThu 28 Oct 2027
Sold out
AED 9,016
Single room supplement +AED 3,287 single
Full
What’s included
Included
- 12 nights hotel accommodation in twin rooms with private bathrooms. The majority of our accommodations are of a 3- and 4-star standard, offering excellent value, comfort and convenience
- Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room (subject to availability)
- 12 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 6 Dinners
- Modern air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and toilet onboard
- Any public transport used as part of the tour (excludes free days)
- Fully Guided Tour
Not included
- Flights: Arrange your own flights for the start and end of the tour
- Travel insurance: Purchase a suitable policy that meets your needs
Optional extras
Excursions and upgrades you can add to the tour. Prices are per person.
Romania in Two Worlds
A guided tour of Bucharest’s Palace of the Parliament, followed by a visit to the open-air Village Museum to see traditional rural houses and churches from across Romania. €80. Book it before the tour: add it to your booking notes.
AED 340 per person
Buda vs Pest
A locally guided walk through Buda and Pest, taking in the Fisherman’s Bastion and the Shoes on the Danube memorial, with lunch at a local restaurant and a visit to St Stephen’s Basilica, including its terrace. €80, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 340 per person
Budapest Baths
An afternoon at the Széchenyi thermal baths in Budapest’s City Park, with return hotel transport and fast-track entry. Bring a swimsuit. €55, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 235 per person
Danube Dinner Cruise
An evening cruise on the Danube with a welcome drink and a buffet of traditional Hungarian dishes, taking in the Parliament Building, Buda Castle Hill and the Chain Bridge lit up at night. Vegetarian options are available. €75, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 320 per person
Kosovo Day Trip
A full day in Kosovo with a local guide, visiting Gračanica Monastery, Pristina’s main sights and Prizren’s old town, mosque, stone bridge and hilltop fortress, with lunch included. €80, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 340 per person
Lake Ohrid & Matka Canyon
A boat trip through Matka Canyon to Vrelo Cave, followed by a guided walk through Ohrid’s old town and a boat ride on UNESCO-listed Lake Ohrid. €80, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 340 per person
To add an extra, mention it in your booking notes, and we confirm it with your seats before you pay. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day instead: their description says so.
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Good to know
Practical details to read before you travel.
Passport & visas
Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria are in the Schengen area, so one Schengen visa covers those stretches of the tour. Serbia and North Macedonia are outside Schengen, and the optional Kosovo day trip is too, so the tour leaves and re-enters Schengen more than once.
UAE passport holders do not need a visa for Schengen stays of up to 90 days, though you will need the EU’s new ETIAS travel authorisation once it starts: we can tell you where it stands when you book. Most other nationalities living in the UAE need a multiple-entry Schengen visa, since the route crosses in and out of the Schengen area. Apply up to six months ahead, and start early if you travel before summer, when Dubai appointments fill up.
Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo each set their own entry rules. Many visa-required nationalities can enter them on a Schengen visa that has already been used, for a limited stay, but the conditions and day limits differ by country and passport. Our visa team checks your passport against each one and handles the Schengen application: ask us when you book.
Flights and timings
Flights to and from Romania aren’t included: arrange your own to Bucharest for day 1 and home from Bucharest at the end.
Your tour leader meets the group at the start hotel in Bucharest at 10:00 on day 1. The tour ends the same morning in Bucharest, after breakfast on day 13, so plan a flight home that afternoon or later.
Our team can book your flights from Dubai to match.
Meals and dietary needs
Breakfast is included every day, plus one lunch and six dinners, mostly on arrival in a new city.
Tell us about any dietary needs, halal included, when you book, and we pass them on before the tour.
Money
You will use euros in Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria, and Serbian dinars and Macedonian denars in Serbia and North Macedonia. Cards are widely accepted in hotels and restaurants, but it helps to carry some local cash for small purchases and the optional Kosovo day trip.
Optional experiences booked on tour are paid to your tour leader in cash or by card, in the currency shown.
Weather and packing
The tour runs in September and October, so expect warm, settled days early on and cooler, crisper weather by the final week in Bulgaria.
Pack layers, comfortable walking shoes for cobbled old towns and castle grounds, and a light rain jacket. Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is expected at Rila Monastery.
Plan your trip
Our Dubai team arranges what goes around the tour, so it is booked in one place.
Visas
One Schengen visa covers the Schengen countries on this route. Our visa team in Dubai applies for UAE residents once the tour is booked. For Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo, ask them what your passport needs.
Flights
Flights are not included. We can book them with the tour: Dubai to Bucharest and back. Tick “Flights” when you book and we quote them with your confirmation.
Pay in instalments
Split the cost with Tabby or Tamara, or over 3 to 12 months on a UAE bank credit card for bookings from AED 1,000.
Book this tour
Book online in a few minutes. Your seats are held as soon as you book, and you pay once we have confirmed them.
- Choose your date, travellers and roomsPrices are per person, and the total updates as you choose.
- Name each traveller as in their passportYour seats are held and your booking reference is emailed straight away.
- Pay by secure link once confirmedOur Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails your payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
Questions before you book? Our support team is on WhatsApp +971 58 582 4488.
Questions about this tour
What will my days actually look like?
Full days, zero filler. Most mornings start with breakfast before heading out to the main sights with your Tour Leader or a local guide. Afternoons often include free time to wander, find a coffee or join an Optional Experience. Expect a good amount of walking too. On some days, you could spend two to three hours on your feet. Comfortable shoes are your best friend.
Who will I be travelling with?
People from all over the world. Different ages, different backgrounds, same instinct to see more. Groups have on average between 35-45 travellers. By day three, you’ll already know everyone's name.
What are the hotels like?
Clean, comfortable and well located. Mostly 3 to 4 star, with private en-suite bathrooms. They're chosen so you can sleep well and feel ready for the next day. They're not the centrepiece. The destinations are. But they're never an afterthought.
How active is this tour?
All travellers carry their own bags, including up hotel stairs where needed. Walking tours can last up to three hours, and some sites involve a fair number of steps. Read through the itinerary to decide if the pace is right for you.
How do Optional Experiences work?
Optional Experiences happen during your tour's free-time slots, and your Tour Leader will tell you about what's on offer during the tour. Most can be booked on the day, but some are pre-sold and must be purchased before your tour begins, so it's worth checking the tour page beforehand to see what's available and get in touch with our team to book anything in advance.
Will I have time to explore on my own?
Yes. Free time is built into the itinerary, giving you space to wander and explore at your own pace. Your Tour Leader can point you towards the places worth your time, so you're never left completely to figure it out yourself.
What support do I have while I'm on tour?
Your Tour Leader is there to look after you during your tour. They know the places most people walk straight past, they'll have a restaurant recommendation ready before you've asked, and they'll sort anything that comes up along the way. All transport and accommodation are arranged for you.
You'll also have a 24-hour emergency contact number and the Holidayys team in Dubai.
How do I book Transylvania and the Balkans?
Press Book now, choose a date and your rooms, and enter each traveller as their passport shows. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away. Our Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails you a secure payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
When do I pay?
Once the tour operator confirms your seats. We email you a secure payment link for the total in AED, and your booking is complete when it is paid. To pay in instalments, say so in your booking notes.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room. Travelling alone? A single room costs the supplement shown next to each date.
Are flights included?
Only when the tour lists them under what is included. We can book flights from the UAE to the start city and home from the end city with your tour.
Do I need a visa?
That depends on your passport and the countries on the route. Our visa team arranges Schengen and other visas for UAE residents, and can apply for yours once the tour is booked.
Payment plans
Pay over time, at 0% interest
Every booking qualifies, from holidays and tours to visas. Pay later with a credit card instalment plan or a buy-now-pay-later account; some banks charge a one-time processing fee.
- Credit card plans from AED 1,000
- Tabby and Tamara, no minimum
- Terms from 3 to 12 months
Find your bank’s plan
Credit cards, from AED 1,000
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