It was one of the most enjoyable tours I took with my family, especially with my elderly parents, during the summer heat. The Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Podgorica was very comfortable, and the guide immediately gathered us at the airport and helped us settle onto the bus. The scenery in Kotor, Perast, and Budva was calmer and more peaceful than I expected; the color of the sea and the evening light are still vivid in my mind. The coolness of the river on the Blagay tour made me forget the summer heat. There was a bit of waiting when getting off the bus at some places, and the group was large, but thanks to the guide’s patient explanations and Turkish commentary, my mother and father felt very comfortable. The hotels were clean, and the breakfasts were adequate. It was a truly satisfying program for anyone who wants to see different cities in a short time and experience history and nature together.
Bosnia and Montenegro Tour Visa-Free with Turkish Airlines
Tour Detail
Tour Departure Date
22 January / 29 January / 12 February
Day 1 Istanbul – Podgorica (Kotor-Tivat-Perast-Budva)
Meeting in front of the check-in counter at Istanbul Airport International Departures Terminal .... After ticket, baggage and passport procedures, departure to Podgorica at 08:20 with Turkish Airlines flight TK1085. Arrival in Podgorica at 08:15. After passport, baggage and customs procedures, we leave the airport for the Podgorica tour. Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, one of the youngest states in the world, is also the country's largest city. After our panoramic city tour in Podgorica, whose urban planning has developed under European influence, we transfer to our hotel. Our guests who wish may join the optional Kotor-Tivat-Perast-Budva tour. (70 EUR) Our first stop is Kotor, a small city that is very important in terms of the historical and architectural works it contains, and has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1979. In our city tour on foot, we will see the most important structures of Kotor, which bears the texture of Venetian architecture, and then starting to go around the Bay of Kotor, we visit Perast, which is like a postcard with its unique landscape. The final stop of our journey along the exquisite shores of this bay is the city of Tivat, where Porto Montenegro is located. You can relax in the luxurious cafés of Tivat, known as Montenegro's Monaco, and relieve the tiredness of the day by swimming or walking along the beach. After our tour, we head to Budva. After the panoramic tour in Budva, we take a break where you can see the magnificent St. Stefan from above panoramically, a place that is today a vacation spot for the jet set after the expropriation of an island that was once a settlement area for fishermen and its subsequent sale to a Singaporean multimillionaire, and then we make our hotel transfer in Podgorica. Overnight at our hotel.
Day 2 Podgorica – Trebinje – Poçitel - Mostar – Medjugorje (Blagaj – Kravice)
After breakfast, we depart for historic Mostar. Passing through the Bosnian city of Trebinje en route, we stop at Poçitel, an Ottoman village that has reached the present day unchanged with its 16th-century texture, our first stop in this country adorned with Ottoman works since the 15th century. After our visit to this authentic village, where even small children walking in the streets speak Turkish, we arrive in Mostar. After arriving in Mostar, in our city tour on foot we first see the Mostar Bridge. (Built by Mimar Hayreddin in 1557, the bridge is a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture.) The bridge was destroyed by Croatian artillery during the war in 1992, but was reopened in 2004 with major contributions from the Republic of Turkey. We see the Koska Mehmed Pasha Mosque and walk through the old city bazaar. Our guests who wish may join the optional Blagay Tour. (20 EUR) We transfer from Mostar to Medjugorje for accommodation. Our guests who wish may join the Kravice Waterfall tour, one of the most magnificent waterfalls in the Balkans. (35 EUR) Overnight at our hotel.
Day 3 Medjugorje – Konjic – Sarajevo
After breakfast, we depart for Sarajevo. Passing through Konjic, we start our city tour after arriving in Sarajevo. We stroll through Baščaršija, the most distinguished bazaar in Europe. We visit the Gazi Husrev-bey Madrasa, which has continued to operate since the Ottoman period. Then we visit the Gazi Husrev-bey Mosque, a relative of Suleiman the Magnificent. During the continuation of our tour, we see the Clock Tower, the Catholic Cathedral, Orthodox Churches, and the Jewish Synagogue in Sarajevo. Then, after visiting the Latin Bridge, where World War I broke out, we pass through the gate where Fatih Sultan Mehmed entered the city and drink water from the Ottoman Fountain. Finally, after visiting the Fatih Mosque, attributed to Fatih Sultan Mehmed Han, transfer to our hotel and check-in to rooms..Our guests who wish may join the optional War Tunnel and Vrelo Bosne tour. (35 EUR) We visit the tunnel and museum where all the needs of the city were met and entry and exit to the city were made during the war for two and a half years, and on the edge of Mount Igman, where Sarajevo's water source is located, we visit Vrelo Bosne, Sarajevo's largest national park, which was arranged by Tito's order at the time and is famous for its excellent walking trails, carriage drivers, and authentic coffee houses, and also contains the source of the Bosna River.After some free time, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
Day 4 Sarajevo – Istanbul (Travnik)
After breakfast, free time until the airport transfer time. Those who wish may join the optional Travnik Tour. (55 EUR) We depart for Travnik. When we arrive in Travnik, we first start visiting the old castle. After our visit to the castle, which was built in the Kingdom of Bosnia and decorated during Ottoman rule, we visit the "Sulejmanije" mosque, the first mosque built by the Ottomans in Bosnia. We take a walk in the city center. We stop by the house of Ivo Andrić, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning author, one of the most important places to see in Travnik. After visiting the house, which has been turned into a museum, of this famous writer who best explained to the world the reasons for ethnic discrimination in the Balkan geography, we visit the Blue Water, where it is said that Fatih Sultan Mehmed drank water. Then we head toward Sarajevo. Upon arrival, we carry out our airport transfer. . After ticket, baggage and passport procedures, departure to Istanbul at 20:15 with Turkish Airlines flight TK1026. Arrival in Istanbul at 00:15. We hope to see you on your next trip…
Tour Program
PROGRAM
Tour Departure Date
22 January / 29 January / 12 February
Day 1 Istanbul – Podgorica (Kotor-Tivat-Perast-Budva)
Meeting in front of the international departures terminal counter at Istanbul Airport. After ticket, baggage and passport procedures, departure for Podgorica at 08:20 on Turkish Airlines flight TK1085. Arrival in Podgorica at 08:15. After passport, baggage and customs procedures, we leave the airport for a Podgorica tour. Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, one of the youngest countries in the world, is also the country's largest city. After a panoramic city tour of Podgorica, whose urban planning developed under European influence, we transfer to our hotel. Guests who wish can join the optional Kotor-Tivat-Perast-Budva tour. (70 EUR) Our first stop is Kotor; although small, this city is very important in terms of its historical and architectural heritage, and has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1979. On our walking city tour, we will see the most important structures of Kotor, which carries the texture of Venetian architecture, and then starting to circle around the Bay of Kotor, we visit Perast, which has become a postcard subject with its unique scenery. The final stop of our journey along the exquisite shores of this bay is the city of Tivat, where Porto Montenegro is located. Known as the Monaco of Montenegro, Tivat offers luxurious cafes where you can relax and relieve the day's fatigue by swimming or walking along the beach. After our tour, we head to Budva. After our panoramic tour in Budva, we take a break where we can see the magnificent St. Stefan panoramic view from above; this island, once a fishermen's settlement, was expropriated and later sold to a Singaporean multimillionaire and is now a holiday destination for the jet set, and then we transfer to our hotel in Podgorica. Overnight at our hotel.
Day 2 Podgorica – Trebinje – Poçitel - Mostar – Medjugorje (Blagaj – Kravice)
After breakfast, we depart for historic Mostar. En route, passing through the Bosnian city of Trebinje, our first stop in this country, decorated with Ottoman works dating from the 15th century, is the Ottoman village of Počitel, which has survived to the present day without being damaged, with its 16th-century texture. After our visit to this authentic village, where even small children walking on the street speak Turkish, we arrive in Mostar. After arriving in Mostar, on our walking city tour we first see the Mostar Bridge. (Built in 1557 by architect Hayreddin, the bridge is a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture.) The bridge was destroyed by Croatian artillery during the war in 1992, but with major contributions from the Republic of Turkey it was reopened in 2004. We see the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque and tour the old city bazaar. Guests who wish can join the optional Blagaj Tour. (20 EUR) We transfer from Mostar to Medjugorje for accommodation. Guests who wish can join the Kravice Waterfall tour, one of the most magnificent waterfalls in the Balkans. (35 EUR) Overnight at our hotel.
Day 3 Medjugorje – Konjic – Sarajevo
After breakfast, depart for Sarajevo. Passing through Konjic, we begin our city tour after arriving in Sarajevo. We stroll through Baščaršija, the most distinguished bazaar in Europe. We visit the Gazi Husrev-bey Madrasah, which has been operating since the Ottoman period. Then we visit the Gazi Husrev-bey Mosque, a relative of Suleiman the Magnificent. In the continuation of our tour, we see the Clock Tower, the Catholic Cathedral in Sarajevo, Orthodox Churches and the Jewish Synagogue. Then, after visiting the Latin Bridge, where World War I broke out, we pass through the gate where Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror entered the city and drink water from the Ottoman Fountain. Finally, after visiting the Fatih Mosque, attributed to Fatih Sultan Mehmed Khan, transfer to our hotel and check-in to the rooms..Guests who wish can join the optional War Tunnel and Vrelo Bosne tour. (35 EUR) We visit the tunnel and museum, where all of the city's needs were met and entry and exit were made during the war for two and a half years, and then visit Vrelo Bosne, Sarajevo's largest national park, located on the edge of Mount Igman, where the source of the Bosna River is also found, arranged by Tito's order in the past and famous for its excellent walking trails, carriage rides, and authentic cafes. After free time, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
Day 4 Sarajevo – Istanbul (Travnik)
After breakfast, free time until airport transfer time. Guests who wish can join the optional Travnik Tour. (55 EUR) We depart for Travnik. When we arrive in Travnik, we first begin touring the old fortress. After visiting the fortress, which was built in the Bosnian Kingdom and decorated during Ottoman rule, we visit the "Sulejmanije" Mosque, the first mosque built by the Ottomans in Bosnia. We take a walk in the city center. We stop by the house of Nobel Peace Prize-winning author Ivo Andric, one of the most important places to see in the city of Travnik. After visiting the house, which has been turned into a museum, of this famous writer who best explained to the world the reasons for ethnic discrimination experienced especially in the Balkans, we visit the Blue Water where it is rumored that Fatih Sultan Mehmed drank water. Then we set off towards Sarajevo. After arrival, we transfer to the airport. . After ticket, baggage and passport procedures, departure for Istanbul at 20:15 on Turkish Airlines flight TK1026. Arrival in Istanbul at 00:15. We hope to see you on your next trip...
What's Included
* Istanbul – Podgorica / Sarajevo – Istanbul Economy Class Flight Tickets with Turkish Airlines
* Local Transportation Services
* Local professional Turkish guiding services
* 3 Nights Accommodation with Breakfast Included in total, with 1 Night in Podgorica, 1 Night in Medjugorje, and 1 Night in Sarajevo at 4* Hotels
* Panoramic city tours of Podgorica, Trebinje, Mostar, Poçitel, Konjic, Sarajevo
* Mandatory local guiding services purchased in certain cities
* All highway check-point and parking fees
* City Taxes
* Customs Duties
* Panoramic city tours specified in the program
* Airport taxes and service fees
Not Included
Museum and archaeological site entrance fees.
* Extras charged at the hotel.
* All personal expenses
* Extra tours
* Lunches and dinners
* All excursions and tours not specified in the program.
* Optional guide tips
* Driver tip (5 EUR per person)
* International departure tax
* Overseas travel health insurance
Extra tours
Kotor-Tivat-Perast-Budva Tour (70 EUR)
Blagay Tour(20 EUR)
War Tunnel and Vrelo Bosne Tour (35 EUR)
Travnik Tour (55 EUR)
Reviews
5 ReviewsBefore joining the tour, I had some reservations especially about the flight and hotel arrangements, but overall I encountered an organization that exceeded my expectations. The Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Podgorica was smooth, and our guide clearly directed us through the luggage and passport procedures. After Podgorica, we chose the extra tour to Kotor, Perast, and Budva; especially during the short walk in Perast, it was very pleasant to stroll through quiet streets in the cool autumn air. The guide kept our interest alive by enriching the regional history with local stories. Only on some days was the program tightly scheduled, and we had to wait on the bus a few times longer than necessary, which was a bit tiring. Still, the accommodation in 4-star hotels was comfortable, and being given free time in downtown Sarajevo in the late afternoon coolness allowed my partner and me to take a peaceful walk. My overall impression is that it was a balanced experience for the price paid.
The most memorable moment was when our guide opened the map on the bus while descending toward Kotor Bay and calmly explained the region’s history. I traveled alone and most of the group already knew each other, but the guide answered everyone’s questions one by one, so I never felt left out. Throughout the day, from Podgorica to Budva and Perast, he explained historical details in simple terms and kept the humor well balanced. On the last day in Sarajevo, what he said during the war tunnel tour was especially moving. The only downside was that at a few places we waited a bit too long on the bus; otherwise, the program was well organized, communication was clear, and the pace suited the cool autumn weather.
Great. My parents also joined me on this tour, and the intercity journeys were more enjoyable than I expected. The bus was air-conditioned, so despite the summer heat it was cool inside, and watching the mountain and river views from the window on the way from Podgorica to Kotor was a pleasure. The guide told stories about the bridges and old buildings as we passed by on the road, so the long transfers were not boring. The only downside was that we had to wait a bit at the border crossings, which can be tiring for older people. On the Kotor-Tivat-Perast-Budva tour as well, we liked that they often made short photo stops while driving along the coast road. Having the flights with Turkish Airlines and the local transportation organized provided great convenience when traveling with family.
I expected a rather tiring and hectic schedule, but the pace was surprisingly balanced. We joined with a large group, and especially the Kotor–Tivat–Perast–Budva day was comfortable despite the summer heat; the breaks on the air-conditioned bus were well timed. The guide’s little anecdotes about the region’s history made the journey feel shorter. Only when we transferred from Medjugorje to Sarajevo did we wait a bit for check-in at the hotel, which I think was due to the high season. Overall, the atmosphere was calm, the views were beautiful, and the itinerary was full without being overwhelming.