Balkan tours departing from Istanbul leave from Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport, with direct flights to almost every Balkan capital. This page lists the Istanbul-departure Balkan itineraries currently available — from 1–2-night city breaks to major 7-night Balkan tours.
Some tours fly from Istanbul Airport with Turkish Airlines, while others fly from Sabiha Gökçen with Pegasus and AJet. The departure airport and flight times are listed in the flight information on each tour page; since travel between the two airports takes about 1.5 hours, it is worth checking this information in advance.
Programs from Istanbul most often land in Pristina, Belgrade, Skopje and Tirana; Sarajevo and Podgorica and Tivat in Montenegro are also arrival points. A tour may arrive in one city and depart from another, allowing you to visit several countries without retracing your route.
Available itineraries range from 1 to 7 nights, with 3 nights being the most common. Short itineraries focus on a single city (Belgrade, Sarajevo, Budva, Skopje). 3–4-night “North Macedonia–Kosovo–Albania” tours combine three countries. The 7-night “Across the Balkans” itineraries visit Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia on one tour.
Prices per person start at around 1,000 euros for a double room and increase depending on flights, hotel category and number of nights. The price includes round-trip airfare, airport taxes, the hotel and the transfers listed in the itinerary. Optional excursions and meals vary by itinerary; each tour’s inclusions and exclusions are listed.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo (90 days within 180 days), Albania, North Macedonia (90 days) and Montenegro (30 days) are visa-free for Turkish citizens. Bulgaria, Romania and Greece are members of the Schengen Area; a Schengen visa is required for programs that pass through these countries.
The shared highlights of Balkan tours showcase Ottoman heritage: Baščaršija in Sarajevo, the Old Bridge in Mostar, the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Bridge in Višegrad, the Stone Bridge and Old Bazaar in Skopje, and the Sinan Pasha Mosque in Prizren. Other classic stops include the Adriatic coast around Kotor Bay and Budva, Lake Ohrid and Belgrade’s Kalemegdan Fortress.
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for Balkan tours. Mostar and the Neretva Valley can be very hot in summer, while the seaside season begins along the coast of Montenegro. In winter, Sarajevo and Belgrade are snowy and quiet; New Year’s programs are concentrated in these cities.
The countries on the route use different currencies: Serbia uses the dinar, Bosnia and Herzegovina the convertible mark, Albania the lek, and North Macedonia the denar; Montenegro and Kosovo use the euro. Euros are often accepted in tourist areas, and card payments are widely used. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the return date.
Flights to Belgrade, Skopje, Pristina and Sarajevo take approximately 1.5–2 hours.
Yes; programs covering only Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia are visa-free.
The shortest available itinerary departing from Istanbul is 1 night; the most common duration is 3 nights.
The coach tour “Grand Balkans: 9 Countries”; among the flight-inclusive options, the 7-night “Balkans from Start to Finish” and “5 Countries” tours visit five countries.