4 Balkan Capitals in 9 Days: Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and North Macedonia

My 80 year old mother and I did this tour from 02/11/2023 as part of a 3 week extension we had in Bulgaria, having completed a 21 day organised your from Australia of Romanian/Bulgaria that ended in Sofia. The operator (Adrian) generously offered to modify the tour so that we visited medieval and historic cities in regions of Bulgaria that we hadn’t previously seen (he sighted our itinerary from the Romania/Bulgaria tour). Our 9 day tour traversed vast plains, thickly forested hillsides and stunning countryside, cloaked in beautiful Autumn foliage. It was quite an experience crossing the relevant borders – Romania with its freight trucks backed up for over 5 and 10 kms, to Serbia where 2 Australian women and their private driver/guide caused some concern and confusion for the border guard (they are used to bus loads of tourists). Accommodation was very comfortable with all expected amenities, sometimes quite unexpected charming boutique experiences. Always situated within easy walking distance of the beautiful old city centres. Our driver/guide, Rosen, had an extensive and interesting knowledge of each region and city. He ensured we got to visit important historical buildings, view beautiful architecture and places of interest, before giving us time to explore on our own. Some days the driving was long but the scenery is worth it. All in all a wonderfully organised tour. Would recommend.