The Balkans Cooking Trips & Packages Tours & Trips

Highlights

• Explore the remote northern reaches of Albania and take one of the world’s best boat trips with a cruise through the mountainous corridors of Lake Koman
• Experience daily life in the Valbona Valley with a stay at a local guesthouse. Clink glasses with the locals in the village and hike the rugged valley passes.
• Sail across the blue waters of Lake Ohrid, one of Europe's oldest lakes. No wonder North Macedonia and Albania share this beautiful attraction – nobody would want to let it go.
• Kososvo is rich in history and contrasts. Step back in time and learn about the infamous Battle of Kosovo on a day trip to the Field of Blackbirds, before embracing the modern culture thriving in Prishtina, Europe’s youngest capital.
• Lose yourself in Tirana, the Albanian capital full of a revitalised urban energy, and partake in the local's favourite pastime: drinking coffee and people-watching.

Highlights

• Experience an authentic taste of this region and a look at local life when you dine in family homes in Rakovica, Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Dihovo.
• See behind the scenes of local produce when you visit local farms, a centuries-old smokehouse, an olive mill, a Benedictine nunnery and meet a local beekeeper for a honey tasting.
• Take a day trip to the island of Brac and indulge in the finest organic olive oils from the largest olive grove in Croatia, followed by a sugared walnut cake that has become ‘a protected item of intangible heritage’!
• Try the most iconic foods of Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo, including smoked and barbecued meats, cheese, honey, apples and locally produced wine.
• Learn how to make a hand-formed pasta shape in a Croatian konoba, the greens-filled soparnik with experts in Split, and brightly coloured and flavoured ajvar in Dolno Dupeni.

Highlights

• Spend a full day exploring the green island of Mljet – with its small seaside villages, lush national park trails, shimmering waters and largely untouched environment, you’ll never want to leave!
• Snack on salty cheese made from sheep’s milk during a trip to the karst island of Pag, where a determined group of islanders wring themselves a living from the barren, rocky landscape.
• A guided tour of the 4th-century Diocletian’s Palace in Split reveals not just Roman-era beauty, but also the local businesses that operate in the alleyways and cellars of this epic structure.
• Gaze over the beautiful hillside, lavender fields and vineyards of Hvar Island during a leisurely organic dinner at an agriturismo.
• Stroll through Plitvice Lakes National Park, marvelling at luminous lakes and waterfalls that seem to have been sketched by an artist.

Highlights

• Experience an authentic taste of the Balkans and a look at local life when you dine in family homes in Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Dihovo.
• Take in a cooking demonstration in the village of Dolno Dupeni, then get a fresh taste of homemade North Macedonian cuisine.
• See behind the scenes of local produce when you visit a centuries-old smokehouse, an olive mill, an apple farm and meet a local beekeeper for a honey tasting.
• Explore the stunning landscapes and charming cities of the region, discovering the legendary Rozafa Fortress and going on guided tours of Prizren and Skopje.
• Try the most iconic foods of Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo, including smoked and barbecued meats, cheese, honey, apples and locally produced wine.

Highlights

• Visit seven countries of Former Yugoslavia in just 16 days
• Experience a variety of scenic rail journeys
• Discover contrasting landscapes and cities in this lesser visited region

Highlights

• Begin your adventure in Berlin – an exciting city with a complex history. In your own time, see the remaining fragments of the infamous wall that once divided the city but now unites it with murals and memorials.
• Experience the artistic history of unique Vienna – the perfect blend of modern and historic personality – then enjoy some kaffe and kuchen (coffee and cake) at a local café that empowers older residents with employment and purpose.
• Escape city life on the peaceful shores of Lake Bled in Slovenia. Maybe visit the iconic church on the tiny fairytale island in the lake's centre and treat yourself to a slice of Bled's famous cream cake.
• Discover the landmarks of Rome with your leader and wander around the Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, the Forum, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, Via Dei Condotti.
• Make cross-country travel a breeze with a European trip including train travel. Enjoy extra time to sit back, relax, play games with your fellow travellers or watch the changing scenery roll by.

Highlights

• Cycle ride and easy walks through vineyards, villages and farms
• Help out on the farm and cook traditional dishes with the farmer
• Family fun: Kayak, swim and snorkel at the beach
• Cable car ride over sensational Dubrovnik city

Highlights

• Explore Karpathos and see the cultural museum
• Visit Marine Park
• Enjoy ‘kaiki’ boat ride, from Diafani to Saria Island
• Enjoy the hike from Avlona Settlement To The Bay Of Tristomo
• Enjoy the sun and the sea and relax at virgin beaches