Tour overview

This 15-day trip traces the lands of Philip II and Alexander the Great across three countries, with a tour leader and a group of four to eighteen. You stay thirteen nights in hotels and one in a historic monastery, with breakfast daily and a few other meals.

From Sofia you cross into North Macedonia via the St Joakim Osogovski Monastery and the old town of Kratovo, explore Skopje and its fortress, and visit the dramatic Matka Gorge.

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Lake Ohrid, with its Byzantine churches and lakeside town, is your base for three nights, with a rowboat trip to the springs at Saint Naum. In Greece you see the royal tombs of Vergina and Pella, explore Thessaloniki and cruise along the coast of Mount Athos.

A ferry day on Thassos, the ruins of Philippi and the painted Rila Monastery round off the trip back in Bulgaria. The physical rating is low.

Trip highlights

  • A night at St Joakim Osogovski Monastery (Day 2)
  • Matka Gorge (Day 4)
  • Lake Ohrid (Days 5–7)
  • The royal tombs of Vergina (Day 9)
  • A Mount Athos coastal cruise (Day 11)
  • Rila Monastery (Day 14)

Your route

19 stops from Sofia to Sofia

15-day route: Sofia – Skopje – Ohrid – Thessaloniki – Kavala – Bansko – Sofia
  1. Sofia Day 1
  2. Joakim Osogovski Day 2
  3. Kratovo Day 3
  4. Skopje Days 3–4
  5. Matka Gorge Day 4
  6. Mavrovo National Park Day 5
  7. Ohrid Days 5–7
  8. Saint Naum Monastery Day 8
  9. Pelister Day 8
  10. Vergina Day 9
  11. Pella Day 9
  12. Thessaloniki Days 9–10
  13. Ouranopoli Day 11
  14. Kavala Days 11–12
  15. Thassos Island Day 12
  16. Philippi Day 13
  17. Bansko Day 13
  18. Rila Monastery Day 14
  19. Sofia Days 14–15

Why choose this tour

Three countries and many UNESCO sites. Three nights by Lake Ohrid.

Best suited to

  • History and archaeology lovers
  • Culture seekers
  • Solo travellers
  • Returning visitors to Greece
The striped arches and balconies of Rila Monastery

Day-by-day itinerary

15 days from Sofia, Bulgaria to Sofia, Bulgaria

  1. Day 1 · Sofia Sofia

    Welcome to Bulgaria.

    Hotel
    Rosslyn Thracia Hotel or similar
  2. Day 2 · Sofia, St Joakim Osogovski Monastery Osogovo

    Sofia and a monastery.

    Hotel
    Monastery St Joakim Osogovski or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  3. Day 3 · Kratovo, Skopje, Kale Fortress Skopje

    Kratovo and Skopje.

    Hotel
    Hotel Arka or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  4. Day 4 · Matka Gorge Skopje

    Matka Gorge.

    Hotel
    Hotel Arka or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  5. Day 5 · Mavrovo National Park, Ohrid Ohrid

    To Lake Ohrid.

    Hotel
    Hotel Royal View or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  6. Day 6 · Ohrid Ohrid

    Ohrid on foot.

    Hotel
    Hotel Royal View or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7 · Lake Ohrid Ohrid

    A free day.

    Hotel
    Hotel Royal View or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Saint Naum Monastery, Pelister National Park Pelister

    Saint Naum.

    Hotel
    Hotel Sator or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  9. Day 9 · Vergina, Pella, Thessaloniki Thessaloniki

    Vergina and Pella.

    Hotel
    Hotel Luxemburg or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Thessaloniki Thessaloniki

    Thessaloniki.

    Hotel
    Hotel Luxemburg or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  11. Day 11 · Halkidiki, Mount Athos, Kavala Kavala

    Mount Athos by boat.

    Hotel
    Esperia Hotel or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  12. Day 12 · Thassos Kavala

    Thassos.

    Hotel
    Esperia Hotel or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  13. Day 13 · Philippi, Bansko Bansko

    Philippi.

    Hotel
    Hotel Molerite or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  14. Day 14 · Rila Monastery, Sofia Sofia

    Rila Monastery.

    Hotel
    Rosslyn Thracia Hotel or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  15. Day 15 · Sofia Sofia

    The trip ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast
The White Tower in Thessaloniki

Where you stay

  • Sofia (1 night) Rosslyn Thracia Hotel or similar
  • Osogovo (1 night) Monastery St Joakim Osogovski or similar
  • Skopje (2 nights) Hotel Arka or similar
  • Ohrid (3 nights) Hotel Royal View or similar
  • Pelister (1 night) Hotel Sator or similar
  • Thessaloniki (2 nights) Hotel Luxemburg or similar
  • Kavala (2 nights) Esperia Hotel or similar
  • Bansko (1 night) Hotel Molerite or similar
  • Sofia (1 night) Rosslyn Thracia Hotel or similar

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 13 hotel nights and 1 monastery night
  • Meals 14 breakfasts and 2 dinners
  • Minibus transport, boats and ferries
  • Guided visits in Sofia, Skopje, Ohrid, Vergina, Pella, Thessaloniki and Philippi
  • Mount Athos coastal cruise and Saint Naum rowboat
  • Tour leader throughout

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not included 13 lunches and 12 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
Ohrid from across the lake

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want an active holiday
  • You want most meals included
  • You want luxury hotels
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–15 · Lunch: none included · Dinner: Days 2 and 8
FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Bulgaria · UK FCDO travel advice for Greece · UK FCDO travel advice for North Macedonia
The church of Saint John at Kaneo above Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £2,559 per person, twin share, tour only. 6 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

Do I need a visa for Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Greece?

No, UK citizens can visit all three visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180.

Can women visit Mount Athos?

The monastic peninsula is closed to women, so everyone views the monasteries from the boat.

Which meals are included?

14 breakfasts and 2 dinners.

Can I have my own room?

A single supplement may be available; otherwise solo travellers share with someone of the same gender.

How many people travel together?

Between four and eighteen, with a tour leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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