Balkan Sanctuaries in 2025: Sacred Sites and Spiritual Journeys Across Southeastern Europe

BOSTON - DUBROVNIK

Our adventure begins as the group gathers at the airport. After passport control, we hop on our flight to Europe.

https://stjosephtravel.com/en/tours/pilgrimage-to-balkan-sanctuaries

BALKANS-DUBROVNIK

Touch down in Podgorica or Dubrovnik (final airport may vary). We head straight to our hotel, settle in, enjoy a delicious dinner, and relax overnight.

BALKANS-CETINJE-MONTENEGRO

After breakfast, we’re off to explore Cetinje, the historic heart of Montenegro. We visit the Royal Palace, fascinating museums, and a Monastery with incredible relics. On the way, we’ll get a glimpse of the stunning island of Sveti Stefan. We then make our way to a beautiful seaside hotel, where we enjoy dinner and unwind for the night.

BALKANS - TOWN OF BAR

Start our day with breakfast, followed by an exciting trip to Bar, Montenegro’s largest port. Discover historical treasures and visit one of the oldest olive groves in the world at Mirovica. We return to the hotel by 2 PM, giving you the afternoon to relax on the beach, followed by dinner and a cozy overnight stay.

BALKANS - BOKA BAY

After breakfast, we have free time or can choose to join an optional full-day boat excursion around the Bay of Kotor. We sail to Herceg Novi, known as the city of stairs, for a brief tour. Then, we cruise past Mamula Island to Žanjica Bay, where you can swim and relax on the beach. We also visit the Blue Cave (optional, 3 Euros for entry, with a chance to swim). Next, we head to the island of Our Lady of the Rocks to explore its unique museum on the water, followed by a visit to Kotor. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, nestled in the Bay of Kotor, is often compared to the scenic Norwegian fjords. We stroll through the old town, surrounded by defensive walls, and see the Sea Gate, clock tower, St. Tryphon’s Romanesque Cathedral, and the churches of St. Luke and Our Lady of Health. We return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

BALKANS - BAY OF KOTOR

After breakfast, we enjoy a day of leisure and beach time. Later, we visit a local winery for a tasting experience. The day ends with dinner and an overnight stay at the hotel.

BALKANS - TARA BRIDGE

After breakfast, we enjoy free time at the beach or choose an optional rafting adventure on the Tara River Canyon. Experience the second-largest canyon in the world (after the Grand Canyon) on an 18 km route, lasting about 3 to 4 hours. The tour includes a Montenegrin breakfast, rafting, guide services, a jeep ride, lunch (grilled fish or lamb), and transfers to and from the hotel. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

BALKANS - DUBROVNIK

After breakfast, we relax and enjoy the beach. After lunch (around 2 PM), we head to Dubrovnik. Explore the city often described as an “open-air museum,” where every building is a historic site. Visit the Rector’s Palace, the main street of the Old Town—Stradun, the city walls, the Franciscan Monastery with its 14th-century active pharmacy, the Sponza Palace, and the Orlando Column, which features the medieval knight Orlando (Roland). This monument symbolized the free merchant city, where public punishments and proclamations were once made. We will also see the Cathedral of Our Lady, St. Blaise Church, Onofrio’s Fountain, and Ston with its longest defensive walls in Europe, known as the “European Great Wall.” Additionally, we visit the old salt pans where, since the 13th century, sea water has been evaporated to produce Europe’s “white gold”—salt. The day concludes with a transfer to the hotel in Medjugorje for dinner and an overnight stay.

BALKANS - MEDJUGORJE

After breakfast, we visit Medjugorje, the most famous and widely visited Marian Sanctuary in Southern Europe, a place of prayer and reflection for millions of pilgrims from around the world. This sacred place is where pilgrims come to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, bringing their concerns, requests, and thanks to her. It is here on June 24, 1981, that the Virgin Mary – the Queen of Peace – appears to six children and conveys her requests, urging them towards piety, penance, and prayer. The Gospa (Our Lady) continues to appear to the chosen ones, encouraging them to live in peace and harmony with the Word of God. During our stay in Medjugorje, we have the opportunity to visit the Apparition Hill, where the first apparitions take place. This is an extraordinary and special place for pilgrims, located on a hill rising above Medjugorje, where on March 15, 1934, the parishioners erect a cross over 8 meters high made of reinforced concrete. The cross contains relics of the True Cross of Jesus, gifted by the Vatican. We also see the Marian Sanctuary and the Church of St. James. There is free time for purchasing souvenirs and religious articles. The day ends with dinner and an overnight stay in Medjugorje.

BALKANS - MOSTAR

For those interested, there is an early morning hike up Križevac. After breakfast, we head to Mostar, a tourist gem of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on the Neretva River. We explore the Turkish Old Town Kujundžiluk, featuring the famous Old Bridge, the city’s most iconic structure and a symbol of the connection between two cultural groups. Its history is intertwined with that of the city, which develops on both sides of the Neretva River. Each side is inhabited by people of different faiths – Christians on one side, Muslims on the other – with a small wooden bridge being the only link between them. One of the most beautiful monuments in Mostar is the Karađoz Bey Mosque. We also visit the 17th-century so-called Turkish House, the Bišćević House, which opens doors to the past. After some free time for souvenir shopping, we return to Medjugorje, attend an evening service, have dinner, and spend the night.

SARAJEVO

After breakfast, we check out and drive through the beautiful canyon of the Neretva River to Sarajevo. On the way, we make a brief stop in Konjic – a city known for its folk crafts and Turkish architecture. In the capital, we visit the Balkan Jerusalem. We start with Baščaršija, the Turkish Old Town, then move on to the Gavrilo Princip Bridge – the site of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Ferhadija – the main street of the capital, Karavanserai – a Turkish inn for travelers, and Bezistan – a medieval shopping center. A special highlight on our route is the Sacred Heart Cathedral – a Catholic church in front of which a statue of Pope John Paul II stands since 2014. This place is also unique because of the stories told by the capital’s residents. The church survives both World Wars and the war that the country experiences from 1992-1995. As residents recall, during one of the city’s bombings, the stained glass window behind the church’s altar gets damaged. The only part of the mosaic that remains is the image of Jesus on the cross, and it is this undamaged image of Jesus that gives the residents hope for survival. Today, there is also an opportunity to try the famous Sarajevo ćevapi with kajmak and boza. We offer some free time before heading to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

BALKANS - VISOKO

After breakfast, we travel to Visoko, where the complex of the world’s three oldest pyramids is located: the Pyramids of the Sun, the Moon, and the Dragon (14,000 years old), which surpass the size of the largest tombs built in Giza. We return to Sarajevo and visit the oldest brewery in Bosnia, “Sarajevska Pivara,” established in 1864, where we sample various types of beer. Afterward, we return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

BALKANS - USA

Today marks the end of our journey through the Balkans. After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, we proceed to the airport for check-in and baggage handling, followed by our flight to Chicago, where we plan to land in the morning or late morning hours.

See also other travel offers:

France 2024. Paris, Loured, La Salette

https://stjosephtravel.com/en/tours/pilgrimage-to-france/

Bora Bora, Tahiti, Moorea 2024/2025

https://rektraveladventure.com/wycieczki/bora-bora/