Now Available : Our 2013 Balkan and Baltic Bucket List Tour

The word ‘unique’ is much abused and over-used, but here’s something that is about as close to a unique touring opportunity as any you’re likely to see.

It is a tour of 17 different countries – all the Balkan countries plus the Baltic states and one or two other countries tossed in for good measure, too.  It will be held in June 2013, offering good warm weather and lovely long sunny days.

I’ve visited a few of the Balkan countries before, and in all cases, was amazed at how much better everything was than I expected.  The only thing missing, in most cases, was crowds of tourists – and you don’t have to think too long to realize that’s a good thing!

I really liked the less sophisticated, more individualistic and ‘true to life’ places we visited that had not yet totally repositioned themselves as tourist traps.  Give it another 5 – 10 years and they’ll have sadly evolved into generic tourist places, almost indistinguishable from each other and full of multi-national brands.  But come with us in 2013, and you’ll still get unalloyed authenticity.

In addition to my own enthusiasm for the itinerary I’ve carefully crafted, it is also helpful to appreciate that we include not just one or two, but a massive eleven visits to World Heritage listed sites.  I’m not the only one who thinks these places are very special.

This tour offers a very high degree of experiential touring.  Although we leaven the tour with a few relaxing days with little planned, in total we manage to see all 17 countries in 20 days.

That sounds daunting, but when you remember that many of these countries are sort of the same size as Maryland or even as small as Delaware, it is comparable to touring states in the New England area of the US.  Most of the touring is by coach, plus we add in two overnight trains for a couple of the longer and low-interest journeys, and even a ferry ride too.

If 20 days away and 17 countries is too much, we also offer the option to do part of the tour rather than the full extravaganza, with the tour in three optional sections.  You can choose any one, two, or of course all three sections depending on your interests, your time available, and where you’ve been before.

The tour has been designed with the help and feedback of Travel Insider Supporters.  Some are intensely excited by it, others feel, ahem, less positive.  But that’s okay – the tour doesn’t pretend to be a perfect match for everyone.  But I think and hope that if it sounds of possible interest to you, the reality of joining us will exceed your expectations.

Due to the vast ‘behind the scenes’ complexity of coordinating all of this, it will not be a tour we offer every year, and I’m offering it on this occasion as much because it is something I want to do myself as for any other reason.  So, if as few as twelve of you choose to join me, it is a tour we’ll offer in 2013.

Please now go and read through the many pages of information and detail about this amazing and extensive tour of the Balkans and the Baltics.  There’s lots in it to please everyone.

I hope to meet you on this tour, next June.