LED BY DR. FERYAL SALEM
JULY 14-22, 2024
Experience a rare journey through the forgotten history of Muslim Europe.
Silk Road Learning Tours invites travelers who are curious about the world and who find educational travel personally inspiring and intellectually invigorating. We steer off the beaten path of the regular tour industry by specializing in trips that highlight aspects of Islamic history, art, and culture. Travelers on our learning experiences do not only have opportunities to hear scholarly perspectives from experts, but they also have a chance to interact with locals on a personal level and experience aspects of Muslim cultures in ways that enrich the mind and soul. Silk Road Learning Tours travelers come back home with meaningful memories that forever change the way they see the world around them. To apply for this learning experience, please send an email to:
info@silkroadmusings.com
Day 1 july 14
Istanbul—Pristina—Prizren (Kosovo)
We begin our adventure by gathering at the Istanbul Airport on time to board our 7:00 pm flight to Pristina. We will be greeted by our bus and a local guide which will be waiting for us when we arrive around 7:35pm local time. We will drive through the city of Pristina which has a majority Muslim Albanian/Kosovar population and learn about the conflict that led to immense bloodshed and endless tears in this land 20 years ago. We will proceed to one of the most famous monuments of this city, the mausoleum of the Ottoman Sultan Murad Hüdavendigar I, who was killed in the Battle of Kosovo and later buried here. We will explore the adjacent building used to host guests (selamlik) that has many invaluable historical artifacts including photographs of Sultan Reshad, who was the last Ottoman Sultan to visit the Balkans in 1911. After we complete our driving tour of Pristina, we will head towards Prizren which is the second largest city in Kosovo that played a key role in Ottoman Balkan history.
The distance between Pristina and Prizren is about 85 km. We will enjoy a meal together at a local restaurant before we go to our hotel to check in for the night.
Activities:
- Pristina City Tour
- Sultan Murad Hüdavendigar I Mausoleum and Museum
Day 2 july 15
Prizren to Skopje (Macedonia)
After we finish breakfast at the hotel, we will head to our bus to start our city tour of Prizren in Kosovo. We will learn about the history of Islam in Europe as we visit the Sinan Pasha Mosque, built in 1615. The Sinan Pasha Mosque is considered the most iconic structure of this city and has long been a reminder of the centrality of this region as a part of the Ottoman lands that connected this part of Europe to areas as far as Iraq and Egypt. We will consider the significance of the shared history of the Balkans with mutual identification with Ottoman culture, history, and governance after the fifteenth century and how its past impacted its modern history as these ties shifted.
Afterwards, we will experience the culture of Prizren by visiting other historical structures such as 400-year-old Turkish bath, Prizren Castle, Orthodox Church, and Krist Savior Church. We will enjoy lunch in this scenic city before we bid farewell to Kosovo and start heading towards Macedonia. Skopje is a distance of 338 km and the ride will take around 3 hours. On the way we will stop to take in the natural beauty of Matka Canyon before we arrive for our city tour of Skopje. Some of the marvels of Skopje we will explore are the Mustafa Pasha Mosque, Jewelers Street, Arasta Mosque, as well as Taşköprü Bridge on the Varar River which was commissioned in 1451 by Fatih Sultan Mehmet and which became the emblem of the city of Skopje. We will also visit the Turkish and Jewish Quarter, Davut Pasha Bath, Double Bath, Sulu Han, Kapan Han (caravanserai), and Kurşunlu Han (caravanserai). Finally, we will see the colossal statue of Alexander the Great and his father Philip II which was a cause of conflict between Greece and Macedonia in 2011 as both claim this figure as a part of their cultural heritage.
Other highlights of Macedonia we will see are the Vardar River, Macedonian Archaeological Museum the Archive building, National Theater Building, Resistance Museum, statues of Cyril and Metodi who are the saints who are believed to have invented the Cyrillic alphabet, the 17th Century St. Spas Church, Mother Teresa monument and museum, and the Old Railway Station building that was impacted by the 1963 earthquake.
After our tour there will be free time for you to explore and shop on your own with a meeting time set for a group dinner at a local restaurant. Our accommodation tonight will be in Skopje.
ACTIVITIES:
- Prizren City Tour
- Sinan Pasha Mosque
- Prizren Castle
- Prizren Orthodox Church and Krist Savior Church
- Matka Canyon
- Skopje City Tour
- Turkish and Jewish Quarter of Skopje
- Taşköprü Bridge-Vardar River
- Davut Pasha Bath
- Sulu, Kapan Han, Kurşunlu Han (Caranvanserais)
- Macedonian Archaeological Museum and Archive building,
- National Theater Building
- Resistance Museum
Day 3 july 16
Skopje-Tetovo-Manastir/Bitola-Ohrid
After breakfast at the hotel, we will set off for our next destination, Ohrid (distance from Skopje to Ohrid 180 km). On the way, we will see the point where the Karadrin River diverges from Lake Ohrid in Struga. Later we will stop in Kalkandelen to visit the Alaca Mosque (Abdurrahman Pasha Mosque) and Harabati Baba (Sersem Ali Baba) Tekke. Then we continue our road trip until we arrive in Ohrid where we will do a city tour. In Ohrid we will see the monument of Saints Cyril and Methodios who were the 9th century Byzantine monks who are believed to have developed the Cyrillic alphabet. Also, we will see the Hagia Sophia, the Ancient Theater from the Roman period, Samoil Castle, St. Panteleimon Monastery, Sinan Çelebi Tomb, Sycamore Square and Ohrid Market. There will be free time to wander on your own after the city tour and explore Ohrid for yourself. Dinner will be at a local restaurant. Our accommodation tonight will be in Ohrid.
ACTIVITIES:
- Karardin River and Ohrid Lake
- Abdurrahman Pasha Mosque (Alaca Mosque)
- Harabati Baba Sufi Lodge (Sersem Ali Baba Tekkesi)
- Monuments of Saint Cyril and Methodios
- Hagia Sophia
- Ancient Roman Theater
- Samoil Castle
- St. Panteleimon Monastery
- Sinan Çelebi Mausoleum
- Ohrid Market
Day 4 July 17
Ohrid-Tirana (Albania)-Shkodra (Albania)
Our destination today is Albania. We will leave our hotel after breakfast and make our way to the Albanian capital, Tirana (distance Ohrid to Tirana 133 km). When we arrive, we will tour the Albanian capital and learn about its complex history before we set back on the road towards the largest city in Albania; Shkodra (distance Tirana to Shkodra 103 km).
Rozafa Castle with its magnificent view and unique history is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Shkodra. There we will also see the remains of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque, which was originally a cathedral, in the castle. After the castle visit, we will visit the Kurşunlu Mosque which is the only mosque that survived destruction during the communist period.
Afterwards we will do a walking tour through Shkodra’s famous Kolë Idromeno Street as well as visit Abu Bakr Mosque, whose architectural style reflects its Ottoman origins and currently serves as the largest place of worship in the city. Then we will have some free time to wander and shop with a determined meeting time to regroup. Accommodations tonight will be in Shkodra.
ACTIVITIES:
- Tirana City Tour
- Rozafa Castle
- Kurşunlu Mosque
- Kolë Idromeno Street
- Abu Bakr Mosque
Day 5 july 18
sHKODRA—BAR (Montenegro)—BUDVA—KOTOR—TREBINJE (Bosnia)
Today we will set off early for the Montenegro border crossing with our private buses (distance Shkodra to Budva 48 km). After clearing customs, we continue on the road towards Bar city in Montenegro. In Bar we will enjoy a city walk in the old city and visit the Selimiye Complex that was recently renovated with support from Turkiye.
Next we will depart for Budva, a city known as one of the most famous holiday centers of the Balkans with its magnificent beaches and colorful nightlife (distance Bar to Budva 39 km). When we approach Budva, we will see the magnificent Sveti Stefan, which is was a fortified island village now turned resort and often said to be Montenegro’s most photographed site. We will enjoy a panoramic view from the top.
After this stop we will get back on our buses and make our way to Kotor (distance Budva to Kotor 23 km). After our arrival in Kotor, we will visit its old city nestled on the scenic shores of the Adriatic Sea. Some of the things we will see in our city walk will be its Flour Square, Orthodox Square, Gun Square, the Wall of Shame, Orthodox Church, Catholic Cathedral and Kotor School of Tourism which is one of the oldest schools in the Balkans.
After our free time in Kotor, we will depart for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our accommodation tonight will be in Trebinje, Bosnia.
ACTIVITIES:
- Bar (Montenegro) City Tour
- Selimiye Complex
- Sveti Stefan
- Kotor Old City-Flour Square, Orthodox Square, Gun Square
- The Wall of Shame
- Kotor Orthodox and Catholic Cathedrals
Day 6 July 19
DUBROVNIK(Croatia)—POCITELJ (Bosnia-Herzegovina)—MOSTAR
Today we leave early in the morning for what is often known as the “pearl of the Adriatic,” or the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia (distance Trebinje to Dubrovnik 33 km). We start our tour Dubrovnik with the Old Town Square, and Stari Grad Castle which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Historic towers, grand fortresses, the Franciscan Monastery with its pharmacy dating to the 14th century, Rector Castle, Dubrovnik city walls, St. Vlah (Blaise) Cathedral, Rector’s Palace, Onofrio’s Fountain, and Ivan Gundulic’s Monument are among the many sights and landmarks we will see on our tour of Dubrovnik.
After our day trip to Dubrovnik, we will re-enter Bosnia and Herzegovina and visit the historically Turkish village of Pocitelj whose architecture has been restored to reflect its roots (distance Dubrovnik-Poçtelj 117 km). Here we will enjoy the old city’s natural beauty and local ambiance as we ascend the town’s famous Pocitelj Citadel and enjoy the scenic view of Naretva River and its surroundings.
Following this detour in Pocitelj, our next stop will be Mostar (distance from Poçitelj to Mostar 32 km) where we will have some free time. Accommodations tonight will be in Mostar.
ACTIVITIES:
- Dubrovnik City Tour
- Stari Grad Castle
- Dubrovnik City walls
- St. Vlah Cathedral
- Rector’s Palace
- Pocitelj Citadel
- Naretva River
Day 7 July 20
MOSTAR—BLAGAJ—SARAJEVO
After breakfast at the hotel, we begin to explore the beautiful city of Mostar. On our walking tour, we will first see the iconic Mostar Bridge. This bridge, commissioned by Suleyman the Magnificent and built by the architect Hayreddin in 1557, is a perfect model of Ottoman architecture in the Balkans. The bridge was destroyed by Croatian artillery during the war in 1992 and was reopened in 2004 after Turkiye financially supported its renovation. To this day we can see divisions within the city of Mostar that reflect its painful past after the disintegration of Yugoslavia. We will have a chance to reflect on this history with our local guide and ask questions.
From Mostar, we proceed to Blagaj (distance from Mostar to Blagaj 12 km). We will visit Alperenler Tekke, which has a been a center of spiritual refuge as a Sufi lodge for 550 years.We will then have some free time at the banks of the Buna River to relax and enjoy the serene environment. After we are finished with this visit, we will get back on our buses and depart for Sarajevo (distance from Mostar to Sarajevo 123 km). On the way there, we will see the famous Konjic (Konyitz) bridge, which is another remnant of Ottoman architecture that was recently renovated by Turkiye.
When we arrive in Sarajevo, we will stroll in the famous Bashcharshi Bazaar and then visit the burial grounds of the fallen from the 1992-1995 Bosnian war along with the mausoleum of Alija Izetbegovic. We will also visit the Kurşunlu Madrasa, which has continued its education without interruption since the Ottoman period. Another famous landmark we will visit is the Mosque of Gazi Husrev Bey, named after the cousin of Suleyman the Magnificent who governed here.
We will also walk through Ferhadija Street, that holds the national library that burned for days during the Bosnian War and in which millions of manuscripts that were a part of the cultural history of Bosnia were destroyed. We will then see Sarajevo’s famous solar clock tower (Sahat Kula) and the Catholic Cathedral along with Sarajevo’s Orthodox Churches and the Jewish Synagogue, in addition to the Hünkar Mosque which was dedicated to Fatih Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. From here we will cross the Latin (Hünkar) Bridge and see the spot in which the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated leading to the First World War. Finally, we will have a drink from the Ottoman fountain that serves as another landmark in the city before we disperse for free time in Sarajevo. Tonight’s accommodation will be at our hotel in Sarajevo.
ACTIVITIES:
- Mostar Walking Tour
- Mostar Bridge
- Alperenler Tekke (Sufi retreat center)
- Konjic (Konyitz) Bridge
- Sarajevo Walking Tour
- Bashcharshi Bazaar
- Mausoleum of Alija Izetbegovic
- Kurşunlu (Kursumlija) Madrasa
- Mosque of Gazi Husrev Bey
- Hünkar Mosque
Day 8 July 21
SARAJEVO—TRAVNIK
After breakfast, we will depart for the city of Travnik which is commonly known as the “city of viziers” (distance Sarajevo to Travnik 92 km). Our first stop will be Ahmic Village where a great many people were killed during the Bosnian War. Then we will wander through the old streets of Travnik that have preserved the heritage and charm of this scenic town. We will get to see a bird’s eye view of the city from the top of Travnik’s Ottoman era castle along with visiting the 300-year-old Ibrahim Pasha Madrasa and Plava Voda where Fatih Sultan Mehmet is said to have drank from its water (Göksu). Afterwards, we will break for a lunch of Travnik’s famous cevapi or meatballs. We will then have some free time for shopping and relaxation on the Lasva River
At the end of our day trip, we will return to Sarajevo and go to our restaurant for dinner. Accommodations tonight will be in Sarajevo.
ACTIVITIES:
- Ahmic Village
- Travnik City Walk
- Travnik Castle
- Ibrahim Pasha Madrasa
- Plava Voda and Lasva River
Day 9 July 22
SARAJEVO—VRELO BOSNA—ISTANBUL
After breakfast at the hotel, we will check out of our rooms and leave the hotel with our suitcases. Today as we continue to tour Sarajevo, we will explore the history of the Bosnian war and the consequences of the atrocities that occurred in this region. We will visit the Tunnel Museum which was the tunnel through which food and goods were secretly smuggled into Sarajevo during its siege. We will consider the resilience of the Bosnians and lessons that this painful period can teach us today.
Afterwards, we will have some leisure time in the scenic Vrelo Bosna which is based at the foot of Mount Igman and is the water source of Sarajevo through the Bosna River. We will enjoy views of the Rimski Bridge and optional horse carriage rides are a fun way to see Vrelo Bosna for those who are up for it. When we finish our time here, we will head back to Sarajevo where we will have some free time for shopping at the Bashcharshi Bazaar. We will set time a time to reconvene and depart for the airport. Istanbul will be our ending point of our journey. Thank you for being a part of our intellectually stimulating and exciting journey through the Muslim Balkans!
ACTIVITIES:
- Tunnel Museum of the Bosnian War
- Vrelo Bosna
- Rimski Bridge
- Bashcharshi Bazaar Shopping Time
- Flight back to Istanbul
Inclusions:
- Local guides
- 4 star hotels
- 3 daily meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Ground transportation
- Museum and included activity entry fees
- Toll fees on the road
- Flight from Istanbul to Pristina
- Return flight from Sarajevo to Istanbul
- Tour notes
NOT INCLUDED
- Items of personal nature including extra luggage charges, room service, medical expenses etc.
- International flights to and from Istanbul
- International travel insurance (required for this trip)
- Tips
- Visa fees or visa assistance
- The meeting point and ending point is Istanbul. International flights to the meeting point are not included.
