Journey through the Balkans with Sofia City Stay

Use discount code TOUR200 at the checkout to save £200 per person on selected tours departing in November 2026

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

It is your responsibility to check your passport validity.

Serbia - Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 90 days after the date you plan to leave Serbia. You can visit Serbia without a visa for up to 90 days within a 6-month period, for business or tourism. Make sure you get your passport stamped.

Bulgaria - Bulgaria follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive and an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area. You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Bulgaria, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Make sure you get your passport stamped on entry and exit.

Kosovo - To enter Kosovo, your passport must be undamaged and valid for the duration of your stay. You do not need an additional period of validity beyond this. You can visit Kosovo without a visa for up to 90 days, for business or tourism.

North Macedonia - To enter North Macedonia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 90 days after the date you arrive. You can visit North Macedonia for up to 3 months without a visa.

We strongly advise you to check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding required passport validity and/or the FCDO https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Please note that final flight details, including terminal, airline and baggage allowance, will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport and boarding pass to the staff at the desk.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org. uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

This tour is accessible to most people with a good level of fitness and normal mobility but not to people with walking difficulties. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability. All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. The tour pace for this tour is intermediate. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, and may be getting on and off coaches, trains and boats and climbing steps which may be steep and irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary.

The currency in Serbia is Serbian Dinar. It is a closed currency which means you cannot buy it outside of Serbia, in this instance, taking GBP and changing up locally is recommended.

The currency in Bulgaria is the Euro, you can buy this currency in the UK before you travel.

The currency in Kosovo is Euro, you can buy this currency in the UK before you travel.

The currency in North Macedonia is the Macedonian denar. It is a closed currency which means you cannot buy it outside of North Macedonia, in this instance, taking GBP and changing up locally is recommended.

We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour to withdraw money in your local currency. Otherwise, cash machines will be available in larger cities.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. Approximately £500-£600 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.

Tipping

It is at your customary/discretion to tip both your driver and guide. At restaurants it is recommended to tip 10% on the final bill, housekeepers and porters etc £ is acceptable. Tips are accepted in the local currency.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 15, and the maximum will be 30. If in the unlikely event there are less than 15 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

There is no minimum number of travellers for this extension however the main tour passenger numbers will apply for the main part of the tour. If in the unlikely event there are less than the required number of people booked on your main tour date then you may be asked to change to a different date. A full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

This is a fully escorted tour meaning that you will be met on arrival by your Local guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip ensuring that you always have first-hand knowledge. Attraction specific guides may also be used if required at some attractions.

Your stay in Sofia is not escorted by a tour guide and your time will be free to explore the area at your own pace. Transfers are included.

Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch and Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.

Gluten Free, Vegetarian and vegan meals can be catered for. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way, so to ensure your comfort and well-being, two bottles of drinking water will be provided on touring days.

On your arrival in Bulgaria, you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Albtours d holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/ Albtours d representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.

If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:

Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for Albtours D (24hrs):

Email: reservation@albtoursd.al / opmanager@albtoursd.al

Mob: +355 69 400 2224

• Sunglasses, Sunscreen and hat in summer
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Camera and charger
• Antibacterial hand gel
• Binoculars
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
• Small day pack for excursions
• Waterproof, lightweight jacket
• Lightweight clothing
• Sweater and jacket for the cooler months
• A plug adapter - The plugs used in the Balkan regions are type C and F