YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE® Enhanced! Northern Greece, Albania & Macedonia: Ancient Lands of Alexander the Great 2021 Small Groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 13) Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled 1 Dear Traveler, At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. And the O.A.T. Enhanced! Northern Greece, Albania & Macedonia: Ancient Lands of Alexander the Great itinerary you’ve expressed interest in will be a wonderful way to resume the discoveries that bring us so much joy. You might soon be enjoying standout moments like these: As I explored the monasteries of Meteora, I stood in awe atop pinnacles perched in a boundless sky. I later learned that the Greek word meteora translates to “suspended in the air,” and that’s exactly how I felt as I stood before nature’s grandeur and the unfathomable feats of mankind. For centuries, monks and nuns have found quiet solitude within these monasteries that are seemingly built into the sandstone cliffs. You’ll also get an intimate view into two of these historic sanctuaries alongside a local guide. Could there be any place more distinct in Europe than Albania? You’ll see for yourself when you get a firsthand look into the lives of locals living in the small Albanian village of Dhoksat. First, you’ll interact with the villagers and help them with their daily tasks before sharing a Home-Hosted Lunch with a local family. While savoring the fresh ingredients of the region, you’ll discuss daily life in the Albanian countryside with your hosts. The way we see it, you’ve come a long way to experience the true culture—not some fairytale version of it. So we keep our groups small, with only 8-16 travelers (average 13) to ensure that your encounters with local people are as intimate and authentic as possible. It’s also why your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader will be a resident “insider” who can show you the culture as only a local can. To ensure that your adventure is truly unique, put your own personal stamp on it. You can arrive early and stay later, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or combine two or more trips. Plus, your itinerary offers ample free time so you can pursue your own interests. So until the day comes when you are off to enjoy your Enhanced! Northern Greece, Albania & Macedonia: Ancient Lands of Alexander the Great adventure, I hope you will relish the fun and anticipation that this O.A.T. Adventure Travel Planning Guide® will inspire. Should you have further questions, feel free to call our Regional Adventure Counselors at 1-800-955-1925. Love and peace, Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman, Overseas Adventure Travel P.S. For more inspiration, you can watch videos and slideshows from travelers like you at www.oattravel. com/traveler-moments. You can also share some of your own favorite moments by uploading your travel videos and slideshows directly onto the trip-specific pages of our website. USA Today “Best Tours” 10Best Readers’ Presented by Choice Awards Solo Traveler 2 CONTENTS A Letter from Harriet Lewis ................................................................2 The O.A.T. Difference......................................................................4 The Grand Circle Foundation...............................................................6 The Leader in Solo Travel ..................................................................7 NORTHERN GREECE, ALBANIA & ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: MACEDONIA: ANCIENT LANDS OF CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE ALEXANDER THE GREAT Culture & Points to Know ................. 68 Your Adventure at a Glance: Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Shipping & More ........................ 72 and What’s Included .......................8 Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ..........9 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Optional Tours .......................... 30 Greece.................................. 74 Pre-Trip Extension ....................... 31 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 74 Post-Trip Extension ...................... 39 Historical Overview of Greece ............ 74 Dates & Prices ........................... 45 Albania ................................. 76 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 76 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Albania: A Brief History .................. 76 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. 46 North Macedonia ........................ 77 No Visas Required ....................... 46 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 77 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ......... 48 Historical Overview of North Macedonia . 78 Vaccines Required ..................... .. 49 Serbia .................................. 79 Money Matters: Local Currency & Tipping Guidelines....................... 52 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 79 Serbia: A Brief History ................... Tipping Guidelines....................... 55 80 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 56 RESOURCES Optional Tours .......................... 56 Suggested Reading ...................... 82 Communicating with Home from Abroad . 57 Suggested Film & Video .................. 84 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . 59 Suggested Packing Lists .................. 61 Electricity Abroad ....................... 63 Climate & Average Temperatures .......... 65 O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures.......................................................... 87 Notes.................................................................................. 88 Map ................................................................................... 91 3 EXPERIENCE THE O.A.T. DIFFERENCE in the Balkans This adventure not only showcases iconic sights, but takes you beyond them to experience the culture through unique activities, engagement with the natural world, and authentic encounters with local people. Since our founding in 1978, O.A.T. has become America’s leader in personalized small group journeys on the road less traveled. SMALL GROUPS: 8-16 TRAVELERS LOCAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION (AVERAGE OF 13)—GUARANTEED To see the world like the locals, you should The world feels more intimate and engaging travel like one. Our small group size allows when your experience of it is also personal us to take the roads and waterways that are and genuine. That’s why our groups never less traveled, and we often follow them using exceed 16 travelers. This gives you access to the same unique modes of transportation people and places larger groups simply can’t that the locals use—be it a canoe, a camel or a reach. More authentic interactions. Deeper vintage cab. bonds with your travel mates. Personal service from your Trip Experience Leader. Smoother UNIQUE LODGINGS transitions. And a far more satisfying Our lodgings reflect the local character, experience than any traditional tour offers. from smaller family-run hotels and historic manors to comfy inns. Occasionally, larger THE BEST TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS hotels closer to city centers are used. Wherever Your English-speaking, O.A.T. Trip Experience you stay, you’re assured fine comfort and Leader is a resident of the region you are visiting, hospitality. so you will get a true insider’s perspective that brings each place alive—the stories, food, OUR WORLDWIDE OFFICES customs, hidden treasures and more. With 36 regional offices around the world, we are perfectly poised to leverage our local AUTHENTIC CULTURAL CONNECTIONS relationships to deliver an excellent experience Engage with local people through visits to and value. During this trip, you’ll be supported farms, factories, markets, and artisans’ studios; by our team in Greece. school visits; Home-Hosted meals; and more. Uncover ancient history at the ruins of Butrint in Albania Delve into daily life during a Home-Hosted meal 4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY Enriching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. These features form the foundation of your Northern Greece, Albania & Macedonia adventure. GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) VISIT A DAY IN THE LIFE GCF was established in 1992 to help change Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like people’s lives in the world where we live, to live here?” when you visit new lands? Let’s work, and travel. To date, we have pledged or find out during your O.A.T. A Day in the Life, an donated $200 million worldwide. exclusive, immersive experience that places you in the heart of a community where you’ll By investing in the places we explore—including meet various people where they live, work, local schools, cooperatives, or arts centers—we and play; visit the neighborhood school; lend a hope to give locals the skills and confidence they hand with daily chores; and break bread with need to become leaders of their generation and our hosts. preserve their heritage for many years to come. We’re proud to play a part in preserving precious Perhaps you’ll join a local resident or locales like the Bryggen waterfront district of community leader for a guided walk through Bergen, a living example of the glory days of the the town, visit a market, or enjoy a unique Hanseatic League, and supporting villages like opportunity to meet teachers and students at Harmi in Estonia, whose once-struggling school a local school if school is in session. is now a center of community life. HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS Stories shared. Differences solved. Taste buds Every culture has its joys and achievements, engaged. Good will extended. It’s amazing the and we celebrate them all. But every place