An Archaeological Study Tour
Cultural Treasures of the Balkans
Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro & Croatia
19 Days
June 14 - July 2, 2009
Led by Dr. Robert S. Bianchi Art Historian

During the 1990s, the Balkans became home to several independent states, each with a rich artistic and cultural heritage. As we explore the major landmarks of the Byzantine and Roman empires, we will discover the region’s vast wealth of artistic expressions: Epi-Palaeolithic stone sculptures, mysterious clay figurines made by the first Neolithic farmers and exquisite Bronze and Iron Age metal vessels, tools, and weapons, treasures largely unknown in the Western world.

The Romans called the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea Illyria and built extraordinary residential and urban complexes at Split, Salona and on the Istrian Peninsula. The Slavs arrived 1,400 years ago and, on becoming Christian, created an additional layer of artistic heritage, lavishly decorating their churches and monasteries with entire suites of frescoes rivaling the best of their Byzantine contemporaries. Our exploration of the charming old cities and medieval monuments of Dubrovnick, Belgrade and Zagreb nestled amid majestic mountains and along gorgeous coastal landscapes will add to the pleasure of this unique tour.

Sunday, June 14: Depart New York on Austrian Air.

Monday, June 15: PRIŠTINA: We arrive into Priština Monday afternoon, where we will spend three nights at the Grand Hotel. This evening we will meet with Dr. Bianchi for our opening dinner and introductorry lecture.
Meals: Dinner

Tuesday, June 16: PRIŠTINA: Our touring begins with a walking tour of the old town to see some of the many buildings and monuments, including the 16th-century Carshi Mosque, Jashar Pasha Mosque, built in 1834, 15th-century hammam and the Mbretit Mosque, built by Sultan Mehmet II in 1460 and known for its lovely blue and white paintings and cupola. We will also visit the Kosovo Museum and the Emin Gjiku complex, an Ottoman town house complex that once belonged to a prominent family and now houses an ethnographic collection. Just outside of Pristina is one of the finest examples of Serbian art, the Church of Gracanica. Built of polished pink stone, almost every inch of its interior walls are covered with frescoes, possibly painted by Mihailo and Evtihije. The church houses several notable works, including a magnificent painting of St. John the Baptist. This exciting day ends with a visit to Roman Ulpiana, once an episcopal seat of the Byzantine emperors. We will explore the largely unexcavated structures and tombstones before returning to our hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Wednesday, June 17: PRIŠTINA: A short drive brings us to Pec where we visit the Patriarchate of Pec, whose jurisdiction once reached from the Adriatic coast to Budapest. It sits in a lovely, serene setting just outside of town and its churches are decorated with wonderful frescoes. We will have time to explore the old bazaar area, where a few Turkish houses and mosques still survive. The day’s last visit, Decani Monastery, is a UNESCO Heritage Site. The remaining monastic buildings are reached through a fortified gate. The Church of Christ Pantokrator was designed by a Catholic monk, Vid, and remains one of the loveliest buildings in the area. The inside is covered with frescoes, all painted between 1335 and 1350 and still considered to be true masterpieces. Time permitting, we will stop at the village of Isniq, which has interesting traditional architecture.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Thursday, June 18: NOVI PAZAR: Crossing into Serbia, we visit the Church of Sopocani, one of the masterpieces of the Raška school. It was founded in the 13th century and, despite years of neglect, many of its wonderful frescoes survive. After completing our visit, a beautiful drive brings us to Studenica Monastery. Within its walls are three churches, the biggest, Church of Sv. Bogorodica, is capped with a great cupola in the Byzantine tradition and decorated with sculpted figures, animals, gryphons, birds and centaurs. The frescoes inside were painted in 1208 and restored in the 16th century. We will spend this night in Novi Pazar at the simple Hotel Tadz.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Friday, June 19: CETINJE: Our journey continues through spectacular mountain vistas, stopping briefly at the Mileševa Monastery in order to see its famous White Angel fresco. We cross into Montenegro, making stops along the way. We will reach the old capital, Cetinje, and the Grand Hotel in the late afternoon. We will visit the museum and town, which is renowned for its elegant architecture, before dinner at our hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Saturday, June 20: DUBROVNIK: A spectacular drive brings us out of the mountains and down to the Adriatic coast. We will stop for lunch in Kotor, renowned for its charm and labyrinthine streets. We then take the ferry across Kotor Bay to Dubrovnik. The next three nights will be at the deluxeHilton Hotel, situated just outside the walls of the Old City.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Sunday, Monday, June 21 & 22: DUBROVNIK: We will spend the full day visiting Dubrovnik. We enter the old city through the Pile Gate, with its statue of Sv. Vlaho, the patron saint of the city. This brings us into the lovely Placa, bordered by the Franciscan monastery, our first stop. We then continue into the heart of the old city, visiting all of the major monuments, including the 14th-century Dominican monastery, with its rich art collection, the Gothic Rector’s Palace and Baroque Cathedral of Our Lady. After lunch, we will walk around the old city on its fabulous walls, which date back to the 10th century, with reconstructions and additions in the 12th, 13th and 15th centuries. A wide walkway takes us the full circuit of the battlements, providing a wonderful way to view the city’s medieval and baroque splendors. Monday will be completely at leisure to explore the city or take a ferry to a nearby island.
Meals: Breakfast & 1 lunch

Tuesday, June 23: SPLIT: This morning we will drive along the beautiful Dalmatian coast to Roman Narona. Excavations here have revealed a temple dedicated to Augustus and several fine statues now housed in the local museum. We will explore the ancient sites before continuing on to Split and the Marjan Hotel/Hotel Atrium.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Wednesday, June 24: SPLIT: Today’s touring begins at Diocletian’s palace and the medieval quarter. Diocletian made himself emperor in 284 and ruled until 305, by which time he had completed this palace. Diocletian lived in this huge palace until his death in 313 and was then buried in it. We will visit Diocletian’s mausoleum, which was converted to a cathedral at the end of the 7th century. This amazing palace survived and formed the basis of Robert Adam’s architectural style that greatly influenced Georgian architecture. After lunch, our touring continues at the Archaeological Museum and the Mestrovic Museum, dedicated to the works of Croatia’s famous sculptor.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Thursday, June 25: SPLIT: We will spend the morning at Salona. This vast city began as a Greek colony in the 3rd century BC on the site of an Illyrian settlement. It later became an important Roman city and then a vital center of early Christianity. We then contunue to Trogir, renowned for its profusion of Romanesque and Renaissance architecture and its gorgeous three-nave Venetian Cathedral of Sv. Lovro. We will examine its wonderful portal and interior before returning to Split.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Friday, June 26: ZADAR: We depart for Zadar, stopping en route at Šibenik to see the Sv. Jakov Cathedral, which rivals Sv. Lovro in beauty. Touring in the bustling port city of Zadar will include the Archaeological Museum and the medieval city. Zadar was bombed heavily in WW II, resulting in today’s mixture of old and new architecture. Hotel Kolovare.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Saturday, June 27: ROVINJ: We continue our drive along the coast. Our vista is dotted with pretty offshore islands and sparkling white beaches. Stopping for lunch near Opatija, we cross the Istrian Peninsula to Rovinj, a charming little port whose historic center has a distinctly Italian atmosphere. Our beachside hotel is walking distance from town. Hotel Eden.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Sunday, June 28: ROVINJ: We will spend the full day visiting the many archaeological sites on the peninsula, including Pula’s Arch of the Sergians, temples, archaeological museum and the immense amphitheater. Built at the end of the 1st century with a capacity for 22,000 people, this amphitheater is the sixth largest in the world.

Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Monday, June 29: ZAGREB: This morning our touring begins at the Bronze Age site of Monkodonja, which has many features reminiscent of Mycenae, and continues in Porec, at the 6th-century Basilica of Euphrasius, which features beautifully preserved Byzantine gold mosaics. After our touring is completed we will drive to Zagreb, arriving in the early afternoon. Our three-night stay will be at the lovely, centrally located Regent Esplanade Hotel/Hotel Westin.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Tuesday, June 30: ZAGREB: Our tour of the city will include a walking tour of the Upper Town, reached by funicular, the Lower Town, with its lovely square and wide, tree-lined boulevards, the Cathedral and excellent Archaeological Museum.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Wednesday, July 1: ZAGREB: Zagreb must be seen on foot. It is filled with interesting museums, galleries and even a lovely botanical garden. This full day will be at leisure to explore the city before we gather for our farewell dinner.
Meals: Breakfast & dinner

Thursday, July 2: Our Austrian Air flight departs this morning and returns to New York via Vienna.
Meals: Breakfast