Faculty-led travel courses · Europe
Balkans Faculty-Led Travel Course
Serbia – Romania - Bulgaria
This program travels through Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria, a region with a long tradition of folk music, historic monasteries and cathedrals, multicultural towns, lakes and mountains. It gives students a close look at the cultural crossroads of southeastern Europe.
Good to know
- Language
- Serbian, Romanian and Bulgarian; English is widely used in cities
- Currency
- Serbian dinar, Romanian leu, Bulgarian euro (adopted in 2026, replacing the lev)
- Best season
- May–June and September–October
- Typical length
- 10–14 days (customizable)
Highlights
What students will see and do
- Belgrade Fortress, SerbiaThe fortress stands where the Sava and Danube rivers meet and overlooks the Serbian capital.
- Novi Sad, SerbiaSerbia's second-largest city sits on the Danube beneath the Petrovaradin Fortress and is a center of the country's cultural life.
- Bran Castle, RomaniaThe hilltop castle in Transylvania is popularly linked to the Dracula legend and dates to the fourteenth century.
- Palace of the Parliament, BucharestOne of the largest administrative buildings in the world, built in the late twentieth century.
- Rila Monastery, BulgariaBulgaria's largest Eastern Orthodox monastery, set in the Rila Mountains and listed by UNESCO.
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, SofiaA landmark Orthodox cathedral with a gold-domed silhouette in the center of the Bulgarian capital.
Faculty-led travel courses
Courses that fit Balkans
Professors build their own syllabus; ARAMFO arranges the visits that bring it to life.
Art, Architecture & HistoryA course could study Orthodox monastic art, Ottoman influence and twentieth-century architecture across three countries.
Psychology, Sociology & Social WorkStudents could explore how ethnic, religious and political histories shape identity in the modern Balkans.
Education & Teacher PreparationA course could compare national education systems and approaches to teaching regional history.
Map
Where you will go
Academic and professional visits
- A local university faculty of social sciences
- A monastery or religious heritage center
- A folk music or folklore ensemble
- A municipal cultural or tourism office
Visits are chosen with the professor to match the course.
Itinerary
Sample itinerary
A starting point only — every trip is adjusted to your course, dates and budget.
Customizable. This sample shows the kinds of visits and places available. Days, pace and academic visits are built around your course.
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Day 1
Departure
Students depart for Serbia on an overnight international flight.
- Depart for Belgrade
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Day 2
Arrival in Belgrade
The group arrives in Serbia's capital, where the Sava and Danube rivers meet.
- Arrive and transfer to the hotel in Belgrade
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Day 3
Belgrade Highlights
Students explore Belgrade's fortress and museums to understand Serbia's layered history.
- Kalemegdan Fortress
- Ethnographic Museum
- Guided city orientation
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Day 4
Viminacium and the Iron Gates
The group follows the Danube east, from a Roman legionary city to the dramatic Iron Gates gorge.
- Viminacium Roman archaeological site
- Golubac Fortress on the Danube
- Check in at the hotel in Kladovo
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Day 5
Into Romania: Hateg Country
Students cross the Danube into Romania and visit the heart of Roman Dacia.
- Cross the border at the Iron Gates
- Sarmizegetusa archaeological sites
- Check in at the hotel in Hateg
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Day 6
Hunedoara and Alba Iulia
A Gothic castle and a star-shaped fortress show how Transylvania was shaped by empires.
- Corvin Castle in Hunedoara
- Alba Iulia Citadel
- Continue to Sibiu
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Day 7
Sighisoara to Brasov
Sighisoara is a UNESCO-listed medieval citadel and the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the historical figure linked to the Dracula legend.
- Walking tour of Sighisoara citadel
- Continue to Brasov and check in
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Day 8
Peles Castle and Bucharest
The group visits the royal castle of Romania's monarchy, then reaches the capital.
- Peles Castle in Sinaia
- Sightseeing tour of Bucharest
- Check in at the hotel in Bucharest
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Day 9
Into Bulgaria: Veliko Tarnovo
Students cross the Danube into Bulgaria and reach its medieval capital.
- Bucharest Old Town walk
- Cross the Danube and tour Ruse
- Arbanassi and its historic houses
- Check in at the hotel in Veliko Tarnovo
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Day 10
Troyan Monastery and Sofia
A working Orthodox monastery shows Bulgarian religious art before the group reaches the capital.
- Troyan Monastery
- Transfer to Sofia and check in
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Day 11
Sofia
Students tour Bulgaria's capital, where Roman, Ottoman and Orthodox landmarks stand side by side.
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
- Sofia city center walking tour
- Academic visit matched to your course (university, NGO or company)
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Day 12
Departure
Transfer to the airport for the flight home.
- Transfer to the airport
What is included
ARAMFO arranges everything
You choose the dates and the airport your group flies from. We handle the logistics and the academic visits so you can focus on teaching.
3–6 credit hours, offered through your own department · 8+ students and the professor's travel cost is covered by ARAMFO · Your dates and your departure airport
- Airfare from your preferred airport
- Hotels or student housing
- Meals as set out in the itinerary
- Transportation in the host country
- Tour guides and entrance fees
- University, company and professional visits
- A native guide with the group for the whole trip
- Customized dates and itinerary
Get started
Plan a course in Balkans
Tell us about your course and we will reply with a draft itinerary and cost.