{"id":23551,"date":"2025-08-22T15:17:50","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T13:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jerusalemway.org\/journey-iv-vii-balkans\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T13:13:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T11:13:48","slug":"journey-iv-vii-balkans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jerusalemway.org\/en\/journey-iv-vii-balkans\/","title":{"rendered":"Journey IV\/VII: Balkans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;section&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;row&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"bodytext\">Journey through Hungary &#8211; Croatia &#8211; Serbia &#8211; Kosovo &#8211; North Macedonia &#8211; Greece<\/h2>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">The countries in the BALKANS are unique in terms of culture and landscape: A PEARL FOR PILGRIMS! Our route runs authentically and away from tourism. Slow down in fascinating landscapes from the Danube to the Aegean and experience encounters with Catholic, Orthodox, and Muslim cultures.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"align-left align-center\"><b>Balkans: 16-day trip<br \/><\/b><b>August 22, 2025 to September 6, 2025<\/b><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.jerusalemway.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/JW_BALKAN-_2025.pdf&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Balkans 2025 Program&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/photos.app.goo.gl\/ZJMEHCNWEZEYcDJv8&#8243; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Pilgrimage 2025 Photos&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\"><b>The Jerusalem Way through the Balkans is <u>unique<\/u> in terms of culture and landscape: Fascinating scenery from the Danube to the Aegean! (Stage VI \/ VII). <\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">Beautiful river valleys, paths of the Apostle Paul, traces of Mother Teresa, lonely Danube floodplains, historic battlefields, romantic wine regions, traces of the Third Crusade (Emperor Barbarossa), hiking on the Via Egnatia, significant historical and cultural sites, encounters with Catholic, Orthodox, and Muslim cultures, exploring the oldest churches in Europe, walking through ancient areas, beautiful olive groves&#8230; and finally the colorful sea, the Aegean.<\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\"><b>We hike with a light daypack; the bus transports the main luggage. Tour guide: Johannes Aschauer. Organizer: <a class=\"external-link-new-window\" title=\"Opens external link in new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.heuberger-reisen.at\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HEUBERGER REISEN Travel Agency<\/a>  <\/b><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_toggle title=&#8221;History of the Route&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"indent\">\n<div class=\"indent\">\n<div class=\"indent\">\n<p class=\"bodytext\"><b>The overall course of the Balkan route of the Jerusalem Way connects with the great lines of history. <\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">From <b>Budapest<\/b>, the Jerusalem Way leads <b>along the Danube<\/b> to <b>Moh\u00e1cs<\/b>, where it reaches the border triangle of Hungary, Croatia, and Serbia. One of the <b>most significant battles in Europe<\/b> took place here on August 29, 1526: Hungarian and European troops suffered a devastating defeat against Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, King Louis II fell, and medieval Hungary collapsed under Ottoman rule. Moh\u00e1cs became a symbol of national tragedy for Hungary and Central Europe. Today, a memorial commemorates the victims, and <b>2026 marks the 500th anniversary of the battle<\/b> \u2013 an opportunity to re-interpret this site as a station of peace and reconciliation.   <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">After a short section on Croatian territory, the path runs through Serbia and finally reaches the easternmost city in Croatia, <b>Ilok<\/b>. There, the Franciscan monastery rises with the tomb of Saint John of Capistrano, a great Franciscan and preacher of the 15th century who played a significant role in the Battle of Belgrade in 1456. This gives Croatia a spiritual anchor point on the Jerusalem Way before the route continues across the Danube into Serbia.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">In <b>Novi Sad<\/b>, the mighty <b>Petrovaradin Fortress<\/b> sits enthroned, one of the largest and best-preserved bastion works in Europe. A few kilometers further lies <b>Sremski Karlovci<\/b>, where the symbolic <b>Chapel of Peace<\/b> stands at the site of the 1699 peace treaty. The Treaty of Karlowitz was signed there between the Ottomans and the European powers \u2013 a turning point in history. At the same time, negotiations were held here for the first time at a <b>round table<\/b> so that no side would have precedence. This principle, which today is considered a worldwide symbol for dialogue and equality, has its origins exactly at this spot.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">Further down the Danube, the path reaches <b>Belgrade<\/b>, the ancient <b>Singidunum<\/b>, where the Danube and Sava rivers meet. The famous <b>Via Militaris<\/b> (or <b>Via Diagonalis<\/b>) already began here in Roman times, leading via Ni\u0161, Sofia, and Plovdiv to Constantinople. To this day, the mighty <b>Kalemegdan Fortress<\/b> dominates the cityscape \u2013 with traces of Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, and Habsburgs, as well as the turbe of the Ottoman Grand Vizier Damat Ali Pasha (\u20201716). At the same time, the monumental <b>Church of Saint Sava<\/b> rises here, the largest Orthodox church in the world and one of the largest churches overall. Thus, Belgrade on the Jerusalem Way unites antiquity, the Middle Ages, Islam, and Orthodoxy in a very small space.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">From there, the Jerusalem Way follows the <b>Sava<\/b> for a while before heading through central Serbia. The classic ancient main corridor ran south through the <b>Morava Valley<\/b>, but the Jerusalem Way deliberately takes a different path here: it follows the <b>Ibar Valley<\/b>, via <b>Ra\u0161ka<\/b>, the historical heartland and <b>cradle of medieval Serbia<\/b>. Along the way, it encounters the famous <b>Serbian Monastery Road<\/b> with its spiritual centers, including the significant <b>UNESCO World Heritage Studenica Monastery<\/b> and the nearby <b>\u017di\u010da Monastery<\/b>, where Serbian kings were crowned. Further south, the Jerusalem Way also touches the impressive <b>Gra\u010danica Monastery<\/b>, which is part of the <b>UNESCO World Heritage &#8220;Medieval Monuments in Kosovo&#8221;<\/b>.   <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">A special symbol awaits us in <b>Mitrovica<\/b>, where the Jerusalem Way deliberately crosses the well-known <b>Peace Bridge over the Ibar<\/b> \u2013 a bridge that was long a symbol of division and conflict and is now seen as a strong sign of reconciliation and dialogue. A few kilometers further, it reaches <b>Vushtrri (Vucitrn)<\/b>, home to one of the oldest Ottoman stone bridges in the Balkans from the 15th century. Shortly after follows the historic <b>Blackbird Field (Kosovo Polje)<\/b>, the scene of the famous battle of 1389, in which both Prince Lazar of Serbia and Sultan Murad I, the only Ottoman sultan to fall in the field, lost their lives. This field remains symbolic of Europe&#8217;s wounds to this day \u2013 and the Jerusalem Way transforms this place of remembrance into a message of peace.   <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">The route continues to <b>Pristina<\/b> and finally south to <b>Skopje (Scupi)<\/b>, where the path reaches the valley of the <b>Vardar River (Axios)<\/b>. In the North Macedonian capital, the Jerusalem Way leads directly through the monumental <b>Macedonia Gate<\/b> and on to the <b>Memorial House of Mother Teresa<\/b>, the great Nobel Peace Prize winner who began her worldwide service for the poorest from here. Also visible from afar on Mount Vodno is the monumental <b>Millennium Cross<\/b> \u2013 at 66 meters, the largest Orthodox cross in the Balkans and one of the largest crosses in the world. It commemorates 2,000 years of Christianity and impressively shapes the city&#8217;s skyline. In this way, the Jerusalem Way connects ancient lines not only with the spiritual tradition of the Middle Ages and the symbols of modern times but also with a globally revered figure of peace and charity.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">From <b>Skopje<\/b>, the Jerusalem Way accompanies the Axios south to <b>Stobi<\/b>, a hidden gem. This ancient city was once a major hub \u2013 <b>virtually a gateway to the Aegean<\/b>. The main Roman connection, linking the <b>Danube region<\/b> with the Aegean, ran along the <b>Skopje \u2013 Stobi \u2013 Thessaloniki<\/b> axis. Stobi was not only a transport center but also a <b>Christian episcopal see<\/b>. The route along the <b>Vardar River (Axios)<\/b> \u2013 the so-called <b>Via Axia<\/b> \u2013 is clearly documented by Roman <b>milestones<\/b> and the <b>Tabula Peutingeriana<\/b>. Thus, on this section, the Jerusalem Way follows the ancient road network that connected Europe and the East nearly two millennia ago. Also unique is the archaeologically documented <b>Synagogue of Stobi<\/b> from the 2nd\u20133rd century, considered the earliest synagogue in North Macedonia. It was later built over by a Christian basilica \u2013 a symbol of the coexistence of Jewish, Christian, and Roman heritage.        <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">Shortly before <b>Thessaloniki<\/b>, the Jerusalem Way meets the famous <b>Via Egnatia<\/b>, which connected the Balkans with Asia Minor and the Orient. From here, both paths cross and accompany each other on many sections. <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">After <b>Thessaloniki<\/b>, the Jerusalem Way continues via the traditional <b>Panag\u00eda Eikosifoin\u00edssa Monastery<\/b> on Mount Pangaion, one of the oldest Marian monasteries in the Orthodox world, and to <b>Philippi<\/b> (UNESCO World Heritage). The famous <b>Battle of Philippi<\/b> took place here in 42 BC, marking the transition from the Roman Republic to the Empire. Around 50 AD, Paul founded the <b>first Christian community in Europe<\/b> here. The basilicas of Philippi are considered the <b>oldest church buildings in Europe<\/b>. At the nearby Zygaktis River, <b>Lydia of Thyatira<\/b> was baptized by Paul as the first woman and first Christian in Europe \u2013 a milestone in European religious history.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">From there, the path reaches the port of <b>Kavala<\/b> (ancient <i>Neapolis<\/i>), where Paul first set foot on European soil. Thus begins the <b>cradle of Christianity in Europe<\/b>, from where the Gospel first spread across our continent. Kavala also brings to mind <b>Alexandria Troas<\/b> in present-day Turkey, from where Paul set out on his second missionary journey to Europe.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">East of Kavala, the Jerusalem Way leads through the ancient cities of <b>Maroneia<\/b> and <b>Ismaros<\/b>, which were already mentioned by <b>Homer<\/b> and whose legends are closely linked to <b>Troy<\/b>. This builds a bridge to the next stage in present-day Turkey, where pilgrims will later actually reach the ruins of <b>Troy<\/b> and <b>Alexandria Troas<\/b>. <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">Near the lagoon of <b>Porto Lagos<\/b> lies the idyllic <b>Agios Nikolaos Monastery<\/b>, a spiritual place of connection. Finally, the Jerusalem Way reaches the coastal city of <b>Alexandroupolis<\/b> with its lighthouse \u2013 the last station in Greece before the route leads across the <b>Dardanelles<\/b> to <b>Anatolia (present-day Turkey)<\/b>. <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">It is also remarkable that on its course through the Balkans, the Jerusalem Way often takes the same route as the so-called <b>refugee route<\/b> in recent times \u2013 only in the opposite direction. Those valleys and passes that pilgrims now walk toward Jerusalem are the same paths on which countless refugees from Syria, Iraq, or Afghanistan have traveled in recent years from Turkey via <b>Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Hungary<\/b> to <b>Austria and further into Central Europe<\/b>. Thus, the Jerusalem Way becomes a path that not only connects cultures and religions but also reflects current experiences of flight, suffering, and hope.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"bodytext\">In this way, the Jerusalem Way continues the great lines of antiquity today: from the <b>Danube via the Sava, the Ibar and Vardar Valleys to the Aegean<\/b>. It connects the historical main axis of the Roman Empire with symbolic sections of the Middle Ages and the present \u2013 a living connection that united Europe and the East 2,000 years ago and today, as a <b>Path of Peace<\/b>, builds bridges between cultures, religions, and peoples. <\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9saW5rX3VybF9wb3N0Iiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsicG9zdF9pZCI6IjEyOTI5In19@&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Photos and details from the 2021 Balkan pilgrimage&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _dynamic_attributes=&#8221;button_url&#8221; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/johannes-aschauer-935440601\/jerusalemweg-jerusalem-way-der-balkan-orf-o1-bericht\/s-tRPuL&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;ORF \u00d61 Balkan travel report &#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;http:\/\/oe1.orf.at\/programm\/425886&#8243; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;ORF Homepage&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/edit?mid=1TEY_bEUCEyZg5w-UNoM8YkUyTNN4OYg&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Itinerary \/ GPS Map: Balkan Route \u00a9 (Google Maps)&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.5&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div id=\"c4452\" class=\"csc-frame csc-frame-default\">\n<div class=\"csc-textpic-text\">\n<div id=\"colmiddle\">\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div id=\"c4465\" class=\"csc-frame csc-frame-default\">\n<div class=\"csc-textpic-text\">\n<div id=\"colmiddle\">\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div id=\"c4465\" class=\"csc-frame csc-frame-default\">\n<div class=\"csc-textpic-text\">\n<div id=\"colmiddle\">\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div id=\"c4866\" class=\"csc-frame csc-frame-default\">\n<div class=\"csc-textpic-text\">\n<div id=\"colmiddle\">\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div id=\"c4473\" class=\"csc-frame csc-frame-default\">\n<div class=\"csc-textpic-text\">\n<div class=\"indent\">\n<p class=\"bodytext\">The end becomes the beginning once again: ASIA HERE WE COME! The perfect transition to the journey on the Jerusalem Way through Asia Minor \/ Turkey (Part V \/ VII). <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Journey through Hungary &#8211; Croatia &#8211; Serbia &#8211; Kosovo &#8211; North Macedonia &#8211; Greece The countries in the BALKANS are unique in terms of culture and landscape: A PEARL FOR PILGRIMS! Our route runs authentically and away from tourism. Slow down in fascinating landscapes from the Danube to the Aegean and experience encounters with Catholic, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":23552,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[116],"tags":[],"dipi_cpt_category":[],"class_list":["post-23551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guided-tours"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Journey IV\/VII: Balkans - JERUSALEM WAY<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jerusalemway.org\/en\/journey-iv-vii-balkans\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Journey IV\/VII: Balkans - JERUSALEM WAY\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Journey through Hungary - Croatia - Serbia - Kosovo - North Macedonia - Greece The countries in the BALKANS are unique in terms of culture and landscape: A PEARL FOR PILGRIMS! Our route runs authentically and away from tourism. 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