Paradise of Albania

Itinerary

Start and end in Tirana! Paradise of Albania includes accommodation in a hotel as well as flights, an expert guide, insurance, meals, transport and more.

You will fly to Albania from your chosen airport. Your guide will be waiting for you at Tirana Airport. Together you will drive to the 2,400-year-old city of Shkodra at Skadar Lake. It is characterized by its numerous conquerors: Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians, Serbs, Venetians, and Turks. After visiting the ruins of Rozafa Castle, once built by the Illyrians, check-in and dinner are served at the centrally located hotel.

Day 1 Tirana Airport – Shkodra

You will fly to Albania from your chosen airport. Your guide will be waiting for you at Tirana Airport. Together you will drive to the 2,400-year-old city of Shkodra at Skadar Lake. It is characterized by its numerous conquerors: Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians, Serbs, Venetians and Turks. After visiting the ruins of Rozafa Castle, once built by the Illyrians, check-in and dinner are served at the centrally located hotel.

Day 2 Shkoder – Kruje – Tirana

After breakfast, visit the Marubi photo library, which impressively documents Albania’s cultural heritage and life. You can then reach the small town of Kruja on the slopes of the Skanderbeg Mountains. The Kruja Fortress, which is a historic sanctuary for the Albanians, offers an impressive panorama. You will visit the Skanderbeg Museum and the Ethnographic Museum, where you will have the opportunity to observe the production of carpets. You will then drive to the capital Tirana. After check-in at the hotel, take a short tour of the state capital for a first look at the main attractions.

Day 3-4 Tirana – Elbasan – Ohrid – Korca

The day begins with a guided tour of the country’s economic and political center. From Skanderberg Square with its 11-metre-high bronze equestrian statue, the boulevard of the “Martyrs of the Nation” leads to Mother Teresa Square in southern Tirana. Numerous museums and sights can be found along the boulevard. After visiting the National Art Gallery and the National Museum, you will drive through magnificent landscapes to the UNESCO-listed Macedonian city of Ohrid. Along the way, stop in Elbasan and visit the fortress of the Legion cohorts. In Ohrid you will visit the Hellenic Amphitheatre, St. Sofia Cathedral, and an icon collection, which is considered the most important in the Balkans. Afterwards, guests can relax on a boat trip across Lake Ohrid and enjoy views of the city. You will also stay in Macedonia today. The next day, another highlight awaits you: the monastery of St. Naum, whose church rises high above Lake Ohrid. On your way back to Albania, visit the Galičica National Park just before the border, known for its great mountain panorama. Back in Albania, travel to the city of Korça, which is considered the “cradle of Albanian culture”. Enjoy the tour of the city with its traditional houses and neoclassical villas. After a visit to the National Museum of Medieval Albanian Art, guests can check in at the hotel.

Day 5 Korce – Permet – Gjirokaster

Today you will drive to the southern Albanian town of Përmet, which lies in the heart of the Vjosa Valley in a beautiful and unspoilt landscape. In addition to natural beauty, historic monuments such as churches, Byzantine monasteries and ruins from the Ottoman period await you. A short easy hike will take you to the beautiful church of Leusa. You will then drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gjirokastra, the oldest city in Albania.

Day 6 Gjirokaster

From Gjirokastra you go to the Byzantine church of Labova of the Cross, which is unique thanks to its Baroque style elements. Back in Gjirokastra, get to know the “City of Stones” on a city tour. This expression alludes to the roofs covered with stone slabs that shape the unique cityscape. A visit to the castle is reminiscent of medieval rulers as well as crimes committed by the communists.

Day 7 Gjirokaster – Blue Eye – Butrint – Sarande

A new day — another World Heritage Site: On the way to the port city of Saranda on the Ionian Sea, stop at the impressive Blue Eye water spring. Continue to the village of Mesopotam and visit St. Nicholas Church before reaching the ruined town of Butrint, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. It has a beautiful archaeological park and is surrounded by a national park. In the evening, guests can arrive in Saranda for dinner with sea views.

Day 8 Sarande – Albanian Riviera – Apollonia – Berat

You will drive along the Albanian Riviera to Berat. The road to it runs through a breathtaking scenery, with steep mountains and bays with deep blue waters. Stop in Apollonia, among other things, visit St. Mary’s Church. In the evening you will reach another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Berat.

Day 9 Berat – Durres

The day begins with a tour of the “City of a Thousand Windows”, named after the countless windows of the old town. Guests can explore the lower districts and the high fortress with Western Ottoman architecture, Byzantine churches, and elegant mosques. You will then visit the monastery of Ardenica and in the evening you will reach the last stop of your trip: the coastal town of Durrës.

Day 10 Durres – Tirana Airport

As the most important port and the second largest city in the country, Durrës is of great importance for the Albanian economy. Travel back in time to the beautiful amphitheater, the Roman baths, the Byzantine Forum, the Venetian Tower, the Ottoman hammam, the city walls and the Archaeological Museum. With many impressions in your luggage, return to Tirana airport and check in for your journey home.

What’s Included

• Accommodation

Accommodation in 3* & 4* hotels.

• Guide

English speaking guide.

• Meals

Half board (breakfast and lunch or dinner)

This tour offers Vegetarian, Vegan and Halal food options on request.

• Additional Services

Entrance fees as per program.

• Transport

Transportation by minibus or bus for all the tour.

What’s Not Included

• Flights
• Insurance
• Optional

Other activities and services not included

• Additional Services

Lunch and Dinners by program

Tips