Duration: 7 Nights/8 Days | Price: FROM 350 Euro

This tour starts form Tirana or Saranda  and is guaranteed for min 10 Participants. Accommodation on 3 or 4 * hotels on BB/ HB bases. Transfers with AC Minivan or Coach. Assistant and local guide multilingual speaking.

ITINERARY :  TIRANA – BERAT – GJIROKASTRA – SARANDA – BUTRINTI – VLORA – APOLLONIA – ARDENICA – DURRES – KRUJA – TIRANA.

DAY 1:    TIRANA

Starting in the morning with a Full Day Tirana city tour. You will visit the National Historical Museum, National Gallery of Arts, Parliament Building, Mosque of Ethem Bej and the Clock Tower, the main mosque of Tirana, which is a cultural monument under state protection.

First you will cross the main Boulevard “ Deshmoret e Kombit”  and you will see the Monument of Skenderbeg, the buildings built by the Italians that nowadays home the Municipality and the Ministries,  the Cultural Center called Pyramid because of its shape, ex-museum of Enver Hoxha during communism regime. Continuing to see the Prime Minister Office, the Presidency and to the end of the Boulevard will find the University and Academy of Arts. Afternoon free.

Overnight in Tirana.

DAY 2:    TIRANA – BERAT – GJIROKASTRA

After breakfast departure to Gjirokastra. On the way to Gjirokastra you will stop to visit one of the typical cities of Albania, BERAT, called “The City of one thousand windows” because of the way it is built. You will visit

The castle of Berat (kala'),The Ethnographic Museum, is situated in a typical house of XVIII century. Just looking the interiors is interesting in itself. Inside, living room and kitchen are recreated in two versions, as they were in town and village houses. The small hidden room were women were supposed to stay when guests would come for dinner. Various arte facts and folk costumes are also displayed inside. Onufri Museum, named after the most famous Albanian painter of XVI century, is situated inside St.Mary church, builded in 1757 on the site of an older church with the same name. There are a number of old icons and documents of historical value and the interior of the church is very interesting too. The Historic Medieval Center, The complex was build in XV century. There are a mosque and a Helvetian 'teqe' (bektashian religion) and finally the Edward Lear Art Gallery. The bridge of Gorica is one of the biggest stone medieval bridges in our country, with e length of 127 meters, build over Osumi river.

Time for lunch at a traditional restaurant inside the castle.

After lunch continue to Gjirokastra. The “Museum City”, is one of the most venerable towns of Albania. Its name means Silver Fortress, and it is in UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its dwelling houses have the form of medieval towers constituting a building ensemble with a characteristic architecture.

Overnight and accommodation in Gjirokastra.

DAY 3:    GJIROKASTRA – SARANDA

After breakfast a half day city tour in Gjirokastra. This ‘City of Stone’ comprises hundreds of Ottoman-style tower houses with distinctive stone roofs, wooden balconies and whitewashed stone walls. 

Visit the castle of Gjirokastra,

Museum of the weapons,

Ethnography museum and walk along the old bazaar street.

Depart to Saranda.

On the way to Saranda stop at “ Blue Eye” spring,  a hypnotic pool of deep-blue water surrounded by electric-blue edges like the iris of an eye. It feeds the Bistrica River and its depth is still unknown. You can enjoy the lunch at the restaurant, located near the Blue Eye’s waterfall, where is served traditional Albanian food, like roast lamb and grilled fish.

Continuing to Lekuresi Castle, which is lately improved as a tourist site. There is a great view of the city of Saranda from the castle.

Arrive in Saranda in the latte evening.

Overnight in Saranda

 DAY 4:   SARANDA – BUTRINTI

After breakfast depart to Butrinti, the most important archaeological site of Albania, protected by UNESCO. This antique city was first inhabited by the Illyrians. Its name drives from the bull (gr. Buthrotos) that the Trojan prince Enea sacrificed here on his way to the Temple of Dodona to assure safe passage.

The most significant archaeological objects are the amphitheatre of Butrint, the temple of Aesculapius (god of health), the altar of baptisms, walls and antique entrances to the city.  Time for lunch and return to Saranda. Afternoon at leisure

Overnight in Saranda.

 DAY 5:    SARANDA - VLORA 

After breakfast departure to Vlora. Passing along the Albanian Riviera you can admire the fantastic scenery that the nature offers for the travelers. Stop at the National Park of Llogara, It's altitude ranges from 470 to 2018m. This park offers a fine and attractive landscape. Very interesting to see is the “ Flag Pine” a rare monument of nature with scientific and tourist values. In the spring and summer time you can find some bee-keepers on the way offering to the travelers Honey, and other products from the bees. Lunch at a local restaurant where is recommended to eat the Sheep yogurt and the fresh meet of lamb.

Continue to Vlora Coast, Radhima and Orikum with their fine sandy and rocky beaches and clear water.

The ancient town of Oricum was established in the 7th – 6th century B.C. by Hellenic settlers. Julius Caesar stationed his troops in camps there for several months, until they were taken by Pompey (Pompeius Magnus).

Than a city tour to Vlora (afternoon) to visit Independence Museum, Monument of Independence, erected in Sheshi i Flamurit (The Square of the Flag)."Kuz Baba" building of the Bektashi sect, perched up on the hill towering upon the town centre. This spot offers a unique view not only of the town, but also of the entire Vlora Bay.  Dinner and overnight in Vlora.

DAY 6:   VLORA – APOLLONIA – ARDENICA – DURRES

After breakfast departure to visit the Archaeological sites of Ardenica and Apollonia including:

Apollonia: Archaeological excavations have revealed that Apollonia achieved its zenith in the 4th - 3rd centuries B.C. In the first century B.C., Octavian Augustus studied philosophy there until he heard news of Caesar’s murder in the Senate and went on to become the next Roman emperor.

Architectonic Complex and the Monastery of Ardenicë.

It is thought that the foundations of this monastery were built in 1282 on the initiative of the Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II Paleologus of Byzantium.  The incentive must have come from the existence of the chapel of St. Triadha in the area, which was built centuries before. The temple was built to honor the goddess Artemis, from which the present name Ardenicë derives. Very close to the temple, in the outskirts of which lies the current monastery, passes the southern branch of the ancient Via Egnatia.

Continuing to Durres ( Dyrrhachium) which is the most ancient and one of the most economically important cities of Albania. This is the starting point of the ancient road “VIA EGNATIA”. Being one of the most ancient cities there will be very interesting places to visit: Archeological Museum, Roman Amphitheater, Byzantine city walls etc.

Dinner and overnight in Durres.

DAY 7:  DURRES – KRUJA – TIRANA

After breakfast departure to Kruja, - the centre of Albanian resistance against the Turks under our national hero Scanderbeg. He kept them from crossing into Western Europe for 25 years, thus earning the title “Champion of Christ”. You will visit the Skanderbeg Museum, a very rich Ethnographic Museum and the Old Bazaar. Have a characteristic Albanian lunch in Kruja.

After lunch depart to Tirana.

Overnight in Tirana

Included:

•  Accommodation in 3* Hotels in BB
• Transfers with luxuries air conditioned coach or minivan according to the program and number of pax
• Multilingual speaking guide throughout the whole tour
• All entrance fees to the museums and archeological sites
• Accommodation and food for the driver and guide
• All taxes

Excluded

Flight Tickets, Lunches & Dinners, Everything that is not specified in the “Includes” section