Program Best of Albania

Our guide will wait for the group at the airport “Mother Teresa “Tirana. After custom formalities, departure to Tirana. On the way a short information about the program in general & Tirana in specific. City sightseeing of the most important objects of Tirana.

Tirana – The capital of Albania from 1920 enjoys a beautiful setting between the ranges of Dajti Mountain from one side and the coastal plains on the other one. Tirana is 110 m above sea level. It is relatively a new city in respect with old cities of Albania, dating from 1st century BC. The average annual temperatures are in July 24°C and in January 7°C. Tirana’s city superficies is 31 km 2. Tirana is the main political, economical & cultural center of Albania.

Late in the afternoon accommodation at hotel Dinner overnight & free time to enjoy the city on your own.

After the breakfast, we will travel towards Kruja. On the way will drive up to Kruja to see this important medieval city in the history of Albania

Kruja – The historic town of Kruja is located 30 km far from Tirana, 45 Km from Durres & 20 minutes by car from the international Airport of Rinas.The town of Kruja rises 560 meters above sea level, on the slopes of Sari -Salltiku Mountain. It provides to the visitors the great view of majestic landscape and a rich collection of historical and cultural objects. The most important is the castle of Kruja, which was built during the 5th and 6th centuries and has an elliptical shape with a total area of 2.25 hectares. The surrounding walls are reinforced by nine towers, which served as an observation and signaling post during times of war with Ottoman Empire. Within the walls of the castle there can still be found the remains of a few houses.

On the way an optional lunch may be offered at Mrizi i Zanave restaurant, an interesting place to taste local Albanian food.

Shkodra – It is the most important city in the Northern part of Albania. It was known as an old artisan center, as well road and river junction with a considerable transit trade. Shkodra, formerly Scutari, is the third largest town in Albania. It is one of the oldest towns in Europe, having been in the 3rd century B.C. The capital of Illyrian Kingdom of the Ardian, whose queen was the Legendary Teuta. It is situated near the lake sharing the same name and along the road leading to Montenegro. It is an ancient city with a rich history; one can find old characteristic houses where wood and other traditional motifs are used. Near the city of Shkodra there is a castle of Rozafa, built on a rocky hill from where you can see attractive and beautiful views.

Acommodation at hotel, Dinner overnight.A good position hotel to explore the city.

This morning we will start our program to pay a visit to Durres

Durres – One of Albania’s oldest cities, the country’s main sea port, the second largest industrial center after Tirana. Durres lies on a small peninsula on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The city was colonized by the Greeks in 627 B.C. It was named Epidamnos, which later became Dyrrachium. From the Venetian Tower at the harbor the Medieval Town Wall leads to the amphitheater (capacity 15,000 spectators) dating back to the 2nd century AD and containing an early Christian Crypt with a rare wall mosaic. Between the 1st and 3rd centuries Durres was an important port and trading center on the Via Egnatia trading route between Rome and Byzantium (Istanbul. Today the city is well known for the nearby beach resort of Durres Plazh, its wonderful sand and warm sea water.

On the promenade of Durres, at hotel, we will have accommodation & dinner.After dinner, from hotel, you can reach any interesting place of Durres on foot.

After breakfast we will leave Durres to visit another city on the cost of Adriatic Sea, Vlora. On the way to Vlora we will visit Berat, a city not loose in your visit of Albania.

Berat – It is known as the “City of one thousand windows” and is declared a Museum City”. Berat, overshadowed to the east by Tomorr Mountain 2415 m, and is an ancient Illyrian settlement founded in the 4th & 5th centuries B.C. on the territory of the Illyrian tribe of Desarettes. The town is composed of 3 parts; Gorica, situated on the far side of the river; Mangalem, situated on the fortress side of the river and the Residential quarter within the fortress known as KALAJA. The old part of the city has some religious buildings like mosque and Byzantine churches. The old name of the city was Antipatrea.

Free time for an optional lunch at Mangalemi or Castle Park restaurants with local traditional food. In the afternoon, on the way to Vlora visit of Ardenica Monastery. As soon as in the Vlora’s Bay a short sightseeing of the most important objects. Dinner overnight will be offered at. Free time.

This morning we will travel through Albanian Riviera to Saranda. Short breaks to enjoy the beautiful sceneries of unspoiled sea & information about the small villages & cities we are passing through.

Saranda – the gateway to the southern Albania, is a small town located between High Mountain and the Ionian Sea. The name Saranda derives from an early Christian monastery dedicated to Santi Quaranta (Forty Saints). Located on the shores of Ionian Sea, in front of Greek island of Corfu, Saranda is characterized by a Mediterranean climate and warm sea waters. Due to its location and warm weather Saranda is one of the most attractive tourist town in Albanian Riviera, where honeymooners traditionally spend their holidays. Located in front of the sea and along the main promenade there are some hotels and restaurants which offer you catering facilities and accommodation. Daily ferryboat link Saranda with the nearby Greek island of Corfu. Free time for lunch.

In the afternoon we will pay a visit to Butrint.

Butrinti – Archaeological Site, perhaps the most romantic archaeological site in Albania. Inhabited since prehistoric times, Butrint has been a Roman city and a bishopric. Following a period of prosperity under Byzantine administration, then a brief occupation by the Venetians, the city was abandoned in the late middle Ages after marshes formed in the area. The present archaeological site is a repository of ruins representing each period in the city’s development.

Tonight the dinner will be served at Lekursi’s Castle from where you can enjoy the scenery of the Bay. Late in the evening back to hotel. Free time for personal adventure.

Leaving Saranda, we will proceed to another interesting city of Albania, Gjirokastra. On the way visit of Blue Eye.

Gjirokastra – the “Stone City”, situated in the southern part of Albania only 1 hour far from Saranda city, on the eastern slope of mountain Mali i Gjere. It is a commercial center in South Albania, it produces foodstuffs, leather, and textiles. There are several 18th-century mosques and churches and an old citadel (rebuilt in the 19th cent.) in the town. Dating probably from the 4th cent., Gjirokastër passed to the Turks in the 15th cent. It was captured (1811) by Ali Pasha and was the center (late 1800s) of anti-Turkish resistance. In World War II it was occupied by Italy, Greece, and Germany in succession. What strikes the visitors most in Gjirokastra are its typical and characteristic houses which resemble little fortresses, clustered one above the other. Their exterior combines roughness with the beauty of windows, small rooms and light pillars supporting the roofs protruding from the walls. The most attractive feature is the stone which has been masterfully elaborated by the builders. Once Gjirokastra has been called the “city of one thousand steps” or “the stone city”.

Free time for lunch. In the afternoon, Accommodation at hotel. Dinner overnight & free time to enjoy this nice city.

After breakfast our itinerary will pass through the Valley of Viosa River.On the way beautiful sceneries of the Albanian countryside. Short brakes & information. After few hours of traveling we will visit the city of Korca.

Free time per lunch & personal adventure.

In the afternoon departure to Pogradec , a small town on the shore of Ohrid’s lake, Accommodation & dinner. This dinner You will taste the famous fish ‘ koran ‘. After dinner free time.

In the morning. We will travel to Macedonia via Elbasan and the Albanian-Macedonian border at Cafasan. Enjoy a full day at the lakeside resort of Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage listed site. Thanks to the work of St. Clement and St. Naum, the famous ‘Ohrid Literary School’ was founded here and thus the first pan-Slavic University in Europe. The sightseeing tour includes the Church of St. Sofia from the 11th century, with its magnificent Byzantine fresco paintings the pre-eminent mediaeval monument in Macedonia, and then St. Clement Church with its icon of The Annunciation. Accommodation at hotel. In the afternoon, a short drive takes us to St. Naum Monastery, built on the shores of Lake Ohrid in 900 A.D. and dedicated to the Slavic missionary and educator St. Naum of Ohrid. We return to the hotel for an overnight stay. Free time.

Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has been referred to as a “Jerusalem”. The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. It is located southwest of Skopje, west of Resen and Bitola, close to the border with Albania. In 1979 and in 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. In fact, Ohrid is one of only 28 sites that are part of UNESCO’s World Heritage that are both Cultural and Natural sites.

Leaving Pogradec after breakfast, our tour will proceed towards Tirana the Capital. On the way visit of the city of Elbasan situated in the middle of Albania with a long history. City sightseeing & visit of the Castle of Elbasan. Arrival in Tirana & accommodation at hotel. Free time to enjoy the city on your own.This evening the dinner will be serven in a nice private restaurant. Back to hotel late in the evening.

After breakfast visit of National Historical Museum. Midday departure to the Airport of Tirana, end of the services.