Authentic Culture and Encounter

Tirana Airport è Tirana, 25 min (15 km)

Arrival at Mother Teresa airport in Tirana.

City of bright colors, Tirana is the nerve center of the country. The visit of the city and its typical and modern districts will give you a good overview of the history of this city, while a stroll around Skanderbeg Square will allow you to take the pulse of the capital. Discovering the district of Bllok, a former district reserved for the nomenclature during the communist period, nowadays the one where there is nightlife and buzzing.

Discovery of the world center of the Bektashis, a variant of Islam unique in the world. Meeting with a member of the Bektashi community.

Overnight and dinner in Tirana

Tirana è Shkoder, 1h 50 min (105 km

Departure in the direction of the city of Shkodër. Inhabited since prehistoric times and today a symbol of deep harmony between religious faiths. This city is home to places of different worship:

Muslim, Catholic and Orthodox. Shkoder is considered the capital of northern Albania and since ancient times was a city of great importance for Albania and the whole region. Legends, different styles of construction, museums and art workshops animate this city of many facets.

Overnight and dinner in Shkodra

**Today before leaving the city of Shkodra we will visit a workshop of Venetian Masks.

Shkoder è Fishte, 40 min (35 km)

Our journey will take us to Fishte village in Lezha region.

We will visit the farm “Mrizi i Zanave” an agrotourism center. An amazing place, but above all with the best cuisine.

Lunch in the farm where we will taste local products renowned throughout Albania.

Fishte è Berat, 2h 40 min (171 km)

***Before arriving in Berat we will visit a wine cellar. In the Çobo cellar you will discover local, national and international specialties.

Then direction to Berat. This city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, is also known as “the city of a thousand windows”. Berat is one of the characteristic cities of Ottoman architecture that has been best preserved in the country.

Overnight and dinner in Berat.

Today visit the city of Berat. The typical neighborhoods with its cobbled streets, traditional houses and views of the mountains give a particular charm to this city.

Beratè Vlore, 1h 35 (83 km)

Then drive to Vlora a coastal city, known to be one of the most important ports in the country. It is also an important place for the Albanian nation, because there was proclaimed the independence of the country , on 28th of November in 1912 by Ismail Qemal. The Bay of Vlora has always been a strategic point of great importance.

Overnight and dinner in Vlora.

Vlore è Porto Palermo, 1h 50 min (80 km)

Our path today will take us to the bay of Porto Palermo.

***En route we will visit an olive oil factory and learn about the ancient history of olive oil production and export since antiquity.

Then head for the bay of Porto Palermo, where the fortress of the famous Ali Pasha of Ioannina is located. This small triangular castle was one of the many castles of the great Pasha! The splendid bay of Porto Palermo served as an important submarine base during the communist regime. Today semi-abandoned, the base, its tunnel and the structures are still visible.

*** During this day we will discover and contemplate polyphonic songs which are classified in the World Heritage of Humanity (UNESCO).

Lunch en route

Porto Palermo è Sarande, 1h (47 km)

After departure for Sarandë, a seaside town located opposite the island of Corfu. Sarandë is fortunate to be located in one of the most beautiful regions of Albania, the Albanian Riviera. This town was known in antiquity as Onhezmi and its small port was a communication bridge between Corfu and the Epirote tribes.

Visit of the city, promenade by the sea, and the many terraces located by the sea.

Overnight and dinner in Saranda

Sarande è Butrint, 25 min (17 km)

Our path today will take us to the archaeological site of Butrint.

Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992, Butrint is an ancient open-air city testifying to several centuries of human occupation, as the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans successively occupied the site Also, did you know that Racine referred to Butrint in his work Andromaque? The Lion's Gate is well hidden, but still standing!

Butrintè Gjirokaster, 1h 30 min (71 km)

Then drive to the city of Gjirokastër, also known as "the city of stone". Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, Gjirokastër is the birthplace of Albania's greatest writer, Ismaïl Kadare and, on a less literary note, the hometown of former communist dictator Enver Hoxha. This city is full of typical neighborhoods and shady terraces. Gjirokastër has managed to preserve the picturesque and typical architecture of the old Albanian residences.

***Raki tasting

Overnight and dinner in Gjirokastër

Gjirokaster è Apollonia,2h (115 km)

***On the way to Apollonia we stop to visit bunkers that were built during the communist era in Albania.

Our next stop is the archaeological site of the city of Apollonia, in the region of Fier. Inhabited by Illyrian tribes, the city was colonized in the 4th century BC. AD by Greek settlers from Corinth and Corfu, Apollonia was also a very important city during Roman timesThe Agora, the Theater and its Museum, very rich in objects, bear witness to the importance of this archaeological site.

The Roman emperor Octavian Augustus studied in this place.

Lunch en route

ApolloniaèTirana,2h (125 km)

We will leave the archaeological site of Apollonia to head towards the capital.

We will continue with the last visits of the city that the weather did not allow on the first day.

Overnight and dinner in Tirana

This is the last day of your trip to Albania.

One of our agents will accompany you to the airport according to your flight schedule.

We hope you had a great time during your visit and that you will come back to Albania once again.