Albania Tour
Albania was once the North Korea of the Balkans, its borders closed and its people subject to the repressive authoritarian rule of Enver Hoxha. In the early 1990s the Communist regime collapsed, and Albania’s borders opened to reveal a fascinating – and at times incredibly beautiful — country of mountains, lakes, rivers and even hot springs, peppered with intriguing traces of its rich and complex past.
Bordering Greece, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia, and with a 450 km seaboard along the Adriatic, Albania lies on the cusp between West and East. The Ancient Via Egnatia ran through, connecting Rome with Constantinople, while Albania’s strategic location attracted the attention of powers ranging from the Ancient Greeks to the Ottoman Empire. Traces of the occupying civilizations remain – from the the ancient Greek town of Apollonia to the Roman amphitheatre of Durres, and from the traditional Ottoman architecture of towns like Berat and Gjirokaster, to the Byzantine monasteries, and cathedrals and churches, both Orthodox and Catholic, that survived Hoxha’s blanket ban on religion. Sadly only the occasional mosque survived – perhaps most memorably that of Memi Bey in Gjirokaster, which escaped demolition under Communism only because its high dome provided the perfect rehearsal space for the trapeze artists of the National Circus.
Albania’s more recent – and sinister – past is also evident, most famously in the over 200,000 bunkers that formed part of Hoxha’s defence system. One of these, in the capital, Tirana, has been re-purposed as a Contemporary Art museum, while the onetime HQ of Albania’s notorious secret police has been turned into an unforgettably sobering Museum of Secret Surveillance. Tirana itself offers a fascinating taste of contemporary Albania, especially in the vibrant colours which residents have painted on the grim walls of concrete Communist-era apartment blocks and bunkers.
Book this tour
Tour Features
- Fully guided tour of Albania.
- Small group travel: maximum group size is 12 guests.
- Guaranteed departure dates
- UNESCO World heritage sites
- Accompanied by a Tour manager throughout your journey
- Tour cost includes entrance fees to main sites/museums
- Private 17-seater minibus
- Tour cost includes all hotel city taxes
- Butrint
- Apollonia
- Berat
- Gjirokastra
- Krujë
- Tirana
- 1 night in Tirana (classic room)
- 1 night in Krujë (classic room)
- 1 night in Berat (classic room)
- 1 night in Vlorë (classic room)
- 2 nights in Saranda (classic room)
- 1 night in Permet (classic room)
- 1 night in Korjë (classic room)
- 1 night in Tirana (classic room)
- all lunches/breakfasts
- All evening meals (with wine) are included
- Arrival airport: Tirana airport
- Departure airport: Tirana airport
- Transfers and pick-ups/drop-offs from/to the main airport of arrival on the day of arrival/departure of the tour are included
- Some walking involved – you should be able to walk a kilometre without difficulty.
Itinerary
Day 1
Tirana Airport – Tirana
After arrival at Tirana airport we transfer to our hotel in the city centre. Evening meal and overnight in Tirana.
Day 2
Tirana, Shkodër and Krujë
We depart Tirana for Shkodër: one of the oldest cities in the Balkans and once the capital of Illyria. We visit the castle, with its fine views of the Shkodra lake and the estuaries of the rivers Buna and Drin. There is time to stroll in the pedestrianised city centre as well as visit the cathedral and mosque. In the afternoon, we travel onwards to Krujë; renowned for the part it played in the resistance against the Ottomans. We visit the Skanderbeg Museum and the castle and to browse the handmade artefacts of the old bazaar.
Evening meal and overnight in Krujë
Day 3
Durres and Berat
We drive to the coastal city of Durres, Albania’s second largest city. There we explore its Roman amphitheatre and Archaeological Museum before continuing to the stunning town of Berat listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. With its Ottoman-style houses Berat makes a picturesque scene and is little changed since it was painted by Edward Lear in the nineteenth century. We stroll through the charming narrow streets and visit the citadel with its numerous churches and interesting museum.
Evening meal and overnight in Berat
Day 4
Ardenicë Monastery, Apollonia, Vlorë
Today we visit Ardenicë Monastery: a 13th century Byzantine site locally famed for hosting the wedding of the hero Skanderbeg. We continue from here to the archaeological site of Apollonia: an Ancient Greek trade colony which developed into an independent polis, and later a Roman city. Set on a remote hillside, Apollonia presents a atmospheric and charming visit. Later in the day we travel to the coastal city of Vlorë.
Evening meal and overnight in Vlorë.
Day 5
Viora Llogara, Dhermi, Himara
After breakfast we drive through the wonderful scenery among the pinewoods in a steep climb to the Llogara pass. We stop at Panorama view point, where we enjoy some stunning views of the lonian Sea.
We continue our drive through fertile slopes and villages, stopping at Dhermi and Himara. En route we make a short visit to the bay of Porto Palermo where the castle of Ali Pasha is situated. We continue to our overnight accommodation in Saranda.
Evening meal and overnight in Saranda.
Day 6
Butrint
Butrint is a National park incorporating the excellently preserved Ancient Greek/Roman city of Butrint – considered as one of the most important archaeological sites in Albania. In 44 BC, Caesar designated Buthrotum as a colony to reward soldiers who had fought for him against Pompey. Later the seat of an early Christian bishopric in Epirus, Butrint today boasts remains that are an equal of anything in Italy. It is surrounded by wetlands that are home to a large number of birds and the tranquil atmosphere is enchanting.
Evening meal and overnight in Saranda.
Day 7
Blue Eye, Gjirokastra, Benja, Permet
After breakfast we drive to Gjirokastra via a short stop on the way at the Blue Eye National Park: a fairy tale landscape of mountains and the clear waters of the Bistrica river. Later in the morning, we explore Gjirokastra: known for its distinct architecture and imposing citadel. We visit the castle and old bazaar area before driving to Benja where we stop at the famous thermal waters. In the afternoon we continue on to the small town of Permet.
Evening meal and overnight in Permet
Day 8
Permet and Korcë
After breakfast our journey continues through some stunning mountain scenery towards Korcë. En route we enjoy wonderful panoramic views over towards Northern Greece. There is time to explore the town once we arrive in Korcë.
Evening meal and overnight in Korcë.
Day 9
Voskopoja and Tirana
This morning we continue to small mountain village of Voskopoja, which was once a prominent city. It hosts some interesting Romanesque architecture and Orthodox churches featuring some of the best 18th century frescoes in Southern Europe. In the late morning, we continue on to Tirana. There we visit Skanderbeg Square and the Namazgah mosque as well as Bunk Art 2 – an old atomic bunker since converted into an interesting museum of the Communist era.
Evening meal and overnight in Tirana
Day 10
Tirana
After breakfast, we depart the hotel for Tirana airport, whence we say our farewells and depart.
see photo gallery of this tour
