A comprehensive journey to discover the most authentic wonders of the Land of the Eagles.
Our itinerary begins in Tirana, the vibrant and colorful capital, where modernity meets the charm of tradition. We’ll continue to the Ardenica Monastery, a place of peace and spirituality, and the ancient city of Apollonia, a prestigious archaeological site founded by the Greeks and flourished under the Romans.
In Vlora, where the Adriatic meets the Ionian, we’ll discover splendid seascapes and the history of Albania’s proclamation of independence. We’ll then reach Shkodra, the cultural capital of the north, with its lake, Rozafa Castle, and vibrant atmosphere.
We’ll also visit Kruja, hometown of the national hero Skanderbeg, with its charming Ottoman bazaar and towering fortress.
The tour continues south to Saranda, the pearl of the Albanian Riviera, and Gjirokastra, the evocative “stone city” declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its typical Ottoman houses and majestic castle.
We’ll conclude with Berat, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as the “city of a thousand windows”: a true gem, with cobbled alleys, churches, mosques, and timeless views.
✨ A tour that encompasses the best of Albania: archaeology, history, culture, and unforgettable landscapes.
Arrival at Tirana Airport. Meet your guide and transfer to the hotel. Visit the National Historical Museum of Tirana, for a journey through the country’s history from prehistory to the present day. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
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Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Shkodra, the most important city in the north and the ancient capital of Illyria in the 3rd century BC. Visit Rozafa Castle, which offers a magnificent view of the city. Continue with a visit to the Marubi Photographic Museum, which houses a valuable collection of images depicting the daily life of the population in the second half of the 19th century. Stroll through the historic center.
In the afternoon, departure for Kruja, a symbol of the Albanian resistance against the Turks, led by Scanderbeg, the national hero who earned the title of “Protector of Christianity” for holding off the Turkish invasion of Western Europe for 25 years. Visit the Scanderbeg Museum and the Ethnographic Museum, followed by a stroll through the old bazaar.
Return to Tirana. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Vlora with a stop at the Ardenica Monastery, built by the Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II Palaiologos in 1282. According to tradition, Scanderbeg celebrated his wedding here. Inside the church, you can admire original frescoes dating back to that period.
Continue to Apollonia, known as Apollonia Prima, the most important of the cities founded in honor of Apollo. It was here that Julius Caesar sent his nephew Augustus Octavian to study oratory.
Arrival in Vlora and visit the Museum, seat of the first Albanian government after independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Vlora.
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Saranda along the spectacular Ionian Riviera, stopping at Llogara National Park to admire the breathtaking scenery.
Continue with a visit to Ali Pasha Castle, an imposing fortress used to control maritime trade routes. In the afternoon, visit the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Legend attributes its foundation to Trojan colonists led by Aeneas; the city was later colonized by the Greeks and Romans.
Arrival in Saranda. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Gjirokastra with a short stop at the Blue Eye, a spectacular karst spring of rare beauty. Panoramic tour of Gjirokastra, known as the “museum city” and built entirely of stone, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the castle and the National Museum of Arms, used as a political prison during the communist dictatorship. Continue with a visit to the Ethnographic Museum, housed in the birthplace of former dictator Enver Hoxha. In the afternoon, departure for Berat. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Berat, known as the “city of a thousand windows” and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Visit the castle and the fortified village: once home to over forty churches, seven remain today, including one converted into the Onufri Museum. Onufri, a famous 16th-century painter and master of sacred icons, painted numerous Orthodox churches in Albania and Greece.
Continue to Durrës, one of the oldest cities in Albania, founded in 627 BC. Visit the amphitheater and the Archaeological Museum, which houses artifacts from various historical periods.
In the evening, return to Tirana. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast and transfer to the airport
