A journey through myths, ancient history, and extraordinary landscapes, discovering the authentic soul of Albania.
The tour begins in Tirana, the vibrant and colorful capital, where modernity and tradition intertwine in squares, museums, and historic monuments. We will then move on to Shkodra, a city of ancient charm, with the majestic Rozafa Castle overlooking the lake and surrounding mountains, guardian of millennia-old legends. We will visit Kruja, the symbolic city of the national hero Skanderbeg, with its fascinating Ottoman bazaar and fortress that speaks of centuries of resistance and courage. The next stop will be Durrës, a coastal city with an ancient Roman past, with its amphitheater and archaeological remains that tell stories of distant empires. We will continue south to Vlora, where the Adriatic meets the Ionian and modern history intertwines with breathtaking views, and Saranda, the pearl of the Albanian Riviera, where crystal-clear sea and local legends create a magical atmosphere.
Finally, we’ll reach Gjirokastër, the “stone city,” a UNESCO World Heritage site, suspended in time with its Ottoman houses, cobbled alleys, and majestic castle overlooking the valley below.
✨ A tour that combines history, myth, and unforgettable landscapes, to experience the most authentic and fascinating Albania.
Arrival at Tirana airport. Meet your guide/escort and transfer to the hotel. Check-in.
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, with a panoramic view of the city, and stroll through the old town.
Continue to Kruja, a symbol of the Albanian resistance against the Turks, led by Scanderbeg, the national hero known as the “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.
After breakfast arrive in Gora National Park and enjoy a walk around the lake. Enjoy a walking around the lake. In the afternoon we proceed to Tara river valley. The Tara River Canyon is one of the deepest river canyons in Europe (around 1300 m ) and is protected as part of UNESCO world heritage. Return to Kolasin for dinner and overnight.
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Vlora, with a stop at the Ardenica Monastery, built by the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos in 1282. It is said that Scanderbeg celebrated his wedding in this small chapel, where frescoes dating back to that period can still be admired.
Continue to Apollonia, known as Apollonia Prima, the most important of the cities founded in honor of Apollo. Here, Julius Caesar sent his nephew, Augustus Octavian, to study oratory.
Arrive in Vlora and visit the Museum, seat of the first Albanian government after independence from the Turks in 1912. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Saranda along the spectacular Ionian Riviera, stopping at Llogara National Park to admire the breathtaking scenery. Continue to Saranda with a visit to Ali Pasha Castle, a historic fortress used to control sea trade routes. In the afternoon, visit the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Legend attributes the city’s foundation to Trojan colonists led by Aeneas; it was subsequently colonized by the Greeks and then the Romans. Dinner and overnight stay in Saranda.
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Gjirokastör, with a short stop at the Blue Eye, a striking karst spring of rare beauty. Panoramic tour of Gjirokastör, known as the “museum city” and built entirely of stone, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the castle and the National Museum of Arms. Continue to Berat, known as the “city of a thousand windows.” Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Berat.
Breakfast at the hotel. Panoramic tour of Berat, known as the “city of a thousand windows,” with a visit to the fortified town and the Onufri Museum. Departure for Tirana. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time according to the departure time. Transfer to the airport for the return flight.
