Cultural heritage in Albania

Tirana as the capital of Albania is the most dynamic city. After check in the hotel you will have a city tour with our guide exploring the boulevard full with Italian architecture style, Blloku area with communism edifice, the New Pazar and we will have dinner in a traditional restaurant.

A short drive will bring us to Bunk Art 1. Inside of an atomic bunker we will get to know history details about the communism time in Albania and haw people used to live in fear and dreaming for a free life. Afwter e will proceed visiting The National Museum.

Lunch at Fustanella Farm, near Petrela Castle before driving to Elbasan to visit the historic fortress. Dinner and overnight in Pogradec where depending on time we can visit Drilon and Tushemisht village, or just enjoy free time near the shores of Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest in the world.

After an abundance breakfast we will drive to Voskopoja formally known as Moskopole.

We will visit the frescoed churches, which recall a time when Voskopoja was a cosmopolitan metropolis, a center of arts and cultures and the second largest city of the Ottoman Balkans after Istanbul.

Lunch in Voskopoja tasting the delicious Byrek ne sac and continue to Korca, one of the most loved city in Albania, because is well known for the delicious food, romantic music and history. We will visit Resurrection Cathedral, which is the main Orthodox Church, and Medieval Museum which houses a wide selection of stone sculptures, carved wood artefacts and textiles.

Dinner and overnight in Korca

Our Jurney today will take us to Permet. On our way we will visit Kamenica Tumulus. We will stop in Benja for a refreshment and admire the large ottoman bridge while enjoying the hot bath in the thermal water. Drive along Vjosa river and have dinner in Permet with traditional Saze Mussic. Saze used to be an instrument commonly played in the Shkodra festival celebrations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Dinner and overnight in Permet.

Today we will explore Gjirokastra, the city of stone where we will take a walking tour through the cobbled streets and visit the old Bazar, the Castle, Ethnographic museum, The traditional Zekate House and international famous writer house Ismail Kadare.  

Dinner and overnight in Gjirokastra.

Leaving Gjirokastra we will drive to Saranda. Our first stop will be at Blue eye spring where we will admire the crystal water and the beautiful landscape before visiting Butrint one of the most important archeological site in Albania.

Lunch in a typical restaurant near Butrint.

City tour in Saranda and dinner at Lekursi Castle.

Drive along the spectacular Albania Riviera to reach Porto Palermo Castel and visit the abandoned military naval base and swimming in the crystal Ionian Sea before lunch near the beach.

We will make a stop at Llogara National Park Information Center where a ranger will explain the rich biodiversity that this park has. In the end will have a taste of the famous “Kosi me Ara”. A delicious Albanian desert with homemade yogurt nuts and honey. 

Our Jurney continue visiting the old city of Orik. The city lies along Vlora’s southwestern coast, very near the Karaburun peninsula. Archaeological remnants reveal the province as one of the most important among the highly developed southern settlements! It was actually in ancient Orik that Ceasar prepared his attacks against those who did not obey the southern Italian cities.

Dinner and overnight in Vlora

Breakfast at the hotel and before leaving Vlora we can make a short stop at Muradije neighborhood before proceeding to the ancient city of Apollonia. Did you know that Roman Emperor Augustus studied philosophy in Apollonia before he became an emperor? Augustus was the one who incorporated Apollonia into the Roman Empire, granting it municipal status.

Before visiting Ardenica Monastery we will have a lunch with local food.

Ardenica Monestry is located at the highest point of a range of hills stretching across the great plain of Myzeqea. This has been an important historical, cultural site. During the 17th-18th century the monastery became famous for its rich library with thousands of volumes. As one of the largest libraries in the Balkans, this place hosted many priests from all the world who came to Ardenica for their research.

We will finish our day in Berat.

Today we will explore the old town of Beart which is recognized as a World Heritage Site by

UNESCO.We will find yourself in the tiny streets with kalldrem, being fascinating from the house architectures in Mangalemi and Gorica neighborhoods until you reach the Old castle. Here you will discover that there is another mini old town inside and National Iconographic Museum. We will have lunch in a traditional restaurant and continue to explore the new town developed recently. A short drive will bring us to “Cobo” winery for a wine tasting and a tour inside. This family has a long tradition of producing wine, dating back to the early time of communist regime. The old town gets extremely beautiful after dark with the illuminated houses and the Gorica stone bridge over the river Osum which flows through the amazing Osum Canyon.

Dinner and overnight in Berat

We will live Berat making our way to Durres where we will visit the Archaeological Museum and have a city tour. Durres is the second largest city in Albania and an important port on the Adriatic Sea. The new promenade along the sea front is lined with 1990s high rise hotels and restaurants where we will have lunch.

Proceed to Kruja to visit the old bazar where you can buy gift for your friends or family and the old castle. Inside the fortress' ancient walls is the National Skanderbeg Museum, where you will find artifacts from the battles fought just outside its walls. 

Dinner and overnight in Kruja

Free time before leaving