Itinerary

1. Day 01 Sunday: Airport – Tirana (20 km / 45 min)

   • Arrival at Tirana International Airport.
   • Meet and greet with our representative, then transfer to your hotel in Tirana.
   • Enjoy free time at your disposal.
     Overnight in Tirana.

2. Day 02 Monday: Tirana – Durres – Berat UNESCO (129 km / 2h30 min)

   • Transfer in the morning to visit Durres, one of the oldest cities in Albania, founded in 627 BC.
   • Visit the amphitheater of the Roman Emperor Adrian with 15,000 seats, the second biggest amphitheater in the Balkans.
   • Drive to Berat, a 2,413-year-old city known as the city of one thousand windows and a UNESCO site.
   • Explore a treasure trove of Albanian history and culture that reflects the country’s tradition of religious harmony.
   • Visit the ensemble of Byzantine churches and the post-Byzantine monumental Cathedral of Saint Mary, today the Onufri 
   • A museum dedicated to the famous iconographer of the 16th century.
   • Observe the marks of Ottoman occupation that add to the beauty of the city.
   • Visit a traditional house inside the walls of the Castle of Berat and enjoy tasting some homemade products.
     Overnight in Berat.

3. Day 03 Tuesday: Berat – Ardenica – Gjirokaster UNESCO (185 km / 3h30 min)

   • Transfer to the Monastery of Ardenica.
   • Explore the Byzantine structure consisting of Saint Mary Church, Saint Triad Chapel, the konake, the oil mill, the oven, and the stall.
   • Visit the place where the National Scanderbeg got married.
   • Transfer in the afternoon to Gjirokastra, known as the City of Stone and declared a UNESCO heritage site in 2005.
   • Explore the museum city with its distinctive historical architecture.
   • Visit the medieval castle built in the 4th century AD, known as Argjiro Castle, the most important structure of the city and the largest in Albania.
   • Visit the Ethnographic Museum, the house where the former communist dictator Enver Hoxha was born.
     Overnight in Gjirokastra.

4. Day 04 Wednesday: Gjirokaster – Blue Eye – Butrinti UNESCO – Saranda (95 km / 2h30 min)

   • Drive in the morning to Saranda.
   • Stop for a walk to Blue Eye, one of the beautiful springs in Albania.
   • Visit the ancient city of Butrint, one of the most important parks of Albania, and a UNESCO site.
   • Explore the city first settled by Greek colonists and continuously inhabited for centuries, which has formed archaeological layers representing several eras of civilization.
   • Enjoy the beautiful antique ruins situated in a peninsula rich in flora and fauna.
   • Stop in Ksamil, a seaside town nestled between the turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea and the mussel-rich waters of the Butrint Lagoon, with three idyllic islands within swimming distance.
     Overnight in Saranda.

5. Day 05 Thursday: Saranda – Riviera Porto Palermo – Vlora (120 km / 3h30 min)

   • Travel along the spectacular Albanian Riviera following the Ionian coastline through the villages of Lukovë, Qeparo, and Himara.
   • Stop for photos at the Castle of Ali Pasha in Porto Palermo, a fortress that was used to control sea trade routes and is popularly known as the Triangular Fortress.
   • Arrive in Vlora in the afternoon.
   • Visit the Independence Museum and Muradie Mosque, built in 1542 by the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire, Mimar Sinan, the constructor of the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul.
   • Enjoy free time for leisure on the beach of Vlora.
     Overnight in Vlora.

6. Day 06 Friday: Vlora – Apollonia – Tirana (155 km / 2h30 min)

   • Continue after breakfast to the ancient city of Apollonia, located on the famous Via Egnatia and one of the most important cities of Ancient Rome.
   • Visit the site where Julius Caesar sent his nephew, Augustus Octavian, to study oratory.
   • Transfer to Tirana, the capital of Albania, known for its endless movement and energy.
   • Visit Sheshi Skënderbej, Et’hem Bey Mosque, the Clock Tower, the Castle of the Roman Emperor Justinian, the monumental 
   • Tomb of Kapllan Pasha, Tanners Bridge, and Bunkart 2.
   • Create wonderful memories during the city exploration.
     Overnight in Tirana.

7. Day 07 Saturday: Tirana – Shkoder – Kruje – Tirana (224 km / 4h30 min)

   • Continue after breakfast to the medieval town of Kruja, one of the principal historic cities in Albania.
   • Walk through the Ottoman bazaar to reach the fortress where Albania’s hero George Kastrioti Skanderbeg defended the 
   • country from the Ottoman invasion, and where the Skanderbeg Museum is placed today.
   • Continue to Shkodra, the most important city in northern Albania and the ancient capital of Illyria in the 3rd century BC.
   • Visit Rozafa Castle and admire the spectacular 360-degree panorama.
   • Walk in the recently renovated pedestrian area where Italian and Austrian architecture intertwine, reflecting the city’s historical ties with these two countries.
     Overnight in Tirana.

8. Day 08 Sunday: Tirana – Airport (20 km / 45 min)

   • Transfer to Tirana International Airport for departure.
   • End of services.