Full-Day Elbasan and Funare Tour with Little Switzerland Scenery

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Explore Elbasan's old town inside the historic walls of Kalaja
• 02 See a mosque, a Catholic church, and an Orthodox church standing side by side
• 03 Learn about Elbasan's past at a local ethnographic museum
• 04 Taste local Boza and the traditional dessert of Summer Day
• 05 Visit the village of Funare, known as the area's "Little Switzerland"
• 06 Meet a local family in Funare and enjoy beautiful hilly scenery

Sign up for this full-day tour and explore Elbasan, a city with ruins dating back to the Roman era. See a mosque next to a Catholic church and an Orthodox church, and visit an ethnographic museum to learn about the city's local heritage. Continue to the pleasant village of Funare in the hilly area above the city, where beautiful scenery and a visit with a local family round out the experience, with an optional lunch available there.

At times, the beauty of the lakes and the hills surrounding the village gives the impression of an alpine village in the Swiss Alps.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 1 Day

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Elbasan, Tirana

Languages Albanian, English, Greek

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Elbasan Old Town and Funare "Little Switzerland"

• Meet your tour guide at your hotel or your specified meeting place in Tirana and depart to reach the city of Elbasan.
• Visit the old town situated inside the surrounding walls, which locals refer to as "Kalaja", or simply the Castle. A mosque next to a Catholic church and an Orthodox church proves the excellent and peaceful coexistence of different religions in the city.
• Next, head to a small ethnographic museum that provides details about life in the city many years ago. Drinking the local refreshment "Boza" and tasting the local dessert of Summer Day are experiences you should not skip.
• Drive up through the hilly area surrounding the town, full of olive trees, to visit the little village of Funare. At times, the beauty of the lakes and the hills surrounding the village gives the impression of an alpine village in the Swiss Alps.
• Admire the natural scenery, meet a local family, and have an optional lunch there.
• In the late afternoon, drive back to Tirana.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Transport in a very comfortable air-conditioned car, minivan, or van
• Professional, licensed and certified tourist guide/driver
• Pick-up and drop-off from your hotel, pier, or chosen location

What's Not Included

• Entrance fees wherever needed
• Meals and drinks
• Personal expenses
• Tips and gratuities

What to bring

Bring yourself, and I promise to make you "richer" by the end of the day trip.

Know before you go

• Museums are closed on Mondays, except by specific agreement in advance for visits by big groups, cruise ship visitors, etc.
• Children must be accompanied by an adult.
• This tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or for wheelchair users due to the hilly terrain.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Hotel, Airport, Port or anywhere else in Central Albania

Tour start

Tirana, Albania

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.