Highlights of Albania in One Week
Tirana - Kruja - Durres - Berat - Vlora - Himare - Saranda - Gjirokastra - Tirana (7 days)
Including 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
http://www.albania-travelnet.com/privatetours.php?menu=tour5
Day 1.
Depending on time of arrival in Tirana, we may do a short city tour
before or after check in at the hotel. In the evening, we'll have dinner
at a traditional restaurant and then explore the nightlife of Tirana,
walking in the ex-block area known as "the forbidden town" where the
villas of the communists leaders are still standing next to trendy
boutiques, expensive jewelry shops and active local pubs.
Day 2.
After
breakfast, we begin our day with a visit to Et'Hem Bej Mosque, built in
1789, and one of the most beautiful mosques in Albania. We continue
with a walking tour, visiting the buildings around the main square,
exploring their history and architecture. We visit the recently
discovered ruins of the Justinian castle near the centre of Tirana, from
where we visit a private art gallery located inside an old traditional
18th century Tirana House. On the way we will see the colorful
buildings of Tirana. At the gallery we will have a rare opportunity to
admire art painted since the socialist realism time.
After a 45-minute drive to Kruja, we visit the Scanderbeg Museum and a carpet workshop in the old 18th century bazaar of Kruja. Lunch will be in a traditional restaurant near the bazaar.
In the second half of our tour, we drive to Durres, the historical
capital of Albania, where we visit the 2nd century AD Roman amphitheater
located within the walls of the city castle. We also visit the
archaeological museum, probably the best in the country.
In late afternoon we return to our hotel and, if you choose, we may
take a short walking tour of Tirana followed by dinner in a nice
restaurant at the Metropolitan Park.
Day 3.
Today we drive to Berrat, a UNESCO World Heritage town since 2008.
Along the way we make a short visit to a local winery, one of the
finest in the country, to try some good Albanian wines.
Our visit in Berrat starts at the 4th century BC castle where we will
admire the Byzantine era icons in the Onufri Icon Gallery, located
within the old cathedral of the town. Some of the icons date back to the
13th century.
After touring the castle, we visit the downtown bazaar, the Bachelors
mosque and the old buildings of Mangalemi neighborhood.
Lunch will be in a local restaurant.
We continue our drive through the oil fields, towards the 7th century
BC archaeological site of Apollonia, the second largest Greek colony in
Albania. We visit the Odeon, Pritaneon, Temple of Diana and the
monastery next to the site, which is built with the marble and stone
taken from the temple and the old Greek theatre.
In late afternoon we arrive at our hotel in Vlora, located by the sea
and near the center of town. We have dinner at the hotel restaurant,
famous for its wonderful seafood.
Day 4.
We begin our day with a scenic drive along the coast of the Bay of
Vlora, through the Coldwater Tunnel, next to the ex-dictator's villa and
near the orange plantations of Radhima. From here the landscape will
dramatically change as we climb up to 1100 meters above sea level,
through the forest of Llogara National Park. We'll make a rest stop
with a photo opportunity at the top of the pass, on a cliff overlooking
the Ionian Sea, Corfu Island and the Albanian Riviera. After a cup of
coffee or local mountain tea we drive back down to sea level, on the
recently rebuilt "Strada Bianca" road.
First stop will be in a local family in Dhermi village where we have
some raki (driver excluded) and local deserts.
We continue our drive south through the seven villages of Himara region.
In the little town of Himara we make a short coffee or snack break by
the sea. The region of Himara is 72 km long from south to north and rich
with natural and historical monuments such as Llamany beach and Panormi
castle of Ali Pasha (XVIII century).
We will have lunch in a local fish taverna and after visiting the
springs of Borshi we continue our tour towards Saranda.
After check in our hotel and a couple of hours relax we go to Lekuresi
Castle on top of the hill overlooking Saranda bay to see the sunset and
Island of Corfu in the middle of the blue Ionian waters.
Dinner in a local fish restaurant.
Day 5.
After breakfast we check out of the hotel and drive towards Butrinti
ancient city, founded in VII bc by the Corkirians, UNESCO World Heritage
site since 1995. What started as a Greek colony became one of the most
important towns in the Mediterranean and became a roman colony in I
century a.d. We can admire the theatre, the temple of Asclipeon, the
Baptisteries, the Gymnasium, the aquadod, the biggest Basilica in south
Albania and the Venetian castle on top of the town where a very nice
little museum hosts original artefacts, found during the excavations.
During the second part of the day we continue east towards the town of
Gjirokastra, UNESCO World Heritage town since 2004. On the way we visit
a village by the road where we have lunch in a traditional tavern.
After lunch we drive to Gjirokastra where we visit the castle, the old
bazaar and the ethnographic museum (which is the birth house of the
Albanian dictator).
We check in our hotel and in the evening we have dinner in a nice
restaurant by the lake.
Day 6.
Early check out from the hotel to start our last day touring in
Albania. First stop at the Tepelena castle (built by Ali Pasha), which
Lord Byron visited during his voyage in northern Greece and southern
Albania as a guest of this powerful local pasha. We continue north,
driving through the oilfields towards our next site, the 8th century
Ardenica Monastery, where we can admire a unique example of Byzantine
art and iconography. Lunch will be next to the monastery in a small
restaurant where traditional Albanian food is served.
We arrive in early afternoon in Tirana.
Dinner will be in a restaurant near the hotel and evening at leisure.
Day 7.
After breakfast we drive you to the airport wishing you a nice flight back home.
This is a general overview of the program; full details to be sent at time of booking.
Price, Reservations & Payments:
Price will vary based on a personalized and individualized package.
The tour must be booked prior to your arrival.
To confirm your reservation, we require a deposit equal to 30% of the value of the tour, prior to your arrival.
The balance of payment is due on arrival.
Included in the tour price:
Finest accommodations in holiday homes or hotels. Breakfast (all three a la carte meals are optional). Bottled water, coffee and tea at coffee breaks and meals. Transportation by comfortable air-conditioned vehicles. Expert English-speaking local guides throughout the tour. Comprehensive sightseeing as outlined in the itinerary. Entrance fees to monuments and museums as shown in the itinerary. Baggage assistance for one suitcase.
Not included in the tour price:
International airfares & Airport taxes Discretionary end of tour gratuity to the Travelnet guide and driver. Passport, visas & expenses of a personal nature
Check price and availability for this tour.
Tirana - Kruja - Durres - Berat - Vlora - Himare - Saranda - Gjirokastra - Tirana (7 days)
Including 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
http://www.albania-travelnet.com/privatetours.php?menu=tour5
Day 1.

Day 2.

After a 45-minute drive to Kruja, we visit the Scanderbeg Museum and a carpet workshop in the old 18th century bazaar of Kruja. Lunch will be in a traditional restaurant near the bazaar.

Day 3.


Day 4.

We continue our drive south through the seven villages of Himara region.

Day 5.


Day 6.

Day 7.
After breakfast we drive you to the airport wishing you a nice flight back home.
This is a general overview of the program; full details to be sent at time of booking.
Price, Reservations & Payments:
Price will vary based on a personalized and individualized package.
The tour must be booked prior to your arrival.
To confirm your reservation, we require a deposit equal to 30% of the value of the tour, prior to your arrival.
The balance of payment is due on arrival.
Included in the tour price:
Finest accommodations in holiday homes or hotels. Breakfast (all three a la carte meals are optional). Bottled water, coffee and tea at coffee breaks and meals. Transportation by comfortable air-conditioned vehicles. Expert English-speaking local guides throughout the tour. Comprehensive sightseeing as outlined in the itinerary. Entrance fees to monuments and museums as shown in the itinerary. Baggage assistance for one suitcase.
Not included in the tour price:
International airfares & Airport taxes Discretionary end of tour gratuity to the Travelnet guide and driver. Passport, visas & expenses of a personal nature
Check price and availability for this tour.
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