Albania’s Historic Gems

Please note: All program activities begin the day following your arrival in Tirana.

As this tour welcomes travellers from different countries, flight schedules vary — some guests arrive earlier in the day, while others land in the evening. To ensure a seamless and consistent experience for everyone, Day 1 is reserved for arrival, rest, and personal exploration.

Upon landing at Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza, you will be welcomed in the arrivals hall by a representative of our company, holding a sign with your name. You will then be transferred by private vehicle to your hotel in the heart of Tirana's city centre.

After check-in, the rest of the day is entirely yours. Your hotel's central location places you within easy reach of the city's most charming streets, cafés, and squares — a perfect opportunity to take your first steps into Albanian life at your own pace. Prior to your arrival, we will send you a curated list of suggestions to help you make the most of your free time, with dinner at your own expense this evening.

We recommend using this time to rest, refresh, and prepare for the experiences that await you from Day 1 onwards.

08:00 – Breakfast at the hotel & check-out

09:00 – Meet your guide and fellow travellers.

Depart north for Shkodër (approx. 2 hrs). On the way, your guide introduces the history and traditions of northern Albania.

11:00 – Rozafa Castle (approx. 1 hr).

The fortress stands on a rocky hill above Shkodër and the lake. Your guide will tell the legend of Rozafa, the woman said to have been walled into its foundations.

12:15 – Lunch in Shkodër (own expense).

13:30 – Hotel check-in. Time to rest and refresh.

15:00 – Marubi National Museum of Photography (approx. 1 hr).

One of the most important photographic archives in the Balkans, covering more than 150 years of Albanian life, people and landscapes.

16:00 – Pedestrian Street

Stroll through Shkodër's historic centre, along Gjuhadol Street and the pedestrian Kolë Idromeno street, with their restored façades and cafés.

17:15 – Shiroka.

A short drive brings you to this quiet lakeside village, with views across Lake Shkodra to the mountains beyond.

19:00 – Welcome Dinner

Welcome dinner at a traditional lakeside restaurant known for its freshwater fish. A first evening together with your guide and fellow travellers. Included.

08:00 – Breakfast at the hotel & check-out

09:00 – Departure for Krujë (approx. 1 hr 45 min).

10:45 – Krujë.

Krujë was the stronghold of national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, who resisted the Ottoman Empire for about 25 years.

-The Skanderbeg Museum, inside the castle walls, tells the story of his campaigns and legacy.

-The Ethnographic Museum, in a traditional Ottoman-era house, shows how a wealthy Krujë family once lived.

-The Old Bazaar, a cobbled street of craft shops selling carpets, textiles and handmade souvenirs.

12:45 – Lunch in Krujë (own expense).

14:00 – Transfer to Tirana (approx. 1 hr).

15:00 – Hotel check-in.

15:45 – Guided walk of Tirana.

Skanderbeg Square, surrounded by the National History Museum and the city's main landmarks.

The Et'hem Bey Mosque, one of Tirana's oldest, known for its painted interior.

Bunk'Art 2, a former Cold War bunker that tells the story of Albania's communist years.

19:00 – Dinner at leisure (own expense).

07:30 – Breakfast at the hotel & check-out

08:30 – Transfer to Durrës (approx. 55 min).

Durrës is Albania's main port and one of its oldest cities.

09:30 – The Roman Amphitheatre.

Built in the 2nd century AD, it is one of the largest in the Balkans. Inside, an early Christian chapel still preserves rare wall mosaics.

10:20 – The Archaeological Museum

Reopened after restoration in 2026. It displays Illyrian, Greek and Roman finds from the ancient city of Dyrrachium.

11:10 – The Venetian Tower, part of the medieval city defences.

11:30 – Departure for Berat (approx. 1 hr 45 min).

13:15 – Lunch in Berat (own expense).

14:30 – Berat Castle & the Onufri Museum.

The UNESCO-listed "City of a Thousand Windows". Inside the castle walls is a lived-in quarter of Byzantine churches and cobbled lanes, with views over the Osum valley. The Onufri Museum holds the work of the 16th-century painter Onufri, known for his distinctive red.

16:00 – Mangalem & Gorica.

Walk through the Ottoman-era quarters on either side of the Osum River.

17:15 – Hotel check-in.

19:00 – Dinner at leisure (own expense).

08:00 – Breakfast at the hotel & check-out

09:00 – Departure for Gjirokastër (approx. 3 hrs 25 min)

Short break at the cold springs of Uji i Ftohtë near Tepelenë.

12:30 – Lunch in the Old Bazaar (own expense).

13:45 – Gjirokastër Castle.

A large hilltop fortress with a military museum and views over the town and the Drino valley.

15:15 – The Ethnographic Museum, built on the site of Enver Hoxha's birthplace in the style of a traditional Gjirokastër house.

16:00 – A walk along the Bazaar.

With its stone-arched shops selling crafts, antiques and local produce.

17:00 – Hotel check-in.

Time to rest.

19:00 – Dinner at leisure (own expense).

Try qifqi, the town's signature rice-and-herb fritters.

07:30 – Breakfast at the hotel.

08:30 – Departure for the Blue Eye (approx. 1 hr).

09:30 – The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër).

Water rises from a karst spring of unknown depth into a pool that is deep blue at the centre and turquoise at the edges, inside a protected forest. In the morning the site is still quiet.

10:30 – Mesopotam Monastery (approx. 30 min).

A 13th-century Byzantine church dedicated to St Nicholas, with unusual architecture and fragments of old frescoes.

11:35 – Continue to Butrint (approx. 1 hr).

12:45 – Lunch near Butrint (own expense).

14:00 – Butrint National Park (approx. 2 hrs).

This UNESCO World Heritage Site preserves Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian ruins among woods and lagoons.

You'll see:

-The theatre and the Lion Gate.

-The Great Basilica.

-The baptistery, whose mosaic floor is usually kept covered for protection.

16:00 – Transfer to Lëkurësi Castle.

This 16th-century Ottoman fortress overlooks Saranda Bay and Corfu across the channel. Dinner at Lekuresi castle (own expense)

20:00 – Return to Gjirokaster.

Overnight in Gjirokaster.

07:30 – Breakfast at the hotel & check-out

08:30 – Departure for Apollonia (approx. 2 hrs)

With a break at Tepelenë on the way.

10:30 – Apollonia Archaeological Park (approx. 1 hr 30 min).

Greek colonists founded Apollonia in the 6th century BC, and it became a centre of learning and trade in the Roman world.

You'll see:

-The façade of the Bouleuterion, the Odeon and the long Stoa with its niches.

-The museum, in a 13th-century monastery, which holds statues and mosaics found on the site.

14:00 - Lunch near Apollonia (own expense).

15:30 – Continue to Tirana (approx. 2 hrs).

Approx. 17:30 – Arrival in Tirana & check-in.

19:30 – Farewell Dinner

Farewall dinner at a carefully selected restaurant in the heart of Tirana. A last evening together over Albanian specialities, to remember the castles, ancient cities and stone towns of the journey. Included.

Breakfast at hotel & check-out

As our journey comes to an end, we hope you’ve had an unforgettable experience exploring the stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture of Albania. With cherished memories and new adventures to look back on, we bid you farewell.

Transfer to Tirana International Airport for your departure flight.

Safe travels, and we hope to welcome you again!