Spring in Albania

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.

07:30 – Breakfast & check-out

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before starting your Albanian adventure.

08:30 – Meet your guide and fellow travellers. Depart for Krujë (approx. 1 hr).

Meet your professional guide and fellow travellers outside the hotel. After introductions, you begin the journey north toward Shkodër, stopping in the historic town of Krujë.

09:30 – Krujë (approx. 2 hrs).

Krujë sits on a rocky ridge above the coastal plain. It was the stronghold of national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, who resisted the Ottoman Empire for about 25 years.

-The Skanderbeg National Museum, inside the castle walls.

-The restored Old Bazaar, with its carpets, copperwork, felt and embroidery.

11:30 – Continue to Shkodër (approx. 1 hr 45 min).

13:30 – Lunch in Shkodër (own expense).

15:00 – Hotel check-in and time to settle in.

15:30 – Guided walk of Shkodër (approx. 1 hr).

Shkodër is one of Albania's oldest cities and has long been a centre of art, religion and learning. Walk along the pedestrian Kolë Idromeno street and through the historic centre.

Optional: the Marubi National Museum of Photography, with more than 150 years of Albanian life captured on camera (ticket not included).

Late afternoon – Shiroka & a private boat trip on Lake Shkodra (approx. 1 hr). The boat leaves from the lakeside village of Shiroka and is timed for the best evening light on the largest lake in the Balkans.

19:00 – Welcome Dinner

Welcome dinner at a traditional lakeside restaurant known for its freshwater fish. Your first evening together, ideally as the sun sets over the lake.

07:30 – Breakfast at the hotel.

08:15 – Departure for the Albanian Alps.

In spring, the higher valleys are often still under snow. When mountain conditions require it, we travel in suitable 4×4 vehicles.

Approx. 10:00 – Qafë Thorë Pass (approx. 1,700 m).

A short stop for views over the Alps, weather permitting.

11:00 – Theth village.

Theth Church (1892): the village's best-known landmark.

The Lock-in Tower (Kulla e Ngujimit): your guide explains the Kanun, the customary law of the highlands, and the tradition of ngujim, in which men threatened by blood feud took refuge inside the tower.

11:45 – Hike to Grunas Waterfall (approx. 45 min each way; easy to moderate).

In spring, snowmelt gives the 25-metre waterfall its strongest flow of the year.

13:45 – Lunch at a local guesthouse (own expense).

A simple, home-cooked mountain meal.

15:00 – Return drive to Shkodër (approx. 2 hrs 30 min).

Approx. 17:30 – Arrival at your hotel. Time to rest.

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

Gjuhadol Street, with its restaurants and wine bars, is a good place to end the day.

07:30 – Breakfast at the hotel.

A relaxed morning, with free time for a coffee or a last stroll through Shkodër's centre.

10:15 – Check-out & departure for Rozafa Castle (approx. 15 min).

10:30 – Rozafa Castle (approx. 1 hr).

The castle stands on a rocky hill above the meeting of three rivers, with views over Shkodër and the lake. Your guide will tell the legend of Rozafa, the woman said to have been walled into its foundations.

11:30 – Drive to Fishtë (approx. 55 min), in the quiet Zadrima plain.

This is the birthplace of Gjergj Fishta, the Franciscan priest and poet who wrote the national epic Lahuta e Malsisë.

12:30 – Mrizi i Zanave agritourism estate.

The estate is a leading example of Slow Food in Albania. Most of what it serves is grown, raised or made on site or by neighbouring farmers.

-A short farm and cellar visit: learn how the estate makes its wine, cheese and cured meats.

-A farm-to-table lunch with the estate's own wines (included): a long, unhurried seasonal meal.

15:15 – Departure for Durrës (approx. 1 hr 30 min).

16:45 – Arrival in Durrës & hotel check-in.

17:30 – Evening walk through Durrës (approx. 1 hr 15 min).

Durrës is one of Albania's oldest cities, founded by Greek colonists as Epidamnos more than 2,500 years ago. Your walk takes in:

-The Venetian Tower and the old city walls.

-The remains of the Byzantine forum.

-A first view of the Roman amphitheatre.

-The seafront promenade as the evening lights come on.

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

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

09:00 – The Roman Amphitheatre of Durrës (approx. 1 hr).

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.

10:30 – Departure for Berat (approx. 1 hr 45 min).

12:30 – Lunch in Berat (own expense).

14:00 – Guided tour of Berat (approx. 2 hrs 30 min).

The UNESCO-listed "City of a Thousand Windows".

-Berat Castle: a lived-in quarter of cobbled lanes and Byzantine churches.

-The Onufri Iconographic Museum, in the Cathedral of the Dormition of St Mary. It holds the work of the 16th-century painter Onufri, known for his distinctive red.

-Mangalem and Gorica: the Ottoman-era quarters on either side of the Osum River.

16:30 – Hotel check-in.

The rest of the afternoon is free.

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

Your guide will suggest restaurants serving local dishes such as tavë kosi.

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

08:15 – Departure for the Osumi Canyons (approx. 1 hr 30 min).

Over millions of years the Osum River has carved a canyon about 26 km long, with walls up to 80–100 metres high.

Approx. 09:45 – Rafting base.

Your professional rafting team provides all equipment, including wetsuits for the spring water, and gives a full safety briefing.

Approx. 10:30 – Rafting through the canyon (approx. 1 hr 30 min on the water).

Spring brings the river's highest water of the year. You pass between towering limestone walls, small waterfalls and caves.

Safety always comes first. If the river is too high, the rafting team may adjust the trip. In that case we visit Bogova Waterfall and the canyon viewpoints instead.

13:00 – Lunch at the rafting base (own expense).

14:00 – Journey to Gjirokastër (approx. 4 hrs 30 min),

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

Approx. 18:30 – Arrival in Gjirokastër & check-in.

19:30 – Dinner at leisure in the old bazaar (own expense).

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

08:00 – Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 – Guided walk of Gjirokastër (approx. 2 hrs 30 min).

The UNESCO-listed "Stone City".

Gjirokastër Castle: one of the largest in the Balkans, with views over the Drino valley. Inside are a collection of artillery and a US Air Force jet that made a forced landing in Albania in 1957.

-The Old Bazaar: stone-arched shops selling crafts and local produce.

-The Ottoman tower houses: fortified family homes of the town's merchant families.

11:30 – Departure for the Blue Eye (approx. 1 hr).

12:30 – The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër).

Water rises from a karst spring of unknown depth at a steady 10°C or so. In spring the flow is at its strongest. The pool is deep blue at the centre and turquoise at the edges.

13:30 – Lunch nearby (own expense).

14:45 – Drive to Mesopotam (approx. 35 min).

15:20 – Mesopotam Monastery (approx. 30 min).

The 13th-century Byzantine church of St Nicholas stands among old trees in a quiet valley.

15:50 – Continue to Saranda (approx. 30 min).

16:20 – Saranda.

Free time for a coffee and a walk along the seafront promenade.

17:00 – Lëkurësi Castle (approx. 45 min).

This 16th-century Ottoman fortress looks over Saranda Bay, the Butrint lagoons and Corfu across the channel. In March the visit coincides with sunset.

18:00 – Return to Gjirokastër (approx. 1 hr 20 min).

19:30 – Dinner at leisure in Gjirokastër (own expense).

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

08:30 – Departure for Apollonia (approx. 2 hrs 45 min, with a short break).

11:15 – Apollonia Archaeological Park (approx. 1 hr 45 min).

Greek colonists founded Apollonia in the 6th century BC, and it became an important city of the Roman world. Walk among the façade of the Bouleuterion, the Odeon, the city walls and the medieval monastery of St Mary.

13:00 – Lunch near Apollonia (own expense).

14:15 – Drive to Ardenica Monastery (approx. 35 min).

14:50 – Ardenica Monastery (approx. 30 min).

An 18th-century Orthodox monastery with frescoes by the Zografi brothers. According to tradition, Skanderbeg was married here.

15:20 – Continue to Tirana (approx. 1 hr 45 min).

Approx. 17:15 – Arrival in Tirana & check-in.

19:30 – Farewell dinner at a carefully selected restaurant.

A last evening together over Albanian specialities. 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!