8 days
10
55
Albania
Meet at airport and transfer to Tirana where we take a driven tour of the capital’s major attractions including the colorful buildings and we will visit the National Historic Museum in Tirana offering an in depth introduction to Albanian history from prehistory to present day. Welcome dinner is a traditional affair at one of the traditional restaurants in town, with a rustic setting and a first taste of Albania’s culinary offerings. The cuisine of mid-Albania has strong Ottoman influences and therefore meats on charcoal grill, as well as grilled vegetables and yogurt sauces prevail. Overnight in Tirana.
After breakfastwe continue toward Shkodra the most important city in North Albania, set in a beautiful plateau in front of the largest lake in the Balkans named after the town, and with the magnificent Albanian Alps as a backdrop. We will visit the fortress with spectacular views all around and afterwards we continue to Shkodra a town with Italian and Austrian architectural influences. Marubi Photographic Museum with a selection of old photograps sinc the mid 19 th century, its like a time machine which takes you back in time and is a must see for anyone visiting Shkodra. A 20 min drive from Shkodra on the way back we stop for a culinary feast of slow food movement reviving traditional ingredents and methods. After lunch drive back to Tirana. Evening meal in one of the more modern restaurants.
After breakfast drive to to Berat - a UNESCO town for its wonderful architecture where houses look as they were built on each other’s backs. Here we visit the inhabited fortress where many families still live within its walls, several small churches from the 15 th century and the uniquely beautiful St.Mary’s church turned into Onufri museum, in honor of this great Albanian Icon master painter of the 16 th century. Lunch in a traditional famly run restaurant in Berat fortress. After lunch continue to Vlora a seaside town for overnight. Dinner will be a fresh seafood specialty in one of the best local restaurants.
After an early breakfast we depart for Saranda. Drive on the spectacular Albanian Riviera looking down at the Ionian Sea. Breathtaking views appear at Llogara pass - 1000 m above sea level where we stop in a panoramic restaurant to sample the delicious sheep’s yogurt and honey as a local delicacy. We continue on to Saranda. At the beautiful white beaches and turquoise waters of Ksamil we will sample an amazing seafood lunch. Afterwards we proceed visit the ancient city of Butrint a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city was first settled by in the 8 th centrury B.C and was continuously inhabited for centuries. It is considered the most important archeological site in Albania and the monuments it unveils in a beautiful peninsula among dense vegetation, are a live testimony of this. After visits drive to Saranda, check in and relax at the hotel. Dinner will be on the seaside patio of local restaurant . Overnight in Saranda.
After breakfast drive to Gjirokastra a museum town and a UNESCO World Heritage site for its stone architechture, and also one of the most acclaimed culinary towns of south Albania. Here we visit the citadel which is used as the venue for the National Festival of Folk Song and Dance and has an Arms Museum with weapons from WWI. Next we visit the Ethnographic Museum which is also the house the ex-dictator was born in. For lunch we will head to a small village nearby where we will be visiting a family and seeing on what they live as well as enjoying a vegetarian home cooked meal with them. After lunch
proceed to Permet through the spectacular gorge of Kelcyra on the banks of vjosa river. Permet is one fo Albania’s well known regions for its delicious cusine with some unique delicacies such us tomato jam, which we will be able to sample at a traditional restaurant. Overnight in Permet.
After breakfast drive to Korca one of the most important towns of South East Albania and a well known culinary town. The path takes us through spectacular landscapes with spectacular nature with gorges, mountains and river valleys offering a truly fulfilling experience. Lunch in the traditional family restaurant in Boboshtica just before reaching Korca. After lunch we visit the Museum of Medieval Arts and the Mosque of Mirahori one of the oldest in the country. Dinner will be in guest house run by a local family where we will experience the deltious Lakror and home made wine. Overnight in Voskopoja in a wonderful charachteristic boutique syle hotel.
After breakfast visit one of the oldest churches in Albania and probably in the region. Continue to complete visits in korca and proceed to Lake Ohrid, to visit the Drilon area where the dictator used to have its fishing villa which we will be able to see. Lunch in family restaurant to enjoy unique Koran fish a rare fish of the trout and salmon family, found only in this lake. Departure for Elbasan, visit at the castle where we stop for refreshments. Continue to Tirana we will have a farewell fine dinning dinner at one of the best restaurants. Overnight in Tirana.
After breakfast, free to explore until time of transfer to Airport. End of our services.
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