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Europe

Albania

Grand Tour of Albania As the descriptive name indicates this is the most comprehensive tour of the country, a must for anyone that really wants to take the time to explore Albania more in depth. Our Grand Tour of Albania is a combination of the most important and striking elements from all of the tours below giving the traveller a wealth of knowledge and experience. On this tour you will be taken from North to South, from West to East exploring some of the most fascinating places and authentic traditions. This tour last 10-11 days. Visits include: Tirana – Kruja – Shkodra - Durres – Elbasan – Pogradec – Korca – Voskopoja – Gjirokastra – Saranda (Butrint) – Albanian Riviera – Vlora – Apollonia – Berat - Tirane.

Albania's ancient treasures Albania is a land situated in the Balkans, in the cross roads between West and East Europe. Furthermore, having neighboured two of the most powerful ancient civilisations, Greek and Roman, it is a country rich in antiquity. It holds within many ancient cities, ruins and treasures that are finally ready to be fully explores by archaeology enthusiasts from around the world. Through one of these specialist tours you will be acquainted with the following: National Archaeological Museum - Kruja Fortress – Berat Fortress – Onufri Museum – Ancient Bylis – Gjirokastra Castle – Ancient Foenice – Famous Buthrotum – Orichum – Ancient Apollonia – Durres Amphitheatre – Archaeological Museum.

Albania & Macedonia in 10 Days This is a comprehensive tour of the Central and Southern part of Albania and the major tourist towns and sites in Macedonia. In composing this tour we have taken into consideration that the tour should not exceed the necessary time needed for such a visit. This makes it one of the better tours to acquaint you with the two neighbouring countries in the shortest way while keeping you really interested in the many beautiful things we will visit. However with all the fascinating visits that are part of this tour we hope to enhance your interest in visiting these countries in more in depth in the future as they have much to offer in culture, history and natural beauties. On this tour we will visit the following sites in each country: In Albania: Tirana – Kruja – Durres - Apollonia – Ardenica - Vlora - Saranda - Berat - Gjirokastra - Korca -Voskopoja – Pogradec – Elbasan – Tirana. In Macedonia : Ohrid - Prespa - Struga

Nature and adventure tours Many travellers and writers admit that, Albania offers some of the most spectacular natural beauties in Europe. However what makes it even more extraordinary is the fact that within such a small territory you will be able to experience a wide variety of nature elements. Albania Holidays offers you the possibility to visit stunning mountains, amazing canyons, green valleys, crystal lakes & rivers, and deserted beaches. Some of the most remarkable places you can explore with us are: Dajti Natural Park – Kune Lagoon Lezha – Lake Shkodra – The Albanian Alps – Thethi – Razma –Fierza- Lake Ohrid – Voskopoja – Permet – Gjirokastra – Blue Eye – Butrint Natural Park –Llogara National Park – Narta Lagoon.

Albania’s Religious Legacy Albania is one of the few places in the world where true inter-faith harmony exists. It is not something that came about in recent history but rather something that has existed for centuries. Through these tours we aim to present the religious monuments that still exist in different regions of Albania with their architectural and spiritual values. In some cases they represent an important testimony of faiths co-exiting side by side. Be part of a unique tour and visit: Ethem Bej Mosque – St.Paul Cathedral,- Orthidox Church of St. Prokop, – Shkodra Churches & Mosques – Durres Old Basilica – Ardenica Monastery - Berat Churches, Mosques and Tekke – Onufri Icon Museum – Korca Churches & Mosques – Voskopoja’s Famous Churches

If you are interested in one of these tours or would like us to compose a specific Albanian tour program based on your requirement, we would be pleased to offer you our expert advise and professional assistance. Below is such one private tour we designed for client.

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Day 1. Arrival In Tirana

Meet and greet clients at the airport and transfer them by deluxe car to Sheraton Hotel 5*. If time permits we will pick up the clients in the afternoon for a driven tour of the capital explaining the major sites and a visit at the national History museum which gives an introduction to Albanian History from prehistoric to present times.

After breakfast we depart for Berat one of the most fascinating Albanian towns with a mixture of cultural influences. Being more than 2400 year old the town it is one of the most attractive towns in Albania. Established in the 3rd century B.C by an Illyrian tribe of central Albania with a protective castle, it was known as the fortified city of Antipatrea. In 1417 the town was occupied by the Turks who build quite a few mosques in the area below the town’s old castle. Berat is situated at the foot of Tomorri Mountain and on the shores of River Osum. It is famous for its white-washed houses with their many windows which, seem to have been build on top of each other, that give it the nickname “town of a thousand windows”. The castle is the only one in Albania that still has houses and inhabitants within its walls, going about their daily life in exactly the same place their predecessors did centuries ago. We will visit the Fortress, Onufri Museum. After visits at the castle we make our way down to the scheduled place for lunch, where we will sample the delicious cuisine of this town. After lunch (restaurant White House optional) we will return in Tirana.

After breakfast we we drive to Kruja – a small characteristic town perched on a hill, centre of Albanian resistance against the Ottoman Turks under our national hero Scanderbeg. He kept them from crossing into Western Europe for 25 years, thus earning the title “Protector of Christianity” given by the Pope of the time. We will visit the Castle of Kruja, Scanderbeg Museum, one of the best kept museums in the country, a very rich Ethnographic Museum situated on an original house of the 17th century and the Old Bazaar. Have a characteristic Albanian lunch in Kruja.(optional) . Afterwards we depart for Durres one of the oldest and most important cities in Albania. It was established under the name Epidamnus in the year 627 B.C. by Korintha and Korkyra colonists, on the area of an ancient settlement of the Illyrian tribe of Taulant. It was one of the causes of the Peloponnesian War in the 5th century BC. After the visits we return to Tirana.

After breakfast depart to boarder with Macedonia to meet up with Macedonian team and continue the tour.