Day 1 Arrival in Tirana
Meeting and greeting of the group at the airport by our representative. Transfer to Tirana. If necessary, we stop at a currency exchange office on the way. Transfer to the hotel for refreshment. Afterwards a guided tour to the most important sights of Tirana, if time permits. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight stay in Tirana.
Day 2 Tirana - Shkodra - Kruja ("The Wonderful Story")
After breakfast we head north to Shkodra, the most important city of Northern Albania and former Illyrian capital in the 3rd century. Lunch in Shkodra at Lake Skadar, the largest lake at the Balkans. We visit the castle of Rozafa with spectacular views and the archaeological museum housed in a traditional house. Lunch at your leisure. After lunch we drive to Kruja, a small town high up on a hill. The city was the centre of Albanian resistance against the Ottomans led by the Albanian national hero Skanderbeg. Visit the fortress of Kruja. Highlights: Shkodra Fortress, the Kruja Ethnographic Museum and the old bazaar full of souvenirs and handicrafts. Then return to Tirana for the night.
Day 3 Tirana - Berat ("The City of 1000 Windows")
After breakfast we continue to the wonderful museum city Berat, Albania's second museum city. Because of its special architectural style with houses with many windows, it is sometimes called "the city of a thousand windows". This is a city with 2,400 years of history. Highlights: On the way we stop to visit a villagers' house and a local family-run winery. Lunch in Berat. After lunch visits in Berat: the fortress, the Onufri Museum and several churches and mosques. Onufri was an Albanian master painter of the 16th century who had a weakness in a certain red color, which he used so often that this color is now known as Onufrian Red. Many of his wonderfully painted icons can still be seen today in the museum, while others can be found in churches in Albania and Greece. In the city centre we visit the Plumbago Mosque, the Royal Mosque, the Bakkalaureus Mosque and the Alveti Tekke. On the way back from the castle we visit an Albanian winery to taste one of the local Albanian wines. Overnight stay in Berat.
Day 4 Berat - Bylis - Apollonia - Vlora (Old Albania)
The whole day is a highlight: after breakfast we continue to the ancient city of Bylis, one of the most spectacular antique sites on a mountain with breathtaking scenery. After the visit, we continue to Apollonia, one of the most important ancient cities in the country, where Augustus studied Octavian. After the visits we stay overnight in the beautiful horseshoe bay of Vlora.
Day 5 Vlora - Saranda ("The breathtaking Riviera")
A day with an adventurous drive through spectacular highlights: Albanian Riviera with its traditional villages. In the afternoon visit of Saranda. Refreshments at Lekursi Castle. Overnight stay in Saranda.
Day 6 Saranda - Butrint - Gjirokastra (The UNESCO Sights)
The whole day is a highlight: after breakfast we visit the ancient city of Butrint, the second World Heritage Site under UNESCO protection in Albania. The old town was first populated by Greek colonists and has been inhabited continuously for centuries, forming archaeological layers of passing civilizations. It is located on a beautiful peninsula surrounded by dense vegetation. History and nature unite here. Afterwards we drive to Gjirokastra, another museum town which is listed as a World Heritage Site under the UNESCO protection. Gjirokastra impresses with its beautiful and very unique architecture. Visit the city to admire its architecture and meet friendly locals. We continue to Saranda, the southernmost city on the Albanian coast, just a few kilometres from Corfu. On the way a short visit to the "Blue Eye", an eye-shaped freshwater spring in the middle of dense vegetation. It is a beautiful and relaxing natural landscape with spectacular turquoise colour. Overnight stay in Gjirokastra.
Day 7 Gjirokastra - Korca ("Mighty Nature")
After breakfast you will drive to Korca via Kelcyra and the spectacular highlight - the Vjosa gorges which stretch to Permet, the mountains of Leskovik and the colourful fields of Erseka. In Erseka we visit the grave of Kamenica, one of the best preserved Neolithic graves. In Korca we visit the Museum of Medieval Art and the Mirahori Mosque, one of the oldest in the country, built in 1469. Overnight stay in Korca.
Day 8 Korca - Voskopoja - Pogradec - Ohrid (Religious Influences Across Borders)
After breakfast we drive to the town of Voskopoja, which between the 17th and 18th centuries became one of the most developed and prosperous cities in the European part of the Ottoman Empire. Evidence of this are the first printing house in the Balkans from 1720, the academy of Voscoja founded in 1744, the famous basilicas, the painted walls of the famous Albanian painters, including David Selenica and the Zeografi brothers. Pogradec is situated on Lake Ohrid, the deepest lake in the Balkans. We stop in the Tushemisht Village to visit the villa, which served as a recreation domicile for the Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha. Then we drive on to Ohrid. We continue to a highlight, the monastery St. Naum. In the monastery we follow the path of St. Naum and encounter the legends of all the miracles he accomplished before and after the construction of his church on the rock. Visit to the monastery and the springs of Crni Drim. Enjoy the area from the rowing boat. Overnight at hotel.
Day 9 Ohrid ("A splendid example of culture")
The whole day is a highlight: morning visiting the beauties of Ohrid. During the morning sightseeing we visit the church "St. Sofia", built between the 11th and 14th century and the residence of the archbishop. We also visit "St. Clement", a classical Orthodox Byzantine church that dominates the old town centre and shows a connection between Byzantine and Italian Renaissance art. Another destination is "Plaoshnik", where in the 9th century St. Clement of Ohrid founded the first university in Europe and trained 3,500 students. A short boat trip on Lake Ohrid follows. Afterwards you will have time at your own disposal, which you can use for lunch or your own activities in Ohrid. Accommodation in hotel.
Day 10 Ohrid - Prespa - Bitola (UNESCO Nature Reserve and Old Heraklea)
After breakfast we head east over the Galicica Mountain, which separates the lakes Ohrid and Prespa. The bus stops first on the mountain saddle Livada (The Meadow) at 1,568 meters above sea level. From here you have a fantastic view of Ohrid Lake and a little rest. A few minutes later you will see the other lake - Lake Prespa, the second largest lake in Macedonia (274 km²), located between the two national parks Galicica and Pelister. Quietly and peacefully the lake lies in front of you and with a little luck you can observe the different bird species that are native at the lake. Fishing huts and the very interesting nature will impress you. A short coffee break and we continue to the eastern part of the lake. Visit to the private ethnological museum in the village of Podmocani (this option is optional). In the afternoon we visit Bitola - the city of the consuls. As the second largest city in Macedonia, you will be enchanted by its charm. Starting with the ancient Heracles Lyncestis, over the churches (St. Dimitrius is one of the most beautiful churches in Macedonia) up to the National Museum in which there is also a room for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, our way will lead us through the city. The Wide Street and Small Monmartre are unique places to visit. In the afternoon you can have a nice and relaxing walk - just as you like. Overnight at hotel.
Day 11 Bitola- Skopje ("The Macedonian Capital")
After breakfast we will visit the Macedonian capital Skopje. Prilep - the tobacco town is the first stop on this route. A coffee break and optionally you can also make a short hike, passing the "Sitting Elephant", a rock that looks like an elephant sitting in front of you. The road continues eastwards and crosses the natural border - the Vardar river. Optional visit to the archaeological site of Stobi from where we continue on the motorway to Skopje. After arrival, you will visit Skopje. Accommodation in hotel.
Day 12 Skopje - Struga (Nature & Culture)
Breakfast and transfer to Struga. The road passes near Tetovo. Depending on the time of arrival, a visit to Tetovo with the richly decorated (Motley) mosque. Built in 1459, the mosque is a unique monument and a landmark of Tetovo. It is decorated on the inside and outside. After the visit of the mosque, we continue to the valley of the river Radika, one of the cleanest rivers in Europe. The next stop today is John the Baptist monastery, called Jovan Bigorski. The byname Bigorski is derived from the tufa (mazedonically: bigor) which was used as a building material. The monastery is situated in the Mavrovo National Park, about 25 kilometres northeast of Debar, surrounded by the Radika River, on a steep mountain slope. This astonishingly magical landscape unites the mystics of the monastery and human perfection in a world that transcends the boundaries of rationality. The iconostasis of this church is unique. The large six-rowed and wood-framed iconostasis and a three-row gallery of Orthodox saints and biblical motifs on the outside wall of the monastery church make it one of the most important cultural sights of the country. Especially the icon of "Sv. Jovan Krstitel" (John the Baptist) is said to have mysterious powers. Visit to St. George's Monastery (Sveti Gorgi) in Debar. A short light meal and coffee break in Debar. Afterwards we continue our way to Struga. Overnight stay in Struga.
Day 13 Struga- Elbasan - Durres ("From the ancient Greeks to the Ottomans")
After an early breakfast we leave for Durres. Durres was founded in 627 BC, making it one of the oldest and most important cities in Albania. On the way we stop at Elbasan Castle with its Turkish baths. The castle is an old monument that was rebuilt by the Ottomans in the Middle Ages. Afterwards we continue to Durres, where the group has time for lunch. After lunch we undertake a sightseeing tour of the city's highlights. These include the amphitheatre, which is located in the middle of a modern city in an inhabited area, and the Archaeological Museum, which is rich in artifacts found in the city and its surroundings. Further we visit the Arapaj Mosaic and maybe the old villa of the only Albanian king, Zog I. An overnight stay in Durres.
Day 14 Durres - Tirana (The colourful Albanian capital)
After breakfast we continue to Tirana, where we make a guided tour to the most important sights. We start the tour with a walk through the Blloku area, a formerly forbidden zone with the villas of the Politburo members. Afterwards we visit the National Historical Museum and the house of the Albanian painter Sali Shijaku. We visit the house dating from the 15th to 16th century whose walls are covered with the artist's paintings. With a little bit of luck we meet the artist himself who will talk to us about his art. Lunch at your leisure. In the afternoon and evening you have free time to explore Tirana on your own. Overnight stay in Tirana.
Day 15 Tirana - Airport
After breakfast you have free time until the transfer to the airport.