Things to do in

Vlore

Explore Albania's top attractions in the hands of an expert tour director during a 4-day, 3-night sightseeing tour. Sample authentic Albanian food and visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Berat, Gjirokastra, and Butrint. Day 1: Durres and Berat Start the tour with a hotel or airport pickup in Tirana and head to Durres for a short guided walking tour and coffee break. Alternatively, you can start with a hotel pickup in Durres. Transfer to Berat, the "city of a thousand windows." Get settled in your picturesque hotel before enjoying lunch in a restaurant with city views. In the afternoon, follow your expert local guide on a guided tour of this fascinating city. Visit Berat Castle/Citadel and explore the upper town with churches, mosques, and 27 watchtowers packed inside its walls. Admire the Ottoman houses, where people still live as they have done for centuries. In the evening, your tour director will guide you to the best restaurants to sample Berat’s typical dishes. Day 2: Gjirokaster After breakfast, admire small villages during your transfer to Gjirokaster. Once you arrive in this “city of a thousand steps,” settle into your hotel before heading for lunch in a small local restaurant for a taste of the city’s authentic dishes. Next, visit Skenduli House, the best-preserved Ottoman house in the old city of Gjirokaster. Hear about its past from your local guide and the house’s owner, a descendant of the Skenduli family. Then, soak up the castle's rich history and enjoy the view of the “city of stone” from above. Explore the Ottoman Bazaar and historic wooden houses before visiting the Gjirokaster Obelisk dedicated to the town's first school. Enjoy its 360º views. Spend a relaxing evening in the streets of Gjirokaster. Day 3: “Blue Eye” and Butrint Travel to the “Blue Eye” spring. Admire the shades of blue and surrounding nature before heading to Butrint. There, marvel at 2,500 years of history on a guided tour with a local guide. See the highlights, such as the amphitheater, castle, churches, and Lion Gate. Drive to Ksamil and enjoy lunch by the lake at the Mussel House. Spend your afternoon in Ksamil before heading to Saranda via Lekursi Castle, which overlooks the city. Day 4: Llogara National Park and Vlore Transfer to the city of Vlore via Ali Pasha Castle, which you will explore with your tour director. Marvel at the architecture and listen to entertaining legends about the man who built it, Ali Pasha of Tepelenë. Head to the Llogara “balcony” for a stunning view of the South Coast beaches before indulging in lunch at Llogara National Park surrounded by pine trees and a fresh mountain breeze. Visit the city of Vlore, the hometown of the Albanian nationalist movement, in the afternoon. See sights such as Flag Square with its Independence Monument right in the center, the Muradie Mosque, and Vlore Lungomare. After you have explored Vlore, you will get transferred back to Tirana.

Travel south along the Albanian coast and explore the best of this region on a guided tour. Spend the day discovering Vlora, Butrint, Saranda, and Gjirokaster. Start your trip with a comfortable ride in an air-conditioned vehicle from your hotel in Tirana. Travel to Vlora, the city of independence. Proceed to Llogara to enjoy the breathtaking views of the coast from a 1043-meter height. Continue to Saranda and see enchanting beaches such as Gjipe Beach, Porto Palermo, Lukovë, and more. Next, visit the National Park of Butrint that holds more than 2000 years of history. Head to the source of the “Blue Eye” before getting to Gjirokaster. It’s a water spring with clear blue waters coming from the depth of the earth, running in the shape of an eye. The road leading to Gjirokaster will take you to the castle of the city and the old bazaar neighborhood. Visit the former homes of Ismail Kadare and Enver Hoxha, which are now museums dedicated to communism. Enjoy this last stop of the coastal tour before returning to Tirana.

Day 1: Travel Day and Tirana An airport pickup service is available throughout the day, following which you can get settled in your hotel. If you are not too tired, there is a guided walking tour of the city also available. Day 2: Kruja and Shkoder You'll begin your journey from Tirana directly to the city of Kruja. From there you will set off on a guided tour of the castle, the Skanderbeg Museum, and the National Ethnographic Museum. You'll transfer for lunch in Shiroke, with Lake Shkoder well known for its fish cuisine. Following lunch, visit the Rozafa Fortress and enjoy amazing views whilst learning the fortress’s fascinating history. Afterwards, get settled in to your hotel in Shkoder and experience the Old Town, St. Stephen’s Catholic Cathedral, the Ebu Bekr Mosque, and Marubi Museum throughout a guided tour. Later, enjoy free time in the evening in the Pedonalja area. Day 3: Koman Lake to Shala River through Koman Lake boat ride Transfer to Koman in the early morning, where you will take a scenic boat ride passing by rocky mountains and vivid green hills towards the Shala River. This river is a hidden paradise which is also referred to as “Albanian Thailand”. Later, enjoy lunch with views over the Mirror River whilst surrounded by the quietness of the mountains and nature. You'll eventually leave this idyllic spot in the afternoon, at which point you will transfer to the seaside city of Durres. Day 4: Berat and Vlore On your fourth day you will transfer to Berat, passing through scenic hills full of olive trees. You'll later take a guided tour to admire the citadel/castle of Berat complete with a Red Mosque, White Mosque, the Church of the Holy Trinity, and the arched bridge of Gorica. Following that, enjoy lunch with city views and take some free time to wander the two main districts of Mangalem and Gorica. In the afternoon you'll visit the city of Vlore, which is the hometown to the National Independence Movement. There you can visit Flag Square, the Muradie Mosque, and Vlore’s Lungomare. Day 5: Saranda via Gjirokaster Transfer to Gjirokaster to discover this "city of a thousand steps” whilst driving through small villages. Once arrived, settle into your hotel before soaking up the rich history of the castle and enjoying the view of the “city of stone” from above. Explore the Ottoman Bazaar and historic wooden house before stopping for lunch in a small local restaurant for a taste of the city’s authentic dishes. On the road to Saranda, you will later stop at the “Blue Eye” spring. Day 6: Butrint and Ksamil Transfer to Butrint for a guided tour of the UNESCO archaeological site. Following that you will have free time for a beach day at the Ksamil Islands, before returning to Saranda in the evening. Day 7: Ali Pasha Castle & Llogara National Park Visit Porto Palermo Castle with your guide, before spending the day at the beach in the bay of Porto Palermo. Along the way you'll stop by Tirana, as well as the Llogara “balcony” to try local products of the area. Day 8: Departure Day Following breakfast on your final day, your tour will conclude.