Gems of Albania, Kosovo & N. Macedonia in Eight Days
This 8-day tour program is tailored to offer its participants the best combination of historical sites of Albania, Kosovo and N. Macedonia with some of the best national parks of these Balkan countries. During these eight days, you will be able to visit the most important tourist attractions of Albania, Kosovo and N. Macedonia.
ItineraryDay 1: Tirana (Albania) – Kruja – ShkodraStop At: Kruje, Kruje, Durres County
Our tour leader will come and pick you up at your hotel in Tirana in the morning. Our first destination for today is Kruja, a historical city symbol of the Albanian resistance against the expansion of the Ottoman Empire during the XV century. Kruja is situated in central Albania on a rocky mountainous terrain about 560 meters above sea level, on the slopes of Sarisalltik Mountain.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Kruja Bazaar, Kalase Street, Kruje 1501 Albania
Walking through the narrow streets and the wooden houses of Kruja’s Medieval Old Bazaar (one of the biggest and oldest in Balkans) gives you a sense of a passage through the history. This is the best place to shop for souvenir in Albania, from typical to more unique and handmade souvenirs such as carpets, jewelleries etc.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kruja Castle, Near Tirana, Kruje 1501 Albania
The castle of Kruja (built during the 5th century A.D.) is strategically placed on the top of a rocky hill, making it difficult for the enemies to attack. The tour leader will take you through some hidden paths, used by the locals to leave the castle without being noticed during periods when the enemies surrounded the castle
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kruje, Kruje, Durres County
You will have some free time to enjoy a tasty traditional lunch, do some souvenir shopping or admire the city.
Duration: 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in Shkoder.
Day 2: Shkodra – Decan (Kosovo) – PrizrenStop At: Shkoder, Shkoder, Shkoder County
Shkodra city is situated in the north-western part of Albania, giving its name to the biggest lake in the Balkans. It is one of the oldest cities in Albania, with a history of a thousand years of habitation. The oldest wall of the Shkodra castle dates from the 1st millennium BCE. The Roman historian Livy cited the town as the capital of the Illyrian king Gent, who fought the Romans in 168 B.C.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Rozafa Castle, Rozafa, Shkoder Albania
We will visit Rozafa castle offering tremendous scenery of the lake and the three rivers melting all together in the Adriatic Sea.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shkoder, Shkoder, Shkoder County
The city’s architecture is highly influenced by the Venetian style and if you are lucky enough to join the tour of Shkodra in February you might experience the carnival festival. Most of the guests are surprised to learn that most of the Venetian masks are handmade and produced in Shkodra. The city’s favourable geographic position has always been an important trading mark through the centuries, making it possible for different civilisations to encounter.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Decan, Decan
Later we will cross border towards Kosovo, where we will visit the Monastery of Decan. This one stands out for its white colour, but even more remarkable is the fact that Orthodox monks still inhabit the monastery and make fresh organic food there, such as cheeses. The monastery became part of UNESCO in 2004 because of its frescoes.
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in Prizren
Day 3: Day Tour of PrizrenStop At: Prizren, Prizren
Prizren is considered as the cultural capital of Kosovo, mixing its rich history, incredible nature, religious tolerance and gastronomic delights. Prizren has played an important role in the region as an Illyrian settlement and a crossroad for the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, contributing to the unique architecture of the city. The river flows through the heart of the old town and under the many bridges that crisscross the city. If you are looking to experience a lively international experience you should visit Prizren during August when the medieval city becomes home to one of the most famous short film festivals in the world named Dokufest. The best way to explore the town is by wandering through the streets passing by elegant medieval houses that fight for your attention. Filigree artisanal techniques for precious metals are Prizren’s joy and pride
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Sinan Pasha Mosque, Sheshi Shadervan, Prizren Kosovo
If you have to choose just one mosque to visit then visit the Sinan Pasha Mosque, rich in arabesque colour and pattern.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Kalaja Fortress, Kalaja, Prizren 20000 Kosovo
The view from the fortress on the hill above the town offers a great panorama of this astonishing town.
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in Prizren.
Day 4: Prizren - Pristine - Skopje (N. Macedonia)Stop At: Pristina, Pristina
Before heading towards N. Macedonia, we will visit the capital of Kosovo, Pristina. We will visit the Newborn monument, symbol of the independence and being a young new country. We will walk towards the main boulevard in the capital. Sheshi Nena Tereza is a nice street to stroll through and enjoy a coffee at one of the bars. Here we will also pass the Skanderberg square with the statue of Skanderberg himself, the national Albanian hero.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Skopje, Skopje, Skopje Region
Our tour continues towards Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. The city has European, Ottoman and even Asian influences.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: The Stone Bridge, Skopje 1000 Republic of North Macedonia
The Stone Bridge connects the new part to the old part of the city. Impossible to miss in Skopje is the Alexander the Great Statue in the center. Another bridge that stands out is the Art Bridge that leads to the Archaeological Museum. The bridge is lined with flamboyant street lanterns and statues of Macedonian artists and musicians.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Old Bazaar, Skopje, Skopje Republic of North Macedonia
We will wander through the Old Bazaar of Skopje, the biggest one in the Balkans, that combines the modern way of living with centuries of history. The cross on top of the mountain can be seen kilometers away from Skopje and has become a symbol of the city.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in Skopje
Day 5: Skopje - Matka Canyon - OhridStop At: Matka Canyon, Street 1, Skopje 1000 Republic of North Macedonia
Our first destination for today will be Matka near Skopje. It is impressive how this beautiful nature paradise is located so close to the bustling capital. Besides the fun boat trip through the canyon, Matka has much more to offer, such as caves, medieval castles, spectacular hiking routes and the option to go swimming in the turquoise waters.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Ohrid, Ohrid, Southwestern Region
From Matka we will drive towards Ohrid, one of the most seductive destinations in N. Macedonia, indicated as one of the oldest human settlements in all of Europe. Ohrid city and Ohrid Lake are part of UNESCO World Heritage since 1980. Ohrid Lake and its surroundings where inhabited by the Illyrian Tribe of Enkeleys. The Lake was named by the Romans as “Lyhnidas” (the Light Lake). Our tour continues to the city of Ohrid (UNESCO world heritage) an important centre of Orthodoxy. We will continue our tour and visit the famous view point of church of St. John, the church of St. Nicolas and the mosque Halveti Hayati Tekke.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in Ohrid.
Day 6: Ohrid - St Naum - Tushemisht (Albania)- Drilon National Park – BeratStop At: Monument to St. Naum of Ohrid, Tsentralnaya Sq., Ohrid Republic of North Macedonia
We will continue our tour to St Naum near the Albanian border and one of the most beautiful locations in N. Macedonia. On our way there, we will have to go through the Galichitsa National Park, located between the Albanian border, Ohrid Lake and Prespa Lake, with again stunning nature and impressive mountains. The monastery of St. Naum carries the name of a holy place. It is situated right at the source of River Crni Drim, which flows through Lake Ohrid. This monastery complex is part of the National Park Galicica and belongs to one of the strictly protected areas. Crystal clear, spring water reflects both the surrounding greenery and the mountain peaks in the background.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Driloni National Park, Rruga e Drilonit, Pogradec 7301 Albania
We will cross border towards Albania. Our next destination will be the national park of Drilon and Tushemisht. Drilon waters form a small lake, surrounded by beautiful greenery that makes the area and the nearby village of Tushemisht a unique oasis of beauty and tranquillity. The area is also famous for its culinary wonders, such as the traditional fish dishes, especially the baked speckled trout (Koran in Albanian) as well as the famous pickles.
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Berat, Berat, Berat County
After visiting the National Park, we will drive towards Berat.
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in Berat
Day 7: Berat – TiraneStop At: Berat, Berat, Berat County
Berat is known as the town of 1001 windows, part of UNESCO world heritage. Walking through the narrowed stone streets offers a fantastic view of the medieval old houses, with windows that seem to stand on top of each other. The city’s life began in the 6th-5th century B.C. as an Illyrian settlement. Later, in the 3rd century B.C., it was turned into a castle city known as Antipatrea. Uniquely today, residents still live inside of the castle walls.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Berat Castle, Rruga Mihal Komnena, Berat 5001 Albania
Berat has it all; a beautiful medieval castle, ancient churches and mosques, a lively lower town consisting of grand old houses draped on steep hillsides, an old stone bridge, great museums and remains from the communist era in Albania
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: National Iconographic Museum Onufri, Located in the Inner Part of Saint Mary Church in Berat Castel, Berat Albania
Berat is also known as the birthplace of Onufri, the famous painter of churches all-over the Balkans, distinguished for creating a specific reddish colour still difficult to imitate.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Gorica Bridge, Berat 5001 Albania
We will continue our tour and visit the Gorica Neighbourhood
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in Tirana.
Day 8: Day tour of Tirana Stop At: Tirana, Tirana, Tirana County
We will start today’s adventure by discovering Tirana, the capital of Albania. Tirana offers a great combination of very interesting museums, historic sites, national parks, mountains. Ottoman, Italian and communist style architecture all clashing with each other, but offering a great pleasure to wander through.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Skanderbeg Square, At the center of Tirana, Tirana Albania
We will walk towards Skanderbeg Square, named after the Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu. The main square is surrounded by the National Museum, the Bank of Albania, the Opera house, Skanderbeg Statue, Ethem Beu Mosque and fancy bars
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: BunkArt 2, Rruga Abdi Toptani, Tirana Albania
After strolling around the bustling streets of Tirana, we will visit BUNKART, one of the most interesting museums in Tirana. Initially designed as a nuclear bunker offering shelter to the Albanian communist supreme leader Enver Hoxha and his close party members during the cold war. The bunker was kept strictly secret to the general public until 2016, when the Albanian government decided to initiate an interesting project that converted the nuclear bunker into a museum. BUNKART is a video museum exhibition dedicated to the history of the Albanian communist army and to the daily lives of Albanians during the regime.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Rruga Murat Toptani, Tirana Albania
Our tour continues towards Tirana Castle, found in the city center. The castle is now a pedestrian street where modern and tradition perfectly merge creating one of the fanciest areas of modern Tirana.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Blloku, Tirana Albania
Our last attraction for this tour will be the colorful, lively and vibrant Blloku Neighborhood. Not to be missed is Tirana’s delicious food varieties, from the tasty and cheap street food to the finest gourmet options. This marks the end of this amazing experience through history and culture
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
•
No accommodation included on this day.
Informacion Adicional
"Not wheelchair accessible"
"Most travelers can participate"
"Please note that prices are calculated on double/twin/triple/quadruple room occupancy in a 3 stars hotel accommodation."
"Single room occupancy is possible on 45 Euros extra charge per night per person in a 3 stars hotel accommodation."
"Tips are not a must in Albania or the Balkans, however, our recommendation is to tip the tour leader/driver as an international practice to tip good service."
"This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund"
"This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund"
"This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers"
"Confirmation will be received at time of booking"
Hora de Inicio:
09:00 AM
Duración: 8 Days
Lugar de comienzo: Choose Balkans - Albania Tour Operator, Rruga Reshit Çollaku, Tirana, Albania
Traveler pickup is offered
The tour departs from Choose Balkans office at Rr. Reshit Çollaku. On request (at least 12 hours
before tour departure) we can pick you up at 9:00 am from your hotel in Tirana free of charge.
Airports- Rinas Airport, Tirana Albania
Cancelaciones y devoluciones:
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
Portugues
Español
English
