Central Albania Tour

Central Albania is one of the most visited places in our country, crams it all in it. Everything has been transformed from a grey dusty town into a colorful vibrant city. Travel an hour or two from Tirana and you can be Ottoman house-hopping in brilliant city of Berat, musing over the ancient ruins of Apollonia or haggling for antiques in an Ottoman bazaar in Kruja.

Overview

Day 01: Mother Teresa Airport - Durres

Day 02: Durres - Ardenica - Apollonia - Berat

Day 03: Berat-Kruja - Tirana

Day 04: Tirana - Mother Teresa Airport

Day 01: Airport-Durres (33 Km, 30 min driving time)

Meet and greet with the guide at the Tirana airport and transfer to hotel in Durres, one of the oldest cities (founded in 627 B.C.), the country’s main port, which lies on a small peninsula on the coast of Adriatic Sea. After the accommodation we can visit the remains of the amphitheater which is one of the biggest and most exquisite monuments that has survived from the ancient city. Overnight in Durres.

Day 02: Durres-Ardenica-Apollonia-Berat (320 Km, 3.5 hours driving time)

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we will drive towards Ardenica Monastery, famous as the place where, in 1451, was celebrated marriage of Scanderbeg, the national hero of Albania, with Andronika Arianiti. Then we continue to the ancient city of Apollonia located on the right bank of Aous River. Apollonia was founded in 588 BC.E. by Greek colonists from Corfu and Corinth, on a site initially occupied by Illyrian tribes. We will follow to the city of Berat, known as the “city of one-thousand windows”, due to the characteristic architecture of its houses. Overnight in Berat.

Day 03: Berat-Kruja-Tirana (158 Km, 3 hours driving time)

After breakfast at the hotel, we leave Berat towards Kruja, the historic city, which in the 15th century was the symbol of the resistance against Turks, under the leadership of Scanderbeg.
To visit:

• Fortress of Scanderbeg
• National Ethnographic Museum
• Old Bazaar

After this interesting visit we continue to to capital Tirana where we visit the National History Museum with a great introduction into Albanian history and take a tour of the Bllok where the communist elite had its villas, an area off limits for ordinary Albanians for 50 years. Dinner and overnight in Tirana.

Day 04: Tirana-Airport (18 Km, 30 min driving time)

After breakfast, transfer to Mother Teresa Airport. End of our service.

Km traveled: 550