Day 1

AIRPORT-TIRANA. Visit TIRANA: National Museum of History showing Antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Independence, Iconography, National Liberation Anti-Fascism War, Communist Terror, and Mother Teresa. Continue with Scanderbeg Square, Scanderbeg Monument and Et’hem Bey Mosque founded at the end of 18th century. Clock Tower was built in 1822 as a monument of culture of the first category, Palace of Culture that was built over the previous Old Bazaar of Tirana and the first brick was put by former Soviet president Nikita Hrushov on June 3, 1959. This building has significant elements from the Palace of Congress in Rome and the building of Finland Station in St. Petersburg. ACCOMMODATION IN TIRANA

Day 2

DURRËS-BERAT. Eat breakfast before driving to Durrës. Upon arrival visit the amphitheatre and castle of Durrës. The amphitheatre was built in 117-138 after the common era during Roman Emperor Ardian’s rule. The Amphitheatre would hold 16,000 – 20,000 people and was in the shape of an ellipsis with a diameter of 136 metres and a height of 20 m. The castle of Durrës is composed of two parts; the upper castle and the lower castle. After enjoying lunch in Durrës drive to Berat. Berat is called a museum city and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has functioned as a city for 2400 years. It was first established by the Illyrians in the sixth and fifth centuries before the common era. Later, in the third century BCE, it morphed into a castle town called Antipetrea. Under the feudal lordship of the Muzakaj family, Berat expanded and within the castle frescoes began to be painted. It is otherwise called “The City of a Thousand Windows.” Visit first upon arrival in Berat Ethnographic Museum and Onufri Museum which are close to one another, before taking a stroll through the city to gaze upon the castle and the old town and remark upon the city’s many houses of worship on the way, which are both Muslim and Christian houses of worship. Free time in the evening. ACCOMMODATION IN BERAT

Day 3

BERAT-ZVËRNEC-VLORË. Eat breakfast at hotel and then continue on a boat ride to Osum Canyons. Their height reaches 20 to 40 metres. The river bed narrows into a string of canyons. After an easy and serene ride on the Osum River, drive to the old ruins of Tragjas village. Burned three times and demolished during the Second World War, the village contains 300 houses. The houses are connected to each other and their prominence and rationality of design, their good fit with the terrain, monumentality and fluidity of volume are striking. Visit Kanina Castle in Kaninë and then continue on to Zvërnec Island, which connects to the mainland via a 240 m bridge. In Zvërec you can find Treport Castle and an ancient wall, where you can find the remains of an ancient port. Visit St. Mary’s Monastery, a church built in the Byzantine era, thought to have been built as early as the fifth century CE. The island itself is covered in tall pine trees and boasts unparalleled natural beauty. After Zvërnec go to Vlora, whose name in antiquity was Aulon and two important Hellenic figures, Ptolemy and Lucian, first mentioned the city in the second century CE by calling it “a town and sea port.” At the end of the fourth century Aulona belonged to the Byzantine Empire. Enjoy an evening of polyphonic sound, music recognized by UNESCO World Heritage. ARRIVE AND ACCOMMODATION IN VLORË

Day 4

VLORË-AIRPORT. Stops on the way. TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT. END OF OUR SERVICES