Day 1: AIRPORT - TIRANA

Visit TIRANA:

• National History Museum (from outside, temporarily closed)
• Scanderbeg Square
• The Clock Tower was built in 1822 as a first-class cultural monument
• Palace of Culture, which was built over the previous Old Bazaar of Tirana, and the first brick was laid by former Soviet President Nikita Hrushov on June 3, 1959
• Coming around, we would stop at the newly reconstructed building Piramida, built to be the mausoleum of the E. Hoxha dictator, now one of the best multifunction attraction areas in the city

While taking a stroll through the city around the Fortress of Justinian, make your way to the restaurant and enjoy dinner with dishes curated for the guests composed of select high-quality ingredients

After dinner in this Renaissance Albanian cuisine restaurant, head to the vibrant Blloku area for a drink.

ACCOMMODATION IN TIRANA

Day 2: TIRANË - SHKODËR

Eat breakfast at the hotel before departing for Shkodër.

On the way to Shkodër,

• head by boat to Shurdhah island. The island contains the ruins of the medieval town of Sarda founded in the sixth to eighth century BC.
• Head back to Rragam and enjoy a hearty lunch at the restaurant. After lunch, drive to Shkodër.

Drive to Shkodër

• Hike up the Rozafa Castle, a thousand-year-old monument raised on a rocky hill.

Free afternoon and evening on the pedestrian part of Kol Idromeno street, where you can visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Ebu Bekër Mosque and learn about the history of religious differences in Shkodër.

Dinner at a restaurant.

ACCOMMODATION IN SHKODËR

Day 3: SHKODËR

Eat breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, visit two museums:

• the Marubi Photographic Museum
• the Venice Art Mask Factory.

Before heading to our wine experience, we make a quick stop to visit Mesi Bridge, a few kilometers away from Shkodër. It is one of the largest Ottoman bridges in the region with a component of 11 arches. Time for a traditional lunch before we continue to our wine experience.

After our traditional food, the remaining day we would pass it to the winery to get a taste of the fine wines in the region with an amazing view and connection with nature.

At the return in the evening, free time.

ACCOMMODATION IN SHKODËR

Day 4: SHKODËR - KRUJË

As this tour is focused on food too, we cannot skip one of the first pioneers of slow food in Albania.

Departure for the historic city of Kruja and visit to the Kruja Castle - THE ANCIENT SYMBOL OF THE ALBANIAN RESISTANCE.

• The Gjergj Kastrioti National Museum reveals a glimpse into Skanderbeg's life.
• See The Unique Ethnographic Museum (from outside temporarily closed), built during the mid-18th century in 1764.
• The Old Medieval Bazaar is one of the oldest in Albania and dates back over 400 years.

ACCOMMODATION IN KRUJA

Day 5: KRUJË - BERAT

Breakfast at the hotel and we leave for Berat at 9. Arrival at 12 at the Agritourism. Enjoy nature and all its benefits, traditional Albanian cuisine with organic products directly from the farm, together with a choice of one of the white, rosé, or red wines produced on the farm.

Visit Berat UNESCO World Heritage Site.

See:

• Berat Castle - A LIVING CASTLE FROM ANCIENT TO THE PRESENT. Built on the top of a hill in the 4th century BC, it is the crown jewel of this glorious ancient city.
• The National Museum of Iconography inside the Castle was built in 1797, and this cathedral is located at the highest altitude of the Castle.
• Observe and admire Christian and Muslim places of worship.

ACCOMMODATION IN BERAT

Day 6: BERAT - APOLLONIA - GJIROKASTËR

Drive to Apollonia Archaeological Site, an ancient city of Apollonia.

Continue to Gjirokastra where you will take part in a cooking class and learn how to prepare delicious Albanian cuisine at lunch.

Visit:

• Gjirokastra Castle - one of the largest castles in the Balkans.

Lunch at a traditional restaurant and Turkish coffee experience with the local women's economic association, consisting of showing how coffee is prepared from cooking, grinding, and additional preparation.

Visit:

• Skenduli House, a house built in 1705. The lord of the house says the number of fireplaces in a house signaled the family's wealth. The house has 9 fireplaces, 12 rooms, 6 bathrooms, 4 hammams, 44 doors, and 64 windows.

ACCOMMODATION IN GJIROKASTËR

Day 7: GJIROKASTËR - TEPELENË - DURRËS - TIRANA

After breakfast, we leave for Tirana.

• Stop at Tepelena Castle (30min).

Drive to Durres on the way.

Upon arrival, visit

• the amphitheatre
• Venetian tower

In Tirana, traditional dinner with folk music at restaurant in Tirana.

ACCOMMODATION IN TIRANA

Day 8: TIRANA - AIRPORT

Transfer to the airport. END OF SERVICES. Tirana-Rinas.