Albania & Kosovo's Heritage

Prizren - Kruje, 2h15
Departure for the town of Krujë located on the heights near the Albanian capital. In the 15th
century, this city was the scene of numerous battles between the Ottomans and the Albanians.
The Albanians resisted the Ottomans for 25 years under the command of Skanderbeg who was
later the national hero of the Albanians. You will learn more about this character, one of the
best known in Europe of this time, by visiting this city. The old bazaar is worth a nice visit.

Tirane – Lezhe = 1h 20min
Today, departure for the town of Lezha, one of the oldest Albanian towns with its proximity to
the port of Shëngjin as well as its location on the national road between the Montenegrin
border to the north and Tirana to the south. Lezhë is the city where Skanderbeg united the
Albanian princes in the fight against the Ottoman Empire. Today we will visit the place where
Skanderbeg is buried, the Lezhë Cathedral which was dedicated to Saint Nicholas and later used
as the Selimie Mosque.

Lezhe– Shkoder = 45min
Then, our journey will take us towards the city of Shkodra, "where the Drin goes", if we are to
believe the etymology of the name of this city, inhabited since prehistoric times and today a
symbol of a profound harmony between religious faiths, since this city is home to places of
worship from varied backgrounds (Muslim, Catholic and Orthodox). Visit to Lake Shkodra.
Afterwards, a visit to the Marubi Photo Library will allow us to explore the Balkans as they were
from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. The King's Mosque and
the Catholic Cathedral (the largest in the Balkans) will also be part of our route.

Overnight in Shkodra. 3* hotel

Shkoder – Koman lake = 1h40
On our way, we will have the opportunity to cross Lake Koman by ferry. A two-hour journey
during which we will immerse ourselves in the nature of the region, which looks like a
Norwegian fjord! Local life and alpine landscapes combine with the birds that inhabit these
places.

Once on the other side of the lake at Fierza, we will continue our route to reach the village of
Valbona.
Valbona Valley National Park is a national park located in the Albanian Alps in northern Albania.
The Valbona river, alpine landscapes, glacial springs, deep depressions and various rock
formations are among the riches of this park. The virgin ecosystems are the centerpiece of what
has been called the miracle of the Albanian Alps.
We will be able to explore the village and its surroundings.

Overnight in Valbona. In a guest house

Valbone - Prizren, 2h15
Visit to Prizren, a museum city of Kosovo, a city which observed “the league of Prizren” in 1878,
where nearly 300 representatives from the various Albanian territories met, protesting against
the Ottoman oppression which had already lasted for more than four centuries. The city is
home to an architectural heritage of exceptional richness and diversity.

Prizren - Kruje, 165 km- 2h45 min
Departure for the town of Krujë located on the heights near the Albanian capital.
In the 15th century, this city was the scene of numerous battles between the Ottomans and the
Albanians. The Albanians resisted the Ottomans for 25 years under the command of Skanderbeg
who was later the national hero of the Albanians. You will learn more about this character, one of
the best known in Europe of this time, by visiting this city. The old bazaar is worth a nice visit.
Estimated time of arrival in Kruja is around 16:30-17:30

Overnight in Kruje. 4* hotel

Kruje - Berat, 2h10
Today we will visit the town of Berat in the south of the country. This city was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Otherwise known as “the city of a thousand windows”,

Berat is one of the best preserved characteristic cities in Albania. In this city, we will have the
opportunity to visit the castle, Orthodox churches, and among other things, a museum which
bears the name of the great Albanian painter of the 16th century “Onufri”. This museum brings
together some of the icons of this painter and other anonymous ones. In the monastery which
houses the Onufri museum, two Codexes dating from the 6th and 9th centuries AD were found
during the communist era. JC, today preserved in Tirana and classified as a UNESCO world
heritage site.

Overnight in Berat. 3*+ hotel

Berat- Elbasan = 1h 30min
Today we will stop in the town of Elbasan to visit one of the rare citadels in the Balkans to have
been built on the plain..
Then departure to Lake Ohrid. Stopover in the village of Lin. This small village attracts visitors
for its mosaics and the small church it houses. Let's take the time to walk there.

Elbasan – Korce = 1h50min
Departure for the town of Korçe, renowned throughout the country for its historical
attachment to France and the French-speaking world, since this town hosted a French high
school from 1917 to 1939, for Albanian students. The national medieval museum, the cemetery
of French soldiers from the First World War, and the Orthodox cathedral represent the key
monuments to discover and visit in this city.
Overnight in Korce. 3* hotel

Rehove – Benje = 3h
On your route today, you will cross a region rich in magnificent landscapes and can even make a
detour to the thermal waters of Benja, renowned for treating various ailments but just as
pleasant for the magnificent walks that this natural site offers along its canyon.

Benje – Gjirokaster = 1h 30min
Your path will continue towards the town of Gjirokastra, or “the stone town”. Listed as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, Gjirokastra is the birthplace of the great Albanian writer
“Ismail Kadare” and on less literary notes, the hometown of the former communist dictator
Enver Hoxha. This city is full of typical neighborhoods and its shaded terraces, but above all it is

home to the ethnographic museum and its fortress, witnesses to a large part of Albania's
history. Gjirokastra has managed to preserve its picturesque and typical architecture of ancient
Albanian residences.

Overnight in Gjirokastra. 3*+ hotel

Gjirokaster – Butrint = 1h 30min
It is for the town of Butrint and on the road to the Albanian Riviera that we will then head. The
archaeological site of Butrint has been listed as a UNESCO heritage site since 1992 and offers an
ancient open-air city declining from several centuries of human occupation. Did you know that
Racine refers to this place in his work Andromaque?
The Lion Gate is well hidden, but still standing.

Butrint – Sarande = 15min
Departure for Sarandë, a seaside town opposite the island of Corfu. Sarandë is fortunate to be
located in one of the most beautiful regions of Albania, the Albanian Riviera. This city was
known in antiquity as Onhezmi and its small port was a communication bridge between Corfu
and the Epirote tribes.
Visit of the city, walk by the sea, and the numerous terraces located by the sea.

Overnight in Saranda. 3* hotel

Himare – Llogora = 1h
This day will be dedicated to visiting the Llogara National Park with its unforgettable landscapes
along the Riviera, between sea and mountains.
This hike in the Llogara National Park will allow us to discover the crest of a mountain with its
plunging views of the turquoise water of the Ionian Sea and the Karaburun peninsula.

Parc national de Llogora= Vlora ,1h00
Then drive to Vlora, a coastal town, known to be one of the most important ports in the
country. It is also an important place for the Albanian nation, because it was in Vlorë that the
country's independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912 by Ismaïl Qemal. The Bay of
Vlora has always been a strategic point of great importance. Italy is located just opposite Vlora.
The beautiful, recently restored seaside promenade offers a magnificent view of the treasures
of this bay.

Overnight in Vlora. 3* hotel

Vlore– Apollonia = 40min
Our next stop is the archaeological site of the town of Apollonia, in the Fier region. Inhabited by
Illyrian tribes, the city was colonized in the 4th century BC. BC by Greek settlers from Corinth
and Corfu, Apollonia was also a very important city during the Roman era. The Agora, the
Theater and its Museum, very rich in objects, bear witness to the importance of this
archaeological site.
It is notably in this city that the Roman emperor Octavian Augustus carried out his studies.

Apollonia  Divjake ,1h 10min
Then direction the Divjakë-Karavasta national park. Here, we may have the chance to see
different migratory birds, which make their nests during the warm season. Among these birds,
we find a rare species, present only in fine weather: the Dalmatian pelican. One of them found
refuge at the park house. The Karavasta lagoon nature reserve is also home to many endemic
plant species, as well as salt marshes.
A 1h30min walk around the park will give us the opportunity to observe all its riches and we will
be able to taste fresh fish caught that morning.

Divjake  Tirane ,1h 50min
Late afternoon return to Tirana to spend the night and visit the city the next day.

Overnight in Tirana. 3* hotel

Tirana  Aéroport de Tirana, 25 min
Departure for Tirana airport.
Return flight.