Arrival at the airport, meeting with our guide and transfer to Kruja.
Upon arrival visit of the fortress, Scanderbeg, Ethnographic Museum and the characteristic ottoman bazaar.
Kruja is a tourist attraction alongside a panoramic mountainside location. Some of the main points of interests include the restored Castle and Citadel that it is tied to the legend of the hero who fought against the Turks for about 25 years. The Skanderbeg Museum located inside the castle and erected in memory of the Albanian national hero. Skanderbeg was in fact from these parts and Kruja was a strategic point in the anti-Ottoman resistance. The Old Restored Bazaar has a truly oriental look, multi-colored and overflowing with goods of every description, a typical Ottoman market right before our eyes.
After the visits departure to Tirana for overnight.
Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Shkodra. Upon arrival visit of the historical center of the city and Martyr’s Museum.
Shkodra, was once the largest and most flourishing town in the country. Even today, it remains the cradle of northern Albanian culture. Its mighty fortress, Rozafa, still rises proudly over the Drin and Buna Rivers as a symbol of Shkodra’s will to survive. Shkodra itself was a hybrid town. The half-Catholic, half-Muslim population was western-oriented and had close ties with Italy. Shkodra’s turbulent 2400-year history has left plenty of interesting relics that make a visit worthwhile. The oldest wall of the Shkodër castle dates from the first millennium bc. The last Illyrian king Gentius was defeated by the Romans in 168 bc. The town was subsequently held by the Byzantines, Bulgars, Serbs, Venice and Turks.
After the visits in Shkodra proceed towards the Village of Fishte, Birthplace to Albania’s national poet, Gjergj Fishta, the author of The Highland Lute.
Here we will enjoy lunch at the agro tourism slow food of Mrizi I Zanave restaurant. (Included)
Afterwards return back to Tirana for overnight.
Breakfast at the hotel and then proceed to the UNESCO town of Berat. Upon arrival visit the historical quarters and the Citadel with its marvelous Ichnographic museum.
The town of Berat is still renowned for its historic architecture and particular beauty and is declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Historical Berat consist of three quarters. The quarters of Gorica and Mangalem are situated on the slopes of two hills that are divided by the river Osum. The Kalaja (fortress) quarter stands on the top of the Magalemi hill and is enclosed by a fortification wall that dates back to the IV century BC. The town has several XV century mosques, very well decorated and a very large numbers of Byzantine orthodox churches. Several of the churches have frescoes by the well-known painter Onufri and his school and from other later famous schools of frescos and icons of the Balkan area. Of particular interest are: The icons museum located in the old cathedral church of the Castle and the Ethnographic museum hosted in an old house in the Mangalem quarter.
After the visist and lunch transfer back to Tirana. Upon arrival visit of National Museum and Bunk art, Scanderbeg Square, Ethem Bey Mosque, Mother Teresa square, the pyramid and the bunker symbol of communist time.
Overnight in Tirana
Breakfast at the hotel and free time to explore the capital until time of departure.
Transfer to the airport.
END OF THE SERVICE
