Albanian Riviera – Beach, Culture & Hike

The tour guide will meet at your hotel lobby and continue driving to Berat, a UNESCO World Heritage site. You will explore the ancient history of the city and the three quarters, that have made this city special: Mangalem, Gorica, and Kalaja. The guided city tour includes visiting the largest habited castle in Albania. Later, you will walk through the narrow streets of Mangalem and Gorica neighborhoods. The local experience here is incomparable, from going inside Ottoman mosques to visiting orthodox churches.

The city is very famous for its ancient olive groves and vineyards. A local delicious meal is highly recommended in Berat.

In the afternoon, you will head to the Ionian coast to accommodate and catch the sunsets.

Mornings by the sea are the best. After a traditional breakfast, we hike our boots for a beautiful day. The destination of the day is Qorra Peak, which offers panoramic views of the Ionian coast, Karaburun peninsula, and Corfu Island. Our professional guide will walk you through the dense pine forest. The trail is maintained and is at a moderate level.

The total hiking time is between 6-7 hours. In the afternoon return to your accommodation and relax on the beach.

Additional information:

Total hiking distance: 7km Min Elevation: 1002 meters Max elevation: 2015m Time: 7-8 hours Level: Moderate

Another beautiful morning by the sea. Today we walk to the hidden bay of Gjipe, which is a unique formation of canyons possible to explore inside. The guided tour takes you down to the beach, where you will swim in the crystal blue waters, have local seafood, and explore inside the deep canyon. This is a wonderful experience for those who love adventure. In the afternoon, we head to Qeparo's old village to feel the authentic life and catch amazing sunsets over the Ionian Sea.

Additional information: Walking time: 1.5-2 hours      Distance: 4 km

After breakfast, we prepare to discover the rest of the Albanian Riviera. We drive further to Porto Palermo Bay to visit a well-defended medieval fortress with an intriguing story. The trip continues down south to the UNESCO site of Butrint. Butrint is an archeological site inhabited since prehistoric times by different colonies and presents the remarkable culture of the Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. Next, we head to Gjirokaster, another World Heritage city.

The old town is nicknamed  “The Stone City” after hundreds of traditional stone houses built in the 17th and 18th centuries. The fortress of Gjirokaster stands impressive over the Drinos valley and the high mountains. Inside its medieval tunnels are found fascinating histories from different periods. You will visit the Weapons Museum from WWII, a former prison, and a unique American military aircraft.

The old bazaar of Gjirokaster is full of hand-crafted artworks from locals. There are many restaurants with delicious local food. You can try dishes like Qifqi, Pasha Qofte soup, Shapka, or Hoshaf dessert. Accommodation in Gjirokaster.

After a relaxing morning and delicious breakfast, we continue to the capital of Tirana. On arrival, you will have lunch in a traditional restaurant and later start the walking tour.

The capital of Albania is well-known for its vibrant lifestyle and high number of museums. The city tour of Tirana offers you different periods of history. Since the foundation of the capital, there has been the characteristic Ottoman Mosque of Et’hem Bey, and the symbol of Tirana Clock Tower.

After Tirana was elected the capital of Albania in 1920, started construction of the center city from Italian architects with the complex of Ministry buildings that is still today. It expanded with the main boulevard until Mother Theresa Square, where stands the University of Tirana. During the communist era, in the city erected other important buildings such as The History Museum, the National Opera, the National Art Gallery, The Pyramid of Tirana, the Palace of Congress, and more.

The walking tour takes you to the Block area and BunkArt, an underground bunker dedicated to the Minister of Internal Affairs in the communist regime. Accommodation in Tirana.