Rural Tirana city break














Overview
Rural Tirana city break is designed to reveal all the landmarks that Tirana offers. It is suitable for people who love to learn about the history and explore natural beauties. This trip includes some beautiful hikes for outdoor enthusiasts.
Highlights
Visit BunkArt, the largest underground bunker in Albania
Hike Mount Dajt and the emerald waters of Bovilla Lake
Explore one of the oldest caves in Albania
Discover UNESCO city of Berat
Included/Excluded
- Professional tour guide/driver
- Transportation as per itinerary
- Fuel and parking
- Accommodation in double/twin rooms with breakfast
- Cable car ticket
- Entrance fee National History Museum
- Entrance fee BunkArt 1
- Entrance fee Dajti National Park
- Entrance fee Onufri Museum
- Tips
- Meals
- Personal expenses
Tour Plan
Day 1. Tirana city tour
Meet with your tour guide and start the walking tour. The capital of Albania is well-known for its vibrant lifestyle and the high number of museums. The city tour of Tirana offers you different periods of history. Since the foundation of the capital, there are still remaining the characteristic Ottoman mosque of Et’hem Bey, and the symbol of Tirana which is the Clock Tower.
After Tirana was elected the capital of Albania in 1920, a few years later started the construction of the center city from Italian architects with the complex of Ministry buildings which stay still today. It was expanded with the main boulevard until Mother Theresa square, where stands the University of Tirana.
During the communist era, in the center city were constructed 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.
You will finish the walking tour in the lively neighborhood of Bllok, with its hundreds of bars and restaurants.
Day 2. Hike Mount Dajt
In the morning, meet with your guide and head to the cable car of Mount Dajt. After 15min ride up in a gondola, we prepare for the hike. Our destination of the day is Tujani Peak at 1524m above sea level. The trail stretches through dense oak and beech trees.
At the top of Tujani peak, you will be amazed by the views of Bovilla lake in the north, the national park in the east, and the Adriatic Sea in the west. After taking a break and some photos, we head back through the same trail. The trail is 4.8 km long both ways. The level is considered easy, with a maximum elevation gain of 450m.
After returning to the starting point, we can enjoy lunch at any local restaurant and later head down to BunkArt 1 museum. This is the biggest nuclear bunker built during the Cold War in the 70s in Albania. The bunker is located underground in Mount Dajt and it's covered with around 130 rooms. Inside the museum, you will get to know more about the interesting history of the communist area in Albania.
**If this day is scheduled on Tuesdays, the cable car is closed. Alternatively, we will drive up through the asphalted road.
Day 3. Pellumbas cave & Petrele castle
After breakfast depart driving to Pellumbas village. From the center of the village, we prepare to hike for around one hour to the Black Cave. The path goes along the Erzeni river, with clear blue waters and canyons. After 2 km of walking, we arrive at the entrance of the cave. The cave has a length of 360 m with a width that can vary between 10–15 meters and a vertical range of 45 m. The importance of the complex is due to the remains of ancient human culture which belongs back to the Paleolithic age. Inside the cave, you will be able to enjoy beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.
After the visit to the cave, we head back to the village through a wonderful trail with amazing landscapes. We take the car and drive for 30 minutes to Petrela castle. The town and its castle are built on a huge stone on top of a small hill. The castle has views of the Erzen valley, the hills, olive groves, and surrounding mountains. Today Petrela is a very nice village and a tourist hotspot very close to Tirana. In the afternoon drive back to your hotel.
Day 4. Bovilla Lake
Today you will explore the most captivating lake in Tirana. Meet with your guide and drive for an hour to Bovilla lake. The reservoir is artificially created in the 1990s and it supplies water to a big part of Tirana. We park the car at the dam and start walking up to an amazing viewpoint. The trail is easy and well-maintained. You will climb through some metal stairs to reach the panorama. Here you will enjoy some free time for photos and a picnic.
Later you continue back to the starting point and drive back to Tirana.
Day 5. Berat
In the morning meet with your tour guide and drive south to the UNESCO city of Berat. Founded back in the 4th century B.C. Berat presents a remarkable history through different ages from ancient Illyrians to Roman Empire, Byzantine to Ottoman Empire. The city is most known by its nickname “The White City” or “one above another window”. Since 2008, Berat is listed under UNESCO World Heritage.
The castle of Berat has been continuously inhabited for 2400 years. It is surrounded by high walls and inside are located about 200 houses, medieval orthodox churches, ruins of mosques, and water cisterns. You will visit the Iconographic museum of Onufri founded inside the medieval orthodox church of St. Mary.
During the walking tour in the city, you will stroll along the cobblestone narrow streets of Mangalem and Gorica quarters. They are beautifully divided by the Osumi river, which can be crossed by the medieval Gorica bridge or the Suspension bridge. In the old town, you will visit the Bachelor’s mosque, King’s mosque, and Halveti Tekke.