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Albania Uncovered: Vibrant Tirana to Ancient Apollonia

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From £1,749

Duration 8 Days

Departures from: Sept 2025 - Oct 2026

Book now

From £1,749

Duration 8 Days

Departures from: Sept 2025 - Oct 2026

Book now

Discover
Itinerary
Accommodation
Dates

Tour Overview

Prepare for a journey which will take you into the heart of this Balkan gem. From the fascinating city of Tirana to the stunning Albanian Riviera, this tour will delve into the history and vibrant culture of this beautiful corner of Europe. The capital city, Tirana, is known for its colourful Ottoman, Italian and Soviet-era architecture and its secret surveillance museum gives you an insight into the country's communist past. Still on the history trail, there's an array of medieval mountain towns and villages to explore, each with their own stories to tell, as well as archaeological sites to visit for that step-back-in-time encounter on your travels, with Apollonia a particular highlight. The spectacular Albanian Riviera is a sight to behold and the resort of Sarande enjoys an enviable location on the Riviera, nestled between the Ionian Sea and hillsides overflowing with olive groves.

Your Holiday Includes

Return flights
7 nights in 4 star hotels
11 meals: 7 breakfasts and 4 dinners, including folklore and farewell dinners
Welcome drink upon arrival
Traditional Folklore show

Included Holiday Highlights

Tirana House of Leaves
Berat Onufri Museum
Gjirokastra Castle, weapon museum, ethnographic museum
Butrint archeological site
Porto Palermo Castle
Apollonia Archeological site
Durres Amphitheatre and Venetian Tower

Itinerary

Day 1 UK - Tirana

Arrive in Tirana today and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Tirana.
Meals included: D

Next day

Day 2 Tirana

We start our exploration of Albania today as we travel from Tirana to the nearby town of Kruje - a medieval town situated on the side of a mountain, close to the capital. Here we'll visit the town's fortress, as well as the National History Museum where we'll uncover the incredible story of Skanderbeg - Albania's national hero. We'll also spend time in the Ethnographic Museum. Afterwards, there's free time to enjoy the bazaar in Kruje. As its cobblestone streets wind down the hill you can visit an eclectic mix of shops, selling finely carved wooden gifts, relics from Albania's recent past, as well as woollen goods and souvenirs. You will then have free time to enjoy lunch in Kruje. In the afternoon, we'll travel back to Tirana for a walking tour of the city centre. Known for its colourful Ottoman, Italian and Soviet-era architecture, we'll take a walk along the main boulevard where the buildings of Tirana Main University, Presidential Palace, Pyramid building certainly stand out. We'll visit the hip Blloku district, home to plenty of restaurants and bars and finally, we'll arrive at the expansive main square, named after Skanderbeg. Following a visit to the House of Leaves (also known as the secret surveillance museum), you'll have the afternoon and evening free for your own exploration of Tirana. Meals included: B

Next day

Day 3 Berat

This morning we'll start to explore the rest of Albania. We'll depart Tirana and head towards the city of Berat, also known as 'The Town of 1001 Windows' because of the many large windows in its old, decorated houses which overlook the town. Berat has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage town and, as you approach the centre of the town, you're sure to be impressed by the typical buildings, beautiful historical churches, and the mosques. We'll visit the castle, which is built up on a rocky hill almost 260m above the town. The views of stunning scenery stretch for miles from here. Following the castle, we'll head to a nearby church and the Ofruni museum, which is dedicated to Byzantine art and iconography. In the evening, we'll enjoy wine testing and dinner in a local winery near Berat.
Meals included: B,D

Next day

Day 4 Sarande

After leaving Berat we will travel through the stunning mountains of Albania to Gjirokastra, which is another UNESCO city. The characteristic houses of the town resemble towers, as many multi-storey, with staircases on the outside of the buildings. They are all made with one thing in common - the stone used to build them. We'll visit the castle, which stands out above the city on a natural balcony, and provides visitors with the chance to enjoy the beautiful landscape. The castle also houses the National Museum of Weapons, with all kinds of weapons used and produced by the Albanians preserved and on display. Following this, we'll visit the Ethnographic Museum, which is modelled in the traditional style of other houses in the town. We'll then travel on to the coastal city of Saranda in the afternoon, where you will have free time to explore. Meals included: B

Next day

Day 5 Sarande

This morning we'll visit Butrint archaeological site this morning. Not far from Sarande, the coastal road will take us to the ancient city of Butrint. We'll visit the Old Amphitheatre, the Temple of Aesculapius, the Baptistery with its colourful mosaics, and the ancient city walls. An old fortress housing a small museum watches over the entire site, which is one of the last unspoilt natural and ancient historical areas in the Mediterranean.
After this visit, we'll return to Sarande and walk down the main pedestrian road, as well as visiting the ruins of Synagogue - Basilica. Following this, we'll travel south of Sarande to the hilltop Castle of Lekurs, where it's possible to enjoy a fantastic view over the entire city of Sarande, as well as Corfu! This evening, we'll enjoy dinner accompanied by traditional folk music from the region.
Meals included: B,D

Next day

Day 6 Vlore

This morning we travel back north along the famous Albanian Riviera, through the villages of Lukova, Borsh, Qeparo Dhermi. We'll make a stop in Porto Palermo and visit the Castle of Ali Pasha.
Vlore is one of Albania's most beautiful cities, lying on the on the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea. On arrival in Vlore, we'll have a panoramic tour of the city when we'll see Independence Square, with the statue of independence dedicated to the independence of Albania, in November 1912.
You'll have a free afternoon and evening in Vlore to explore - the promenade is great for an evening stroll before or after wherever you choose for dinner.
Meals included: B

Next day

Day 7 Durres

This morning we will travel to the archaeological site of Apollonia. You will visit the Odeon, the Monument of Agonothetes, the Mosaics House as well as the courtyard of the Monastery with the Byzantine style church of Saint Mary and the archaeological museum. Our trip will continue along the Adriatic Coast to the ancient city of Durres - the most important seaport in Albania. We'll visit the Amphitheatre which is the biggest in the Balkan Peninsula, with a capacity of around 15.000 spectators. The Amphitheatre boasts a rare wall mosaic, which is from the 2nd century A.D. Our sightseeing will conclude with a visit to the 16th century Venetian tower. At the end of today, join your fellow guests for a fantastic farewell dinner. Meals included: B,D

Next day

Day 8 Departure

Transfer to Tirana airport for your journey home. Meals included: B

Additional Information

Please note. On certain dates, the final night of this tour will stay in Tirana rather than Durres. All inclusions of the itinerary will remain the same.

Accommodation (as specified or similar)

Hilton Garden Inn Tirana

A short stroll or drive to the City Centre means this hotel is perfectly situated to explore Tirana and its surroundings. A modern and comfortable hotel with spacious rooms and inviting décor makes this a great spot for your Tirana stay.

Next accommodation

Hotel Colombo Berat

Comfort is key in Hotel Colombo. It is where elegant design and modern conveniences come together in a tastefully and luxuriously styled hotel. Colombo offers a cosy stay with modern amenities in a pleasantly decorated ambience. Spaciously and luxuriously designed with modern styled furniture, the rooms offer stunning views of the main city’s attractions.

Next accommodation

Hotel Santa Quaranta

This hotel features a beachfront location set in Sarandë. The hotel offers an outdoor pool and views of the sea. Free WiFi is available. Each air conditioned room is fitted with a flat-screen satellite TV and a minibar. The private bathroom is fitted with a shower. For your comfort, you will find slippers, free toiletries and a hairdryer. Guests can enjoy the on-site bar and restaurant.

Next accommodation

Kraal Hotel

Located just 600 meters from Vlore’s main attractions on the sandy coastline of the Old Beach, Kraal Hotel offers a perfect blend of modern luxury and traditional Albanian charm. Opened in April 2021, our 4-star plus hotel features 110 rooms, two swimming pools, a private beach, a lounge bar, a restaurant, and versatile event spaces. We operate entirely on solar energy, ensuring an eco-friendly stay.

Next accommodation

Hilton Garden Inn Tirana

Further Information

Deposit information

When you book a holiday, you will be asked to pay a deposit, this will be made clear at the time of booking. In most cases we will charge the following deposit amount;

UK Holidays - £150 per person
European Holidays - £200 per person
Worldwide Holidays - £400 per person
Ocean and River Cruise - £400 per person

On some holidays we may charge a slightly higher deposit, to cover any costs we have to pay immediately to secure your booking with our suppliers. This will be made clear at the time of booking.

If you choose a tour that is within 84 days of departure you will need to pay the full balance when you book.

Our cancellation policy

If you decide to cancel your confirmed booking you must notify us (or your travel agent) in writing, as soon as possible. Since we incur costs in cancelling your arrangements, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges up to the maximum shown below.

More than 75 days before departure - Loss of deposit only
43 - 74 days - 50% of tour price
29 - 42 days - 75% of tour price
15 - 28 days - 90% of tour price
Day of Departure - 14 days - 100% of tour price

Our full cancellation policy can be found in our booking terms and conditions, section 8.

How do I find out Entry and Health Requirements for my holiday?: We have partnered with Sherpa, an on-line self service tool that allows you to search up-to-date information regarding travel entry requirements for all countries and also allows you to apply for eVisas or eTAs via their on-line portal. Just click on this link to find out more – Travel requirement & Visa Service.

You can also refer to the Foreign Travel Advice section on the gov.uk website: Foreign travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Click on your destination and then click on 'Entry Requirements'. For Health Requirements, the Department of Health also offers travellers health advice on www.travelhealthpro.org.uk, click on country information to locate your destination.

It is important to remember that passport, visa and health requirements can change before departure; therefore, we recommend you regularly familiarise yourself with the latest requirements before you travel. If you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport/entry/immigration requirements, we are unable to accept any responsibility.

For some destinations, it is not always discernable that a visa is required for entry at the border. For example, for some customers, to travel to the United States, an ESTA may be required. For Canada, an ETA and to India, an e-visa may be needed. Please do check your requirements to avoid any unnecessary cost and delays.

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