Illyria Route - (from Tirana)

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Tirana - Kruje - Lezhe - Shkoder

  

  After breakfast, we leave for Kruje. We will visit the medieval town of Kruja: visit of the castle and the impressive Skanderbeg Museum, the ethnographic museum, shopping in the old bazaar, and discovery of the mosques dating from the Ottoman era. Next, the next stop will be in the city of Lezha. In ancient times, it was called Lissus. Visit of the Skanderbeg Mausoleum (Albanian national hero). Lunch break. We will then continue to Shkodra. A beautiful landscape of highlands (Albanian Alps in the north) offers a striking contrast. Visit of the city of Shkodra: the old bazaar, the city center, the cathedral and the mosque. Visit of the Rozafa castle and the museum inside. We will enjoy a magnificent view of the mountains, Lake Shkodra, the Drini, Buna and Kir rivers, as well as the surrounding valleys from the top of Rozafa castle, and of "Ura e Mesit" over the Kir river. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Shkoder, Tradita 3* hotel, or similar. (B)

• day 2

  Durrës - Berat (UNESCO)

  

  After breakfast, we leave for Durres. Durres is the second largest city in Albania and one of the oldest in the country. Legend has it that it was founded by Epidamnos, the Illyrian king of the region, who gave it his own name and named the port area after his grandson, Dyrrah. For centuries, it was the largest port on the Adriatic and the starting point of the Via Egnatia to Constantinople. We visit the Roman amphitheater and the archaeological museum, located near the sea and rich in objects excavated in Durres. Continue to Berat, one of the oldest inhabited regions of Albania, over 2400 years old, and enjoying a special UNESCO status. Visit its Berat Castle with the Onufri Museum and other churches inside; the Berat mosque and the old Gorica bridge, the Onufri Museum and several churches and mosques. Onufri was a master Albanian painter of the 16th century. A large number of his wonderfully painted icons are still preserved in the museum, while others are found in churches in Albania and Greece where he worked. Dinner in a traditional restaurant (Mangalemi). Overnight in Berat, Hotel Mangalemi 3*, or similar. (B)

• day 3

  Ardenica Monastery - Apollonia - Vlore

  

  After breakfast, we will continue to the Ardenica Monastery. The Ardenica Monastery is known as the place where our national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, married Princess Andronika Arianiti. It is a Byzantine structure occupying an area of about 2,500 m². This monument is composed of the Church of Saint Mary, the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, the konak, the oil mill, the oven, and the stable. We will continue the visit to Apollonia, founded in 588 BC and taken by Aristotle as a model in his analysis of oligarchy, due to its distinct and separate Illyrian and Greek communities. It was a vital stronghold in Caesar's civil war against Pompey and also important in the history of early Christianity, its bishop having participated in the councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon in 431 and 451 AD. We will visit its museum, the monastery, and the church of Shen Meri. Then, departure for the coastal city of Vlora. Vlora is the city where Albania's independence from the Ottomans was proclaimed on November 28, 1912. Visit to the Independence Museum. Dinner and overnight at the Partner 4* hotel, or similar. (B)

• day 4

  Llogara National Park - Himare - Saranda - Butrint (UNESCO).

  

  After breakfast, we will continue towards the south of Albania, making the first stop at Llogara National Park and enjoying the spectacular views of the mountains and the Albanian Riviera. Stop in the seaside villages of Palase, Dhermi, Himara (visit of its 4th-century BC castle and the Byzantine church inside), Borsh, and the castle of Ali Pasha Tepelena. Arrival in Sarande. Visit of the ruins of the ancient city of Butrint, the most important archaeological site in Albania, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since . Butrint dates back to the 7th century BC. It later became a Roman colony, then fell under the control of the Venetians and the Turks. Virgil claimed that the Trojans settled in Butrint, but no evidence has yet been found. A century after the arrival of the Greeks, Butrint had become a fortified commercial city with its own acropolis, the ruins of which can still be visited. The rediscovered city is a microcosm of nearly 3,000 years of Mediterranean history, and its 6th-century BC fortification evokes the military power of the city and symbolizes the rich culture of the once flourishing ancient city. Exploration of the amphitheater, the Venetian tower, the mosaic, the lion gate, etc. Return for accommodation at the hotel. Dinner at the Lekuresi Fortress of Saranda with a magnificent view of the bay of Saranda and the island of Corfu. Return to the hotel and overnight in Saranda (Brilant Hotel 4*, or similar). (B)

• day 5

  Finiq - Antigone - Gjirokastër (UNESCO)

  

  In the morning, we continue towards Gjirokaster. On the way there, there will be a visit to the ruins of the ancient city of Finiq. During Antiquity, the territory surrounding the settlement belonged to Chaonia, which was part of the kingdom of Epirus. The site is rich in discoveries, from the classical period to the Byzantine period. Ancient sources mention the wealth of the city, especially during the Hellenistic period, between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, when Finiq was an important city of the Epirote League. Then, continuation to the "Blue Eye" national park and coffee break. Before Gjirokaster, the next visit is to the ruins of the ancient city of Antigone. Antigone was a very short-lived city, which lasted about 150 years. It was founded by one of the most famous names of the ancient world, King Pyrrhus of Epirus (319-272 BC), from whom the expression "a Pyrrhic victory" is derived. At the beginning of the 3rd century BC, Pyrrhus was forced to go fight in Egypt. His abilities impressed Berenice, the wife of King Ptolemy of Egypt, who decided to offer him her daughter, Antigone, in marriage. As a sign of gratitude towards his mother-in-law and his first wife, Pyrrhus decided to build Antigone. Arrival in Gjirokaster, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2005. City tour, then visit of the castle, the arms museum and accommodation at the Gjirokaster 3* hotel, or similar. (B)

• day 6

  Tepelena - Voskopoje - Korce

  

  We leave for Tepelene and stop at the Tepelene castle. The Tepelene castle was built by Ali Pasha at the end of the 18th century CE, in the city of Tepelene. It was the second most important castle during his reign, after that of Ioannina. We continue towards Permet, known for its production of raki and traditional wine. Lunch. As we travel towards Korca, we enjoy the magnificent views of the surrounding nature. Arrival in Korca. Visit to one of the oldest schools teaching the Albanian language, established in Albania in 1887. The first girls' school in the country was established in Korca in 1891. Next, travel to Voskopoje and visit its 18th-century churches and monasteries. Voskopojë is a small mountain village which, along with a few other local settlements, is considered a holy place by local Orthodox Christians. It was one of the original homelands of the Aromanian diaspora. Return to Korca and overnight. (Hotel Regency 3*, or similar). (B)

• day 7

  Elbasan - Tirana

  

  Departure for Pogradec and enjoy the beauty of Lake Ohrid. We continue towards Elbasan, which was a very important city on the ancient "Via Egnatia" route connecting Rome-Naples-Bari-Durres-Elbasan-Ohrid-Thessaloniki-Istanbul. Stop for a visit of the city: Elbasan Castle (dating from the 4th century BC), the clock tower, the ethnographic museum, the church, the old mosque. We continue towards Tirana by a new road and a tunnel. After arrival, we will have a tour of the city of Tirana. Located in a plain on the site of a Byzantine fortress, Tirana has been the capital since 1920. Visits to Skanderbeg Square, the Et'hem Bey Mosque (built in 1824), the clock tower (built in 1822), the national museum (the huge mosaic on the facade represents the development of Albanian history, and the stages of this development are presented in respective pavilions), the National Art Gallery, the Archaeological Museum (where many archaeological discoveries from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages are presented), the Cemetery of National Heroes, the Grand Park, and the government buildings. Return to Tirana for our last night, where you will enjoy a farewell dinner with traditional dishes. Overnight at the Kruja hotel or similar.