Lands of culture and beauty

Day 1: Tuesday – DUBROVNIK AIRPORT – DUBROVNIK

Arrival in Dubrovnik, transfer, and an overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 2: Wednesday - DUBROVNIK – CAVTAT - DUBROVNIK

Breakfast, half-day sightseeing tour of Dubrovnik. The walls of Dubrovnik circle a perfectly-preserved complex of public, private, sacral, and secular buildings spanning the city’s entire history, which goes as far back as the 7th century. Particular mention has to be made of the city’s main street, Stradun, the Rector’s Palace, the church of St. Blaise, the Cathedral, three pristine monasteries, and City Hall. The Republic of Dubrovnik was the center of a separate political and territorial entity, proud of its culture, its achievements in commerce, and especially of its freedom, which had been preserved through so many tempestuous centuries. In the afternoon, visit Cavtat and the birth house (optional) of Vlaho Bukovac, one of Croatia’s greatest painters. Overnight stay at the hotel in Dubrovnik.

Day 3: Thursday – DUBROVNIK – BUDVA – SHENGJIN

Departure for Budva and Sveti Stefan in Montenegro. Apart from being famous for the nearby St. Stefan’s island, the Old town of Budva, which lies on a small peninsula, is known as a treasure trove of cultural heritage, full of narrow streets, squares, old buildings, and churches. In the afternoon, we head towards Albania. On the way to Shengjin, we take a short stop in Shkoder situated on the south bank of Shkodra Lake. This city is one of the oldest cities in Europe and the traditional center of the Gheg cultural region. Visit the Plumbit Mosque and Rosata Castle, which is perched at over 1200 m above sea level and dominates the entire lake. We continue towards Shengji, and spend the night at the hotel.

Day 4: Friday – SHENGJIN – BERAT
We leave Shengjin (Albanian for St. John) and continue towards south to Berat, Albania’s most charming medieval town. Berat is also known as the “Town of a Thousand Windows”, due to the many large windows of the old decorated houses overlooking the town. The town’s citadel overlooks the Osum River and the modern city, as well as the old Christian quarter across the river. It is a well-preserved area containingnarrow streets, Turkish houses, and Orthodox churches. The citadel’s biggest church, St. Mary’s, has been converted into the Onufri Museum, honoring Albania’s greatest painter of Christian icons. Overnight stay at the hotel in Berat.

Day 5: Saturday – BERAT – DURRES – TIRANA

After breakfast, we leave for Tirana, the capital of Albania. Taking the road along the Adriatic Sea, we stop in Durres, the ancient Greco-Roman port city of Dyrrachium. The visit to the town includes the Byzantine city walls and Roman amphitheater. We arrive in Tirana in the afternoon and spend the night at the hotel.

Day 6: Sunday – TIRANA

A full-day tour of Tirana – Albania’s capital since 1920. Tirana lies almost exactly midway between Rome and Istanbul, and its architecture has been influenced by both, as well as by Russia. The city tour of Tirana begins at Skanderberg Square, a great open space in the heart of the city. Most of the sites are situated near the main square, such as the National History Museum, Mausoleum of former President Enver Hoxha, Palace of Culture, the Et’hem Bey Mosque, and the Clock Tower. Afternoon departure to Dajti Mountain to experience a panoramic view of the capital. Dinner and an overnight stay at the hotel in Tirana.

Day 7: Monday – TIRANA – DUBROVNIK

After breakfast, drive along the Adriatic Sea, crossing the Albanian-Montenegrin border and the Montenegrin-Croatian border. Short stops along the way. Upon arrival in Dubrovnik, dinner and an overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 8: Tuesday – DUBROVNIK – DUBROVNIK AIRPORT

Free time until the transfer to the Dubrovnik airport.