7 days – 3 countries – must-see Balkan beauties!
Starting from Dubrovnik, known as the Pearl of Adriatic, then through the breathtaking landscapes and views of Montenegro, to the undiscovered gem of Albania.
Arrival in Dubrovnik, overnight stay at Hotel Lero, or of an equivalent category.
Breakfast, half-day sightseeing of Dubrovnik. The walls of Dubrovnik surround a perfectly-preserved complex of public, private, sacral, and secular buildings representing all periods of the city’s history, beginning with its founding in the 7th century. Particular mention should be made of the city’s main street, Stradun, the Rector’s Palace, the church of St. Blaise, the Cathedral, three large monasteries, and City Hall. The Republic of Dubrovnik was the center of a separate political and territorial entity and was proud of its culture, its achievements in commerce, and especially of its freedom, preserved through so many turbulent centuries. In the afternoon, visit Cavtat and, if you wish, visit the birth house of Vlaho Bukovac, an extraordinary painter. Overnight stay in the hotel in Dubrovnik.
Departure for Cetinje with a short stop in Kotor and Budva. Upon arrival in Cetinje, visit the town’s two most significant buildings: the Monasteries of Cetinje and Biljarda. Continue towards Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro – overnight stay in Hotel Ramada or of an equivalent category.
Sightseeing in Podgorica – this city lies on 5 rivers: the Zeta, Moraca, Ribnica, Cijevna, and Sitnica. Besides its many theatres, Podgorica offers historical sites: Sahat – Adžipaša Osmanagić fortress, the Nemanjic town walls, the ruins of the ancient town of Duklja, the Old town, and Vezir Bridge. Continue towards Tirana with a 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 Mosque of Plumbit and the castle of Rosata, which dominates over a lake, perched at more than 1200 m above sea level. We continue to Kruja, the picturesque birthplace of Skanderbeg, Albania’s national hero. After a visit to Kruja Castle and the Skanderbeg Museum, we proceed to Tirana. Overnight stay in the hotel International or of an equivalent category in Tirana.
A full-day visit in Tirana – Albania’s capital since 1920. It lies almost exactly midway between Rome and Istanbul, with its architecture influenced by both, as well as by Russia. The city tour of Tirana begins at Skanderbeg Square, a great open space in the heart of the city. Most of the sites are located 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. In the afternoon, we leave for Dajti Mountain for a panoramic view of the capital from above. Overnight stay at the hotel in Tirana.
After breakfast, we depart to Berat, Albania’s most charming medieval town. The town 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 containing narrow 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. In the afternoon we leave for Durres, the ancient Greco-Roman port city of Dyrrachium. Visiting the town includes the Byzantine city walls and Roman amphitheater. We return to Tirana where we stay the night in the hotel.
Free time until the transfer to the Tirana airport.
