Day 1:TIRANA

Arrival in “Mother Tereza” airport, meet & assisted by our guide. Transfer by car and accommodation in the hotel.

Enjoy the welcome dinner in a characteristic restaurant of Tirana.

Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 2: BERAT

On the way to Berat we will visit Durres, Albania’s second largest city was known formerly (in antiquity) as Durrahium and is one of the oldest towns in the country and Balkan Peninsula. It was for centuries the largest port on the Adriatic Sea, and the start of the Via Egnatia to Constantinople. Visit the town including the Byzantine city walls, Roman amphitheater and the Archaeological Museum.
After a coffee on the beach departure to Berat, the city of 1000 windows. Berati is a treasure-trove of Albanian history and culture, and testimony to the country’s tradition of religious harmony. Visit at the post-Byzantine monumental Cathedral of Shën Maria are located within the castle. The Cathedral of Shën Mëria houses a museum of works by the famous iconographers of the 16th century: Onufri, and his son, Nikolla. There are over 100 icons on display and they also include works of other artists.
After a lunch in the castle we will stop in one of the best wineries of Albania near Berati and will spend some time in wine testing. In afternoon enjoy this characteristic city. Overnight in Berati.

Day 3: OHRID (Macedonia)

On the way to Ohrid we will have a short coffee break in Elbasan. Located at the Shkumbini River, where it crosses the famous Egnatia Road, the city of Elbasani – ancient Scampini – is just 50 km away from Tirana. In ancient times, Scampini was a typical Roman fortification, but in the 4th century it received a new administrative status and, with its new name Hiscampis, it became one of the major cities of the new Epirus, home of the area’s only Roman legion.
For lunch in waterside of Pogradec we will try the lake special trout called Koran.
After crossing the border to Macedonia we will visit the Monastery of Saint Naum. Saint Naum is known as Naum of Ohrid or Naum of Preslav (c. 830 – December 23, 910) was a medieval Bulgarian scholar and missionary among the Slavs. He is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has been referred to as a "Jerusalem". The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. In 1979 and in 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. In fact, Ohrid is one of only 28 sites that are part of UNESCO's World Heritage that are both Cultural and Natural sites.
Overnight in Ohrid

Day 4: SKOPJE (Macedonia)

After breakfast we will proceed to Skopje the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in 395 AD, Scupi came under Byzantine rule from Costandinopole. At its heart is a hill and on it is built the Fortress known as Kale (or Kale Gradishe). The hill overlooks the Vardar river valley and was occupied in Neolithic times. It is a natural strong point and there is no exact record of when the first fortified structure was built here. A great earthquake levelled the City in 518 AD and it is known the castle was rebuilt from scratch by the Roman Emperor Justinian (527-565). Some sources insist that part of the remaining structure is Roman, but it seems most likely that the oldest surviving material is Byzantine, dating to the 6th or 7th Century. Other things to visit are Statue of Alexander the Great, Memorial Hause of Mother Theresa, Daut Pasha Hamam,
Lunch in skopje and enjoy the nightlife of downtown of the city.

Day 5: PRISHTINA (Kosovo)

After the fall of Rome, Pristina grew from the ruins of the former Roman city. The city was located at a junction of roads leading in all directions throughout the Balkans. For this reason Pristina rose to become an important trading centre on the main trade routes across south-eastern Europe.
We will visit some interestin sites as an interesting old Turkish house, lovingly restored with ethnic Albanian objects, statue of Mother Teresa, Fatih Mosque.
Lunch in Pristina and enjoy a evenin in capital of Kosovo will a beautiful nightlife. Overnight in Pristina.

Day 6: Podgorica-Budva (Montenegro)

On the way of Podgorica we will stop for a visit to the Moracki Monastery. The Moraca Monastery is one of the most monumental medieval monuments of Montenegro. It was built in 1252 by Stefan, son of King Vukan and Nemanja's grandson. It is situated in an extended part of picturesque canyon of the Moraca River. The name literally means "under the Gorica" in the Serbian language; Gorica (meaning "little mountain") is the name of the hill that overlooks center of the city. A former town (now ruins) named Doclea, existed in pre-Roman and Roman times and was located about 3 km northwest from Podgorica. The Roman Emperor Diocletian hailed from this region. When Podgorica was founded before the 11th century, it was called Birziminium. In the Middle Ages, the town was known as Ribnica before 1326, and between 1946 and 1992 it was called Titograd.
You will have the possibilities to visit the Millenium bridge, St. George church , Lake of Shkodra. Overnight in Budva.

Day 7: Budva-Shkodra-Tirana

After breakfast we will visit Budva. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budvanska rivijera, is the centre of Montenegro's tourism, and is well known for its sandy beaches, diverse nightlife, and examples of Mediterranean architecture. Budva is 3,500 years old, which makes it the oldest settlements on the Adriatik sea coast. In the close vicinity of Budva there are exclusive resorts such as town-hotel Sveti Stefan and Milocer, places frequented by various celebrities as well as local businessmen and politicians.
On the way to Tirana we will stop in Shkodra Lake (Albanian site) for lunch where we will try a the distinctive cooking of Carp from the Lake of Shkodra. Shkodra is one of the oldest cities in Albania, founded in the fourth century B.C. as the center of the Labeat tribe of Illyrians. After we will continue to visit Shkodra’s main tourist attraction is Rozafa Castle. It is surrounded by the waters of three rivers; the Drini, Buna, and Kiri. Much like the town it protected, the castle has Illyrian origins.
In the evening you will have the possibility to discover the nightlife of Tirana capital of Albania.

Day 8: TIRANA

After a late morning wake-up you will have time for shopping characteristic Albanian souvenirs.
Transfer to the airport of Mother Teresa.

Accommodations

4* Hotels - Double Deluxe room (or similar)

Sightseeing

Private day guided tour of the Kruja, Vlora, Berat, Durres and Tirana including Museum entrance fees and wine testing

Private half day guide to around Tirana during shopping time with English speaking guide

Transfers

Private transfers in luxury car from and to Rinas Airport

English speaking assistant

Meals

Breakfast daily at hotel

Lunch in, Tirana, Shkodra, Durres (2), Saranda (2), Gjirokastra and the first dinner in Tirana

Services

Local emergency contact number daily.

Does not include

Airfare

Travel Insurance (highly recommended)

Tips and gratuities to drivers and local guides

1) Consult with our tour designers

Contact our office by phone or e-mail and speak to one of our tour designers who will answer any question you have about our suggested tour. They will listen attentively to your ideas and plans and suggest changes to personalize the tour based on your interests and budget.

Tel: +355 684040066
E-mail: reservations@bestbalkantours.com

2) We send you a Proposal

Shortly after your initial contact with our tour designers, you will receive a draft proposal based on your earlier discussions, normally within 2 business days. This proposal is a no obligation draft for your review and comments. Any additions or modifications will be implemented and a new proposal will be forwarded to you for approval.

3) You like what you see!

Upon meeting your requirements and expectations, you will be requested to send a deposit in the amount of 25% of total. Final Payment is due 45 days prior to scheduled departure date.

4) Buon viaggio!

Approximately, 2 weeks prior to departure you will receive a personalized and detailed day by day itinerary booklet and the necessary vouchers for the services to be provided, along with a general information section on the various regions of Italy.

The booklet and vouchers will include all the important information; addresses, phone & mobile numbers for all your service providers, hotels as well as the phone number of our office in Rome.