Albania and Corfu

Sightseeing in Albania

Day 1 Ksamil

Fly to Corfu and transfer to the port for the 30 minute ferry across to Saranda.

Day 2 Ksamil

Today is a chill out day to get over the planes, trains and automobiles.
Set beside a beautiful horseshoe bay, the the name Saranda is derived from an early Christian monastery dedicated to Agioi Saranda. The town is one of the largest coastal resorts in Albania with many restaurants along its seafront promenade and small beaches in the surrounding areas.

Day 3 Butrint

Today we spend the morning on a guided tour of the UNESCO heritage site of Butrint, a designated national park which includes well preserved archaeological ruins and unspoilt Mediterranean flora and fauna. The park has a lake which connects to the Ionian Sea by a small channel and the wetlands which surround the lake are a wonderful protected habitat for animals and aquatic species. During Roman times, Butrint was a popular holiday resort for the Roman aristocracy and the well preserved baptistery, with its richly decorated mosaic floor and the Great Basilica, date back to this period.

Day 4 Ksamil to Berat

After breakfast, we depart towards Berat, driving along the Albanian Riviera. The Albanian lonian Riviera has been dubbed by some as “the last secret of Europe”, boasting some of the most stunning Mediterranean beaches on the lonian coast. The Riviera is a stretch of coastline between Vlora and Saranda in south-west Albania. The lonian coast here is very rugged, with rocky coves along the narrow coastal strip and steep mountains rising almost straight up along much of its length. The sea along this part of the coast has clear blue water and the beaches are usually made of small pebbles, but there are also many sandy ones, especially in the south.
We stop at The Gulf of Porto Palermo for a visit to the Fortress of Ali Pasha Tepelena, situated on an attractive island. The Castle of Porto Palermo is located on a small peninsula and was built by Ali Pasha of loannina in the early 19th century on the site of an existing monastery. The Porto Palermo Naval Base was started as a joint Albanian – Chinese project in the late 60s. But diplomatic relations were interrupted and Albania decided to continue on her own the project which cost roughly $ 70 million in 1970s dollars. In the end the base was capable of withstanding any kind of attack and 4 Whiskey-class submarines were stationed here.
After a drive along the coastline, we reach the national park of Logara and head through the woods, following the same paths that Julius Caesar and his army marched on to reach the ancient city of Apollonia to fight his rival, Pompeus. Llogara National Park takes its name from the passage with the same name which, is over 1000 metres in height and extends along the road that goes from the city of Vlore towards the south of the country. This impressive panoramic lonian road was built by Mussolini in the 30s. The park is characterised by wild and untouched nature, where the peaks of the “Malet Vetetimes” or the Mountains of the Lightings, are often surrounded by clouds.
We then continue to Berat which is also known as “The town of one Thousand windows” due to the many large buildings that decorate the houses of the old town. The town is still renowned for its historic architecture and particular beauty and has been declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Historical Berat consist of three quarters. The quarters of Gorica and Mangalem are situated on the slopes of two hills that are divided by the river Osum. The Kalaja (fortress) quarter stands on the top of the Magalemi hill and is enclosed by a fortification wall that dates back to the 4th century BC. The town has several 15th century mosques, very well decorated and a very large numbers of Byzantine orthodox churches. Several of the churches have frescoes painted by the well-known artist, Onufri The icons museum is located in the old cathedral church of the Castle and the Ethnographic museum hosted in an old house in the Mangalem quarter.

Day 5 Berat to Tirana via Kruja

This morning is dedicated to Berat, the gem of Albania. This morning, we enjoy a guided tour around the old district, with pretty white buildings perched on the hill amid pine forests. We walk through the narrow cobbled streets and reach Berat Castle on the slopes of Mount Tomorr, where we are rewarded with breath-taking views (and we find out why Berat is known to Albanians as the City of a Thousand Windows). Within the castle walls are dwelling houses and the Onufri Museum (Museum of Iconography), which we have time to visit.
From Berat, we drive to the port of Durrës (approximately two hours), the second-largest city in Albania and home to the largest amphitheatre in the Balkans. The amphitheatre dates to the second century CE, seats 15,000 people and contains an early Christian crypt with rare wall mosaics. The city was colonised by people from Corinth and Korkyra in 627 BCE and was named Epidamnus, but later became Dyrrachium.
We then drive to the medieval citadel of Krujë (approximately 45 minutes), where the national hero, Skanderbeg, led the resistance against the Ottomans. He kept them from crossing into western Europe for 25 years, earning the title Champion of Christ. We spend some time shopping for souvenirs in the old bazaar before transferring to Tirana

Day 6 Tirana

After an early breakfast, we take a walking tour of Tirana, which was made the capital of Albania in 1920, visiting the remains of an old castle; the modern Pyramid of Tirana, which was opened as a museum and served as a NATO base during the Kosovo War; and the Prime Minister’s Office. We will also visit Bunk Art 2, which is an Albanian history museum inside a preserved, Communist-era nuclear pit bunker. Afterwards we reach the Blloku neighbourhood, where villas were once occupied by members of the Politburo, a former leading group of the Albanian Labour party. It is now the nightlife hub of Tirana, home to trendy bars, cafes and clubs.

Day 7 Tirana to Gjirokaster

Continue to Gjirokaster for lunch, visiting the ‘Blue Eye’ water spring en route. Gjirokaster is another UNESCO heritage site, known to many as the ‘City of Stone’, due to its hundreds of Ottoman-style tower houses with their distinctive stone roofs, wooden balconies and whitewashed stone walls. Spend time here walking around the ancient cobbled streets and visit the vast 13-century castle, which dominates the city.