Epic journeys
Professional tour guide
Transport provided by the company
Hotel pick up and drop off in Tirana
BB for one overnight
Entry tickets for the ‘’will be visited’’ sites
Tourist taxes
Road taxes
If you are briefly visiting Albania and want to get the most of culture and history of Northern and Central Albania then this is the tour for you! During this trip you will be able to visit the ancient city of Durres, the medieval Kruja town, Rozafa Castle and Shkodra Lake and one of the best Agro-tourism farms in the Western Balkans.
Tour Overview
Day 1
Tirana – Durres – Kruja
Our tour guide will come and pick you up at your hotel in Tirana at 9:00 am in the morning. We will head to the ancient town of Durres to explore the amphitheatre, the Roman ruins and the Venetian Tower. Durrës is the main port and second largest city of Albania, because of its geographic position in the shores of the Adriatic Sea. Founded as Epidamnos in the ancient region of Illyria in 627 BC by ancient Greeks, Durrës has been one of the most important cities in the history of Albania. Known also as the centre of Archaeology in Albania, it has the largest Ancient Roman-style Amphitheatre in the region. Our trip continues to Kruja, a historical city symbol of the Albanian resistance against the expansion of Ottoman Empire. Kruja is situated in central Albania on a rocky mountainous terrain about 560 meters above sea level on the slopes of Sarisalltiku Mountain. Walking through Kruja’s Medieval Old Bazaar (one of the biggest and oldest in Balkans) gives you a sense of a passage through the history. You will be surrounded by crafts and local products carefully designed by local artisans and housewives of the Kruja area. The castle of Kruja (built during the 5th century AD) is strategically placed on the top of a rocky hill, making it difficult for the enemies to attack. At around 13:30, you will get some free time on both days of the tour to have lunch and wander around by yourself till 15:00 pm. Our local guide will take you through some hidden paths, used by the locals to leave the castle without being noticed during periods when the enemies surrounded the castle. Overnight in Kruja.
Day 2
Kruja – Shkodra – Agro-tourism farm
At 8:30, right after breakfast, our tour continues towards Shkodra. The city is situated in the north-western part of Albania, giving its name to the biggest lake in the Balkans. The oldest wall of the Shkodra castle dates from the 1st millennium B.C. The Roman historian Livy cited the town as the capital of the Illyrian king Gent, who fought the Romans in 168 B.C. We will visit the Rozafa castle offering a tremendous scenery of Shkoder Lake and the three rivers melting all together in the Adriatic Sea. The city’s architecture is highly influenced by the Venetian style and if you are lucky enough to join the tour of Shkodra in February, you might experience the carnival festival. Most of the guests are surprised to learn that most of the Venetian masks are handmade and produced in Shkodra. The city’s favourable geographic position has always been an important trading tie through the centuries, making it possible for different civilisations to encounter. Our tour continues to Fishta, a rural village in Northern Albania. Apart from being the birth place of one of Albania’s most important writers, Gjergj Fishta, it is also home to one of the best Agro-tourism farms in Albania and the Balkans. After lunch (not included in the price), we take a tour around the farm and learn how they produce and preserve delicious local products. We will be back in Tirana in the late afternoon. This marks the end of this amazing experience through history and culture.
Price: 210 Euros/person
Will be visited:
- Amphitheater, Roman ruins and the Venetian Tower in Durres
- Kruja Medieval Bazaar
- Kruja castle
- The Etnographic Museum OR Skanderbeg Museum
- Dollmës Tekke
- The fortress (Kalaja e Rozafes)
- The Great Mosque
- The pedestrian street (Pedonale)
- Venetian Masks showroom
- Agro – tourism farm
Included in the price:
- BB (Accommodation and Breakfast) for one overnight
- Professional tour guide
- Transport provided by the company
- Entry tickets for the ‘’will be visited’’ sites
- Hotel pick up in Tirana
- Hotel drop off in Tirana
- Tourist taxes
- Road taxes
- Petrol
Not included:
- Lunches, Dinner, Drinks & Snacks
- Souvenirs
- Personal spending
- Everything that is not mentioned in the included
* Tips are not a must in Albania or the Balkans, however, our recommendation is to tip the tour guide/driver 5 – 6 Euros per day/person as an international practice to tip good service
