Archaeological Tour

A trip to visit archaeological sites can be a great way to learn about the past. We proudly presents 8-day journey through Albania, one of the most exciting tours possible dealing with the Albanian archeology. It will cover the most interesting archeological sites located within the borders of the Republic of Albania.

Overview

Day 1: Airport - Tirana

Day 2: Tirana – Kruje - Durres

Day 3: Durres – Apollonia  - Vlora - Saranda

Day 4: Saranda - Butrint - Gjirokastra

Day 5: Gjirokastra

Day 6: Gjirokaster – Berat

Day 7: Berat - Selce - Lin – Tirana

Day 8: Tirana - Mother Teresa Airport

Day 1: Mother Teresa Airport-Tirana (18 Km, 20 min driving time)

Meet and greet with the guide at the Airport and visit Tirana the capital with its two important museums: the National Historical Museum and the Archeological Museum.

Day 2: Tirana – Kruja – Durres (75 Km, 1.5 hours driving time)

After breakfast we drive to Kruja, the medieval capital of Albania with its charming handcrafts bazaar the ruins of the fortress, the Museum of Skanderbeg and the Ethnographic museum (hosted in a very elegant medieval ottoman house).  The visit will continue in the city of Durres one of the most ancient Greek colonies and a very important port city along the history. Here will be we’ll be visiting the roman amphitheatre and the archaeological museum. Overnight in Durres.

Day 3: Durres – Apollonia - Vlora – Saranda (257 Km, 4.5 hours driving time)

Following breakfast we head to Apollonia where we will visit the monuments of the archeological park and in its museum hosted in an 11th century orthodox Monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary. On the way from Vlora to Saranda, we will travel along the coast via Albanian Riviera.  This is one the most panoramic routes of the country and most probably of Europe. As the journey progresses we will visit the ancient site of Oricum, a very important base for Julius Caesar and  the medieval castle of Ali Pasha situated in the Porto Palermo bay. As we approach Saranda we will visit the ancient site of Phoinike, the capital of Epirus state and continue to Saranda. Overnight in Saranda.

Day 4: Saranda-Butrint-Gjirokastra (104 Km, 2 hours driving time)

After early breakfast we drive to the archeological park of Butrint which offers a range of finds and monuments from the VII century BC to the XIX century. All this is located in a very idyllic scenario, on a promontory covered by a very dense forest and surrounded by the Ionian Sea and the Butrint Lake. The visit will include also the Venetian fortress where is hosted the Butrint museum. Then we continue to Gjirokastra-a medieval town and a classical example where local and ottoman architecture crosses together offering the visitor a pleasant illustration of the past and the present. Our visit in Gjirokastra starts from the 8the century, which is today a museum, but during the dictatorship, a prison. After visiting the medieval castle we will visit the Ethnographic Museum, which is also the house where the Albanian dictator was born. Overnight in Gjirokastra. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 5: Gjirokastra

This morning we start exploring the city of Gjirokatra, known by many as the City of Stone. In the surroundings of Gjirokastra is located the ancient site of Antigonea.  An ancient city built in the third century BC. City establishment is related to one of the most famous names of antiquity, King Pyrrhus of Epirus.At first century BC Pyrrhus was forced to go to war in Egypt, where his skills impressed Berenice, wife of King Ptolemy of Egypt, which offered him the hand of his daughter, Antigonea. We will also visit the ancient city of Bylis, once the the centre of Illyrian tribe and one of the most important and largest Illyrian cities, which developed during 4th century B.C. Overnight in Gjirokastra.

Day 6: Gjirokastra – Berat (171 Km, 3 hours driving time)

After breakfast we depart to the ancient city of Berat. It is called the Town of a Thousand Windows. More than 2000 years old town, it is one of the most visited and characteristic cities in Albania. Berat is a charming city enjoying the status of UNESCO world heritage site.  On the way to Berat will also be visiting the ancient site of Byllis- an important city during the paleochristian and hosts the greatest surfaces covered by mosaics in the region. All this mosaics are part of Christian basilicas.  The visits will start in the upper Christian quarter of the citadel with its churches followed by the Iconographic museum which exhibits the most important icon collections in the Balkan. The visit will continue to the lower quarters highlighted by the elegant mosques of the bachelors, the king and the Ethnographic museum. Overnight in Berat.

Day 7: Berat - Selce - Lin – Tirane (258 Km, 4.5 hours driving time)

After Breakfast we drive towards Selca to visit the Illyrian Tombs of Selca. The royal tombs are located under the Acropolis, carved into the rock, and created during the reign of the Illyrian kings (4th to 3rd centuries BC). After visiting Selca drive towards the village of Lin, village that extends on the western shore of Lake Ohrid, near the town of Pogradec. This village belongs to the municipality Udenisht and beneath the of Thana neck, on a small peninsula, with exit directly into the lake. Here we visit an Early Christian basilica with an extraordinary floor mosaic from the IV-V century AD. Following this lovely experience we head to the capital of Albania, Tirana. Overnight in Tirana.

Day 8: Tirana - Mother Teresa Airport (18 Km, 21 min driving time)

After breakfast we visit the National Archaeological museum which houses exhibits from prehistoric and historic times up to Middle Age. Drive to the Airport where our service ends.

Km traveled:  901