Discovering breathtaking landscapes, ancient cities, royal palaces, archaeological sites and so many stories about the history and peoples of this part of Balkans and of South Italy.
Departure by scheduled flight to Tirana. Arrival at Mother Teresa Airport. Transfer to hotel and dinner.
Breakfast in hotel. Depart for the ancient town of Shkoder in northern Albania, a few kilometers from the Montenegro border. Once arrived, the group will visit the ancient fortress of Rozafa (fourth century B.C.) from which one can enjoy a marvelous panoramic view of the city. Shkoder has been inhabited since the Bronze Age and is built upon many historical civilizations (Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman). The trip will take the group to the city’s Catholic Cathedral. Shkoder is the spiritual center of the Albanian Catholic Church and welcomed Pope Francis in 2015. Arrive at the hotel in the city center. In the afternoon, the group take a walk through the pedestrian zone “Rruga Kol Idromeno”, recently restored with colorful houses and vibrant bars. Dinner of roast beef in a restaurant in the city. Overnight at hotel.
Shkodra
Breakfast at hotel. Drive along the wonderful Montenegrin coast where lush pine walls coast a transparent turquoise sea. The group will stop in the old towns of Ulqin and Bar. From the outside they can admire the lovely buildings of Sveti Stefan, an old fortified village, now converted into a luxury complex for royalty, movie and music stars, business people, etc. Arrival in Budva and accommodation in hotel. Visit the ancient city. Dinner and overnight.
Budva at night
Breakfast at hotel. During the day, travelers will visit Kotor, in Montenegro, one of the most beautiful scenic spots of the Mediterranean, declared by UNESCO “World Heritage”. Whole morning dedicated to a boat excursion in the Kotor bay – a kind of “fjord” which covers an area of about 87 square kilometers flowing into the Adriatic Sea. On its shores, there are small stone villages, churches, monasteries and marinas. The natural panorama is one of the most beautiful in Europe. In the afternoon, free time for shopping. Overnight in Hotel in Budva.
Kotor
Breakfast at hotel. Departure for Dubrovnik. Once known as Ragusa, it has a long maintained its independence as the fifth Italian Maritime Republic. Today Dubrovnik belongs to Croatia and boasts a historical centre of particular beauty, on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites, known also as “The Pearl of the Adriatic. In the evening ferry departure to Bari (in Italy). Overnight in the cabin ferry.
Welcome to sunny Puglia – Italy’s heel and home to over 800 km of gorgeous coastline. The seascapes, olive groves, coastal towns and legendary food will delight your senses. On arrival, we’ll transfer you to Molfetta Outlet Village di Fashion District, one of the biggest in southern Italy. Time for lunch. Visit of Bari which is a sparkling resort town with a lovely historic center. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Breakfast in hotel. We’re going to step back in time on a day of sightseeing, which begins with a walking tour of the picturesque fishing port of Trani. The Emperor Frederick II is the fascinating figure who commissioned the octagonal castle, masterpiece in the 13th century. The UNESCO-listed medieval Castel del Monte is our next stop this afternoon. This gleaming medieval hilltop castle with Arabic, classical and Gothic influences can be seen for miles around. Dinner and overnight in Hotel in Bari.
After breakfast in hotel, this morning you’re heading to the enchanting town of Cisternino, in the Valle d’Itria. Stretch your legs as you take in the sight of whitewashed houses, historic churches and elegant piazzas. Later, the pretty town of Alberobello beckons, and here you’ll take a tour of its UNESCO-listed Trulli houses. These traditional whitewashed buildings are topped with conical-shaped roofs and are unique to the area. Trasfer to Ostuni. Tour of the city. Picture a sea of bright white buildings clinging to a hillside, surrounded by thick green countryside. The area has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Age, but the “White City” was developed in the 12th century when Ostuni was under the control of the Normans. The beautiful downtown historic houses have white washed facades and flat roofs. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
After breakfast in hotel let’s leave for Lecce, an open-air museum of palaces and churches set in the heart of the Salento region and the heel of Italy’s boot, Lecce was rebuilt from local limestone in Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo styles. Known globally as the “Florence of Southern Italy”, the city will impress you with the lavish decorations on its buildings (fanciful cherubs, monsters, flowers, fruit, beauties and beasts). The local sandstone, tinged warm pink, is so easy to work with that it fostered the rise of a remarkable local style known as Leccese Baroque, as ornate and intricate as any the world has seen. Time for lunch. The trip will continue for Otranto. On arrival in Otranto, you might like to visit its cathedral. Inside you’ll see an impressive 12th century mosaic floor, and you can visit the chapel, which houses the remains of 800 martyrs who resisted Turkish occupation. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.
Breakfast in hotel. Departure for Santa Maria di Leuca the southernmost point in Puglia. At the center of it all is the Church, the original Santa Maria: first a sanctuary, today it is the Basilica of Santa Maria De finibus terrae (at the ends of the earth). From here we’ll be treated to spectacular views crossing all the Salento, retracing a rural landscape, visiting a series of beautiful villages with white houses and ancient churches where it seems that time has stopped arriving then in Brindisi. Brindisi has been known as the «Gateway to the East» since ancient times, when it became an important port, first for the Roman troops, and later for the merchants of Venice. This port in Apulia even today provides important travel connections to and from a long list of sea and airports. In the afternoon departure for the port of Bari where we will leave at 22.00 o’clock for Durres in Albania. Overnight in the cabin ferry.
Arrival at the port of Durres at 08.00 in the morning. Visit Durres and the Roman amphitheater of the city, then departure to the ancient city of Berat, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Berat is called the “city of a thousand windows”, divided into an “upper town” of 14th century origin, rich in Byzantine churches; and a “low town”. adorned with numerous ancient mosques. Its famous districts are the Castle, Mangalemi, and Gorica. Even today, its citadel is inhabited by more than a thousand families. There are countless places of interest in and around the Castle, including early Christian churches, the Cathedral of Santa Maria, and the many mosques built in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Typical Albanian dinner in the hotel with meat and baked vegetables Overnight at hotel.
City of Durres
Departure for Gjirokaster, another “Ottoman” city, protected by UNESCO, which is also famous for being the birthplace of Enver Hoxha. The group will visit the castle; the museum of weapons and one of the most characteristic areas of the old city. Next, proceed to Saranda, stopping along the way to admire the natural area known as the “blue eye” (Syri i Kalter). “Blue Eye” is a karst spring, situated on the slopes of Mount Mali i Gjere. Arrival in Saranda in the late afternoon. Hotel accommodation. Saranda is a few kilometers from the greek island of Corfu. Fish based dinner.
Departure for Butrint, mentioned by Virgil in the Eneid. The city is located in front of the Greek island of Corfu, and is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean, declared “World Heritage” by UNESCO. The city retains Greek ruins; imposing Roman monuments; an early Christian Church and an Ottoman fort. Butrint was inhabited almost continuously, from the eighth century B.C. and played an important role in the first Peloponnesian War. Arrival in Vlora in the evening. Overnight at hotel.
Departure to Apollonia, another archaeological site of great relevance. The city of Apollonia was founded in the fifth century BC by Greeks from Corfu and Corinth. Aristotle considered it an important political and social example of oligarchic state. The Apollonia decline began in the third century, following an earthquake that changed the riverbed of Viosa, complicating its navigability. After the arrival, visit to the archaeological area. Return to Tirana. Overnight at hotel.
Apollonia
Breakfast at hotel. Departure to the airport. End of services.
Discovering the land of the Illyrians, where the history and the culture of the West and East are interweaved. A country so near, yet so far away, that finally opened to the world after years of isolation.
A dive into the heart of the interwoven Balkans cultures, diverse histories and religions; visiting ancient Greek and Roman ruins, Byzantine basilicas, Orthodox monasteries with golden mosaics …
Discovering breathtaking landscapes, including Kotorr, the largest fjord in southern Europe, ancient cities, royal palaces, archaeological sites and so many stories about the history and peoples of this part of Balkans.
