Albania – Shala River

Arrival at Tirana airport. Meeting with the guide. Depart for the historic town of Kruja, located northeast of Tirana, 560 meters above sea level. Kruja has been inhabited since the third century B.C. It was first accredited as a Christian religious center in the year 879. The famous English painter Edward Lear, who visited Kruja in 1848, wrote: “Kruja, a charming little town nestled in the sky.” Visit the castle, its typical Ottoman bazaar, the Museum of Skanderbeg, and the Ethnographic Museum. Time for lunch. Departure for Tirana. Walking tour. Dinner and overnight stay.

Departure to Durres. Explore the city of Durres, one of the most ancient cities in Albania, which has the largest port in the country and is the second-largest industrial center after Tirana. Durres is located on a small peninsula on the Adriatic coast. The city was colonized by the Greeks in 627 B.C. and was named Epidamnos, later becoming known as Dyrrachium. From the Venetian Tower near the harbor, the medieval city walls take you to the Roman amphitheater (capacity 15,000 spectators), the largest in the Balkans, dating back to the 2nd century B.C. The amphitheater contains a Christian crypt with a rare mosaic. Lunch in a restaurant near the seaside. Departure for Berat, a UNESCO Site, called the “city of a thousand windows,” divided into an “upper town” of 14th-century origin, rich in Byzantine churches, and a “lower town,” adorned with numerous ancient mosques. Free time for lunch. Return to Tirana.

Departure for Shala river at 6.00 o’clock in the morning. Shala River is one of the most beautiful Natural parks of Albania. Boat tour. Return in Tirana in the afternoon.

Breakfast at the hotel. Guided tour of Tirana. Free time.

Departure to the airport. End of services.