"A unique tour organized in Albania - A Different State in the Balkans!", Writes Israeli tourist portals, Baligam.co.il on its site, whose program was published in Albanian on the official website of the Albanian Embassy in Israel.
A unique and perfect tour organized for 6 nights and 7 full days and magic in Albania with half board, an amazing guide, amazing lakes, cities and wonderful beaches and access to the most exclusive places only for 799 Euro.
Travel dates:30 / 5-6 / 6
13-20 / 6
20-27 / 6
27 / 6-4 / 7
4-11 / 7
Flight from Ben-Gurion Airport on Wednesday at 08:00, descending to Albania at 09:30
Returns: From Tirana Airport between Tuesday and Wednesday at 00:30, arriving at Ben-Gurion Airport at 04:00 (Wednesday morning)
Day 1: Tel Aviv - Albania
We will meet at the International Airport of Ben-Gurion for a direct flight to Albania, which its inhabitants call the Land of Eagles. We will go to the International Airport Mother Teresa, the most famous Albanian woman in the world. After landing, we will make the tour of Durres, the second largest city in the country and the main port of Albania. We will take a walk in the old town where the Roman amphitheater is located and stroll along the Adriatic coast promenade. At the end of the tour, we will continue in our hotel in the area, where we will stay for the next few nights.
Day 2: Apollonia - Passage of the Llogara Neck
After breakfast, we will take a tour in Apollonia, a Greek colony named after God Apollo, with his impressive remains still standing. We will visit agora (market square), temples and we will hear about the Academy where have studied Augustus Octaviano and Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.
Later, we will continue toward Llogara Natural Reserve through which we pass a fantastic landscape of the Albanian coast. We will arrive in Vlora, a coastal city on the shores of a charming bay, which is the border between the Adriatic Sea to the North and the Ionian Sea to the south. We will visit the Independence Square after here is declared the Albania's independence in 1912. We will go to Kuzum-Baba hill, which offers a very beautiful panorama of the city. At the end of the tour, we will return to our hotel.
Day 3: Berat 'City of One and a thousand Windows' - Osumi Canyon
After breakfast and departure from the hotel, we will visit the city of Berat. We will start with a view of the heights of the ancient castle that offers a beautiful landscape of the houses and the city. We will continue the tour through the Castle's backstreets, traditional houses which are built of stone, floating balconies and many windows - which gave the city the nickname 'City of a Thousand Windows.' We will visit the tomb of the false Messiah Shabbatai Zvi, who is believed to be in Berat.
After the tour, we will leave the city and travel to the valley of the Osumi River, one of the main rivers in the south of the country. We will admire the mountains surrounding the valley and see farmers cultivating their fields using traditional methods. We will stop for a look at the deep canyon, where the river is hidden behind the rocks. Then we will continue the road to the hotel.
Day 4: The Source of the Blue Eye - Saranda - Albanian Riviera
After breakfast, we will head towards the Albanian Riviera. On our way we will visit Blue Eye - a unique resource that has become a spectacular resort. If possible, we will stop bathing in the fresh water. In the second part of the day we will visit the tourist town of Saranda, which is 15 kilometers from the coast of the Greek island of Corfu and is the base for vacationers along the coastline of the Ionian Sea, attracting an increasing influx of tourists. We will be free to vacate the beach and at the end of our visit we will go to the hotel.
Day 5: Gjirokaster
After breakfast and check-out, get some information about Gjirokastra, one of the most important cities in Albania, where two of the most important figures of the country were born: dictator Enver Hoxha and renowned Albanian writer Ismail Kadare. Walking along the alleyways with ancient stone houses, we will visit the local bazaar and the house of Enver Hoxha, the communist dictator who ruled Albania with an iron fist in the second half of the 20th century, and will hear about the deeds during his power .
After Gjirokastra Tour will depart towards the capital Tirana and along the way will stop to visit one of the tens of thousands of bunkers scattered in Albania. These bunkers are evidence of the paranoia of tyrannical ruler Hoxha, who prepared his country for an imaginary invasion of powers. At the end of the visit, we will continue our journey towards Tirana, where we will stay.
Day 6: Castle of Kruja - Castle of Rozafa - Lake of Shkodra
After breakfast, we will head north towards Lake of Shkodra. On our way, we will stop at the Kruja, the historic capital of Albania, where the national hero Skanderbeg led the Albanians against the Ottoman Empire for more than 40 years. We will visit the Skanderbeg Museum, the Medieval Castle and walk in the traditional market.
We will continue in the north and on our way we will stop in the city of Lezha, where we will visit Skanderbeg's mausoleum and complete the information about the national hero of Albania that is visible to us from almost every corner. Then we will visit the Rozafa fortress, which dominates the Lake of Shkodra, the lake that Albania shares with its northern neighbor, Montenegro. We will continue on a tour of the city of Shkodra, near the lake, and at the end of the tour we will return to our hotel.
Day 7: Tirana - Tel Aviv
The last day of our trip to Albania is magical. After breakfast and departure from the hotel, we will visit the vibrant and developing city. We will see the historic center, where Ottoman, Italian, communist and contemporary buildings are located side by side. We will visit the National Museum, the ancient mosque and Block - the residence of the ruling elite in the Communist era, which has become the center of the night and the entertainment of the capital.
At the end of the tour, we will go to one of the main shopping centers in the Tirana area for the latest purchases before the flight. After the visit, we will continue to the International Mother Teresa Airport for a direct flight to Tel Aviv.
The price includes:
• Tel Aviv flights - Tirana
• A comfortable and air-conditioned tourist bus
• Accommodation in hotels with a good tourist rating
• A tourist guide.