Grand Balkan Tour
10 Days/9 Nights escorted tour

1. day

TIRANA / ALBANIA

Depending on the time of arrival in Tirana, we may do a short city tour. In the evening, we'll have and optional dinner at a traditional restaurant and then explore the nightlife of Tirana, walking in the ex-block area known as "forbidden town" where the villas of the communist leaders are still standing next to trendy boutiques, expensive jeweler shops and lively local pubs. Overnight in Tirana.

2. day

TIRANA / ALBANIA

After breakfast, drive to Kruja-known for Albania's national hero Skanderbeg. Visit the Castle and the Skanderbeg and Ethnographic Museums. Explore the Old Bazaar and continue to Durres, the ancient Greco-Roman port city "Dyrrachium". The visit to the town includes the Byzantine city walls, the Roman Amphitheater and the Archeological Museum. Drive back to Tirana for overnight. (B)

3. day

BERAT / ALBANIA

Breakfast at your hotel. After breakfast, proceed to the ancient Greek settlement of Apolonia, founded in 588 BC. Continue to Ardenica with its medieval monastery surrounded by stonewalls. Visit Mary Church and St. Triadha Chapel. Drive to Berat - another "Museum City" also known as "the city of thousand windows". You will see the painted Mosque of the Bachelors and the Tekke of the Halvetis complex with its beautiful portico. End your day with a visit to Onuphri Icon Museum. Overnight in Berat.(B)

4. day

POGRADEC / ALBANIA

After breakfast depart to visit Pogradec. Stop at Elbasa to see the beautiful Ottoman walls. Arrive at Lake Ohrid, one of the deepest freshwater lakes in Europe - home to a great number of fish and birds found nowhere else in the world. Enjoy an optional lunch at a local restaurant in Drilon, decorated with willow trees and streams flowing down to the lake. Nice spot not far from Ohrid Lake which has been a preferred holiday destination for ex-dictator, Hoxha. Overnight in Pogradec. (B)

5. day

OHRID / ALBANIA

After breakfast, visit Drillon National Park on the shores of Lake Ohrid. Cross the border into Macedonia and visit the Monastery of St. Naum. Continue to the other side of the lake to Ohrid. Visit the 11th century castle and other important ancient churches and schools. Orthodox Byzantine monks brought Christianity to Ohrid in the 10th century from Greece through the efforts of St. Cyril and Methodios, who crafted the Cyrillic alphabet. Overnight in Ohrid. (B)

6. day

SKOPJE / ALBANIA

Skopje was an important city for the Ottomans from the end of the 14th century. The Skopje of today retains that influence and is a thriving modern city. The largest Turkish bath in the Balkans is located here and is now an Art Museum. We will visit the Turkish Bazaar and the National Museum. Overnight in Skopje. (B)

7. day

PRIZREN / ALBANIA

After breakfast, drive to Prizren in Kosovo, a true open air museum and one of the most beautiful towns in Kosovo, situated on the slopes of the Sharr Mountains and on the banks of the river Bistrica. The craftsmen of Prizren are well known for their beautiful gold and silver items. Optional dinner and overnight in Prizren. (B)

8. day

SHKODRA / ALBANIA

After breakfast, tour the old part of Prizren. Then cross the border to Albania to visit Shkodra. It has been an important city for over 2,000 years. Once part of the Venetian Empire, Italian influence is evident everywhere. Visit Rozafa Castle. Optional dinner and overnight in Shkodra. (B)

9. day

BUDVA / ALBANIA

Tour the old town of Shkodra, then cross the border to Montenegro. Drive to the capital Podgorica for a short city tour. Continue to Budva, one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic, now the most famous summer resort of Montenegro. Visit Old Town and listen to legends about the Theban King Cadmus and the development of the city from the Greek period to turbulent Middle Ages and the devastating 1976 earthquake. Overnight in Budva. (B)

10. day

Departure

Breakfast at the hotel. Afterwards, private car transfer to the Dubrovnik airport via the Scenic Kotor Bay. This is the end of your tour. (B)