(A UNIT OF NOVA GROUP OF COMPANIES)
NOVA TRAVEL
Albania & Macedonia: Cradle of the Balkans-9 Days
Itinerary-9 Days
Day 1: Fly to Tirana • Durrës
Fly from London ) to Tirana . Transfer to Durrës, founded in 627BC and one of Albania’s oldest towns. Welcome dinner and stay overnight at Hotel . (D)
Day 2: Berat • Vlora
Visit the amphitheatre in Durrës, the largest amphitheatre in the Balkans. Continue to Berat and visit the Museum of Icons and the castle, which contains the remnants of 42 churches within its walls. Special access to the King’s Mosque and adjacent Halveti Tekke, containing some excellent Ottoman paintings, has also been arranged. In the afternoon, explore the Graeco-Roman ruins of Apollonia, an important trading port for the Roman empire until the third century AD. Continue to the Hotel. (B)
Day 3: Saranda • Butrint
Morning drive through the mountains and along deserted stretches of coastline to the resort town of Saranda. Afternoon tour of the Unesco world heritage site of Butrint. Explore the ruins of this Graeco-Roman town on the shores of Lake Butrint and view the third-century BC theatre, bath houses and the remains of the largest baptistry in the Balkans. Stay overnight at the Hotel in Saranda. (B)
Day 4: Gjirokaster
Drive to Gjirokaster, stopping en route at St Nicholas’ monastery and the church of Labova, one of Albania’s oldest and best-preserved Orthodox churches, dating from the sixth century. In Gjirokaster see the birthplace of Enver Hoxha and Zekate House, an example of Ottoman-style architecture. Stay at the Hotel for 1 night. (B)
Day 5: Korca
In the morning, travel through mountainous landscapes to Korca, historically an important trade town. Continue to the Mirahori mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Albania. Stay at the Hotel for 1 night. (B)
Day 6: Lake Ohrid
Visit the Museum of Medieval Arts, which displays more than 150 icons, then drive to Voskopojë, stopping en route to see the Shen Kolli (St Nicholas) church, which contains some of the best preserved 18th-century ecclesiastical art in the Balkans. Drive to Ohrid in Macedonia, via the monastery of St Naum. Its position on a rocky overhang provides excellent views over Lake Ohrid and Ohrid itself, listed by Unesco as natural and cultural world heritage sites. Stay at the Hotel for 2 nights. (B)
Day 7: Ohrid
Morning tour of the town known as the Macedonian Jerusalem due to its large number of churches. See St Sophia cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Macedonia; the church of St Clement at Plaoshnik; and the Gallery of Icons. Also visit the National Museum, housing works of art dating from 1863; the ethnological museum; Samuil’s Fortress; and the antique theatre, the oldest such building in Macedonia. Afternoon at leisure. (B)
Day 8: Tirana
Travel to Elbasan to see the Ottoman fort. Continue to Tirana for an afternoon tour of the Albanian capital, including visits to the National Museum, the mosque, the main square and its clock tower. End the day with a visit to the Bektashi World Centre to learn about this Islamic Sufi order. Stay at the Hotel (or similar) for 1 night. (B)
Day 9: Shkodër • Kruja • Fly back home
Morning drive to Shkodër, one of the most historic towns in Albania, and visit St Stephen’s Catholic Cathedral. Return to Tirana via Kruja, visiting the fortress of Kruja, the Skanderbeg Museum, ethnographic museum, and the old bazaar. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant before transferring to the airport for a flight back home. (B, D)
____________________________________________________________________