Meeting with the guide, you will be transferred to Blue Eye Natural spring for a visit of the springs. The “Blue Eye”(Syri i Kalter) is situated 8 km north of Saranda town. The “Blue Eye” spring is formed by the underground springs and is worth visiting.
Continue from the Blue Eye to the Mesopotam Monastery dedicated to St. Nicholas, it has a very special architecture of the Byzantine style. Saved from the ruins of the monastery walls surrounding an area totaling approximately 100 m and controlled by seven rectangular towers. The surrounding walls are earlier than the church exists.
From the Mesopotam Monastery, your next stop will be in the Lekursi castle for Wine Tasting. At the restaurant inside the Castle you will taste 2 kind of local wine, cheese, pie and other traditional dishes.
The wine of Albania is characterized by its unique sweetness and indigenous varieties. Albania produced an estimated 17,500 tons of wine in 2009. The geographic elevation of Albania makes it a perfect setting for wine production. During the communism era, the production area expanded to some 20,000 hectares (49,000 acres). The Albanian wine industry is striving to re-establish an international presence in line with its long reputation as a quality wine producer.
After meeting with your guide you will be firstly transferred near Dukat village by bus during a 45 minute drive. Once we arrive there you will start hiking in the National Park of Llogara. Llogora National Park has been declared a national park in Albania since 1966 by the Albanian Government.
The park covers an area of 1,010 hectares and protects the forests on the northern side of the Llogara Pass, located between 470m to 2,018m above sea level. In the park you can find many black pine trees, Bosnian pines, Bulgarian fir, and ash trees. Feel the pleasure of the fresh air and enjoy the beautiful view that the mountain offers.
After exploring Llogara you will have a lovely lunch in a restaurant in the heart of the park. After lunch you will be transferred back to the ship by bus for the final part of our journey.
After meeting with your guide you will drive towards Ulcinj (Montenegro) for approximately 90 minutes. Ulcinj is an ancient seaport. The wider area of Ulcinj has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, based on dating of Illyrian tombs found in the village of Zogaj, in the vicinity of Ulcinj. The town is believed to have been founded in the 5th century BC by colonists from Colchis, as mentioned in the 3rd century BC poem by Apollonius of Rhodes.
Illyrians lived in the region at the time as there are traces of immense Cyclopean walls still visible in the old citadel. In 1867, Ulcinj became a kaza of the Iskodra sanjak of Rumeli veyalet. After the Congress of Berlin in 1878, borders between Montenegro and the Ottoman Empire were redrawn, with Ulcinj becoming part of Montenegro.
Although prepared to cede Plav, Gusinje and the Albanian villages of Grude, Hoti and Kastrati, Turkey still wanted to retain Ulqinj. Ultimately Montenegro, supported by Gladstone and others from western Europe, resisted and on 30 November 1880 the town became de jure part of the Montenegro which achieved recognition, but de facto only in 1880 after Great Powers occupation.
Once arrived in Ulcinj you will visit the old town, the castle and the city center. Finished in Ulcinj you will be transferred in Ada Bojana Park where you will admire the beautiful nature, excellent food and sea view panorama.
After lunch you will be transferred back to Shkodra for the end of your journey.
The day starts in the morning with a hike up to Renci Mountain. There are amazing views towards the town, Albanian sea shore and the mountains. Mali i Rencit is a mountain and is located in Shengjin, Lezhë district, Albania. The estimate terrain elevation above sea level is 299 metres. Once made our way down toward Gjader, you can have some photos of the military airport built during the communism time and the hangars inside the mountain.
After the photos you will be transferred by bus to Fishta village, at Mrizi i Zanave restaurant for a delicious lunch. Three beautiful and delicious dishes from Mrizi i Zanave, in the village of Fishte, near the city of Shkodra in Albania. This is a hidden gem in the countryside, a restaurant that cultivates its own produce or sources it from local farmers. The restaurant is very popular and it attracts a clientele from the capital. The chef has worked in Italy and decided to start his own place back home. The first two dishes are a selection of starters, including a pie with spinach and corn flower, feta cheese, grilled aubergines and deep fried flowers of courgette in batter, a selection of pickles with pickled peaches amongst others, homemade fruit syrup and cloves of garlic. The third dish is lamb shish kebabs, with potatoes and fresh porcini mushrooms from the mountains of Puka, further up north.
You will be amazed by the experience of the Village of Fishte, transferring back to your ship for 30 minutes drive with a smile on your face and with your mind back to Albania.
Your morning city tour begins from Skanderbeg Square, named after the Albanian hero the main landmark of the city. Pilgrims from far and wide reach the Et'hem Bey Mosque to offer prayers. The Clock Tower next to the Et'hem Bey Mosque, National Museum- north of Skanderbeg Square, The Palace of Culture, The monument to Mother Albania and The National Historical Museum are the significant spots that catch up the attention of one and all who make a visit to the city.
The route continues to marvelous city of Berat - known as “the city of thousand windows”.
Visit the lovely painted Mosque of the Bachelors and the Tekke of the Helvetis with its beautiful portico. Visit to Onuphri Icon Museum that contains some of the finest examples of his work as well as other outstanding Albanian artists. Stop for the lunch at restaurant in the Fortress where you will enjoy a rustic lunch and a wine tasting of Berat cellar.
Drive back to Tirana.
After meeting with your guide your Day starts with the exploration of Tirana by foot.Tirana is the capital of the Republic of Albania, with a population of just over 700.000, lies at the foot of Dajti Mountain (1612 m) at the 110 m above the sea level. The region of Tirana has been inhabited since the Neolithic period.
Tirana was founded in 1614 when, under the care of Sulejman Pasha Mulleti, the first settlement was built. It consisted of a mosque, bath-house (Hamam), a bakery and some shops. Today Tirana is the main administrative, economical, art and culture centre. The visit of Tirana starts with the Scanderbeg Square, a monument dedicated to the National Hero of Albania. From the center you will be able to see the main boulevard, main administrative buildings, National Bank of Albania and the Et'hem Bey mosque.
You will continue beside Lana river for looking at the painted socialist buildings towards the old bridge and parliament building of Tirana. After the visit of Tirana city center your next destination will be winery Bardha. Bardha winery, belongs to one of the most well-known Albanian business man Mr.Ekrem Bardha, whom excape from the Albanian dicature passing the border and imigrated to USA. Beside the beauties you will listen to the family sacrificea, also non giving up spirit and build the futur by hard work in USA..
The wine of Albania is characterized by its unique sweetness and indigenous varieties. Albania produced an estimated 17,500 tones of wine in 2009. The geographic elevation of Albania makes it a perfect setting for wine production. During the communism era, the production area expanded to some 20,000 hectares (49,000 acres). The Albanian wine industry is striving to re-establish an international presence in line with its long reputation as a quality wine producer. Among other types of wines, what you will taste is some of the indigenous grapes of Albania such as:
White: Shesh i bardhe, Debin e bardhe,
Red: Shesh i zi, Cabernet Cuvee, Merlot Shesh i bardhe and Shesh i zi are the two most important vines, accounting for about 35 per cent of the crop, and take their name from the hill village of Shesh 15 km from the capital Tirana. At low yields the former has an attractive floral aroma while the latter is capable of producing wines worthy of ageing.
After wine tasting you will be transferred back to Tirana for the end of your jorney.
After meeting with the guide, you will be transferred for 150 minutes towards Tirana. Tirana is the capital of the Republic of Albania, with a population of just over 700,000, lies at the foot of Dajti Mountain (1612 m) at 110 m above sea level. The region of Tirana has been inhabited since the Neolithic period.
Tirana was founded in 1614 when, under the care of Sulejman Pasha Mulleti, the first settlement was built. It consisted of a mosque, bath-house (Hamam), a bakery and some shops. Today Tirana is the main administrative, economical, art and culture centre. Our visit of Tirana starts with the Scanderbeg Square, a monument dedicated to the National Hero of Albania.
From the centre you will be able to see the main boulevard, main administrative buildings, National Bank of Albania and the Et'hem Bey mosque that is one of the most beautiful mosques in Albania which is located nearby the National Historical Museum. You will visit the country’s largest museum – the National Museum of History, which is impossible to miss because of the huge mural on its facade depicting Albania’s long and eventful history from the Illyrians through the Ottoman occupation to the Communist period of the last century. Next the visit will continue on foot towards the National Art Gallery. It has a fund of over 4,000 works of art by Albanian and foreign artists, spanning seven centuries of Albanian cultural heritage.
Finishing the visit of the National Gallery, you will continue on foot entering the "Block area" towards Sky Tower Restaurant where you will have lunch overlooking all Tirana from the 15th floor of the Restaurant.
With nice memories in your head, you will be transferred back to the pier.
After meeting with your guide we will choose our bicycles and for 15 minutes you will be given information about the road that we will follow and precautions along the way. After settling everything we will cycle towards Rozafa castle for approximately 30 minutes.
The legend says that the wife of the younger brother of the three brothers that build the castle was sacrificed for the castle to build up strong but half of her body was left out of the wall to take care of her new born son. The Rozafa Castle was the most important stronghold of the Illyrian kingdoms of Ardians, located up the hill overlooking rivers Buna and Drin and the whole
plain fields.
After the visit of the castle you will return through the same way back to the city center of Shkodra where a visit will follow to the main sights, the city center, Ebu Beker mosque, catholic cathedral, the venetian style promenade etc.
After finishing with the visit of the city center, you will have 30 minutes free time at your leisure before the end of your journey.
Your day starts in Berat old town. After grabbing your bicycles you will cycle heading to Berat Castle. Once arrived you will have a look at the castle and at the view point where you will have amazing views of all the town of Berat. After a short stop, continue cycling down heading toGorica old quarter where you will cycle through the old cubbled stone streets of Gorica. Follow the road towards Castle Park hotel where you can have a short break. Cycle back to reach the new town of Berat where the tour ends.
After meeting with the guide, you will start walking for 30 minutes to the city center for a visit of the Old Onchesmi and the Old Synagogue in the city center. Saranda the gateway to the southern Albania, is a small town of about 33.000 inhabitants, situated on a beautiful horseshoe bay between the mountains and the Ionian Sea. The name Saranda derives from an early Christian monastery dedicated to Agioi Saranta (Forty Saints). In antiquity, Saranda was known as Onchesmus. Located opposite the Greek island of Corfu, Saranda is characterized by a Mediterranean climate and warm sea waters.
Next, you will walk for 60 minutes up on the hill where Lekursi Castle is located for some minutes of free time for taking photos. From Lekursi castle you will be able to have great views of Saranda Town, Ionian Sea and Corfu Island. After enjoying the amazing Panorama from the Lekursi castle we will walk down towards the port.