Dates: 2025

16 to 23 April
31 Aug to 7 Sept
7 to 14 Sept

Price per person:

€ 1300 sharing triple room
€ 1400 sharing a twin room
€ 1500 per single room
€ 999 per child sharing with 2 adults

Price Includes:

• Flights & 20 kilos luggage
• Daily Breakfast
• Skopje (1 night), hotel “Premium” 4 stars
• Berat (1 night), hotel “Plaza” 4 stars
• Tirana (2 nights), hotel “Senator” 4 stars
• Theth (1 night), hotel/ guesthouse “Polia” 3+ stars
• Shkoder (1 night), hotel “Tradita” 4 stars
• Valbone (1 night), hotel “Margjeka” 3+ stars
• English speaking guide with the group all the time
• Ferry trip to Komani lake
• Local transport Theth – Nderlyse (round trip)
• 2 dinners in the north of Albania (in Theth and in Valbona)
• Maltese group leader
• Protection by insolvency fund

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival
Arrival at Skopje airport around 23:00. Transfer to hotel in Skopje for accommodation.

Day 2: Ohrid – Berat
Breakfast at the hotel. Travel towards Ohrid (around 3 hours and 30 min drive). Visit Ohrid, the city of 365 churches, one for every day. Sightseeing of Ohrid including St. Sophia church, Kaneo, old medieval
city etc. For accommodation transfer to Berat, in Albania (Ohrid – Berat around 3 hours and 30 min drive).

Day 3: Berat – Durres – Tirana
After breakfast at the hotel visit Berat, a Unesco protected town. First visit the lower part of the town. Pass the stone bridge of Gorica built in the 18th century, which connects the two historical neighborhoods of Berat, Gorica which was traditionally a Christian quarter and Mangalem where the Muslim population of the city lived. Next stop will be in the castle built on top of the hill at a strategic position. Inside the castle visit “Onufri” museum, located in the cathedral “Dormition of St. Mary”. Enjoy a very well-preserved iconostasis and a dedicated area with Icons from Onufri and other icon-painters. Departure towards the city of Durres where you can visit the walls of the castle and the ruins of the Roman amphitheater (outside visit). Possibility to swim in the Adriatic Sea. For accommodation, transfer to Tirana.

Day 4: Tirana full day
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit of Tirana, capital of Albania and the biggest city in the country. Known for its colorful combination of fascist, ottoman and modern area buildings, it has
become one of the most visited cities in all the Balkans. Start the sightseeing of Tirana from the Skanderbeg square. Visit from outside Opera house, E`them Bey Mosque, Clock Tower etc. The walking tour can continue then to the main boulevard, the Pyramid building, the Block area etc. Optional visit to BunkArt2, an ex-communist bunker which was turned recently into a museum showing the history of the country during the communist period. Overnight in Tirana.

Day 5: Tirana – Theth
In the morning travel from Tirana towards Theth, north of Albania (around 4 hours and 30 min drive). Arrival in Theth. Start with a short visit at the Church, dating back to 1892. After that, visit the Lock-In
tower, dating back 400 years ago which has a very interesting story. Continue then to Grunas Waterfall, through a rocky trail. The water cascades across high rocks and falls down into a pool. If you want to see your hands or feet go numb in just seconds, try to dip them in the water. Accommodation in Theth.
Info: 3 km hike one-way to Grunas waterfall (50 – 60 min one-way)
Difficulty level: easy to moderate.

Day 6: Theth - Shkoder
After breakfast, we will visit Thethi Blue Eye. Just 20 min driving by local transport we arrive to the village of Ndërlysë. There are some natural stone baths that are filled with water from the river. We’ll
continue walking for about an hour and then we reach the Blue Eye. The Blue Eye of Kaprre is a well (Black Well) with a surface of about 100 m2 and about 4-5 m deep, which is formed by the Black River
flow that descends from the upper Kaprrea. Located between rocky and green slopes, with its depth this well takes on the colors of blue and emerald depending on the season, forming a fascinating landscape for all visitors. In the afternoon departure to Shkodra which is situated near the lake sharing the same name. Visit the most popular promenade, a street through the heart of central Shkoder, lined with lovely 19th-century buildings housing the Grand Mosque, an orthodox church and a catholic church in close proximity to each other on either sides of the street but also many cafes, restaurants, and shops.
Accommodation in Shkodra.
Info: hike to the Blue Eye 1 hour one-way

Day 7: Shkoder – Valbone
In the morning travel by bus from Shkoder to Koman. Arrival to Koman lake where we will embark into the ferry that passes through the spectacular canyon of Drin river (ferry trip on the lake lasts 2 hours and 30 min). The lake has been shaped after the construction of Koman Hydro central in 1981. The emerald water is so clear that it looks unreal, meanders for over 70 kilometers through mountains, in the narrowest place surrounded by vertical canyon walls. The place is also home to numerous species of animals and birds, if you are lucky you might spot them around when visiting Lake Koman. After the ferry trip the transfer continues through the valley of Valbona river, along quite untouched nature. Surrounded by the enchanting Albanian Alps, Valbona is tucked away from the city noise, beautifully frozen in time, embracing the simplicity and honesty of the countryside life Accommodation in Valbona. Ferry on the lake usually operates from mid-April until end of October (depending on the weather conditions).

Day 8: Valbona – Prizren – Skopje
Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer from Valbona to Skopje via Kosovo (driving time around 5 hours not considering the border delays). After the border procedures travel to Prizren, a city which has well preserved the old ottoman style. Free time in Shadervan, the central and most famous neighborhood in town with plenty of restaurants, boutiques, religious buildings, and of course, cafés. Transfer to Skopje airport, in North Macedonia, for the return flight.