HIGHLIGHTS OF ALBANIA & MACEDONIA TT•HAM 8 days from Tirana to Vlore, Saranda, Korce, Ohrid and Skopje

MONTENEGRO SERBIA BOLGARIA

SKOPJE ADRIATIC SEA KRUJE TIRANA OHRID MACEDONIA SV. NAUM ALBANIA

KORCE APOLONIA

VLORE

GJIROKASTRA GREECE

HIMARE SARANDA

24 ITINERARY

Day 01: Tirana Day 05: From Saranda via Gjirokaster Arrive at Tirana airport and transfer to your tour to Korce hotel. In the evening meet your fellow travelers Breakfast and departure to Gjirokaster, the and Tour Director for dinner scheduled in one of “Stone City”, situated on the eastern slope of the local restaurants. Mountain Mali i Gjere and which is on the Meals: B, D list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites due to its architectural peculiarities. The city dates Day 02: Tirana probably from the 4th century and passed Morning departure to Kruje which rises 560 to the Turks in the 15th century. What meters above sea level on the slopes of Sari strikes visitors the most are the typical and - Salltiku Mountain. The city is surrounded by characteristic houses which resemble little Tour Highlights: walls reinforced by nine towers which served as fortresses, clustered one above the other. observation and signaling posts during times of • Kruje: The old bazaar within the walled city, During the sightseeing of Gjirocaster we will Ethnographical and Skenderbeg Museum war. Visit the Museum of Skenderbeg, housed visit the Weapon Museum and the fortress. • Tirana: Skenderbeg square, Palace of the within the medieval castle where you will learn Later we proceed to Korce for an overnight. the history of Albania’s national hero who led Meals: B, D Culture the 15th century struggle against the Ottoman • Apollonia: The remnants of the Greek Empire; the Ethnographic Museum will be visited Day 06: From Korce to Ohrid settlement from the 7th century BC, during our tour as well. There will be time to This morning we depart for Ohrid, but our first Archeological Museum. explore the old bazaar before returning to Tirana. stop will be to visit St. Naum, the renovated • The temple of Aesculap in Butrinti which, Meals: B monastery complex dating back to the 10th in itself, is on UNESCO World heritage List century. The monastery and the church Day 03: From Tirana to Apollonia • The ˝Stone City˝ of Gjirocaster were built by the end of the 9th century by • St. Naum with its beautiful chapel and Vlore St. Naum as a station and healing center for • Ohrid: St. Sophia Church and Icon Museum Morning sightseeing tour of Tirana, the capital of pilgrims. In the afternoon, we will reach Ohrid Albania which enjoys a beautiful setting between where several monuments will be seen during • Skopje: the old railway station/monument, the ranges of Dajti Mountains from one side and our sightseeing tour: the monument of St. Church of St. Spas the coastal plains on the other one. We will see Cyril and Methodius, the Lower gate, Samoils Skenderbeg square, Palace of culture and visit fortress, Ohrid market and the church of St. Hotels: the National Museum. Late morning departure Sofia with its icon museum. • Tirana: Tirana International to Apolonia, situated 12 km from the city of Fier. Meals: B, D • Vlore: New York Apollonian was founded by the Greek colonists who • Saranda: Butrinti Day 07: From Ohrid to Skopje came from Corinth. In Roman times Apollonian was • Korca: Grand Hotel a flourishing city near the Aos river. We will visit its This afternoon, we will reach Skopje, the capital • Onrid: Metropol, Bellevue monuments and museum and proceed to Vlore for of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, an overnight. now an independent state. City sightseeing of • Skopje: Holiday Inn Meals: B, D Skopje features the Old Railway Station – the first train station in the Balkans, the Monument Day 04: From Vlore via Butrinti Included Features: of Mother Teresa, the church St. Spas, built at the • First class hotels, rooms with private facilities to Saranda end of the XVII century and the Stone Bridge – a • Service charges and taxes Morning drive to Butrinti to visit this archeological monumental structure in the center of the city. • Welcome drink upon arrival with your Tour site which is on the UNESCO World Heritage This evening join your fellow travelers and the Director List since it bears witness to the continuous Tour Director for a farewell dinner. inhabitance since prehistoric times. Butrinti has Meals: B, D • Breakfast daily, 4 hotel dinners plus a been a Roman city, a bishopric, and enjoyed welcome dinner in local restaurant in Tirana, the prosperity under Byzantine administration. Day 08: Skopje and a farewell dinner in local restaurant in It was briefly under the Venetian rule and then Your tour finishes after breakfast in Skopje and Skopje abandoned in the late Middle Ages after marshes transfer to Skopje airport. • Touring by modern air-conditioned motor formed in the area. The present archaeological site Meals: B coach is a repository of ruins representing each period • Professional Tour Director throughout in the city’s development. We will visit Temple of • Qualified local city guides Aesculapius, the Baptistery, and the Nympheum. • Luggage handling in hotels Meals: B, D

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