From Dubrovnik/kotor: Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo & N. Macedonia In 7 Days

Itinerary

Day 1: Dubrovnik/Kotor (Croatia/Montenegro) – Budva (Montenegro) – Sveti Stefan – Shkodra (Albania)

Pass By: Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Dalmatia
Our tour guide will come and pick you up at your hotel in Dubrovnik at 9:00 am and we will head towards Montenegro.

Pass By: Kotor, Kotor, Kotor Municipality
Pick up is also possible from Kotor at around 11:00 am.

Pass By: Budva, Budva, Budva Municipality
We will drive towards Budva, a popular tourist destination, famous for its beaches, gorgeous nature and old characteristic buildings. The city is separated between an old and new part. On the one hand, in the New Budva, there are many modern buildings, offices, shopping malls, restaurants and bars. On the other hand, in the Old Budva, there is the historical center.

Stop At: Sveti Stefan, Sveti Stefan, Budva Municipality
We will drive pass the beautiful riviera until we reach Sveti Stefan, a fishing town on a small island near the coast. Unfortunately, it is not possible to visit the island anymore as it has turned into a five-star resort, but even while standing on the coast, Sveti Stefan is a sight for sore eyes – worthy of a picture.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Shkoder, Shkoder, Shkoder County
From Sveti Stefan, we will cross the border to Albania and visit the city of Shkodra. At around 12:30, you will get some free time on all seven days on the tour to have some delicious lunch and to wander around by yourself till 14:00 pm. Shkodra is situated in the north-western part of Albania, giving its name to the biggest lake in the Balkans. The oldest wall of the Shkodra castle dates from the 1st millennium BCE. We will visit Rozafa castle offering a tremendous scenery of the lake and the three rivers melting all together in the Adriatic Sea. The city’s architecture is highly influenced by the Venetian style. Most of the guests are surprised to learn that most of the Venetian masks are handmade and produced in Shkodra. The city’s favourable geographic position has always been an important trading tie through the centuries, making it possible for different civilisations to encounter.
Duration: 5 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in Shkodra.

Day 2: Shkodra – Kruja – Tirana

Stop At: Kruje, Kruje, Durres County
Today we will head towards Kruja, a historical city symbol of the Albanian resistance against the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. Kruja is situated in central Albania on a rocky mountainous terrain about 560 meters above sea level, on the slopes of Sarisalltik Mountain. Walking through Kruja’s Medieval Old Bazaar (one of the biggest and oldest in Balkans) gives you a sense of a passage through the history. You will be surrounded by crafts and local products carefully designed by local artisans and housewives of the Kruja area. The castle of Kruja (built during the 5th century AD) is strategically placed on the top of a rocky hill, making it difficult for the enemies to attack. Our local guide will take you through some hidden paths, used by the locals to leave the castle without being noticed during periods when the enemies surrounded the castle.
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Tirana, Tirana, Tirana County
Our next destination for today is Tirana. Colourful, lively, vibrant, dynamic, 24/7 and crazy nightlife - these are some of the words that better describe Tirana where the communist and capitalist-era buildings battle on a daily basis. Not to be missed is Tirana’s delicious food varieties, from the tasty and cheap street food to the finest gourmet options.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Tirana.

Day 3: Tirana – Berat

Stop At: Berat, Berat, Berat County
Our next destination is Berat, also known as the city of 1001 windows, part of UNESCO world heritage. Walking through the narrowed stone streets offers a fantastic view of the medieval old houses, with windows that seem to stand on top of each other. Berat has it all; a beautiful medieval castle, ancient churches and mosques, a lively lower town consisting of grand old houses draped on steep hillsides, an old stone bridge, great museums and remains from the communism era in Albania. Berat is also known as the birthplace of Onufri, the famous painter of churches all-over the Balkans, distinguished for creating a specific reddish colour still difficult to imitate.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Berat.

Day 4: Berat – Ohrid (N. Macedonia)

Stop At: Ohrid, Ohrid, Southwestern Region
We will leave Albania and cross the border to N. Macedonia. Ohrid is one of the most seductive destinations in N. Macedonia, indicated also as one of the oldest human settlements in all of Europe. Ohrid city and Ohrid Lake have been part of UNESCO World Heritage since 1980. Ohrid Lake and its surroundings were inhabited by the Illyrian Tribe of Enkeleys. The city became an important centre for the Orthodox believers during the Byzantine Empire and is famous for its 365 Orthodox churches, said to have one church for each day of the year. The houses were built with a very specific architecture that created narrowed streets, tunnels and tiny yards on the hilly terrain, making it possible for every house to have a good view of the lake.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Ohrid.

Day 5: Ohrid – Skopje

Stop At: Skopje, Skopje, Skopje Region
Our tour continues towards Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. The city has European, Ottoman and even Asian influences. The Stone Bridge connects the new part to the old part of the city. Impossible to miss in Skopje is the Alexander the Great Statue in the center. Another bridge that stands out is the Art Bridge that leads to the Archaeological museum. The bridge is lined with flamboyant street lanterns and statues of Macedonian artists and musicians. We will wander through the Old Bazaar of Skopje, the biggest one in the Balkans, that combines the modern way of living with centuries of history. The cross on top of the mountain can be seen kilometres away from Skopje and has become a symbol of the city. It is as high as a 20-store building and can be reached by cable car.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Skopje.

Day 6: Skopje – Pristina (Kosovo) – Prizren

Stop At: Pristina, Pristina
We will leave N. Macedonia and head towards the capital of Kosovo, Pristina. Here we will make a city tour. Not to be missed is the Newborn monument, symbol of their independence and being a young new country. We will also visit the Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa with its own clock tower. The National Library of Kosovo is a building that definitely stands out from the rest, consisting out of 73 white domes. The main boulevard in the capital, Sheshi Nena Tereza, is a nice street to stroll through and enjoy a delicious meal or coffee at one of the restaurants. Here we will also pass the Skanderberg square with the statue of Skanderberg himself, the national Albanian hero. We will visit the Old Bazaar in Pristina with nearby the ethnographic museum that shows the traditional Kosovar life.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Prizren, Prizren
We will continue our tour towards Prizren. The city is considered to be the cultural capital of Kosovo, mixing its rich history, incredible nature, religious tolerance and gastronomic delights. Prizren has played an important role in the region as an Illyrian settlement and as a crossroad for the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, contributing to the unique architecture of the city. The river flows through the heart of the old town and under the many bridges that crisscross the city. The best way to explore the town is by wandering through the streets passing by elegant medieval houses that fight for your attention. The view from the fortress on the hill above the town offers a great panorama of this astonishing town.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Prizren.

Day 7: Prizren – Kotor (Montenegro) – Dubrovnik/Kotor (Croatia/Montenegro)

Stop At: Kotor, Kotor, Kotor Municipality
From Prizren, we will head back towards Montenegro. We will have a city tour of Kotor, UNESCO world heritage city. We will wander through the maze of narrow, cobblestone streets crisscrossing the old town. This street plan seems quite chaotic, but it was created this way on purpose. The intention was to confuse intruders who came to plunder the town, while nowadays it characterizes the city. Many of the old buildings and churches have small plaques on it with their dates of construction and original use. We will stop at the Saint Tryphon cathedral, which is one of the only two Roman cathedrals in the city. The Saint Tryphon relics are kept inside the cathedral. Yet, these relics were destined to arrive in Dubrovnik but ended up in Kotor. Next to the Saint Tryphon cathedral, the Saint Luke’s church can easily be missed as it is a lot smaller, but of great significance for the locals because it represents unity to them. We will also walk to the San Giovanni fortress from which we will have an amazing view over the city. On our way to the top, we will pass by ruins of military buildings and a church from the 15th century.
Duration: 3 hours

Pass By: Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Dalmatia
We will drop everyone off at their hotel in either Kotor or Dubrovnik.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.