7 Days Small-group Tour From Dubrovnik To Athens Via Albania

Itinerary

Day 1: Dubrovnik (Croatia) – 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 8:00 am.

Pass By: Budva, Budva, Budva Municipality
We will first drive towards Budva to make a short stop. Budva is 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 continue our tour towards Albania. Our first destination in Albania is Shkodra. The city 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. The Roman historian Livy cited the town as the capital of the Illyrian king Gent, who fought the Romans in 168 B.C. Around 12:30, you will have some free time on all days of the tour to wander around by yourself and get a delicious lunch until 13:00. We will visit Rozafa castle offering 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: 4 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 A.D.) 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 – Gjirokastra

Stop At: Gjirokaster, Gjirokaster, Gjirokaster County
Our next destination is Gjirokastra, also known as “The Stone City”, part of UNESCO World heritage. The origin of the city starts with the castle of Gjirokastra, built in IV century AD, and is considered one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the Balkans. Every five years Gjirokastra becomes the capital of the Albanian folklore and traditional music, where passionate folklore ensembles gather in the “stone city” and perform their traditional music, dances and show off their costumes. Right before entering the castle of Gjirokastra, you will have to pass by the medieval bazar. The atmospheric old town cascades down in graceful hill crammed full of beautiful narrowed stone decorated streets, where you will be amazed by the wide variety of handmade crafts from local artisans and producers.
Duration: 6 hours

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

Day 5: Gjirokastra – Kalabaka (Greece)

Stop At: Kalabaka 422 00, Greece
From Gjirokastra, we will head back towards Greece, more specifically the town of Kalabaka. Here we will bring a visit to Meteora, also part of UNESCO world heritage and constructed in the 14th – 15th century. The monasteries are built on top of the spectacular rock formations, creating a beautiful and impressive sight. The surrounding rocks are oddly shaped, which makes it a landscape that cannot be found anywhere else. The town also has lots to offer. Walking through the cobblestone lanes, surrounded by two of Meteora’s rock formations, is an experience in itself. We will visit the Church of Assumptions, dating back to the 11th century. Some marble stones in the church used to be part of an Ancient Greek temple. The local food is also delicious, with mushrooms as the main ingredient but also yoghurt, cheese and honey on the menu.
Duration: 6 hours

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

Day 6: Kalabaka – Thermopylae – Athens

Stop At: Thermopylae, Thermopylae, Phthiotis Region, Central Greece
We will return to Athens, where our tour began, but not before visiting Thermopylae. Thermopylae often gets skipped while visiting Greece, but it definitely deserves to be part of your tour! During the ancient times, many battles have been fought here at this mountain pass in the north of Greece. One of the greatest battles, and stories, is that of 300 Spartans defending the city of Thermpylae against a huge army of Persians. They held the pass for three days and only one of the Spartans survived who spread the story around. We will visit the Memorial of Leonidas and Sparta 300, commemorating the legend of these 300 Spartans, and the battlefield where it all took place.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Athens, Athens, Attica
Our tour will continue towards Athens.
Duration: 3 hours

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

Day 7: Athens

Stop At: Athens, Athens, Attica
Today we will have a city tour of Athens, the capital of Greece and also said to be the cultural capital of Europe. The city is modern, touristic, charming and full of fascinating history. One place that can’t be missed here is, of course, the Parthenon temple on the Acropolis, which is part of UNESCO. It was built in the 5th century B.C. and has had a huge effect on the way people think about architecture, even to this day. The temple was dedicated to the goddess of Athena. The Agora-Athens central market is probably not one of the first things you think about to visit in Athens, but it is a fascinating sight with delicious food all over the place and located between the two most interesting streets in the city. We will also walk through the oldest neighborhood in Athens, the Plaka area, which feels like a village hidden in the large metropolitan city. In Athens, our tour of three countries will come to an end in the late afternoon.
Duration: 6 hours

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