Touring is probably the best way to explore most of this still ‘terra incognita’ called Albania.
Short trips of four days usually comprise one day in the capital Tirana, with guided city walk, visit of the National Museum, the National Art Gallery and other sights, and one excursion to Kruja, the stronghold of Albania’s national hero Skanderbeg, with two interesting museums, a traditional bazar and good cuisine.
The third day often includes travelling to the UNESCO city Berat, with its multitude of churches and mosques site with splendid decorations of frescos icons, or a day in the port city of Durrës, which combines archeology, history with long sandy beaches.
One-week tours mostly include also trips to the south, with stop at the ancient mostly Roman – Byzantine site of Apollonia and Vlora and the scenic ride along the Albanian Riviera. Saranda is often selected as overnight destination for excursions to the UNESCO site of Butrint and walks in the
National Park’s lagoon, on a different way back to Tirana tours often halt at the natural monument “Blue Eye” and the Byzantine church “Labova e Kryqit”, one of the oldest in Albania, before visiting Gjirokastra. The “city-of stone” completes Albania’s World Heritage sites.
There are also tours to “Albania’s North” including the city of Shkodra with the castle, the lead mosque and the biggest lake at the Balkans and the Albanian Alps. A trip into the Theth National Park with hiking may be included or a ferry boat ride at Lake Koman with visit of the Valbona National Park.
Tours to the southeast approach either from Gjirokastra via Përmet and lead along a picturesque road to the Korça Region, or depart from Tirana through the Shkumbin River to the Lake District.
In the southeast Ohrid and Prespa Lakes are well visited as are the Orthodox churches in Voskopoja, a mountain village, which was the center of Balkan’s commerce in the 17th century. Touring into this region involves overnights in Pogradec or Korça.
