Albania: May 2023
7 Day Cultural Exploration
Get to know cultural and epicurean Albania on a deeper level - you’ll explore everything from Communist-era architecture and Cold War remnants to beautiful rural villages and Byzantine-era churches. Curator led museum visits will be a feature of this bespoke excursion, as well as visits to renowned restaurants and local vineyards.
For more information, payment options and other questions, please email directly
Cultural Heritage, Natural Beauty
Tirana
The capital, with a population of over half a million and growing more cosmopolitan with new restaurants, shops, and galleries joining the almost surrealist pastiche of testaments to the city’s past. Here, eras collide. We’ll visit Skanderbeg Square, recently renovated with new fountains and rosy granite paving, and home to an 18th-century mosque and minaret, a domed Albanian Orthodox church, a set of government buildings that echo the fascist architecture of Mussolini’s Italy and a Brutalist monolith that houses the National Historical Museum. We'll see the newly opened Secret Surveillance Museum and Bunk’Art, Dictator Hoxha’s five-story underground nuclear bunker.
We’ll spend the first two nights at the centrally located Rogner, an extremely comfortable hotel with a pool and spa.
Korce
Known as the Paris of Albania, Korce is a beloved city of cobblestone streets, high hills, historic spice and food bazaars, and plenty of busy bars and cafes. Renowned for its exceptional cuisine, like lakror--spinach and cheese pie whose recipe has been passed down through generations. Korce has a laid-back atmosphere with culturally significant architecture and museums.
We'll explore Korce's French-style villas, iconic cobblestone boulevards, medieval art and photography collection and, of course, sample the famous beer of Korce.
Shkoder
This beautiful and historic city is situated between Lake Shkoder and the foothills of the Albanian Alps. It is one of the oldest and continuously inhabited cities in the Balkans. Shkoder is regarded as the traditional capital of Northern Albania and is renown for its arts, culture and religious diversity.
We’ll have a curator-led walk through of the Marubi National Museum of Photography, a gorgeous, modern archive showcasing the history of photography in the city of Shkoder. We’ll visit renown churches and mosques as well as the Venice Art Mask Factory where "30,000 masks per year are made using the labour-intensive cartapesta technique”. For those who wish to bike, we’ll pedal around Lake Shkoder and visit a small atilier of traditional women weavers.
Two nights will be spent at Hotel Tradita, a boutique inn with incredible charm, delicious food and homemade liqueur.
Voskopoje
While based in Korce we'll visit the beautiful, high mountain village of Voskopoja, known for its spectacular post-Byzantine-style churches with floor-to-ceiling icon paintings. We’ll dine at a mountain restaurant with some of the best traditional food in the country.
Berat
Berat is a charming and beloved city as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A striking feature is the collection of white Ottoman houses that dot the hills to the castle. Berat is surrounded by mountains, and locals flock to the outdoor cafes lining the Osum river that runs through the city. We'll be guided through the city by a native Berati.
Lodging for one night in a centrally located hotel.
Details & Pricing
Pricing includes single accommodations for eight nights; breakfast and six group dinners; activities and entrance fees for everything on the itinerary; airport pick-up; in-country guides; in-country private ground transportation.
Price: $4,650
For more information, payment options and other questions, please email directly
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Airport Pick-Up
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Private in-country transportation & dedicated drivers
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Carefully selected hotels & inns
(every night of the tour) -
All breakfast & 6 dinners
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Local Tour Guides
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All museum and public entrance fees
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Photography instruction and discussions
(both private and group) -
The experience of a lifetime!
What's Included
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Airfare to and from Albania
(but we’re happy to help with booking your flight) -
Travel & medical insurance
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Activities outside the itinerary
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Alcohol other than wine
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Any fees or charges that you incur as a result of you canceling this trip once you have made a reservation
What's Excluded