Small group tour package 7 days in Albania

Tour highlights

All seasons Albania 7 days cultural tour from Tirana. Monterrasol Travel tour use small group minivan. Discovery tour across hidden gem of Balkans: UNESCO sites, fortresses, monasteries.

We welcome you to travel across Albania, the hidden gem of Balkans, with all seasons 7 days discovery tour from Tirana. With this cultural tour we going to visit UNESCO sites, fortresses, monasteries, beaches, and admire nature and scenic roads of this Balkan country.

The tour will firstly come to Kruje, famous for its historical center, medieval old town and fortress. Next, we will see ancient theater in Durres, come to Berat (UNESCO World Heritage Site), called as town of thousand windows, and admire the view from Berat fortress, visit archaeological site Apollonia (UNESCO Tentative List site), see Tepelene fortress, come to see historical center of town Gjirokaster (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Here in Gjirokaster we will walk in Ottoman fortress and see local museum.

From Gjirokaster we will come to coast, to see archaeological site Butrint (UNESCO World Heritage Site), and on the way to Sarande will see coastal town Ksamil and Lekuresi fortress.

At the next day we going to take a road along the coastal line, to see medieval fortresses Borsh and Himare, at summer time take splash in the see on some sandy beach on the way, and before arriving to Vlore we will pass a famous scenic road over Ceraunian Mountains along the Albanian Riviera, called Llogara pass.

After night in Vlore, we will see St Mary's monastery, Ardenica monastery, at summer time will come to swim in Divjake beach.

The tour will start and finish in Tirana (Albania) and will take 7 days (6 nights). During this tour you will visit Krujë, Durrës, Berat, Apollonia, Tepelenë, Gjirokastër, Sarandë, Butrint, Ksamil, Lëkurësi, Borsh, Himarë, Llogara pass, Vlorë, Ardenica, Divjakë located in Albania.

We will pick you up at any hotel or place, in or around Tirana. Drop off is the same as pick up, or upon request in another place.

Overall, with this tour you will visit 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites and 2 sites from the UNESCO Tentative List (sites that were submitted to the World Heritage Committee, and are awaiting to consider for nomination, and therefore suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List).

This page describes details of the multi-day small group car tour #729 offered by Monterrasol Travel. We, Monterrasol Travel, are an independent tour operator specialized in cultural and destination tourism. This sightseeing tour has been developed by Monterrasol Travel for small groups travelers based on our own experiences and belongs to the group of car tours with pre-designed itineraries. If you like this tour but you would like to change something, please do not hesitate to contact us and mention the ID number of this tour: #729. The custom itinerary will cost you nothing, it's free from our side.

We, at Monterrasol Travel, practice the Slow Tourism philosophy. That means that we work our tours at a pace that allows to our clients have a more authentic experience and a true exploring of each destination that features in our itineraries.

This small group tour is available for solo travelers as well. Please contact us for details.

We provide for this tour a special discount for pensioners (seniors citizens).

Border crossing for this trip

This tour does not require border crossing.

Money and payments

In each country of your trip you can use main credit and debit cards. You can use ATM to withdrawal cash or pay at purchase point with card. More information on currencies, payments, and use cards you can read on this our page: On the trip: currencies, payments, card use.

Last reviewed: 1 May 2022

Tour itinerary

Tour starts in: Tirana, Albania

day 1: travel to Kruje, visit Kruje fortress, visit Kruje museum, travel to Durres to see Durres ancient theatre (UNESCO Tentative List Site); accommodation in Durres

day 2: travel to Berat, visit Berat historical center (UNESCO World Heritage Site), visit Berat fortress, visit Berat museum; accommodation in Berat

day 3: travel to Apollonia, visit Apollonia archaeological site (UNESCO Tentative List Site), travel to Tepelene to see Tepelene fortress, travel to Gjirokaster to see Gjirokaster historical center (UNESCO World Heritage Site); accommodation in Gjirokaster

day 4: visit Gjirokaster fortress, visit Gjirokaster museum, travel to Lekuresi to see Lekuresi fortress; travel to Sarande for accommodation

day 5: travel to Butrint, visit Butrint archaeological site (UNESCO World Heritage Site), travel to Ksamil to see Ksamil coastal town, travel to Sarande to see Sarande promenade; accommodation in Sarande

day 6: travel to Borsh, visit Borsh fortress, travel to Himare to see Himare fortress, travel to Llogara pass to see Llogara pass scenic road; travel to Vlore for accommodation

day 7: travel to Vlore St Mary's, visit Vlore St Mary's monastery, travel to Ardenica to see Ardenica monastery, travel to Divjake to see Divjake beach; return to Tirana

Tour finishes in: Tirana, Albania

Planned distance of this tour: 796 km.

How to understand if this itinerary is good for you? Read our advice: what is a good itinerary for a multi-day tour!

If you like this small group tour and itinerary but you would like to change something, please do not hesitate to contact us and mention the ID number of this tour: #729. We do not charge for development a custom car tour itinerary, it will cost you nothing. We will be glad to discuss with you the details of your future trip and plan it following your ideas and wishes.

Visited places during the tour

Our tour will pass several towns and places along the route. Each town and place has something to offer from a tourist's point of view. We will stop in each place and explore its attractions. The exact attractions for each place or town can be seen in the tour's itinerary.

Here is the list of places visited during this tour, in the order they appear in the itinerary.

Krujë (Kruje), Albania

Known for castle, historical center, museum

Kruje, a town in Albania, is located only 20 km north from the capital of Albania, Tirana. The town is well know within centuries, especially as the center of rebellion against the Ottoman Empire. Nowadays the town Kruje is important center of tourism in Albania. The main attraction of the town is Kruje castle.

Durrës (Durres), Albania

Known for archaeological site, architecture, beach, marina, venetian empire; ancient theatre is a UNESCO Tentative List Site

Durrës (also known under Italian name Durazzo), historically known as Epidamnos and Dyrrachium, is the second most populous city of the Republic of Albania. Located on the Adriatic Sea, it is the country's most ancient and economic and historic center.

Berat, Albania

Known for architecture, bridge, byzantine empire, castle, historical center, medieval old town, museum, river, venetian empire; historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Berat is the ninth largest city by population of the Republic of Albania. Berat, UNESCO World Heritage Site from 2008, comprises a unique style of architecture with influences from several civilizations that have managed to coexist for centuries throughout the history. Like many cities in Albania, Berat comprises an old fortified city filled with churches and mosques painted with grandiose wealth of visible murals and frescos. Berat is one of the main cultural centers of the country.

Apollonia, Albania

Known for ancient theatre, archaeological site, museum, orthodox monastery; archaeological site is a UNESCO Tentative List Site

Apollonia was an ancient Greek city located in the Fier County, in modern-day Albania. The Museum of Apollonia (also called Fier Archaeological Museum) contains artifacts unearthed from the ancient Apollonia. Apollonia flourished in the Roman period and was home to a renowned school of philosophy, but began to decline in the 3rd century AD when its harbor started silting up as a result of an earthquake. It was abandoned by the end of Late Antiquity. Apollonia is UNESCO Tentative List site.

Tepelenë (Tepelene), Albania

Known for castle

Tepelene is a historic town well know as the birth place of Ali Pasha, Vizier of Ioannina (1741-1822). The castle, completed in 1819, was built by Ali Pasha to enclose his palaces, is the most important monument in Tepelene.

Gjirokastër (Gjirokaster), Albania

Known for fortress, historical center, medieval old town, museum, viewpoint; historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania, in a valley between mountains, at 300 metres above sea level. Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, described as ＂a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town, built by farmers of large estate＂. The city is overlooked by Gjirokastër Fortress.

Sarandë (Sarande), Albania

Known for beach, coastal town, fortress, marina, promenade, ruines, viewpoint, orthodox monastery

Butrint, Albania

Known for ancient theatre, archaeological site, fortress, park; archaeological site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Butrint was an ancient Greek and later Roman town and bishopric in Epirus. It declined in Late Antiquity, before being abandoned during the Middle Ages after a major earthquake flooded most of the town. Today it is an archaeological site in Albania, close to the Greek border. The town is considered as one of the most important archaeological sites in Albania. On the strength of the immense wealth of cultural, historical and natural value with a considerable history, Butrint was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992 and further a National Park in 2000.

Ksamil, Albania

Known for beach, coastal town

Lëkurësi (Lekuresi), Albania

Known for castle, viewpoint

Lekuresi castle is a ruined castle in Lekuresi, southern Albania. The 16th century castle is located on a strategic hill point overlooking the town of Sarande, southeast of the town center.

Borsh, Albania

Known for beach, castle, coastal town, fortress, viewpoint

Borsh is a maritime village in the Albanian Riviera, in the Vlore County of Albania. The village is inhabited by Albanians many of whom have traditionally been Bektashi people. Borsh Castle (also known as Sopot Castle) is a picturesque ruined castle dates back to Antiquity, used in Roman times, by Byzantine empire, and Ottomans. The walls of the castle, which follow the ancient fortifications, survive.

Himarë (Himare), Albania

Known for beach, castle, coastal town, viewpoint

Himare is a bilingual coastal town in Southern Albania along the Albanian Riviera. The town mostly is populated predominantly by an ethnic Greek community. Himare is one of the top summer destinations in Albania. The medieval fortress Himara (historical center of the town, otherwise known as Himara Castle) contains ruins which testify to an uninterrupted presence of local Illyrian-Albanian residents for more than 3500 years.

Llogara pass, Albania

Known for scenic road, viewpoint

The Llogara pass is a high mountain road within the Ceraunian Mountains along the Albanian Riviera. The road itself is a steep zigzagging road on the southern end of the mountains and is 1027 meters above sea level. The pass is the highest point on the main coastal road between Vlore and Sarande and is 31.5 km long.

Vlorë (Vlore), Albania

Known for beach, castle, coastal town, museum, seaport, orthodox monastery

Ardenica, Albania

Known for viewpoint, orthodox monastery

Divjakë (Divjake), Albania

Known for beach, coastal town, lagoon, nature, park

Divjake town is located in Fier County Albania, and famous for its magnificent mountain scenery and turquoise waters of an incredible deep color. The vast majority of beaches in Divjake are located within or near settlements. These beaches have their own charm and can offer a fun and comfortable way to enjoy the sun and surf.

#729 Tour map

Tour starts in: Tirana, Albania

day 1: Kruje fortress, Kruje museum, Durres ancient theatre; accommodation in Durres
day 2: Berat historical center, Berat fortress, Berat museum; accommodation in Berat
day 3: Apollonia archaeological site, Tepelene fortress, Gjirokaster historical center; accommodation in Gjirokaster
day 4: Gjirokaster fortress, Gjirokaster museum, Lekuresi fortress; accommodation in Sarande
day 5: Butrint archaeological site, Ksamil coastal town, Sarande promenade; accommodation in Sarande
day 6: Borsh fortress, Himare fortress, Llogara pass scenic road; accommodation in Vlore
day 7: Vlore St Mary's monastery, Ardenica monastery, Divjake beach; return to Tirana

Tour finishes in: Tirana, Albania

Planned distance of this tour: 796 km.

Availability of this tour

Please check below for the availability of this small group tour for a specific month and year. In addition, for this tour, a 14 days cut-off period is in effect.

Of course, you are always welcome to contact us with questions about availability.

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