The Balkans

Itinerary

• Days 1-2: Tirana (Albania)

  Begin your Albanian tour in the colorful capital, Tirana, admiring its eclectic architecture and fascinating communist relics. Visit the Bektashi World Center, headquarters of the liberal Bektashi order of Sufism, and meet with the founder of the Women’s Museum to discover Albanian women’s significant contributions to this country’s history.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Albania’s capital, brightly painted Tirana
  • Bektashi World Center, a religious complex housing the Bektashi dervish sect, a unique liberal order melding Shia and Sufi Islamic beliefs
  • Tirana Women’s Museum, established by Elsa Ballauri, director of the Albanian Human Rights Group and the She-Culture Project
• Days 3-5: Shkodra, Valbone

  Drive to one of Albania’s most notorious communist internment camps, Spac Prison, and listen to a firsthand account of life here from a former prisoner. Head to Lake Skadar and soak up the Italian ambiance of lakeside Shkodra, one of the oldest towns in Albania. Enjoy a day of hiking in the pristine Valbone Valley National Park, taking in the spectacular scenery of the secluded Albanian Alps.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Spac Prison, the most notorious of Albania’s communist internment camps created under President Enver Hoxha
  • Walking tour of Shkodra, nestled on the shores of Lake Skadar near the Adriatic Coast
  • Venice Art Mask Factory, where exquisitely detailed Venetian masks are fashioned by hand
  • Scenic ferry ride on Lake Koman, surrounded by lush hills and deep gorges
  • Hiking along ancient forested trails in the remote alpine mountains and valleys of Valbone Valley National Park
• Days 6-8: Kruja, Ohrid, Korce

  In Kruja, browse the medieval Turkish bazaar and visit a workshop that specializes in making traditional Albanian skullcaps called qeleshe. Explore the Albanian side of UNESCO-listed Lake Ohrid, and marvel at Korce’s impressive collection of thousands of medieval icons. Learn about Albania’s rich culinary heritage over a cooking class in a village home.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Kruja’s fortress, ethnographic museum, and medieval Turkish bazaar
  • Visit to a local qeleshe (skullcap) workshop
  • Pogradec’s ancient Illyrian fortress overlooking Lake Ohrid
  • Traditional lunch in Tushemisht Village of popular fish endemic to Lake Ohrid
  • Korce’s Museum of Medieval Art and its thousands of icons; first Albanian school
  • Meeting with priest at 18th-century Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, named for one of Albania’s most beloved saints
  • Cooking class in a village home in Boboshtica
• Days 9-10: Permet, Gjirokastra

  Spend a night in Permet, renowned for its folk music traditions and fiery raki alcoholic drink. Continue through the mountains to the UNESCO-listed Ottoman town of Gjirokastra, exploring its charming cobblestone streets and traditional tower houses (kule).

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Tasting of locally made fruit preserves and raki in Permet
  • Visit to a local school in Permet UNESCO-listed Gjirokastra, with its 13th century citadel and National Military Museum
  • Faithfully restored Ottoman-era Skenduli House, owned by same family since early 1700s
  • House Museum of Ismail Kadare, award-winning author and Albanian cultural icon
• Days 11-14: Butrint, Saranda, Berat, Tirana

  Make a stop at the 6th-century BC ruins of Butrint before dipping down to Saranda, dubbed “capital” of the lush Albanian Riviera. Drive along the breathtaking Ionian Coast to UNESCO-listed Berat, home to striking Ottoman mosques and the 13th-century Berat Castle, one of the Balkans’ best-preserved medieval citadels. Back in Tirana, witness the city’s exciting contemporary arts scene at the Bunk’Art Museum before celebrating the journey at a farewell dinner.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • UNESCO World Heritage Site of Butrint with its 2,500-year-old fortifications, 3rd century BC amphitheater, temples, public baths, and houses
  • Lake Butrint boat ride and mussel tasting – considered Albania’s best bivalves
  • Saranda, lively resort town on the Albanian Riviera
  • Berat, with one of the Balkans’ best-preserved medieval citadels, towering above the Old Town
  • Tirana’s Bunk’Art , a former secret underground atomic shelter that’s now a massive museum and contemporary arts space