Maestral travel agency Croatia – Balkan adventure 11 nights/12 days

Day 1. Shkodra

After meeting and greeting with the guide, we will drive from the airport to Shkodra – the old town is the gateway to the Albanian Alps. In Shkodra we will visit the Rozafa Castle and admire the superb view of the Shkoder Lake surrounded by mountains. In the evening, we will relax in town and take a stroll around the pedestrian area, nicely aligned with beautiful houses of Italian architecture.

Day 2. MONTENEGRIN HIGHLIGHTS

A short transfer will bring us to the border crossing of Montenegro, followed by a scenic drive along the mountains that align the Adriatic coast. We will pas the historic sites of Sv. Naum and Budva, for than reaching the majestic old town of Kotor, located at a secluded niche of the splendid bay of Kotor – a ria that resembles Norwegian fjords. We will take our time to visit the charming old town and sections of the ancient fortifications, prior to lunch.

In the afternoon we will head towards the mountains and stop to visit Cetinje, the historic and honorary capital of Montenegro, surrounded by the Lovçen mountains, and get to know about its incredible role in the Montenegrin cultural heritage. We will than drive through Podgorica the modern capital, and get into Albania again following the shores of Lake Shkodra, for dinner and overnight.

Day 3. BOAR TRIP LAKE KOMAN/ Charming ‘Qarshia’

Very early in the morning we will drive to catch the ferry at the docks of Komani Lake, for a great boat trip through the spectacular fjord-like canyon of river Drin. The lake formed after the construction of the Komani dam in the 80s. Upon arrival in Fierze, we will take a local van to reach the Valley of Valbona, the prettiest of the Albanian Alps, and enjoy a traditional lunch. We are surrounded by steep summits of great beauty that we will admire during a leisure walk. In late afternoon we will cross another not to distant border and enter in Kosovo, where we will check in a hotel, next to the pedestrian area of ‘Qarshia’ that we can explore on foot in the evening, immersed in an atmosphere of strong Ottoman allure.

Day 4. MONASTERY OF DECAN, RAHOVEC WINERIES AND PRIZREN

A short drive will bring us to the gorge of Deçan where we will visit the majestic Monastery of Visoki Deçan. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Kosovo’s most important cultural monuments, and an astonishing example of Orthodox inheritance. Later we will drive to the green hills covered in vines of Rahovec, to have wine tasting and lunch in one of the wineries of this renown area. In the afternoon we will reach Prizren, the best-preserved historic town of Kosovo, dominated by the ancient fortress on top of the hill and buildings of the Ottoman era, and spend an interesting evening learning about the rich history of the place.

Day 5. THE SHARR MOUNTAINS – CANYON OF MATKA

After breakfast, we will start a particularly scenic drive that will lead us to the alpine heights of Prevala Pass, that allow for amazing views on the numerous peaks of the Sharr Mountain chain. We will descend in the greenness of wonderful forests and stop for refreshment in the Serbian enclave of Strpce, for than continuing on the road and entering in Macedonia where we will have lunch in the town of Tetovo, and visit its distinct colorful mosque as well. In the afternoon we will drive to the Canyon of Matka, a picturesque site of great beauty, before reaching Skopje the capital, and take a walking tour of the center’s monuments, Stone Bridge, Mother Theresa’s house, followed by dinner in a traditional restaurant and overnight.

Day 6. SKOPLJE AND BITOLA

In the morning we will visit the Kale Fortress and the Old Town/Bazaar before, we head south-east inland, to reach the famous archaeological site of Stobi. In antiquity this was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia, due to its strategic location on the routes from Danube to the Aegean Sea. On the way we will stop for lunch with an option of wine tasting, in the famous Tikves Winery. After the visit, we will drive to reach our next stop, Bitola. The town had an important administrative and cultural role, from pre-history through the modern ages. We will spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the relaxed Balkan’s atmosphere of the pedestrian ‘Shirok Sokak’.

Day 7. GALICICA NATIONAL PARK AND ST. NAUM

The day will start with a walk through the fruit and vegetables market, followed by a visit of the nearby archaeological site of Heraclea and its renown mosaics. Afterwards, we will drive to the shore of Lake Prespa and higher up in the Galiçica National Park. We will stop on the way to enjoy amazing view over Ohrid Lake and surrounding mountains stretching all the way in Albania. The highest peak of mountain Galicica that separates Ohrid and Prespa Lake, offers a memorable view of the ocean-blue waters of both lakes simultaneously. Descending towards Lake Ohrid, we will stop to visit the Monastery St. Naum, located in a picturesque bay of the lake. After the visit, we will take the boat and enjoy a boat trip until the harbor of Ohrid, where we will relax and have a pleasant evening at the waterfront.

Day 8. OHRID

We will spend the entire day to discover picturesque Ohrid – an important UNESCO World Heritage Site, at the shore of the homonymous lake, ranked as the deepest of the Balkans. In the city’s compact old town, medieval churches, monasteries and open-air ruins stand alongside traditional houses with red-tiled roofs. A guided tour on foot, as the old town is mostly pedestrian, will bring us to visit the main attractions such as Samoil’s Fortress, Sveti Joan Kameo and St.Sophia churches. The afternoon will be left free to explore at own pace the narrow streets of the Old Town lined with restaurants and cafés perfectly suited to relax in the cool evenings.

Day 9. VALLEY OF SHKUMBIN AND ELBASAN

Leaving the city of Ohrid, we will stop in neighboring Struga, the city of poetry. We will take a walk, through old traditional houses that symbolize the beauty of the past and stop to gaze at the Black Drin springs. Later, we will continue our transfer towards the Albanian border and enjoy a scenic drive through the Valley of Shkumbin, that in antiquity was an important section of the Roman Via Egantia. Our transfer ends in Elbasan, the city at the very center of Albania that had an important role through the Ottoman era. Here we will visit the old town inside the fortified citadel, and a relaxing stroll in the pedestrian area, followed by dinner in a traditional restaurant and overnight in hotel.

Day 10. TIRANA

After breakfast we will cross the tunnel under the mountains of Kerraba and access the rural areas in proximity of Tirana. We will stop and visit the Petrela fortress. A short hike up an easy pathway looping around the hillside gets you in this dramatically set 15th-century hilltop castle. Our transfer continues towards the lively, colorful Tirana, the beating heart of Albania, where we will visit the National Museum of History, followed by lunch in a traditional restaurant. In the afternoon we will have a tour of the city’s grand boulevards, lined with fascinating relics of its Ottoman, Italian and communist past – ranging from delicate minarets to loud socialist murals.

Day 11. MORE TIRANA – Mount Dajti and The Bunk Art

This morning we will take a short transfer to take the Cable car ride up to mountain Dajti, for a leisure walk in the park. Later we will relax and enjoy the traditional cuisine in a mountain restaurant accompanied by panoramic views on Tirana and the hills that stretch to the Adriatic coast. On our transfer back, we will stop and visit Bunk Art, from a massive cold war bunker on the outskirts of Tirana into a history and contemporary art museum.

Free time to enjoy the city.

Day 12. DEPARTURE

Free time followed by departure.

Tour includes: