Albania holidays, small group tour
Optional single supplement from £200 - £220.
Minimum age 16.
Description of Albania holidays, small group tour
Enjoy a ten day cultural tour around this highly underrated Mediterranean country. You'll find it packed with Byzantine and Roman history, just as its neighbouring Greece is, and yet so much further off the cultural tourist’s radar. As well as its ancient civilisations, architecture and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Albania also has its own Alps, known as the Accursed Mountains, with remote villages bearing little change since times when blood feuds were the norm and small family farms tucked into exquisite valleys still are.
During this Albania holiday we travel in a circuit, starting in the capital city of Tirana where Italian architecture, Ottoman minarets, mosques and crumbling communist remnants sit side by side. You can see all of its history just walking down one street. From here, we head south taking in a mixture of military heritage, such as the ancient fortress at Elbasan or the National Museum of Weapons located in Gjirokaster fort, located ominously on a remote mountain slope. Most impressively of all things militia, however, is the mediaeval citadel of Krujë.
There is some extraordinary natural heritage to explore as well. We spend some time at Pogradec on the shores of the great Lake Ohrid, surrounded by mountains. We enjoy mountain villages such as Ersekë, enveloped by the luscious green slopes of the Gramos Mountains and also visit the ‘Blue Eye’, famous for its seven natural springs that come to the surface here. And we also take time to enjoy the Mediterranean climes by sauntering and swimming at Porto Palermo Bay.
Every day is different on this trip, and along the way we not only stay in small locally owned guesthouses that are still unchanged by the modern face of tourism, but also enjoy local food and wine, this aspect of Albanian culture another of Europe’s well kept secrets. In fact, Albania is still one big hidden secret when it comes to tourism, and so the feeling is generally one of ‘get in quick’, before the word gets out.
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Optional single supplement from £200 - £220.
Minimum age 16.
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Reviews
23 Reviews of Albania holidays, small group tour
In depth story review
Reviewed on 01 Jul 2024 by Anne Eglin
Our guide and driver ((Edjon and Medi) were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and interesting and responded to the needs of the whole group. Read full reviewReviewed on 01 Jul 2024 by Murray And Lena Rutherford
Most memorable was a lunch that we had at a village (Dhoksat) at a private home on day 5. Read full reviewReviewed on 22 Apr 2024 by John O Donovan
It was a really good group Artur was a wonderful guide, knowable and passionate about Albania and Lilo our driver was a great driver and good humored too. location and quality of the hotels was excellent. Read full reviewReviewed on 27 Oct 2023 by Kathryn Heirons
Overall it was a great holiday which covered the majority of Albania. The places visited were varied in size and history. It was very interesting and exceeded expectations. Albania was much more suitable for a holiday than I expected. Read full reviewReviewed on 23 Oct 2023 by Jane Richards
Visiting gjirokaster. Our tour guide, Edi, was great! Read full reviewReviewed on 02 Oct 2019 by Frona Hall
The whole trip was so informative and interesting made more so by the most fantastic and knowledgeable guide. Read full reviewReviewed on 01 Oct 2019 by Helen Preston
An truly excellent and memorable tour with a great group. We knew little about beautiful Albania, but returned home having learnt so much, seen so much and experienced so much. Read full reviewReviewed on 05 Nov 2019 by Susan Ring
The most memorable part of the holiday was visiting Butrint National Park and the village of Voskopoja. Read full reviewReviewed on 25 Jul 2019 by Frances Meyer
the most memorable part of the holiday was the mountain villages and towns, wonderful icons, Roman excavations, swimming in Lake Ohrid and the Mediterranean Read full reviewReviewed on 09 Jul 2018 by Neeta Bhadauria
The whole trip was fascinating. Everywhere we went in Albania was amazing. Some highlights were the farmhouse luncheon in the mountains, Blue Eye Spring, the archaeological sites... the lake resort at Podredec … to name a few. Read full reviewReviewed on 17 Oct 2018 by Rod Kantor
Good...Overall the itinerary was fine but it could be enhanced. Read full reviewReviewed on 16 Sep 2017 by Anne Higgins
Loved walking around the Spa town of Vrnjacka Banja in Serbia. Would liked to have stayed here overnight. Read full reviewReviewed on 25 Apr 2017 by Tony Barker
We loved Albania so it is hard to think of one memorable part but the visits to the Blue eye, Gjirokaster, Butrint & Berat stand out. Read full reviewReviewed on 19 Apr 2017 by Kay Emblen-Perry
A brilliant experience. Fun, educational and eye-opening. Read full reviewReviewed on 16 Sep 2015 by Theodore John Levin
I feel that it supported local conservations in terms of restricting visitor numbers to archaeological sites, local museums. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet
How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.• By travelling in a small group we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• We encourage guests to make donations when visiting cultural landmarks such as the National History Museum, as this contributes towards the upkeep of these sites.
• We rewild 100 square metres per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
Tips for sustainable travel on this trip
• Leave no trace: we do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: please bring a re-usable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.
People
How this trip helps improve life for local communities.• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• We have a homecooked meal in the traditional village of Dhoksat.
• We include visits to local bazaars such as Gjirokaster, Korca, and Kruje which is a great way to support the local economies and for guests to get a real taste of life in these locations.
• We visit Voskopoja Village (formerly known as Moskopole) which is an important and well-known centre of art where many talented Albanian painters chose to practice their profession.
• Our local partner is always trying to operate with the locals and wider communities in mind. They have fundraised within their organisation and with their partners to help children with learning disabilities, providing school materials for a day care centre on the outskirts of Tirana.
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