Your day will start with a transfer towards the Historic town of Kruja. The town of Kruja rises 560 meters above sea level, on the slopes of Sari-Salltiku Mountain. It provides to the visitors the great view of majestic landscape and a rich collection of historical and cultural objects. The most important is the castle of Kruja, which was built during the 5th and 6th centuries and has an elliptical shape.
Our tour will start with a walk through the old bazaar of Kruja where people still sell carpets or other hand-made souvenirs just like they did in the medieval times. Continuing through the old bazaar the road goes up to the entrance of the medieval castle, the main fort of Scanderbeg and the main stronghold of the struggle of the Albanians against the huge Ottomans. Once inside the Castle our visit will continue first to the Scanderbeg Museum dedicated to the Albanian National Hero and then to the Ethnographic Museum where you will learn the way people in this region used to live and work during the 17-18 century. Once the visit of the museum is finished, you will be given free time at the old bazaar to stroll by yourself and shopping.
After the visit of Kruja you will have lunch with traditional food and pies especially cooked for you in the old town of Kruja. After a tasteful lunch you will be transferred back to Shkodra.
After meeting with the guide and embarking on the jeeps you will be transferred to Theth, a small village in the heart of the Albanian Alps. Theth is a community in the Shalë municipality, Shkodër District, northern Albania. The community is at the centre of the Theth National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty which covers an area of 2,630 hectares and is located along the Theth River. The main attractions in the park are the Grunas Waterfall.
This exciting off-road excursion in search of adventure, will allow you to cover parts of northern Albania and appreciate sights that most visitors never get to discover. We’ll drive on dirt roads off the beaten track, through mountains into the heart of Albanian Alps, learning the real life of the rural part of the small but charming country of Albania. Once arrived in Theth, you will firstly visit Grunas waterfall, the canions of Theth and the lock in tower.
After the visits you will have lunch a guest house and enjoy the wonderful view that the wild nature in Theth offers to you. After lunch you will drive back towards Shkodra for 135 minutes for the end of your jorney.
After meeting with the guide and driver you will start the tour in Shkodra. Shkodra, also internationally known as Scutari and Skadar, is the largest city of the Northern Albania and administrative centre of the region. It is located surrounded by mountains on one side and on the shores of the largest lake in the Balkans on the other. The city was well known through history, since the time of the Illyrian kingdoms.
Agron, Teuta and Gent had Shkodra (named Skodra by that time) as their capital. Many other strongholds stood in the area but the Castle of Rozafa is the dominating one. The city lived through ages as always being an important city in the area for the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire and as well during the 20th century.
Your journey starts with the famous Castle of Rozafa. The legend says that the wife of the younger brother of the three brothers that build the castle was sacrificed for the castle to build up strong but half of her body was left out of the wall to take care of her new born son. The Rozafa Castle was the most important stronghold of the Illyrian kingdoms of Ardians, located up the hill overlooking rivers Buna and Drin and the whole plain fields.
After the visit of the city you will go in downtown Shkodra, in the main promenade, famous for a delightful walk for which Shkodra is known. During the walk you can see the main sights of Shkodra including the Democracy Square, the many fountains and monuments in the city, etc. The Ebu Beker Mosque, the Orthodox Cathedral and the Catholic Cathedral of Shkodra are as well good places to visit in Shkodra, as being one of the cities with the best combination of religions in Albania. After the visit of Shkodra city center and the castle your next destination will be the Museum of Memories. A museum in honor of the victims of the communist regime.
30 minutes free time at your leisure before the end of your jorney.
After meeting with your guide you will drive towards Ulcinj (Montenegro) for approximately 90 minutes. Ulcinj is an ancient seaport. The wider area of Ulcinj has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, based on dating of Illyrian tombs found in the village of Zogaj, in the vicinity of Ulcinj. The town is believed to have been founded in the 5th century BC by colonists from Colchis, as mentioned in the 3rd century BC poem by Apollonius of Rhodes.
Illyrians lived in the region at the time as there are traces of immense Cyclopean walls still visible in the old citadel. In 1867, Ulcinj became a kaza of the Iskodra sanjak of Rumeli veyalet. After the Congress of Berlin in 1878, borders between Montenegro and the Ottoman Empire were redrawn, with Ulcinj becoming part of Montenegro.
Although prepared to cede Plav, Gusinje and the Albanian villages of Grude, Hoti and Kastrati, Turkey still wanted to retain Ulqinj. Ultimately Montenegro, supported by Gladstone and others from western Europe, resisted and on 30 November 1880 the town became de jure part of the Montenegro which achieved recognition, but de facto only in 1880 after Great Powers occupation.
Once arrived in Ulcinj you will visit the old town, the castle and the city center. Finished in Ulcinj you will be transferred in Ada Bojana Park where you will admire the beautiful nature, excellent food and sea view panorama.
After lunch you will be transferred back to Shkodra for the end of your journey.
After meeting with the guide, you will be transferred for 120 minutes towards Tirana. Tirana is the capital of the Republic of Albania, with a population of just over 700,000, lies at the foot of Dajti Mountain (1612 m) at 110 m above sea level. The region of Tirana has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. Tirana was founded in 1614 when, under the care of Sulejman Pasha Mulleti, the first settlement was built. It consisted of a mosque, bath-house (Hamam), a bakery and some shops. Today Tirana is the main administrative, economical, art and culture centre.
The visit of Tirana starts with the National historical museum, which shows everything about Albania history, from ancient times to the modern. Next the visit will continue on foot with the Scanderbeg Square, a monument dedicated to the National Hero of Albania. From the center you will be able to see the main boulevard, main administrative buildings, National Bank of Albania and the Et'hem Bey mosque that is one of the most beautiful mosques in Albania which is located nearby the Museum.
Finishing the visits Tirana, you will continue on foot entering the "Block area" towards Sky Tower Restaurant where you will have lunch overlooking all Tirana from the 15th floor of the Restaurant. With nice memories on your head, you will be transferred back to Shkodra for the end of your journey.
After meeting with your guide we will choose our bicycles and for 15 minutes you will be given information about the road that we will follow and precautions along the way. After settling everything we will cycle towards Rozafa castle for approximately 30 minutes.
The legend says that the wife of the younger brother of the three brothers that build the castle was sacrificed for the castle to build up strong but half of her body was left out of the wall to take care of her new born son. The Rozafa Castle was the most important stronghold of the Illyrian kingdoms of Ardians, located up the hill overlooking rivers Buna and Drin and the whole
plain fields.
After the visit of the castle you will return through the same way back to the city center of Shkodra where a visit will follow to the main sights, the city center, Ebu Beker mosque, catholic cathedral, the venetian style promenade etc.
After finishing with the visit of the city center, you will have 30 minutes free time at your leisure before the end of your journey.
After meeting with your guide you will start the visit of Shkodra on foot. This tour introduces you to the age-old city of Shkodra, a metropolis shaped like a diamond, and nestled between the Albanian Alps, a vast lake, and a long, sandy beach. One of the oldest cities in Europe, Shkodra has passed hands many times since its 4th century BC origins.
Your walking tour of the place will include a visit to Rozafa Castle, which was originally an Illyrian fortress until it was captured by the Romans, and then seized by the Ottomans. The first visit will be the city center of Shkodra where you will visit the Italian style promenade, Ebu Beker mosque, Catholic cathedral etc. After the city center you will walk toward Rozafa castle for approximately 1 hour. The legend says that the wife of the younger brother of the three brothers that build the castle was sacrificed for the castle to build up strong but half of her body was left out of the wall to take care of her new born son.
The Rozafa Castle was the most important stronghold of the Illyrian kingdoms of Ardians, located up the hill overlooking rivers Buna and Drin and the whole plain fields.
After the visit of the castle you will walk from the castle down to the city center for the end of your journey.
After meeting with your guide you will drive for approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes towards Cetinje. Montenegro is a small country in the western Balkans, now growing up as a leading country in the beach tourism.
The history of Montenegro as a state is not so old but the lands where Montenegro is today once were parts of the Illyrian kingdoms and inhabited by Illyrian tribes of Labeatis and Ardians, most notably by King Agron and Queen Teuta. They were part of Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire until the Slavic tribes settled in this area. They created small kingdoms in the area.
Montenegro was not noted for much during the past until in the beginnings of 20th century when became part of Yugoslavia and for the rest of the century had very close relationships with Serbia. It was declared independent in 2006. Cetinje is a city and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro with the official residence of the President of Montenegro. It had a population of 13,991 as of 2011. It is the centre of Cetinje Municipality.
The city nestles on a small karst plain surrounded by limestone mountains, including Mt. Lovcen, the Black Mountain from which Montenegro gets its name. Cetinje is a town of immense historical heritage, founded in the 15th century. It became the center of Montenegrin life and both a cradle of Montenegrin culture and an Orthodox religious center. It is because of its heritage as a long-term Montenegrin capital that it is today the honorary capital of Montenegro.
Among other you will visit the old town city center, Serbian Orthodox Monastery, the palace of king Nikola which today is a museum etc. After the visit of Centinje you will drive toward Kotor where you will have lunch. After lunch you will be transferred in Shkodra, for approximately 2.5 hours drive for the end of your journey.