Arrival at Mother Teresa airport. After the procedures, meet with the guide and transfer in Tirana. If there is time, visit of the “Block area”. In communist time it was a restricted residential area for the Albanian political elite and ordinary people were not allowed to enter. After the fall of communism, it has changed dramatically and many bars, restaurants, shops were opened. There you can still find the residence of Enver Hoxha and the combination of the communist architecture with the new fancy buildings built in the recent years. Dinner can be in one of the restaurants in this place.
Overnight in Tirana.
This day will be dedicated to visiting some of the remaining communist building in the capital of Albania, Tirana. First visit will be in BunkArt 1, which used to be a cold war bunker in the outskirts of the city and it was turned recently into a big museum which gives a detailed background of Albania during the communist time. It was built in the 1970’s for the political elite and it covers an area of around 3000 square meters, spread over different floors. It shows perfectly the hysteria of the communist leaders to protect themselves in case of a possible attack or war. The rooms are used to tell the history of the dictator’s times through photographs, documents and items. Afterwards, time of lunch. After lunch, visit the main square of the city with some other typical buildings built during the communist time like the Palace of Culture, Tirana International hotel, National history museum and proceed in the main boulevard with the Arts’ Gallery, the famous Pyramid, the Palace of Congresses, the University building etc. The day will end with a visit in another building which is known as “the house of Leaves”, that was the building used as a security office for investigations during communism (for the secret police Sigurimi). “This museum is dedicated to those innocent people who were spied on, arrested, prosecuted, convicted and executed during the communist regime”, reads a sign at the entrance of the museum.
Overnight in Tirana.
After breakfast in the hotel depart towards Berat, a Unesco town. This town will impress you with the castle built on top of the hill overlooking all the surrounding area. Inside the castle visit “Onufri” museum, located in the cathedral “Dormition of St. Mary”. Enjoy a very well-preserved iconostasis and a dedicated area with Icons from Onufri and other icon-painters. Then descent to the lower part of the town to visit Mangalem and Gorica, two traditional neighborhoods to learn more of the typical architecture of this place. Lunch in Berat and proceed towards another Unesco site, the town of Gjirokastra. This town has a strong connection to the communist history because the ex-dictator was born here. Visit the ethnographic museum which stands on the site of the home of Enver Hoxha. The building was reconstructed in 1966 after the original house was destroyed by fire. The house was designed as a traditional model of Gjirokastra house and exhibits many household items, folk costumes and cultural art crafts typical of the 19th century city.
Overnight in Gjirokastra.
After breakfast, take a short tour on the cold war tunnels in Gjirokastra. The tunnels are empty but are atmospheric and give you a feeling of how these tunnels were and what they were used for. Then travel towards Butrint, one of the most famous ancient sites in the Balkans and is Unesco protected. It is located south of Albania approximately 20 km from the modern city of Saranda, has a special atmosphere created by a combination of archeology, monuments and nature in the Mediterranean. This site has been occupied since at least the 8th century BC although myths associated with its origin speak of the city’s foundation by Trojan exiles. By the 4th century BC a walled settlement was established, and then it was continuously inhabited and constructed in Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman times. Visit the theatre, the temple of Asclepius, the Baptistery, the big Basilica, the Venetian castle etc. Afterwards, travel to Vlora.
Overnight in Vlora.
This day we suggest a full day boat trip in Vlora and surroundings. First stop will be in Sazani island, the largest island in Albania and strategically located between the Strait of Otranto and the Bay of Vlora, forming the border between the Adriatic and Ionian Sea. Sazani was a former military base that still has bunkers and tunnels designed to withstand a nuclear attack. The island’s many trenches and tunnels show how much money was spent by the communist government fearing a Western invasion. Then travel near Pasha Liman submarine base, which was the only ex-soviet base in the Mediterranean in the 1950’s. If there is time, in the evening visit Zvernec island and Narta lagoon.
Overnight in Vlora.
Free day at the beach in Vlora (or nearby).
Overnight in Vlora.