Test Tour

After the breakfast continue the guided tour of Berat, upper part. Kalaja (fortress) quarter stands on the top of the Magalemi hill and is enclosed by a fortification wall that dates to the IV century BC. The town has several XV century mosques, very well decorated and a very large numbers of Byzantine orthodox churches. Several of the churches has frescoes by the well-known painter Onufri and his school and from other later famous schools of frescos and icons of the Balkan area. Of particular interest are: The icons museum located in the old cathedral church of the Castle and the Ethnographic Museum hosted in an old house in the Mangalem quarter. After the visit drive towards the Archaeological Park of Apollonia founded in 588 BC - walking tour of the park of Apollonia. the beginning of the VII century BC. by Greek colons coming by the cities of Corinth and Corcyra. Apollonia became an emporium of merchandising between Greeks an Illyrians and was taken by Aristotle as a model in his analysis of oligarchy due to the distinct and separate Greek and Illyrian communities. The city prospered very much in roman times. It was a vital stronghold in Caesar’s civil war with Pompey and important in early Christian history as the resident bishop attended the councils of Ephesus and Chalkis in 431 and 451. The discovered monuments on the site are the fortification wall of the city, the Prytaneon, the Bouleuterion, the big and small Stoas, the Odeion, the Theatre, the Nymphaeum and many more. The museum of Apollonia is hosted in the nearby monastery of the XIV century when can be visit also the Church of St. Mary. Continue to Vlora and panoramic tour of the city. Leave towards the Albanian Riviera. After 1 hr drive, we will reach firstly the National Park of Llogara. We will continue our tour that will bring us through the woods following the same paths that Julius Cesar together with his army followed to reach the ancient city of Apollonia where he fought his rival Pompeu’s. Here we will enjoy a walk with breathtaking views and wonderful nature. The Llogaraja National Park takes its name from the passage with the same name which, is over 1000 meters in height and extend along the road that from the city of Vlore goes toward the south of the country. This impressive panoramic Ionian Road was built by Mussolini in the Thirties. The park is characterized by a wild and untouched nature where the peaks of the “Malet Vetetimes” or the Mountains of the Lightings, are often surrounded by clouds and so much more evocative. The breathtaking views enjoyed from the park, especially on the side where the hills fall abruptly into the sea below. Albanian Ionian Riviera dubbed by some as “the last secret of Europe”, boasts stunning Mediterranean beaches of the Ionian coast. It’s a stretch of coastline between Vlore and Sarande in south-west Albania. This is the most beautiful part of the coast in Albania and one of the most beautiful areas in the whole Ionian Sea. The road goes through breathtaking scenery, with mountains rising dramatically up from the coast and the deep blue sea shimmering in the sunlight. The Ionian coast here is very rugged, with rocky coves along the narrow coastal strip and steep mountains rising almost straight up along much of its length. The sea along this part of the coast has clear blue water and the beaches are usually made of small pebbles, but there are also many sandy ones, especially in the south. In Llogara we’ll make a yoghurt stop to taste the local yoghurt served with honey. Stop at “The Gulf of Porto Palermo” for a visit at the Fortress of Ali Pasha Tepelena situated on an attractive island. Arrival in Saranda for dinner and overnight.

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After the breakfast will be visiting the UNESCO site of Butrint. Butrint: is a National Park that includes a very well-preserved archaeological area, an uncontaminated vegetation area of Mediterranean maquis, and has also a lake that is connected to the Ionian Sea by a natural channel. The wetlands around the lake are shelter for different animals and aquatic species in danger of extinction. The excavations and studies have proved that during the VII and the VI centuries BC. Butrint was a protourban centre. By the V century BC Butrint has got the full form of an ancient city. During the VI century the city was equipped with new buildings such as the theatre, the agora, temple and the stoa. The complex of the sanctuary of Asclepius forms the most magnificent part of the city. The main importance and magnificence of the Site was in the Roman period when the city was proclaimed a Roman Colony and used by the roman aristocracy as a holiday destination. Even during late antiquity Butrint maintained its importance. The construction of the Great Basilica and of the baptistery dates to this period. The baptistery has the floor surface covered by a mosaic decoration of a very fine processing, which is very well preserved. After visiting Butrint we’ll take a short drive to Ksamil for some free time to enjoy the magnificent scenery. Continue towards the UNESCO town Gjirokastra. En route visit of the water spring of Blue Eye declared a Monument of Nature. Arrival in Gjirokastra where we’ll have a free later afternoon to relax and enjoy the town with its perks. Dinner and overnight in Gjirokastra.

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