Culinary Tour
Itinerary
Day 1: TIRANA
Meet at airport and transfer to Tirana where we take a driven tour of the capital’s major attractions including the colorful buildings. Welcome dinner is a traditional affair at one of the traditional restaurants in town, with a rustic setting and a first taste of Albania’s culinary delights. The cuisine of mid-Albania has strong Ottoman influences and therefore meats on charcoal grill, as well as grilled vegetables and yogurt sauces prevail. Overnight in Tirana.
DAY 2 - TIRANA – SHKODER
After breakfast drive to Shkodra the most important city in North Albania, set in a beautiful plateau in front of the largest lake in the Balkans. We will continue to Shkodra Lake and we have lunch baked Carp. For those not so keen on carp, there are plenty of other choices. Afterwards we continue to Shkodra a town with Italian and Austrian architectural influences. We will have such a delicious delicacy for our dinner at one of the best traditional restaurants.
DAY 3 - SHKODRA – KRUJA – DURRES
After breakfast we depart to Kruja – the center of Albanian resistance against the Turks under our National Hero Scanderbeg. We will visit some interesting sites such as the castle with its rich Scanderbeg and Ethnographic museums. After visits a traditional Albanian lunch with several specialties of the area at a restaurant in the castle including lamb and potatoes baked in an earth ware pot, and meat dessert, a unique desert of this region. Afterwards we continue to Durres for dinner and overnight.
DAY 4 - DURRES – BERAT (UNESCO)
After breakfast drive to Berat – a UNESCO town for its wonderful architecture. Just before arriving we stop at Cobo winery to taste one of the best Albanian wines. Here we visit the inhabited castle where many families still live within its walls, several small churches from the 15th century and the uniquely beautiful St. Mary’s church turned into Onufri museum, in honor of this great Albanian Icon master painter of the 16th century. Lunch in a traditional restaurant in Berat castle run by a family living in the castle, where home cooking will be experienced. After lunch free to explore further this wonderful town. Traditional dinner with Berat specialties’ at Mangalemi and overnight.
DAY 5 - BERAT – APOLLONIA – VLORA
We depart in Vlora. On the way we stop at the Monastery of Ardenica. Today inside the church you can see icon paintings of 1743-1745, by Albanian artists such as Konstandin and Athanos Zografi, as well as Konstandin Shpataraku. Afterwards proceed to the ancient city of Apollonia situated on the famous Via Egnatia – one of the most important cities in Roman times. The Roman Emperor Augustus Octavian studied here. A characteristic lunch of the Muzeqe region with small hens baked in the oven with rice will be had in traditional village restaurant. After lunch a visit of the site and continue to Vlora for overnight. Dinner will be a fresh seafood.
DAY 6 - VLORA – BUTRINT (UNESCO)– SARANDA
We continue to Saranda where a wonderful seafood lunch with, fish carpaccio, and fresh fish grilled awaits us. Afterwards we proceed visit the ancient city of Butrint a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city was first settled by Greek colonists and was continuously inhabited for centuries. It is considered the most important archeological site in Albania and the monuments it unveils in a beautiful peninsula among dense vegetation, are a live testimony of this. After visits return to Saranda, check in and relax at the hotel. Dinner will be on the patio of local restaurant by the sea where we enjoy a delicious fish dinner. Overnight in Saranda.
DAY 7 - SARANDA – GJIROKASTRA – PERMET
After breakfast drive to Gjirokastra a museum town. We are going to visit Blue Eye. Afterwards continue to Gjirokastra a UNESCO World Heritage site for its architecture of stone, and one of the most acclaimed culinary towns of south Albania. Here we visit the Castle which is used as the venue for the National Festival of Folk Song and Dance and has an Arms Museum with weapons from WWI. Next, we visit the Ethnographic Museum which is also the house the Albanian dictator was born in and the Zekati family house, probably the most beautiful and famous house in Gjirokastra. Lunch at one of the town’s
traditional restaurants with specialties such us; pasha qofte soup, kukurec, qumeshtor etj. After lunch proceed to permet through the spectacular gorge of Kelcyra on the banks of vjosa river.
Permet is one of Albania’s well-known regions for its delicious cousine with some unique delicacies such us tomato jam, which we will be able to sample at a traditional restaurant. Overnight in Permet.
DAY 8 - PERMET – KORCA
We drive to Korca one of the most important towns of South East Albania and a well-known culinary town. The path takes us through beautiful landscapes with gorges, mountains and river valleys offering a truly fulfilling experience. Lunch in the traditional restaurant. After lunch we visit the Museum of Medieval Arts and the Mosque of Mirahori one of the oldest in the country. Dinner and overnight in Korca.
DAY 9 – Pogradec – OHRID – Elbasan – Tirana
After breakfast we drive to Pogradec, where we will visit the Drilon area where the dictator used to have its fishing villa. Lunch in beautiful restaurant to enjoy unique Koran fish a rare fish of the trout and salmon family, found only in this Lake. Departure for Elbasan visit at the castle where a stop for refreshments. Dinner and overnight in Tirana.
DAY 10 - TIRANA – AIRPORT
Drive to Tirana International Airoport.
