Tailor-made Holidays in by Cox & Kings

Discover this small yet impressive country on a tailor-made itinerary, with the majority of the sights and cities in the central and southern parts of the country. 

The capital, Tirana, is vibrant and buzzing as it enjoys its freedom after the constraints of the Communist era. On a tailor-made itinerary to Albania, we can organise visits to the National Museum, Gallery of Arts, the main square and its clock tower, a tour of the Bektashi World Centre and the art gallery in the prime minister’s office.

Just north of Tirana is Kruja, which can be easily reached on a day trip from the capital. Here you can explore the mountainous landscapes and remote valleys and villages. It is most known as the birthplace of Skanderbeg, the former Albania’s hero. In the 15th century Skanderbeg defended this region of Albania against the Ottoman empire and encouraged resistance against the Ottoman Muslims. He has since become an icon for the Albanian National Awakening and he is celebrated throughout the town.

On the west coast of the Adriatic Sea, you can travel to Durrës to explore the largest amphitheatre in the Balkans, dating back to the second century AD. We recommend entering the accompanying Archaeological Museum. 

Known as ‘the city with a thousand and one windows’, Berat is a fine example of the Ottoman-inspired architecture which prevails throughout the region. Set in a mountainous area, this Unesco world heritage site has a hilltop fortress around which clusters pretty white houses with tiled rooftops and cobblestone alleys running through them. In Berat you can visit the Onufri Museum of Icons, the King’s Mosque and the castle, which has the remains of 42 churches within its walls.

On the south Ionian coast of Albania is the popular resort of Saranda. To reach Saranda from the north, you drive through scenic mountains and have the opportunity to visit the monastery of Mesopota en-route. Saranda is the perfect place for some rest and relaxation on your tailor-made itinerary, but for those who like to keep on the move, Saranda is also a good springboard for those who want to visit the ruins of Butrint, close to the border with Greece. 

You can take a late morning tour of the Unesco world heritage site of Butrint from Saranda. Here you can explore the extensive ruins of this Graeco-Roman town and other various remains including an acropolis, bath houses, theatre, baptistery and fortress.

Other tours you can include in your tailor-made itinerary to Albania are a morning tour of Apollonia – a Greek and Roman ruins, which were an important trading port for the Roman empire until the third century AD. 

From Gjirokastër, visit the Tumulus of Kamenica, the largest ancient burial mound to be excavated in the Balkans and we recommend you visit the city’s fortress, which is one of the largest castles in the Balkans and was formerly a political prison. 

When visiting Korca, you can visit the Museum of Medieval Arts and the oldest mosque in Albania, the Mirror mosque.