3 countries in 13 days: Albania, Macedonia & Kosovo

Departure day! A flight of approximately three hours brings us to the Albanian capital. After settling into the comfortable rooms of our four-star hotel, we take a walk through the lively city centre. We explore Tirana’s new bazaar and, with Skanderbeg Square as the backdrop, our guide tells us about Albania’s turbulent history.

In the evening we meet up again for a delicious meal, followed by drinks on a terrace. You’ll notice that Tirana by night is just as lively as during the day.

Overnight stay in Tirana (Sky 2 Hotel, Hotel Mulaj or similar)

In Tirana we visit a former bunker. At Bunkart you discover everything about the history of the communist secret services that kept Albania in their grip for so long.

We explore Tirana’s historic centre and enjoy the regional cuisine over lunch. Fully revived by the meal, we’re ready for a long walk through the Bllok district, where in the past only members of the communist party were allowed to enter.

Our guide provides plenty of context and explanation. Feel free to ask all your questions about life under communist rule.

Overnight stay in Tirana (Sky 2 Hotel, Hotel Mulaj or similar)

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we take a day trip to Berat: a city that rightly features on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. In the ‘city of 1,000 windows’ with its narrow cobblestone streets and overhanging facades, you feel like an extra in a film from the last century.

We visit Berat’s magnificent castle, which is actually a walled castle village still bustling with life. After a short break with a drink, you can visit the Onufri Museum. We sit down for lunch at an authentic little restaurant in the heart of the castle village and enjoy yet another delicious traditional meal.

Overnight stay in Berat (Portik Hotel, Hotel Colombo or similar)

Today we move on to Shkodër, the university town that serves as the gateway to the Albanian Alps.

On the way from Tirana to Shkodër, we take a moment to stop in the charming town of Krujë. This was once the Albanian capital. National hero Skanderbeg held out here for 25 years against the Ottoman occupation.

And then we get to know Shkodër. This is the city of the ‘shkodranë’, which translates as ‘inhabitants of the state’. Shkodër is known throughout Albania for its humour, culture lovers, artists and beautiful nature. The authentic city residents are frequently shaken awake by the younger generation, making it a lively university town.

We take it easy in the afternoon and soak up the atmosphere along the pedestrian boulevards.

Overnight stay in a four-star hotel in Shkodër (Hotel Rozafa or similar)

This morning the extraordinary Rozafa Castle in Shkodër is on the programme. The castle appears to rise up from the middle of the fields, and from the top you enjoy a magnificent view of the region, the city and its restless character: rough buildings and wild nature, cut through by winding waterways.

Our guide tells you the heartbreaking legend of Rozafa on the spot, because the story has even more impact when you are actually standing there.

We then walk along the largest lake in the Balkans (Liqeni i Shkodrës) to Shirokë. There a table is set for us for a lakeside lunch. This is the perfect place to taste traditionally prepared carp, caught in the lake just a few hours earlier.

After lunch, you are welcome to visit the city museum and the brand-new Marubi photography museum.

Overnight stay in a four-star hotel in Shkodër (Hotel Rozafa or similar)

An early start today for a trip described in travel guides as one of the most beautiful boat journeys in the world. For two hours our ferry glides over a mirror-smooth surface of water past steep cliff faces, towering waterfalls and through narrow rocky passages.

In Tropojë we step ashore, perfectly in time for lunch. After one last photo opportunity by the lake and an admiring glance at the magnificent mountain peaks, we set course for the second country of this three-Balkan-country journey: Kosovo!

Kosovo is a young country that is slowly but determinedly recovering from the war. In the beautiful historic city of Prizren, the cultural capital of Kosovo, we experience the fine blend of old and new. You’ll notice a whole range of languages being spoken and feel the energy and zest for life of the younger generation.

Overnight stay in Prizren – Hotel Centrum Prizren, 4*

Today we head towards Peja. We make a long stop in Deçan, where the impressive medieval Decani Monastery awaits. The site is — once again, more than deservedly — on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The Serbian Orthodox church of the monastery is the largest medieval church in the Balkans, and we admire the extraordinarily beautiful frescoes from the period 1335 to 1348 in the dome. It is a miracle that these frescoes survived, given the many wars that passed through here. The figure of Jesus is depicted here (very remarkably!) with a sword.

We arranged for a Serbian priest to give us a guided tour, which gives this visit a particularly surreal and unique dimension.

Our journey continues to the other side of the Albanian Alps, where we have lunch and feast our eyes on the massive and beautiful nature surrounding us.

One last stop before returning to Prizren is the picturesque village of Gjakovë, where we take a village walk.

Overnight stay in Prizren – Hotel Centrum Prizren, 4*

Today we set course for the third country of our tour: Macedonia. During the long drive to the capital Skopje, we take plenty of time for stops along the way.

Among other things, we explore the stunning Matka Canyon, a massive river gorge through which the blue-green waters of the Treska river flow.

Once in Skopje we check in and explore the city with a local English-speaking guide. We walk through the completely revamped city centre, a project from 2014 designed to reflect the entire history of ‘The Macedonian Empire’, with brand-new neoclassical government buildings.

In this ‘Paris of the Balkans’ we experience the mix between age-old history and contemporary life… and of course we enjoy (more than) one of the cosy terraces.

Overnight stay in Skopje – Hotel Sultan, 4*

We are joined by a local guide who takes us to Stobi, an ancient city from the third century BC and the most impressive archaeological site in the country.

In the writings of Livy, a Roman historian who lived during the time of Emperor Augustus, Stobi was mentioned repeatedly. It must have been an incredibly bustling place with no fewer than 15,000 inhabitants — a true metropolis in those times!

Did you know, by the way, that this region is a very interesting wine-growing area? We take the opportunity to visit the Stobi Winery. Over lunch, we taste several of their 24 varieties of delicious wines.

Upon returning, you have some free time in Skopje.

Overnight stay in Skopje – Hotel Sultan, 4*

After breakfast at the hotel, we drive for about 3 hours with the necessary drink, photo and stretch stops along the way.

On our last day in Macedonia, two gems are on the programme. The first stop is Lake Ohrid, also known as the ‘most beautiful jewel of Macedonia‘. A perfect blend of culture, nature and 2,500 years of history. The local English-speaking guide tells us all about it during a walk.

The magnificent Orthodox monastery we see gleaming on the shore, we also visit from the inside in the afternoon. Sveti Naum Monastery combines religion with a stunning natural setting.

We overnight in Korçë (Albania) – Hotel Park Plazza, 4*

Twenty minutes from Korçë lies Voskopojë. Today Voskopojë is a picturesque, sleepy village, but the many old monasteries and crumbling buildings reveal that this was once — after Istanbul — the largest and most important city in the Balkans. On a walk of about 1.5 hours, local guide Maria takes us in search of traces of this rich past.

Along the way she opens the doors of several churches. The walk offers us a beautiful mix of culture and nature. We have lunch at a local traditional village restaurant.

Korçë is a charming little town that many Albanians have a warm spot for. We spend a relaxed afternoon there, strolling through the streets, watching daily life, browsing in the shops and enjoying a sunny terrace.

We overnight in Korçë – Hotel Park Plazza, 4*

After breakfast we prepare for a long drive of about 3 hours to Krujë.

This town was once the Albanian capital. National hero Skanderbeg held out here for no fewer than 25 years against the Ottoman occupation. The town’s old bazaar and the castle of Krujë are our final sights of the trip. Of course we still enjoy one very last traditional dinner in Albania — because tomorrow we head home!

We overnight in Krujë – Hotel Panorama, 4*

The return journey to Brussels, farewell to Albania, to our travel companions and to our guide. Until next time!

Good to know: minor changes to the programme may occur.

Drinks
Personal expenses
Travel assistance and cancellation insurance.

Travelling alone and prefer a room to yourself? Then you pay a supplement of €35 per night.