Shkodra city is situated in the north-western part of Albania, giving its name to the biggest lake in the Balkans. It is one of the oldest cities in Albania, with a history of a thousand years of habitation. The oldest wall of the Shkodra castle dates from the 1st millennium BCE. The Roman historian Livy cited the town as the capital of the Illyrian king Gent, who fought the Romans in 168 B.C.

We will visit Rozafa castle offering tremendous scenery of the lake and the three rivers melting all together in the Adriatic Sea.

The city’s architecture is highly influenced by the Venetian style and if you are lucky enough to join the tour of Shkodra in February you might experience the carnival festival. Most of the guests are surprised to learn that most of the Venetian masks are handmade and produced in Shkodra. The city’s favourable geographic position has always been an important trading mark through the centuries, making it possible for different civilisations to encounter.

Later we will cross border towards Kosovo, where we will visit the Monastery of Decan. This one stands out for its white colour, but even more remarkable is the fact that Orthodox monks still inhabit the monastery and make fresh organic food there, such as cheeses. The monastery became part of UNESCO in 2004 because of its frescoes.

Prizren is considered as the cultural capital of Kosovo, mixing its rich history, incredible nature, religious tolerance and gastronomic delights. Prizren has played an important role in the region as an Illyrian settlement and a crossroad for the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, contributing to the unique architecture of the city. The river flows through the heart of the old town and under the many bridges that criss-cross the city. If you are looking to experience a lively international experience you should visit Prizren during August when the medieval city becomes home to one of the most famous short film festivals in the world named Dokufest. The best way to explore the town is by wandering through the streets passing by elegant medieval houses that fight for your attention. Filigree artisanal techniques for precious metals are Prizren’s joy and pride

If you have to choose just one mosque to visit then visit the Sinan Pasha Mosque, rich in arabesque colour and pattern.

The view from the fortress on the hill above the town offers a great panorama of this astonishing town.

Before heading towards N. Macedonia, we will visit the capital of Kosovo, Pristina. We will visit the Newborn monument, symbol of the independence and being a young new country. We will walk towards the main boulevard in the capital. Sheshi Nena Tereza is a nice street to stroll through and enjoy a coffee at one of the bars. Here we will also pass the Skanderberg square with the statue of Skanderberg himself, the national Albanian hero.

Our tour continues towards Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. The city has European, Ottoman and even Asian influences.

The Stone Bridge connects the new part to the old part of the city. Impossible to miss in Skopje is the Alexander the Great Statue in the centre. Another bridge that stands out is the Art Bridge that leads to the Archaeological Museum. The bridge is lined with flamboyant street lanterns and statues of Macedonian artists and musicians.

We will wander through the Old Bazaar of Skopje, the biggest one in the Balkans, that combines the modern way of living with centuries of history. The cross on top of the mountain can be seen kilometres away from Skopje and has become a symbol of the city.

Our first destination for today will be Matka near Skopje. It is impressive how this beautiful nature paradise is located so close to the bustling capital. Besides the fun boat trip through the canyon, Matka has much more to offer, such as caves, medieval castles, spectacular hiking routes and the option to go swimming in the turquoise waters.

From Matka we will drive towards Ohrid, one of the most seductive destinations in N. Macedonia, indicated as one of the oldest human settlements in all of Europe. Ohrid city and Ohrid Lake are part of UNESCO World Heritage since 1980. Ohrid Lake and its surroundings where inhabited by the Illyrian Tribe of Enkeleys. The Lake was named by the Romans as “Lyhnidas” (the Light Lake). Our tour continues to the city of Ohrid (UNESCO world heritage) an important centre of Orthodoxy. We will continue our tour and visit the famous view point of church of St. John, the church of St. Nicolas and the mosque Halveti Hayati Tekke.

We will continue our tour to St Naum near the Albanian border and one of the most beautiful locations in N. Macedonia. On our way there, we will have to go through the Galichitsa National Park, located between the Albanian border, Ohrid Lake and Prespa Lake, with again stunning nature and impressive mountains. The monastery of St. Naum carries the name of a holy place. It is situated right at the source of River Crni Drim, which flows through Lake Ohrid. This monastery complex is part of the National Park Galicica and belongs to one of the strictly protected areas. Crystal clear, spring water reflects both the surrounding greenery and the mountain peaks in the background.

We will cross border towards Albania. Our next destination will be the national park of Drilon and Tushemisht. Drilon waters form a small lake, surrounded by beautiful greenery that makes the area and the nearby village of Tushemisht a unique oasis of beauty and tranquillity. The area is also famous for its culinary wonders, such as the traditional fish dishes, especially the baked speckled trout (Koran in Albanian) as well as the famous pickles.

After visiting the National Park, we will drive towards Berat.

Berat is known as the town of 1001 windows, part of UNESCO world heritage. Walking through the narrowed stone streets offers a fantastic view of the medieval old houses, with windows that seem to stand on top of each other. The city’s life began in the 6th-5th century B.C. as an Illyrian settlement. Later, in the 3rd century B.C., it was turned into a castle city known as Antipatrea. Uniquely today, residents still live inside of the castle walls.

Berat has it all; a beautiful medieval castle, ancient churches and mosques, a lively lower town consisting of grand old houses draped on steep hillsides, an old stone bridge, great museums and remains from the communist era in Albania

Berat is also known as the birthplace of Onufri, the famous painter of churches all-over the Balkans, distinguished for creating a specific reddish colour still difficult to imitate.

We will continue our tour and visit the Gorica Neighbourhood

We will start today’s adventure by discovering Tirana, the capital of Albania. Tirana offers a great combination of very interesting museums, historic sites, national parks, mountains. Ottoman, Italian and communist style architecture all clashing with each other, but offering a great pleasure to wander through.

We will walk towards Skanderbeg Square, named after the Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu. The main square is surrounded by the National Museum, the Bank of Albania, the Opera house, Skanderbeg Statue, Ethem Beu Mosque and fancy bars

After strolling around the bustling streets of Tirana, we will visit BUNKART, one of the most interesting museums in Tirana. Initially designed as a nuclear bunker offering shelter to the Albanian communist supreme leader Enver Hoxha and his close party members during the cold war. The bunker was kept strictly secret to the general public until 2016, when the Albanian government decided to initiate an interesting project that converted the nuclear bunker into a museum. BUNKART is a video museum exhibition dedicated to the history of the Albanian communist army and to the daily lives of Albanians during the regime.

Our tour continues towards Tirana Castle, found in the city centre. The castle is now a pedestrian street where modern and tradition perfectly merge creating one of the fanciest areas of modern Tirana.

Our last attraction for this tour will be the colourful, lively and vibrant Blloku Area. Not to be missed is Tirana’s delicious food varieties, from the tasty and cheap street food to the finest gourmet options. This marks the end of this amazing experience through history and culture