Travel Type
Escorted Tour
Duration
14 Days/13 Nights
Country
Greece
While Athens and the Meteors are familiar destinations to most, Albania is still ‘terra incognita’. On this escorted tour, you will explore not just parts of Mainland Greece, but short visits to some of Albania’s best locations. These include, of course, visits in the capital city, Tirana, and many cities, ports and sites to the north and south. Pack your bags because your next adventure is at your fingertips!
Inclusions
– 13-night accommodation in 4* hotels
– 14 meals: 13 breakfasts and 1 dinner
– Half day city tour of Athens and the New Museum, with entrance fees and English-speaking guide
– 2-day excursion to Delphi and Meteora, including transportation, entrance fees, and English-speaking guide
– Visits and entrances as per the itinerary in Albania
– English-speaking guide for the Albania portion of the tour
– Roundtrip flights between Athens and Tirana, in economy class
– Transfers (arrival in Athens on day 1 with English-speaking assistance)
Exclusions
International flights from/to Canada – Meals and drinks unless indicated – Optional excursions – City tax (paid locally at the hotels) – Travel insurance – Any other item not mentioned in the Inclusions.
1
DAY 1 ARRIVAL IN ATHENS (Monday)
Arrival at Athens International Airport, assistance and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure.
Accommodation : Athens for 2 nights
2
DAY 2 ATHENS CITY TOUR WITH NEW MUSEUM (Tuesday)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today, enjoy a half day tour of Athens which includes a photo stop at Panathinaiko Stadium where the first Olympic Games took place in 1896. It is the only stadium built out of white marble. Next, proceed towards the Zappeion and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. You will then pass the Athens Trilogy which includes the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, and the National Library. Continue on, passing by the National Garden, Hadrian’s Arc, St. Paul’s Church, Parliament, Tomb of the Unknown soldier, Schliemann’s House (Numismatic Museum), Catholic Cathedral, Old Parliament, Constitution Square, the Russian Orthodox Church, and finally the Acropolis (includes visits to Propylae, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon, and Erechtheion, with its Porch of Maidens). A pleasant short walk will take you by the Herodion and Dionysos Theater and a visit to the Acropolis Museum. The museum includes main attractions such as votives, artifacts of everyday life, statues from the archaic period, Caryatids, and of course the Parthenon Hall, with the metopes, the pediments and the frieze that will impress you.
Meals : Breakfast
3
DAY 3 DELPHI - KALAMBAKA (Wednesday)
On the first day you will arrive at Delphi around noon, famous for its theater, Temple of Apollo and its ancient ruins. Visit the archaeological site and the Temple of Apollo famed for its oracle. In the afternoon after lunch (at leisure), depart through Central Greece and the cities of Lamia (short stop), Trikala, crossing the Thessalian plain, to Kalambaka, a small town built at the foot of the majestic grey rocks and crowded by the Meteora Monasteries (short stop for souvenirs). Supper and overnight stay in Kalambaka.
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation : Kalambaka for 1 night
4
DAY 4 METEORA – ATHENS (Thursday)
Breakfast at the hotel. Leave for nearby Meteora for a tour of the cliff-top monasteries to visit two different Byzantine Monasteries. Built on top of rock towers, they provide fantastic views over the plain. On your return, you may take an optional excursion (+$) to visit a factory of Byzantine style icons. On the way back to Athens, pass by the heroic monument of Leonidas, King of Sparta, in Thermopylae (short stop for photos). The tour arrives in Athens in the late afternoon.
Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Athens for 1 night
5
DAY 5 FLIGHT TO TIRANA, ALBANIA (Friday)
After breakfast, transfer to Athens International Airport for your flight to Albania. You will be transferred from Tirana International Airport to the hotel in the city. The rest of the day is at your leisure.
Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Tirana for 2 nights
6
DAY 6 KRUJE – TIRANA (Saturday)
After breakfast, we head to Kruja, one of Albania’s most important towns due to the part it played in resistance against the Ottomans. Visit the Skanderbeg Museum and Castle, as well as the Old Bazaar. Return to Tirana for a city tour of Albania’s capital.
Meals : Breakfast
7
DAY 7 LEZHE – SHKODER (Sunday)
Breakfast at the hotel, then head for the city of Lezha. Visit its hill-top castle where you enjoy the fascinating panorama of the Adriatic Riviera, Bronze Age ancient city walls, and visit the Mausoleum of Skanderbeg (Albanian National Hero). Afterward, we will continue to Shkodra for a city tour of the Old Bazaar, Centrum, Cathedral and Mosque. Visit Shkodra Lake (the biggest lake in the Balkans) and take in the sights of the Drini, Buna and Kir Rivers, surrounded by valleys from the top of Rozafa Castle. Overnight in Shkoder.
Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Shkoder for 1 night
8
DAY 8 DURRES - BERAT (Monday)
After breakfast, we continue to Durres. This city has the largest Roman amphitheater in the Balkan region (about 20,000 seats). Later we will continue to Berat, listed as an UNESCO Heritage Site. Visit the castle of Berat with the Onufri Museum and other churches inside, the Mosque of Berat, the Old Bridge of Gorica, Onufri Museum and several churches and mosques. Overnight in Berat.
Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Berat for 1 night
9
DAY 9 ARDENICA MONASTERY – APOLLONIA – VLORE (Tuesday)
In the morning, drive to Ardenica Monastery, and then visit the ruins of Apollonia (UNESCO Heritage Site). Afterwards, depart for the coastal city of Vlora. Enjoy a visit the city, including its Old Town, Independence Square and Monument, where Albanian independence from the Ottomans was proclaimed on November 28th, 1912. Overnight in Vlore.
Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Vlore for 1 night
10
DAY 10 HIMARE – KSAMIL – BUTRINT – SARANDA (Wednesday)
Today, we continue to the south of Albania. Drive through picturesque seaside villages to Saranda in Ksamil, where we stop for lunch break (not included). Afterward, we will continue to visit the ruins of Butrint, a UNESCO ancient Greek and Roman site. After the visit, we will drive to our last destination for the day of Saranda.
Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Saranda for 1 night
11
DAY 11 MESOPOTAM – BLUE EYE NATIONAL PARK – GJIROKASTER (Thursday)
Breakfast at the hotel, then we will head towards Gjirokaster. En route we will make a stop at Mesopotam Monastery built over the ancient temple inside the fortress. Then we will journey to Blue Eye National Park, before reaching the UNESCO listed town of Gjirokaster, known for its distinct and traditional architecture. Enjoy a city tour, then visit the Castle Weapons Museum. Overnight in Gjirokaster.
Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Gjirokaster for 1 night
12
DAY 12 PERMET THERMAL WATER – KORCE (Friday)
After breakfast, departure via Permet, known for its rich history and thermal waters. Afterwards, travel to the historic town of Korce, and enjoy walking tour where we can see some of the most important city highlights: the Museum of Medieval Art with the richest icon archive in all Europe, the First Albanian School, the Traditional Market, Cathedral, Mosque of Ilyaz Bey Mirahori (dating to 1484), and The Old Bazaar.
Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Korce for 1 night
13
DAY 13 POGRADEC – LIN – ELBASAN – TIRANA (Saturday)
After breakfast we will travel to Pogradec. We will have time for a short break where you can enjoy walking by Ohrid Lake. Then we will continue to Elbasan, where we will have another short stop at the village of Lin for a tour. You will see Elbasan Castle (dating to the 4th century B.C.E.), the Clock, the ethnographic Museum, Church, and the Old Mosque. After the visit, we will continue to Tirana to overnight.
Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Tirana for 1 night
14
DAY 14 DEPARTURE FLIGHT FROM TIRANA – ATHENS (Sunday)
Enjoy a final breakfast in Albania. Transfer to Tirana Airport for your flight back to Athens to catch your connecting flight home or extend your stay in Greece.
Meals : Breakfast
HOTEL OPTIONS OR SIMILAR :
Athens – Hotel Titania 4*
Kalambaka – Hotel Amalia 4*
Tirana – Hotel Albanopolis 4*
Shkoder – Hotel Tradita 4*
Berat – Hotel Republika 4*
Vlore – Hotel Partner 4*
Saranda – Hotel Havana 4*
Gjirokaster – Hotel Bineir 4*
Korce – Hotel MIK 4*
| Rates in CA$, per person, starting from, in double occupancy | |
Departure Dates – 2025 (Mondays) | Land Portion |
| April 14, 21 May 5, 12, 19, 26 | 5865 |
| June 2, 9, 16, 30 July 21 August 4, 18, 25 | 6005 |
| September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 October 6, 13, 20 | 5865 |
| Supplement | |
| Single | on request |
Product Code: AE
**Prices in this document are for information only; they were issued at press time, for the current year. Please note that due to exchange rates and temporary promotions, they can increase or decrease at any time. Contact your travel agent for the price and promotion of the moment. Prices include the contribution of customers to the Compensation Fund for clients of Quebec travel agents.
*** PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS. ***
Greece and Albania Combo – detailed itinerary
Greece and Albania Combo – detailed itinerary
