*Tyrol at a Leisurely Pace

Departure from Paris with the regular airline TRANSAVIA on a direct flight or departure from Geneva with Easy Jet on a direct flight, or from Brussels, Basel/Mulhouse, Nice and Paris with Wizz Air. For departures from the provinces (Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Toulouse and Lyon), connecting flights. Welcome by your local English-speaking guide. During your stay in Albania, discover a rich heritage born of a turbulent history. Transfer to your hotel and check-in. Dinner and accommodation in a 4-star hotel in Tirana.

Day 2: TIRANA / KRUJE / TIRANA :

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a visit to Tirana, the capital of Albania. As soon as you approach the city, you will be surprised by the vitality of this Albanian city and its colourful appearance. Visit to the central market and Skandeberg square, followed by a visit to the great mosque of Ethem Bey, one of the rare testimonies to the Ottoman past, and the 53-metre-high clock tower. The tour continues with a visit to the Pyramid, a district of administrations and ministries that bears witness to the Italian occupation. Lunch at a local restaurant and drive to KRUJE, one of Albania's most beautiful towns, a medieval village set in an exceptional mountain setting. Then a visit to the Kruje ethnographic museum, housed in an old Ottoman house, which traces the life of a large Albanian family and is a Bektashist holy place. Visit to the Skanderbeg museum. Visit the medieval bazaar, then return for dinner and accommodation in Tirana.

Day 3: TIRANA/ BERAT / APPOLONIA / VLORE :

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Berat, one of the highlights of the trip. Berat is known as the city of a thousand windows, a particularly picturesque town where charm vies with a complete change of scenery. Visit the castle and the citadel, home to the UNIFRI museum and a jewel of Byzantine art: a small Orthodox church nestling behind the citadel walls, and finish with a look at the painted mosque. Lunch during the excursion. In the afternoon, departure for Apollonia, the country's largest archaeological site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to a museum, a medieval church and the remains of Apollonia, named after the god Apollo. Drive to Vlore. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4: VLORE / LLOGARA / BUTRINT / SARANDA :

Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation to the south of the country via the Llogara National Park through lush vegetation, flora and fauna to reach 1027 metres with a breathtaking view of the Ionian Sea. Lunch en route to Butrint, a place with a special atmosphere, combining nature, archaeology and monuments in a Mediterranean setting. Visit the exceptional archaeological site with its Roman theatre and forum. The various Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian periods are represented here. On to Saranda, famous for its beautiful beaches and seafront. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 5: SARANDA / CORFOU / SARANDA :

Day 6: SARANDA / BLUE EYE / GJIROKASTER / FIER :

Breakfast at the hotel, and off to the north of the country, with a first stop near the underground spring known as the ‘Blue Eye’ for its blue-green colour and lush vegetation. Lunch in the area. Continuation to Gjirokaster, one of the most important towns in southern Albania, declared a ‘Museum Town’, built on the side of a mountain with its stone streets and houses in the shape of medieval towers. The castle overlooks the town. Visit to the castle and its national ethnographic museum. Continuation to Fier. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight accommodation.

Jour 7 : FIER / ARDENICA / DURRES / TIRANA :

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure from the hotel for a visit to the 3rd century Orthodox monastery of Ardenica, perched on a hilltop and home to magnificent frescoes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Lunch in the restaurant. Continuation to Durres. Guided tour of Durres, famous for its historic sites, museums and theatres, including the largest Roman amphitheatre in the Balkans. Visit to the Roman theatre of Durres, followed by a walk around the town, the Roman forum and the thermal baths. Dinner and accommodation in Durres or Tirana.

Day 8: TIRANA / airport / France :

Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer by coach to Tirana airport. Assistance with boarding. Departure for your departure city. End of our services. Programme subject to conditions of sale.