N. Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania tour from Tirana in four days

Visit the capitals of N. Macedonia and Kosovo, admire the UNESCO world heritage site of Ohrid and walk through the narrowed stone streets of UNESCO-city Berat on this 4-day tour of N. Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania from Tirana. This tour is the best way to visit the most important sites in N. Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania in just four days!

Itinerary

Day 1: Tirana (Albania) – Berat – Ohrid (N. Macedonia)

Pass By: Choose Balkans Apartments, Guided Tours & Rent a Car, Rruga Reshit Çollaku, Tirana 1000, Albania
Our tour guide will come and pick you up at your hotel in Tirana at 9:00 am.

Stop At: Berat, Berat, Berat County
Our first destination is Berat, also known as the city 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. 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 communism 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. At around 12:30, you will get some free time on all days of the tour to have some delicious lunch and to wander around by yourself till 14:00 pm.
Duration: 5 hours

Stop At: Ohrid, Ohrid, Southwestern Region
We will leave Albania and cross the border to N. Macedonia. Ohrid is one of the most seductive destinations in N. Macedonia, indicated also as one of the oldest human settlements in all of Europe. Ohrid city and Ohrid Lake have been part of UNESCO World Heritage since 1980. Ohrid Lake and its surroundings were inhabited by the Illyrian Tribe of Enkeleys.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in Ohrid.

Day 2: Ohrid – Skopje

Stop At: Ohrid, Ohrid, Southwestern Region
Today we will continue our city tour of Ohrid. The city became an important centre for the Orthodox believers during the Byzantine Empire and is famous for its 365 Orthodox churches, said to have one church for each day of the year. The houses were built with a very specific architecture that created narrowed streets, tunnels and tiny yards on the hilly terrain, making it possible for every house to have a good view of the lake.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Skopje, Skopje, Skopje Region
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 center. 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. It is as high as a 20-store building and can be reached by cable car.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Skopje.

Day 3: Skopje – Pristina (Kosovo) – Prizren

Stop At: Pristina, Pristina
We will leave N. Macedonia and head towards the capital of Kosovo, Pristina. Here we will make a city tour. Not to be missed is the Newborn monument, symbol of their independence and being a young new country. We will also visit the Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa with its own clock tower. The National Library of Kosovo is a building that definitely stands out from the rest, consisting out of 73 white domes. The main boulevard in the capital, Sheshi Nena Tereza, is a nice street to stroll through and enjoy a delicious meal or coffee at one of the restaurants. Here we will also pass the Skanderberg square with the statue of Skanderberg himself, the national Albanian hero. We will visit the Old Bazaar in Pristina with nearby the ethnographic museum that shows the traditional Kosovar life.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Prizren, Prizren
We will continue our tour towards Prizren. The city is considered to be 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 as a crossroad for the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, contributing to the unique architecture of the city.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Prizren.

Day 4: Prizren – Kruja (Albania) – Tirana

Stop At: Prizren, Prizren
Today we will continue our city tour of Prizren. The river flows through the heart of the old town and under the many bridges that crisscross the city. The best way to explore the town is by wandering through the streets passing by elegant medieval houses that fight for your attention. The view from the fortress on the hill above the town offers a great panorama of this astonishing town.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Kruje, Kruje, Durres County
Our next destination is Kruja in Albania, a historical city symbol of the Albanian resistance against the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. The city is situated in central Albania on a rocky mountainous terrain about 560 meters above sea level, on the slopes of Sarisalltik Mountain. Walking through Kruja’s Medieval Old Bazaar (one of the biggest and oldest in Balkans) gives you a sense of a passage through the history. You will be surrounded by crafts and local products carefully designed by local artisans and housewives of the Kruja area. We will also visit the Castle of Kruja that offers a spectacular view. We will be back in Tirana in the late afternoon.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.