Albania — The Magic of the Balkans

About this journey

What makes this trip.

• Bunk'Art 1 — a vast Cold War nuclear bunker turned underground museum beneath Tirana
• The longest cable car in the Balkans up Mount Dajti for panoramic views over the capital
• Krujë's clifftop castle, the Skanderbeg museum, and its cobbled Ottoman bazaar
• Berat, the UNESCO 'city of a thousand windows' above the Osum River
• Gjirokastër, the UNESCO 'stone city' crowned by one of the largest castles in the Balkans
• The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër), a fathomless natural spring of vivid sapphire water
• Butrint, a UNESCO archaeological site spanning 2,500 years of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian history
• Ksamil's turquoise coves and swimmable islets — the 'Maldives of Albania' — plus an Ionian Sea boat cruise

Who this trip is for

Who this trip is for.

Ideal for operators building a Balkans discovery itinerary that blends culture, history and coast in one loop. It suits groups seeking UNESCO heritage cities, dramatic mountain and Riviera scenery, and a relaxed pace with free days and beach time, all with an Arabic/English-speaking guide and a comfortable Istanbul stopover on each leg.

Itinerary

Day by day.

1. Day 1

   Casablanca – Istanbul

   Gather at Mohammed V International Airport and complete travel formalities. Depart in the evening for Istanbul; on arrival, meet the team and transfer to a hotel near the airport for the night.

2. Day 2

   Istanbul West-Side Tour – Tirana

   After breakfast, discover the west side of Istanbul: the Pelit Chocolate Museum with its remarkable chocolate sculptures, the award-winning modernist Sancaklar Mosque near Büyükçekmece, and a stroll along the calm Büyükçekmece waterfront on the Marmara Sea. In the afternoon, transfer to Istanbul Airport and fly to Tirana, the Albanian capital, where the local team welcomes the group and transfers to the hotel for the first of three nights.

3. Day 3

   Tirana: Albania Underground and Above the Mountain

   Visit Bunk'Art 1, one of the largest nuclear bunkers built in the communist era, now a striking museum of tunnels and underground rooms. Ride the cable car up Mount Dajti for sweeping panoramas over the capital and surrounding mountains, then return to explore the lively Blloku district — once reserved for the party elite, today Tirana's most fashionable quarter of cafes and boutiques.

4. Day 4

   Krujë: Skanderbeg's Stronghold

   Drive to the town of Krujë (about 45 minutes), perched on a mountainside as the capital of national hero Skanderbeg, who held off Ottoman armies from its walls. Visit Krujë Castle and the Skanderbeg Museum, then enjoy free time in the old Ottoman bazaar, where carpets, copperware and antiques are sold as they were centuries ago, before returning to Tirana.

5. Day 5

   Berat and Gjirokastër: Two UNESCO Cities

   Leave Tirana for Berat (about 2 hours) to visit its historic castle and wander the stone lanes and Ottoman houses above the Osum River. Continue to Gjirokastër (about 3 hours) for an evening walk through the old town before overnight.

6. Day 6

   From the Mountains to the Albanian Riviera

   Visit Gjirokastër Castle, one of the largest fortresses in the Balkans, then head toward the Riviera with a stop at the Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër), a vivid natural spring welling up from unfathomed depths amid green forest. Continue to Sarandë to settle in, with an evening stroll along the seafront.

7. Day 7

   Butrint and Ksamil: UNESCO Ruins and Turquoise Beaches

   Explore the Butrint archaeological park, a UNESCO World Heritage site with a Roman theatre, a mosaic-floored baptistery and walls set among a lake and forest nature reserve. Continue the short hop to Ksamil to enjoy its white-sand beaches, swimmable islets and turquoise water, with time to swim and relax before returning to Sarandë.

8. Day 8

   Boat Cruise on the Ionian Sea

   Set off on a boat cruise to discover the bays and beaches around Sarandë, stopping at coves reachable only from the water for swimming and coastal scenery, before returning to Sarandë for free time in the afternoon.

9. Day 9

   Open Day on the Albanian Riviera

   A full free day to enjoy Sarandë, the horseshoe-shaped pearl of the Riviera embracing a blue bay. Relax in the city or on the beach, with optional activities available such as jet ski, parasailing, speedboat tours, or renting bicycles or small cars.

10. Day 10

    Sarandë – Vlorë – Tirana

    Travel the famous coastal road (the Llogara Pass), one of the most beautiful drives in Europe, with stops at panoramic viewpoints over the Riviera. Pass through Vlorë, the city where Albania declared its independence in 1912 and where the Ionian meets the Adriatic, then continue to Tirana for the night.

11. Day 11

    Tirana – Istanbul

    Enjoy free time for last-minute shopping, then transfer to Tirana Airport and fly to Istanbul, arriving in the evening to settle into the hotel for the night.

12. Day 12

    Istanbul – Casablanca

    After breakfast, transfer to the airport and fly back to Casablanca — end of the journey.

What you get

Included & not included.

The list below is the program baseline; everything is confirmed in your partner quote, and several “not included” items can be added on request.

Built around your group

What can be tailored.

This program is a starting point, not a fixed package. The elements below are adjusted for your travellers and confirmed in your partner quote.

• ✦Hotel categoryAdjusted to your group’s preferences
• ✦Travel datesSet around your group’s calendar
• ✦Group sizeBuilt to fit your numbers
• ✦Guide languageArranged on request
• ✦MealsMeal plan tailored per group
• ✦Pace of the itineraryRelaxed or full — your call
• ✦Optional visitsAdded on request
• ✦Start & end pointsAdaptable per group

Hotels are confirmed to your group’s preferences after the order — category and properties chosen with you — and the full land service is tailored and confirmed in writing in your quote.

Good to know

Operational notes.

• •The final service list is confirmed in your partner quote.
• •Hotel and supplier availability depends on your travel dates.
• •Pricing depends on group size, season, and hotel category.
• •Jarjinia confirms every detail in writing before anything is committed.

Partner terms

How commercial terms work.

Commercial terms for this program are confirmed in your partner quote — not as fixed online-checkout rules. Payment schedule, cancellation conditions, and supplier deadlines are agreed per program and destination, and shared with your agency in writing before confirmation.

Before you travel

Important notes.

Lunches and dinners are left free throughout to give each group maximum flexibility. Several free days and half-days are built in, particularly on the Riviera, allowing optional activities and independent time.