South Albania Tour: from Tirana to Saranda

Southern Albania: the itinerary of this day tour from Tirana Travel to some of the most popular destinations in Albania with this tour, from Tirana to Vlora, Saranda and Gjirokaster. Get lost in the atmosphere of the ancient settlements in Butrint.

Vlora, the city of IndependenceLeaving Tirana at 7 am, you will head to southern Albania and in a few hours you will arrive in Vlora, ​​the second most populated area in the country. With your guided tour you will have the opportunity to visit an important city in the history of the country. Vlora was the first capital of Albania, when in 1912 Ismail Qemali proclaimed independence. Today the port of Vlora is the second biggest port, after the port of Durres. This area is the closest geographical location to Italy, and popular for the natural beauty of its coast.

The Llogara Pass and the charm of Saranda Albania Leaving the Bay of Vlora behind, you will climb 1043 meters to get to Llogara Pass, which allows you to bypass the 2044 meters of the majestic Mount Cika. Llogara is one of the most popular viewpoints for landscape photography lovers. From here you will have the opportunity to enjoy an extraordinary view of the sea and along the Albanian coast - on clear days you can see Italy, Salento in Puglia region.

Reassembled on board, you will go down to the coast towards Saranda, where you will see the enchanting beaches such as Gjipe Beach, Porto Palermo, Lukovë. It's just a taste of what awaits you at Saranda beach. Saranda is full of light, colors and smells of the Mediterranean. A town of 30,000 inhabitants many beaches are close at hand. With glimpses of the beautiful sea, there's no need to be envious of even Greek tourist resorts. In Saranda you will have the opportunity to get a taste of the Albanian Riviera!

Butrint National Park: a journey through two thousand years of historyContinuing further south we reach Butrint, the ancient Greek, Roman and episcopal city of Epirus. We are located right next to the island of Corfu, Greece is just a few kilometers away. The first Greek settlements here date back to the fourth century BC, then the Romans and the Byzantines passed to Butrint, looking for seaside resorts and finally, between the 11th and 18th centuries AD, the Venetians. 

A UNESCO site since 2005, Butrint surprises you with its mix of architectures. You can see a beautifully preserved 16th century tower which was part of the fortifications that the Venetians had built to defend Butrint from the Ottomans. With this guided tour of the Butrint National Park you can get to the heart of this mix of history. Between Hellenistic walls and a really well preserved Greek theater. Roman villas, the aqueduct, the columns of the forum, the thermal baths and a baptistery from the Paleo-Christian era. And also warehouses, walkways, and towers built in the Venetian era.

The source of the Blue Eye and Gjirokaster Albania Leaving Saranda, you will be heading towards Gjirokaster and your first stop will be at the fascinating natural spring called the Blue Eye. It is a small body of water that comes from an underground karst source over 50 meters deep. The limestone rock creates an incredible play of light and the blue becomes darker and darker, recreating the shape of an eye. That's why it has been given the name Blue Eye Albania.

Once you arrive in Gjirokaster you will take a short tour of the city. Gjirokaster is well known in Albanian history for its culture, traditions and excellent food. It is also the birthplace of two important Albanian figures. Enver Hoxha, the former communist dictator and Ismail Kadare, the most famous Albanian writer. In the old town, the Qafa e Pazari district, you will notice the classic stone houses, which turn to silver after the rain. You will continue with the visit at Gjirokastra Castle, built in 1200, and has passed through several modifications. Inside the structure there is an interesting museum dedicated to regime propaganda, which we will visit before returning to Tirana.