Albania Winter Express: Alpine Landscapes, Culture & Adventure

Route: Tirana→Berat→Gjirokastra→Tirana→.

1. 1Day 1Welcome to Albania, arrival in TiranaOvernight: Tirana

   • Check-in: our adventure starts in Tirana

     Roundtrip flights or transportation to reach the destination are not included in the package, so you can decide from where and when you want to leave! This gives you complete freedom of choice to adjust your travel itinerary to your needs. Flights arrive whenever suits each of us, so the group only really forms at the welcome meeting later in the day.

     • The afternoon is free in Tirana, the colorful city, named for the rainbow shades and street art on its buildings, and the streets carry the mood.

     • Dinner is in a 100% local restaurant, authentic Albanian dishes on the table, maybe Tavë Kosi, the lamb, eggs and yogurt dish the country is known for.

      

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2. 2Day 2From Tirana to BeratOvernight: Berat

   • Breathtaking landscapes, ancient history and authentic flavors in the heart of Albania

     An early start, and the capital gives way to green hills and villages where nothing much seems to have moved in years.

     • The private minivan heads south, which is time for talking, sharing music and the first photos, before Berat finally appears a few hours down the road.

     • Berat is the City of a Thousand Windows, and we walk its cobbled streets past Ottoman houses with red rooftops and the surrounding mountains filling the view.

     • The afternoon brings a local wine tasting, the evening a traditional Albanian dinner of qofte and tavë kosi, with a good glass of wine to match.

      

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3. 3Day 3Rafting the Vjosa and the Përmet hot springsOvernight: Gjirokastra

   • Adrenaline-filled rafting adventure on the wild Vjosa River

     Berat looks even better in the morning light, but breakfast is quick, because the river is the whole point of today.

     • We drive to Përmet and get on the Vjosa River, one of the last wild waterways in Europe, turquoise water threading through canyons, cliffs and untouched forests.

     • The rapids land somewhere between adrenaline and fun, handled by expert guides who also fill in the stories and the nature around us as we go.

      

   • From adrenaline to pure relaxation: the hot springs of Përmet

     • Fourteen kilometres from Përmet, the Bënja baths sit in the Langarica Canyon: natural pools at 28–30°, rich in sulfur and minerals, good for skin, breathing and joints.

     • Late afternoon we reach Gjirokastra, the Stone City and a UNESCO World Heritage gem, for grey houses, Ottoman alleys, a traditional dinner and bars with music afterwards.

      

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4. 4Day 4Blue Eye, Butrint and SarandaOvernight: Gjirokastra

   • Epic landscapes, ancient ruins and the magic of timeless towns

     Early alarm today. The day runs all the way south and back again, the longest stretch of driving on the trip.

     • First stop is the Blue Eye, a natural spring of turquoise, crystal-clear water that hardly seems to quite belong to the real world at all.

     • Butrint is a UNESCO World Heritage site, ruins of Greek, Roman and Byzantine civilizations wrapped in lush nature, and we give it two to three hours.

     • Lunch is in Saranda on the coast, local specialties and fresh fish with a sea view, before we point the minivan back north again.

     • Back in Gjirokastra a guided walk takes us through the cobbled streets and stone houses, then a traditional dinner and an evening between bars and lounges.

      

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5. 5Day 5From Gjirokastra back to TiranaOvernight: Tirana

   • Ending the journey on a high note

     Last full day, and the capital gets the closing slot, which suits it better than any of the smaller towns.

     • The walking tour starts at Skanderbeg Square, the beating heart of the city and the obvious place to line up for the final group photo together.

     • Blloku was once closed off to the communist elite and is now street art, trendy cafés and nightlife, which is where the memories get retold.

     • Anyone still after adrenaline can take the longest zipline in the Balkans or a quad tour, and the day ends with a toast on a panoramic terrace.

      

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6. 6Day 6Goodbye AlbaniaOvernight: .

   • Check-out and goodbyes

     Goodbye for now. Home with landscapes, laughter, toasts and a set of new friends, and the next WeRoad adventure already somewhere in mind.

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