Explore Butrint, Saranda and Gjirokaster - Full-Day Tour

Are you in Tirana and you want to see some of the best places in Albania? Spend a perfect day with this Albania tour that includes 2 UNESCO sites. Arrive in Butrint and visit the archaeological park, and then head to Saranda and enjoy the breathtaking Albanian Riviera. At the end of the day, we will visit the medieval castle of Gjirokastra, before returning to Tirana.

Once on board, we head down to the coast towards Saranda, where we will see the enchanting beaches such as Gjipe Beach, Porto Palermo, Lukovë. It's just a taste of what awaits at Saranda beach. Saranda is full of light, colours 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 Greek tourist resorts. In Saranda there will be an opportunity to experience the Albanian Riviera!

Continuing 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 kilometres 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 architecture. 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. This guided tour of Butrint National Park takes us to the heart of this mix of history, between Hellenistic walls and a really well-preserved Greek theatre, Roman villas, the aqueduct, the columns of the forum, the thermal baths and a baptistery from the Paleo-Christian era. There will also be warehouses, walkways, and towers built in the Venetian era.

Once arriving in Gjirokaster we 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 that turn silver after the rain. Continue with the visit of Gjirokastra Castle, built in 1200 and passed through several reparations. Inside, there is an interesting museum dedicated to regime propaganda, which we will visit before returning to Tirana.

Tickets include:

Archeological Park of Butrint, Castle of Gjirokastra and Museum of Gjirokastra.