Best of Albania Explorer 8 days Tour

Albania spent decades cut off from the rest of Europe under one of the continent's strictest Communist regimes, and that isolation is part of what makes it so interesting to visit now. This trip takes you through the layers of history stacked up here, from Illyrian roots through Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule, into cities that have absorbed all of it.

You'll spend time in Durres, Tirana, Lezhe and Shkoder, following stretches of the old Via Ignatia route that once linked Rome to Istanbul. Between the historical sites there's real scenery too — mountains, lakes and villages that feel a long way from anywhere.

It's an easy-paced, fully guided trip with a small group, private rooms, and enough structure that you're not left figuring out logistics on your own.

What you'll do

• Explore the historic centre of Durres, once a key point on the Via Ignatia
• Spend time in Tirana getting a sense of Albania's Communist-era past and its more recent changes
• Visit Lezhe and Shkoder, two of the country's older and less-visited cities
• Take in mountain and lake scenery on the way between destinations
• See traditional villages set in Albania's valleys