5-day Albania tour from Tirana: Apollonia, Butrint, Berat

Five days tracing Roman cities, Ottoman fortresses and UNESCO towns from the Ionian coast to the mountains

A 5-day guided tour of Albania departing from Tirana airport, visiting the ancient Roman city of Apollonia, the UNESCO site of Butrint on the Ionian coast, and the UNESCO towns of Gjirokastra and Berat. You travel by air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide, stay in four-star hotels, and explore each site with the operator's local knowledge before returning to Tirana.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Tirana Airport to Vlora via Apollonia

• Pick up at Tirana airport
• Visit ancient city of Apollonia
• Transfer to Vlora for overnight

Day 2: Vlora to Saranda via Butrint

• Drive along Albanian Riviera
• Visit Ali Pasha Castle
• Visit Butrint UNESCO site
• Overnight in Saranda

Day 3: Saranda to Berat via Gjirokastra

• Visit Gjirokastra Fortress and museums
• Drive to Berat
• Explore Berat independently
• Overnight in Berat

Day 4: Berat to Tirana via Durres

• Visit Berat Castle and Onufri Museum
• Visit Durres Archaeological Museum and Amphitheatre
• Sightseeing tour of Tirana
• Overnight in Tirana

Day 5: Tirana to Airport

• Free time after breakfast
• Transfer to airport

The experience

The tour picks you up at Tirana airport and moves through five distinct regions in five days. Day one takes you south to Vlora, stopping at Apollonia (a Roman city on the Via Egnatia where Emperor Augustus Octavian studied) before an overnight in a four-star hotel. Day two follows the Albanian Riviera to Saranda, crossing the Llogara Pass at 1,000 meters above sea level and visiting Ali Pasha Castle in Porto Palermo, then continues to Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site layered with Greek, Roman and Byzantine ruins set on a forested peninsula.

Day three moves inland to Gjirokastra, a UNESCO town with a fortress that hosts the National Festival of Folk Song and Dance and contains an Arms Museum from WWII, plus the Ethnographic Museum in the birthplace of former dictator Enver Hoxha. You then drive to Berat, known as the city of 1001 windows, where the two old neighborhoods Gorica and Mangalemi sit on opposite sides of a river and are best seen after dark. Day four explores Berat's castle, still inhabited in traditional houses, and the Onufri Museum, housed in one of seven remaining churches from the castle's original forty. The route then moves north to Durres, one of Albania's oldest cities founded in 627 B.C., to visit its Archaeological Museum and Amphitheatre, before returning to Tirana for a city tour covering the Et'hem bey mosque, Clock Tower, the Pyramid and central bunkers. Day five leaves time to explore Tirana before transfer to the airport.

Aria Travel & Events operates this tour with a focus on sustainable tourism and local partnerships. The operator provides the English-speaking guide, handles all transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, and arranges hotel stays. You move through the itinerary without managing logistics between sites.

What’s included

• All fees and taxes.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the entire route.
• pickup at Tirana airport and return transfer.
• four-star hotel accommodation each night.
• English-speaking guide at every site.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Aria Travel Albania

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Albania's major UNESCO sites and ancient ruins in one trip without arranging transport between regions. The fixed five-day schedule and included guide let you move through Apollonia, Butrint, Gjirokastra and Berat without planning logistics between each stop.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Apollonia and why does it matter on this tour?

Apollonia is an ancient Roman city on the Via Egnatia, one of the most important trade routes of Roman times, where Emperor Augustus Octavian studied. It sits on the route from Tirana to Vlora on day one and represents the earliest layer of the tour's focus on classical and medieval sites.

What makes Butrint different from other archaeological sites in Albania?

Butrint is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built on a peninsula with dense vegetation, and its ruins show continuous settlement and overlapping civilizations (Greek colonists first, then layers of Roman, Byzantine and later occupation) all visible in the archaeological record in one location.

Why is Berat called the city of 1001 windows?

Berat's two old neighborhoods, Gorica and Mangalemi, are built on steep hillsides with traditional stone houses that have many small windows facing outward. The name reflects the distinctive architecture of these neighborhoods, which UNESCO has protected as a world heritage town.

How much time do you spend in each major city on this tour?

Day one ends in Vlora; day two ends in Saranda after visiting Butrint; day three ends in Berat after touring Gjirokastra; day four moves from Berat through Durres back to Tirana for overnight; day five allows free time in Tirana before airport transfer.

Is the guide included, and what language do they speak?

Yes, an English-speaking guide is included throughout the tour and travels with the group to each site, providing context and local knowledge at Apollonia, Butrint, Gjirokastra, Berat, Durres and Tirana.