Albania Beaches & Mountains

Dining Summary
3 Dinner (D)
8 Breakfast (B)
1 Lunch (L)

Included Experience
Tirana: Kicking off with a bang, tonight we'll savour a traditional Albanian dinner with warm stews, pies and breads.
Tirana: Take an orientation around the rainbow-coloured Albanian capital with your Contiki gang. Familiarise yourself with the landmarks and best places to grab a coffee.
Fishtë: Welcome to Mrizi i Zanave. Here, you'll have the chance to learn about sustainable farming. Then, we'll top it off with a wholesome organic lunch where the waiters will tell you where each local ingredient comes from. Seriously. It's so good, even Dua Lipa has visited this place!
Prizren: See this beautiful town, studded with Ottoman architecture, flowing rivers, and intriguing artefacts. Cherry on top? The locals here are super hospitable too!
Valbonë: Lace up! We’re hiking up to Stani Rames (1,650 m above sea level) for big fresh-air vibes and a well-earned break. Then we retrace the trail back down to Kukaj village for lunch at Tahir’s place: soup, bread, salad and byrek, plus Turkish coffee and a splash of raki — with time to chat to Tahir and his family. Afterwards, we’ll head off again through a gorgeous forest trail to the riverbank, where our bus will be waiting on the other side. 
Koman: You'll cruise over one of the most stunning lakes in Albania. We won't spoil the view for you, but keep your cameras rolling!
Krujë: Welcome to the heart of Albanian legend! This is where national hero Skanderbeg held the line against the Ottoman armies for years (iconic behaviour). We’ll walk the cobbled streets past wooden shopfronts and along the castle walls, then step inside the Skanderbeg Museum for the full story. After that? Free time in the old Ottoman bazaar to haggle for local handicrafts and pick up something properly unique.
Blue Eye: Take a stroll to the Blue Eye, an unreal, electric-blue natural spring where the water’s so clear you can see straight to the bottom. It’s an easy 4 km walk each way on paved paths through lush greenery, with a little cafe stop to refuel before we head back.
Gjirokastër: Welcome to UNESCO-listed Gjirokastër, Albania’s “Stone City”. Think slate-roofed houses, steep limestone lanes and views for days. You’ll wander the old town, dive into the bazaar and its quirky little shops, then climb up to the castle carved from rock sourced straight from the surrounding mountains. Come for the history. Stay for the local chats (and a few top-tier photo stops too).
Berat: Come explore Berat — UNESCO-listed since 2008 and famously nicknamed the “City of windows one above the other”. We’ll explore its three main neighbourhoods: Gorica across the river, Mangalem clinging to the hillside, and Kalaja up inside the fortress walls. Expect an easy wander through the ancient castle, gates, towers and classic Berat homes, with stops at Orthodox churches, Byzantine-era sites and mosques along the way.