Itinerary
- Day 1
Tirana to Saranda
You'll head out early from Tirana at 8 am, driving south through Llogora National Park where the landscape shifts from gorges to pine forests pretty quickly. The route takes you to Llogora Pass, where you'll stop and take in the views across to Corfu Island and the Italian coast from up there. After that, you'll follow the coast road hitting a few small villages like Dhërmi, Ilias, Vuno, and Himara, each one offering different angles on the Ionian Sea. There's also Ali Pasha's Castle at Porto Palermo to see if you're interested in the history side of things. By late afternoon you'll roll into Saranda with some free time to walk around the waterfront and get a feel for the place.
- Start point
- Tiranë, Tirana, Albania (Scanderbeg Square, in front of Ethem Bey Mosque , 08:00)
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Ali Pasha's Castle at Porto Palermo
Optional Activities
- Evening walk on Saranda promenade
Landmarks Llogora National Park Llogora Pass Ali Pasha's Castle Dhërmi Himara 
- Day 2
Butrint - Gjirokastra - Tirana
Starting at 9 am, you'll head to Butrint, which sits about 18 km south of Saranda and happens to be Albania's best-preserved archaeological spot. The site covers 9 hectares with walls, gates, baptismal areas, and an amphitheater all there to walk through, plus a museum with local finds if you want more context. You'll start at Vivari Canal where it connects the sea to Butrinti Lake, then spend time moving around the park with all its green vegetation. After lunch, you're heading inland to Gjirokastra Fortress, originally built back in 1336 and later redone by Ali Pasha in the 1800s. From the fortress, you'll make your way down through the old bazaar in the lower town and check out the Hoxha Museum House before the drive back north. Expect to get back to Tirana around 8 pm.
- End point
- Tiranë, Tirana, Albania (Scanderbeg Square , 20:00)
Included Activities
- Visit Butrint Archaeological Park
- Visit Gjirokastra Fortress
- Explore old town of Gjirokastra and bazaar
- Visit Hoxha Museum House
Landmarks Butrint Archaeological Park Butrinti Lake Vivari Canal Gjirokastra Fortress Old Town of Gjirokastra Hoxha Museum House 
