Ana from CA gives this tour
I’ve traveled a great deal but I wasn’t sure what to expect on this trip. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the itinerary; I really enjoyed visiting the monasteries, ruins, and other historic landmarks of the three countries. My friend and I spent two+ days on our own exploring Tirana. We were disappointed that the tour started on Day 3 not Day 2; it would have been great if we had been given the opportunity to go on an excursion to Berat or Butrint on Day 2 as it was not included in the itinerary. The sites in Shkodra, Krujë, Durres, Gjirokastra were terrific. A favorite was the visit to Heraclea Lyncestis, mostly due to the wonderful archeologist who made the site come alive. I liked the quaint inn at Gjirokastra, the fig preserves at breakfast were delicious! The shopping at the various bazaars, especially in Kruje and in Gjirokastra was great fun! The highlight for me was the visit to the Meteora Monasteries, even though the sites with their many many stairs and uphill paths were very difficult to reach. We visited two of the monasteries on one day because we arrived too late the previous day to visit one of them. Our tour guide, however, took us to the monasteries in the evening,, and it was beautiful. We had so much fun seeing the views and taking photos. It rained the next day on our hike up to the monasteries, so the trip the previous day was appreciated. It was an arduous walk/hike, and my friend was glad she took her walking stick. Alex, our guide, is an energetic, fun, and knowledgeable young man. He was very accommodating to the group. I appreciated the fact that all the meals were included; the food was delicious, fresh and tasty. The trip was a great adventure.
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Date Traveled: 5/6/2019