The Albanian cuisine is one of the good reasons to visit the Albania. You can find the flavors of the cuisine of southern Italy, Greece and Turkey. Having been occupied by the Ottoman Empire for five centuries, Albania has still maintained some aspects of that culture and even more in the cuisine.
The spices , the meat and cheese characterize the savory dishes, while the honey , the nuts and made sugar syrup and hot water delight sweets.
Tirana International Airport (Google Map)
3 Hours Before Flight Time
Majestic mountains, turquoise beaches, welcoming and caring places, gourmet gastronomy … There are many aspects on which your trip in Albania will mark you. You will be pleasantly surprised by the beauties of Albania, this country just opening up to tourism.
Check in central hotel. Walk and visit of the downtown. First taste of local fruit and delicacies in the
small fruit and vegetable bazaars. Eventually and for the bravest: a taste of the Albanian Koka (local
word for head of sheep). Will you dare try the eye!?
Local meal in a small restaurant. Tirana produces great beer and wine as well.
Transfer to the North. Visit of Kruja. When’s the last time you tried a dessert made with meat!?
Ok – time for Kruja’s kabuni.
Transfer to Lagoon of Patok. Meal with local catch of the day. Boat ride in the lagoon. Visit the Delta of
the Mati river.
Transfer to Shkodra. Overnight in Shkodra.
Visits of Shkodra’s downtown and Bazaar. Transfer to Zogaj. Local meal with specialty made out
of Carpe. Low quality fish in many countries – we shall surprise you with the local way of making it. A
sauce of garlic, onion and laurel will make this the most interesting carpe you ever tried.
Transfer to Mrizi I Zanave. Visits of the farm. Dinner with the spectacular menu of the season. This is
eventually the most famous food producer in the region. Delights that manage to satisfy any taste and
palate. Locally produced wines served with the meal.
Overnight at Mrizi I Zanave or in the region.
Visits of the morning activity in the farm. The duck parade is quite a show. Hike around the area.
Visit a small pottery cooperative.
Transfer to Marikaj between Tirana and Durres. Meal at Bunker Farm. A small hidden corner that
produces most of the local products in an idyllic atmosphere. Wine not very special but still a good try
and a real good effort to do the best out of the local tradition.
Transfer to Divjake – Karavasta National Park. Fish and local products meal.
Overnight.
Visits of the Park most famous for the important colony of Curly Pellicans nesting here during
the months of winter.
Than transfer to the small village of Karavasta and meal with a family of farmers. All local specialties and
of course (lots) raki produced in the area. The father of the family is also a wood and stone carver. He
will (after the meal) assist us in carving a small souvenir with our own hands.
Drive to Berat in the early evening. Dinner in the hotel with local specialties.
Overnight Berat.
Berat is a great heritage and also food and culinary region. It has a few elements of the local
cuisine that bring a lot of colours to Albania. We shall have a tour of the Castle and the 1001 Windows.
Transfer to Elbasan via the Belshi Lakes region. In Elbasan we will meet with one of the most famous
chefs of Albania and we shall have a culinary lesson teaching us how to cook the very Albanian Tave Kosi
a yoghurt cake made with lamb (or baby goat) and yoghurt.
At the end of the day, overnight in Pogradec in front of one of the most ancient lakes in the World (Lake
Ohrid).
Trout is the local pride here. We shall visit the shores of the lakes and the small picturesque
Tushemisht in the vicinities of Pogradec. Lunch with local specialties of the lake.
Transfer to Voskopoja. Visits of the many churches of Byzantine tradition and dinner in the hotel (with
the local lakror as the highlight).
Overnight in Voskopoja.
Visits of Korca bazaars. Continue towards Erseka where we eat in a small family owned
restaurant. The owners will let us enter the kitchen and each of us chooses whatever more interesting
from the kitchen.
Continue towards Gjirokastra. Dinner with Qiqfi (rice balls with mint and eggs) Feta (the best in the
country) and other specialties of Gjirokastra.
Overnight in the Old Town.
Transfer towards Butrint. The Mussel Tour will be a highlight of this whole trip. No way we
would skip a visit of Butrint Archeological Site on this area.
Continue after that towards the amazing Albanian Riviera. Overnight in a village in the shores of the
Ionian coast.
Lazy morning and than transfer on the other side of the Acroceraunian mountains. Meal with a
shepherd family in the mountain of Tragjas. All products (diary and meat) produced at home. Their smoking room is the ‘dream of any chef’ as one of the internees of Renee Rexhepi from Noma’s stated a
couple of years ago.
Visits of the ruins of Tragjas. Check in a small family owned hotel in Rradhima by the beach. Overnight in Rradhima.
Early morning (around 4am) going out with the local fishermen. Gathering of the nets and
clearing of the fish. Lunch with the fish caught in the morning.
Second part of the day to relax at the beach.
Drive to airport. End of the tour.
