Apollonia Park Day Tour: Dive into History, Culture, & Nature from Tirana & Durres
5.0
12 Ratings
Pojan
Embark on a captivating day tour from Tirana to Apollonia Park, Narta Lagoon, and Vlore. Explore ancient ruins, witness stunning natural beauty, and discover the rich history and cultural diversity of Albania.
Duration:
9 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Apollonia Archaeological Park - The ancient city of Apollonia is one of the best-known and most important classical cities in the country. Its special atmosphere is created by a combination of the unique monuments, archaeology and landscape, difficult to find anywhere in the Mediterranean. During the walking tour, you will see the ancient monumental center with Greco-Roman buildings, the Byzantine monastery and the rich museum of Apollonia.
- Narta Lagoon - Narta Lagoon is located near the city of Vlore and has the largest salt marshes in Albania. It creates perfect conditions for different birds to reside. You will see flamingos, dalmatian pelicans and other water birds.
- Vlore - Vlore is known as the city of the Albanian Independence. The coastal city is the sharing point of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Bay of Vlore is popular for summer beach holidays. During the walking tour, you will visit the old town, independence square and the Bektashi temple of Kuzum Baba. You will have some free time to have lunch and explore on your own.
What's Included
- Hotel pick up and drop off
- Qualified tourist guide/driver
- Comfortable transportation per itinerary
- Entrance fee for Apollonia archaeological site
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Personal expenses
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Embark on a southward journey alongside the Adriatic Sea that encompasses a mix of history, culture, and natural beauty.
Your travel begins at the Apollonia Archaeological Park, a historic location that once played host to Julius Caesar and the Roman Emperor Augustus. After taking a glimpse at the Greco-Roman temples, you’ll proceed to the Narta Lagoon, a conservation area inhabited by flamingos and pelicans. The tour includes a scenic drive around the lagoon to take in the best views of this natural wonder. Following a waterfront lunch, the itinerary takes you to the seaside city of Vlore - the birthplace of Albanian independence in 1912. You have ample time to explore the Old Town, Independence Square, and three religious sites - the Muradie Mosque, St. Mary Church, and the “Kuzum Baba” Bektashi Temple - allowing you to gain insights into Albania’s diverse faith traditions.
An afternoon return to your hotel concludes the trip.
- It’s recommended to bring water, sunglasses, sunscreen, mosquito spray, and a hat
Location
Apollonia Archaeological Park
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(12 Ratings)
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Samcz7170ua
Feb 23, 2024
Great Trip Highlight of Albania - We had the best time on our trip. Our guide (Gezim Shimi) was so professional, knowledgeable and such a safe and professional driver. He made sure of our comfort and went the extra mile making certain our needs were met. He showed us places and views you could not find without taking this guided trip. I can't recommend this trip enough. If you want to see the history and natural beauty of Albania book this trip and ask for Gezim Shimi.
Sam and Vicki Casmus USA
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I3315cfsteffis
Feb 20, 2024
Amazing way to discover Albania - We had an amazing time ! We learned a lot about Albania and saw realy awesome places . My mom isn’t realy mobile and there was always a solution . For me it was my 5th time in Albania but I learned so much more things. We will do things with this organisation more
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Danielap3734
Feb 11, 2024
Top guide and highly recommended trip! - Last Tuesday I went with a friend on this excursion to Apollonia National Park, Narta lagoon and the city of Vlorë. A trip that combines culture and nature. Our guide Gezim was very friendly and professional. It was our first day in Albania and really a wonderful experience. In Apollonia National Park we discovered the story of the old city of Apollonia. We had the chance to see some flamingos and other birds in the Narta lagoon. After lunch at Vlore we had a small walk in the city to see the highlights. Gezim told us also a lot about Albanian culture and history and gave us useful hints for the next days. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wendrij
Feb 8, 2024
Super day excursion - I traveled with my friends and we joined a friendly small group. Apollonia is a rich historic site and our guide Taulant explained it very well. We watched with binoculars beautiful flamingos. Highly recommended as a day trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vacationer75872
Dec 8, 2023
A recommendable outing - The excellent excursion and the guide even better. Very kind and knows how to explain everything very well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
659sofiec
Jul 29, 2023
Excellent excursion - Yesterday we went on an excursion to Apollonia Park, the Narta lagoon and the city of Vlorë. It is the perfect trip that combines culture and nature. In the Apollonia Park we received a very extensive cultural-historical explanation from the guide. We spotted flamingos in the Nara lagoon. That was a very rich experience. Afterwards we were served a delicious local lunch to finish with a visit to the city of Vlore. The trip was very successful and organized very professionally. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
475fabricel
Jul 25, 2023
Great discovery with all the required informations to understand - All the precious informations of our friendly guide 👍👍👍. The fact that we were not in a big group was something i appreciated too.
I have really discovered a region of Albania and even more. I really enjoyed the visit of Apollonia and the observations of the birds in the lagoon.
What a pity we had to make the trip shorter because of my girlfriend who could not support the extreme heat today after the lunch in Vlore...
But it was a great experience, thanks
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hedeiwy
Aug 7, 2022
Stunning!!!! - Such an amazing trip, Theth is a very beautiful village with lots of wonderful sights. A special thanks to Gezim for making this trip possible. Highly recommend for any trips.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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