Tirana - Kruja - Durres (UNESCO) - Ferry to Bari (Italy).

Tirana - Begin your day by exploring Albania’s capital. We will visit Skanderbeg Square, dedicated to Albania’s national hero, the Mosque of Ethem Bey, one of the oldest buildings in Tirana, and the Archaeological Museum among other sites. Next, we head to Kruja, a town of great historical significance due to its role in resisting the Ottomans. Here, we will explore the Skanderbeg Museum, the castle, and the old bazaar.

Durres - Later, we continue to Durres, a city on the Adriatic coast and Albania’s main commercial port. Durres, the second largest city in Albania, was formerly known as Durrahium and is one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean and Europe, mentioned in ancient texts as Taulantia (one of the largest ancient Illyrian city-states). According to legend, it was founded by Epidamnos, the Illyrian King, who named it after himself and called the port area after his grandson, Dyrrah. For centuries, it was the largest port on the Adriatic and the starting point of the Via Egnatia to Constantinople/Istanbul. We will visit the Roman amphitheater (with a capacity of 20,000 seats, the largest in the Balkans) and the Archaeological Museum, located near the sea and rich in artifacts excavated in Durres. We will also visit the Roman Baths behind the Aleksander Moisiu Theatre on the central square. In the evening, we will board the ferry to Bari (Italy).

Naples (UNESCO) (253 km, 3h 15 min).

Naples - After breakfast, we will depart for Naples. Naples is one of the oldest cities in Europe and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in the 9th century BC as the Greek colony of Neapolis, meaning New City, it is also the tenth most populated urban center in the EU, with a metro area population of over 4 million. The University of Napoli Federico II, the world’s oldest public university, is located here. In 1995, the historic center of Naples was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will take a walking tour to visit the city’s most important sights, including Cappella San Severo with Veiled Christ, Church of Gesù Nuovo, San Gregorio Armeno, Santa Chiara cloister, Piazza Plebiscito, Maschio Angioino, and more.

Pompeii (UNESCO) - Amalfi (UNESCO) - Salerno. (95 km, 2h 25 min).

Pompeii - After breakfast, we will continue to Pompeii, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD killed most of the town’s inhabitants but did relatively little damage to Pompeii itself. The resulting blanket of ash preserved the remains in perfect condition until they were rediscovered in the 18th century. We will visit the highlights of the thermal baths, the large theater, the Basilica, the Macellum, and the famous House of Faun, uncovering many interesting clues about this ancient commercial city.

Amalfi - We will then visit the Amalfi Coast, driving through nearly 50 miles of winding coastal roads with the sea on one side and the majestic Lattari mountains on the other. We will spend the night in Salerno.

Pollino National Park (UNESCO) - Cosenza

Pollino National Park - After breakfast, we will continue to Pollino National Park. The Pollino UNESCO Global Geopark protects one of the most extraordinary environments of Italian natural heritage, characterized by diverse landscapes and interesting historical and cultural settings. The geological-geomorphological evolution of the territories and the extraordinary geo-diversity are the foundation of the park’s exceptional biodiversity and rich historical-anthropological and cultural heritage, making this scenic area along the borders of Calabria and Basilicata very attractive. In the afternoon, we will arrive in Castrovillari.

Cosenza - We will then continue to Cosenza. The territory of Cosenza, like the rest of Calabria, shows traces of history dating back to the prehistoric period. The coast has Neolithic sites that attest to human presence. Waterways have been important travel routes since the Magna Graecia and Roman periods. In the Middle Ages, the Byzantines conquered this land, benefiting the economy with new agricultural techniques, sericultural production, and the promotion of social aggregation. The results are still evident in the elegant and refined architecture, as well as those of the Normans, Angevins, Aragonese, and Spaniards, who all left their mark in the following centuries.

Messina. (220 km, 2h 55 min).

Messina - In the morning, we will depart for Messina. Messina sits across the Strait of Messina, which divides the Region of Calabria from the Island of Sicily. Mother Nature has created a masterpiece here, painting the gorgeous sea into its background. As in the past, Messina is the main gateway to Sicily. Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, and Swabians landed on its coasts and heavily influenced the culture here and throughout the island. By exploring the small provincial towns, one can discover precious works of art in its churches and palaces, and important traces of great and faraway civilizations.

Etna (UNESCO) - Catania. (132 km, 2h 25 min).

Mount Etna - We will then proceed to Catania, enjoying magnificent views of the Etna volcano on the way. On the eastern coast of Sicily lies Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over the centuries, its eruptions have shaped the volcano’s slopes, creating unique landscapes of lava and ice. The area is now an enormous nature reserve, full of walkable trails.

Catania - We will then arrive in Catania. The city art tour will take us on a cultural and artistic journey to discover the best of Catania. It is a city that amazes tourists with its contrasts: places of historical interest such as Piazza Duomo, liberty buildings, baroque churches, and the powerful Etna volcano that overlooks the city. Noisy local markets, scenic views to be admired in religious silence, and a vibrant nightlife that lights up the city from dusk to dawn.

Palermo (UNESCO). (211 km, 2h 30 min).

Palermo - After breakfast, we will continue to Palermo. We will visit Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy, traditional historical markets in the city, and more. In the middle of the market, we will make an unexpected visit to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, a recently restored baroque jewel. Through narrow streets and ancient buildings, we will reach the Norman Cathedral, where we will also visit the tomb of Frederick II of Swabia and the silver “Vara” of Santa Rosalia. Through the gardens of Villa Bonanno and along the ancient Roman ruins in the heart of Paleopolis, we will reach The Royal Palace, which houses 3000 years of history from the Punic Walls to the Sicilian Parliament. We will continue along the ancient fortifications to photograph St. John of The Hermits, a striking example of Arab-Norman architecture with its distinctive domes. We will also walk through the “Cassaro,” the oldest street in Palermo, ending our tour at the Four Corners, also known as “Teatro del Sole,” an elegant baroque crossroads.

Cefalu (UNESCO) - Reggio Calabria. (243 km, 3h 45 min).

Cefalu - After breakfast, we will continue to Cefalu, a coastal city in northern Sicily, Italy. It is known for its Norman cathedral, a 12th-century fortress-like structure with elaborate Byzantine mosaics and soaring twin towers.

Reggio Calabria - We will then continue to Reggio Calabria, located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, between the seaside and the mountains of a land rich in flavors and colors. To the west, it overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea; to the south and east, the Ionian Sea. It borders Catanzaro to the northeast and Vibo Valentia to the northwest. To the southwest, it looks out at Sicily, just 2 miles away across the Strait of Messina.

Bovalino - Soverato - Le Castella. (235 km, 3h 35 min).

Crotone - Matera (UNESCO) (263 km, 3h 40 min).

Matera - We will then continue to Matera. Ancient habitations dug into the tuff rock of a chalky plateau open up around a hollow, the Gravina di Matera, traversed by a torrent that flows through this spectacular and unique city in the Region of Basilicata. Roofs become the foundations for new habitations on the levels above. A dense lattice of narrow streets and alleyways fills with the lights of the evening, giving the impression of strolling through a Nativity scene of papier-mâché. Matera was the European Capital of Culture in 2019, and its Rupestrian churches and the famous Sassi were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Taranto - Gallipoli - Santa Maria della Leuca (211 km, 3h 05 min).

Taranto - After breakfast, we will proceed to Taranto. The coast of Taranto in Apulia spans over 87 miles, featuring a diverse and beautiful natural landscape: wild areas with sheer cliffs, long stretches of fine sandy beaches blending with the deep blue sea and green maquis. Some areas are completely deserted, while others are enlivened by quaint seaside resorts. This varied scenery, where natural environments harmoniously fuse, bears traces of the different cultures that have settled here over the centuries: churches, castles, palaces, and ruins from ancient civilizations contribute to the rich cultural heritage of Taranto and its territory.

Santa Maria di Leuca - We will then continue to Santa Maria della Leuca, the southernmost point in Salento, known for its striking colors and unreal silence. At the center is the Church, the original Santa Maria: first a sanctuary, now the Basilica of Santa Maria De finibus terrae (at the ends of the earth). A visit to Leuca is a significant review of a long history, marked by rupestrian settlements, crypts, churches, castles, hundred-year-old olive trees, hidden coves and inlets, and a sea that is blue like no other. Overnight.

Otranto - Lecce - Brindisi. (141 km, 1 h 50 min)

Otranto - After breakfast, we will continue to Otranto, located at the narrowest point of the Otranto Strait, just 73 km from Albania. It is also the border between the Adriatic and Ionian seas.

Lecce - We will then proceed to Lecce, a city in Italy’s southern Apulia region known for its baroque buildings. In the central Piazza del Duomo, the Cattedrale di Lecce has a double facade and a bell tower. The Basilica di Santa Croce features sculptures and a rose window. Nearby are the Sant’Oronzo Column, a Roman column topped with a bronze statue of the city’s patron saint, and the sunken Roman amphitheater.

Brindisi - In the afternoon, we will continue to Brindisi. Brindisi has been known as the “Gateway to the East” since ancient times, when it became an important port for Roman troops and later for Venetian merchants. This port in Apulia still provides important travel connections to and from a long list of sea and airports.

Alberobello (UNESCO) - Bari - Ferry to Durres (Albania). (133 km, 1 h 25 min); overnight in ferry, (300 km, 8 hrs).

Alberobello - After breakfast, we will depart for Alberobello. Alberobello’s striking expanse of Trulli was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Narrow, winding lanes weave past small, characteristic piazzas in the Rione Monti, home to the “Siamese trullo” with its unusual twin-cone roofs, the Church of Sant’Antonio, and the Trullo Sovrano. We will visit the Museo del Territorio, housed in a series of interconnected trulli, and the Casa d’Amore, the first building in town to be constructed with lime and mortar, now a valuable tourist information point.

Bari - We will then continue to Bari, the capital of the Puglia region, a city where time seems to have stopped. The presence of the relics of the Patron Saint Nicholas in the homonymous Basilica makes it one of the most important religious destinations in southern Italy. The ancient village, also called “Bari vecchia,” is a magical place where you can learn about the culture and traditions of Bari and exchange a few words with the friendly inhabitants. On the doorsteps of their houses, women will invite you to taste local specialties while they prepare the famous orecchiette, the typical handmade pasta. You will not be able to resist the scent of the focaccia and the very tasty street food. In the evening, we will board the ferry to Durres, Albania.

Durres - Tirana.

Durres - After arriving in Durres, we will have a city tour. Durres, located on the Adriatic coast, is Albania’s main commercial port and its second largest city. Formerly known as Durrahium, it is one of the oldest towns in the country. According to legend, it was founded by Epidamnos, the Illyrian King, who named it after himself and called the port area after his grandson, Dyrrah. For centuries, it was the largest port on the Adriatic and the starting point of the Via Egnatia to Constantinople/Istanbul. We will visit the Roman amphitheater and the Archaeological Museum, located near the sea and rich in artifacts excavated in Durres. We will also visit the Roman Baths behind the Aleksander Moisiu Theatre on the central square.

Tirana - We will then continue to Tirana, Albania’s capital. We will visit Skanderbeg Square, dedicated to Albania’s national hero, the Mosque of Ethem Bey, one of the oldest buildings in Tirana, and the Archaeological Museum among other sites.

• Air-conditioned modern van/minibus/bus transportation
• Ferry tickets with private bathrooms
• Daily breakfast
• 3* hotel accommodation on double occupancy
• English-speaking tour leader/manager

• Admission/entry Fees
• A mandatory service fee for tour guide/bus driver (min. 5-7 Euro /day per person).
• Lunch and Dinner charges (if applicable)
• Everything not mentioned in “Inclusions”
• Local guides (can be provided upon request) and require extra charge

Europe Explorer Grand Tour “Mediterranean Route’’ offers travelers a unique opportunity to experience the best of Southern Italy (Apennine Peninsula) and the Illyrian (Balkan) Peninsula’s ancient and modern cultural heritage. These regions are considered vital parts of Western Civilization in the Central Mediterranean. On this tour, you will immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage, nature, history, traditions, and the diverse ethnic and religious landscape. The program is specially designed to include all the ‘must-see’ locations in this part of Southern Italy and Western Albania.

Key Places to Visit: Tirana, Durres, Bari, Naples, Caserta, Pompeii, Amalfi, Salerno, Cilento, Cosenza, Messina, Catania, Agrigento, Palermo, Cefalù, Reggio Calabria, Crotone, Matera, Taranto, Leuca, Lecce, Brindisi, Alberobello, and Bari.

If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.