- Albania
- Albania and Macedonia Uncovered
Unlock the beauty of the Balkans on a remarkable journey through the ancient history and dramatic landscapes of Albania and North Macedonia. Albania's revival has affirmed its appeal for history-seekers and nature-lovers alike. Traverse stunning mountain scenery, idyllic beaches and glittering lakes dotted with dazzling classical and medieval architecture.
Depart on your scheduled flight to Tirana. Upon arrival, you will be met by your representatives and transferred to your hotel.
Breakfast & Dinner
The cultural, entertainment and political heart of Albania lies in the lively city of Tirana, proclaimed as the capital in 1920. Shrouded by its difficult past, Tirana has in recent years reinvented itself as a city of historic and cultural significance; flourishing with its vast array of museums and fascinating monuments, amidst a metropolis peppered with vibrant buildings. Unearth Albania's past struggles as you enter the underground bunker known as Bunk Art 1, built in the 1970s under the strict instructions of Enver Hoxha - Albania's former head of State. Constructed as a protective refuge in the event of a nuclear attack, this five-storey shelter now houses a history museum and contemporary art gallery abounding an assortment of vibrant artwork. Wander through a selection of 24 rooms and be transported to a bygone era, as you witness the living quarters and meeting rooms which replicate its original design. This afternoon, bask in natural splendour as you journey towards Dajti Mountain, a tranquil and refreshing contrast to Tirana. Immersed in an idyllic display of verdant fields and shady beech trees, board a cable car and glide towards the summit of Mount Dajti, absorbing spellbinding vistas along the route. Later this evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant with traditional dishes.
Breakfast
Following breakfast, journey to the picturesque resort which teeters on the shores of Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia. Radiating natural extravagance and exuding old-world charm, indulge in an area of outstanding beauty during an afternoon at leisure, delighting in the opportunity to explore the atmospheric old town of Ohrid, where a scattering of medieval churches, crumbling monasteries and ancient ruins lay adjacent to traditional houses, crowned by their iconic red-tiled roofs. Why not soak up the atmosphere and glorious lakeside views from the comfort of a quaint cafe or take a stroll along the sprawling embankment boardwalk.
Breakfast
Framed by the towering mountainsides of Baba and Nidze, travel to the city of Bitola, a relatively quiet town which boasts an intriguing blend of architecture and captivating archaeological sites. The town has become synonymous with its hospitable coffee-shop culture. Teeming with vibrant 18th-century townhouses, neoclassical buildings and prehistoric monuments, meander through the winding streets of this charming city during a morning tour, before exploring one of North Macedonia's best-regarded archaeological sites. Regally assembled amidst the former city bounds of Macedonia, wander through the excellently preserved monuments of Heraclea Lynecestis which astoundingly dates back to the 4th century; marvel at the ancient Roman baths, open-aired portico and Christian Basilica, before standing upon the striking stage of the Roman Amphitheatre that was, for a short time, the epicentre for Gladiator fights. In the shadows of its ancient past, these mesmerising ruins now serve as a backdrop for concerts and theatre performances, held here during the summer months. From here, spend some time at leisure navigating the market stalls and narrow avenues of the Old Bazaar, before returning to Ohrid this evening.
Breakfast
Return to Albania today and experience the magnetic charm of Berat during a morning city tour. Surrounded by rugged mountains and towering hillsides, witness an iconic assemblage of white Ottoman houses which climb to the highest peak of this 'town of a thousand windows', before exploring the expansive grounds of Berat Castle. Perched atop a steep mountainside, delight in incredible vistas of the city, where the Osum river spectacularly cuts through the verdant valley below. Breaking custom and tradition, this beguiling fortress is unlike any other citadels of its time owing to the fact that it has almost continuously remained a habitable community, where restaurants, markets and Byzantine churches thrive at the heart of local life. Behind the imposing walls of this fortified city, wander through the twisting streets before gaining an insight into one of Albania's most distinctive religious artists at the Onufri Museum. Combining vivid crimson and golden colours in a dazzling spectacle of religious extravagance, witness Onufri's elaborate work before travelling towards the former capital of Albania, idyllically situated on the bay where the Adriatic and Ionian seas harmoniously unite. Spend the rest of the day at leisure basking in the warm Mediterranean sun or relishing in the lively ambience of this picture-perfect seaside metropolis.
Breakfast
Located atop a windswept plateau and set amongst a backdrop teeming with rolling hillsides and verdant olive groves, explore the ancient Greek colonial city of Apollonia. Whilst several ruins remain buried underground, wander around a number of spellbinding archaeological highlights, including the amphitheatre and dominating pillars that marked the city's administrative centre, before returning to the atmospheric centre of Vlore for an afternoon at leisure.
Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast, journey towards the charming medieval village of Kruja, blissfully situated at the foothills of Mount Kruja and its surrounding green valleys, which stretch to the shores of the glistening Adriatic. Exuding an enchanting authentic ambience, wander through the cobblestone streets of this quaint town before browsing a collection of beautiful antiques, hand-crafted rugs and masterfully made copper objects which are sold in the ancient Ottoman bazaar, known as one of the oldest market streets in Albania. Later, travel to Durres and arrive in time for your farewell dinner this evening.
Breakfast
This morning, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK or chosen extension.
Mandy Chancellor
13 Apr 24We had no idea what to expect from this holiday and were blown away by the wonderful countryside and the people, it certainly exceeded all our expectations. The tour guide and driver went over and above what might be expected to ensure that everyone in the party enjoyed their holiday.
The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
A visa is not required for your trip to Albania. It is your responsibility to check your passport validity. To enter Albania, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. We strongly advise you check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity.
Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your e-ticket and final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalized on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0871 360 2000, quoting HX313.
IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org.uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace of Albania and Macedonia Uncovered is rated Intermediate. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, and you will be getting on and off coaches and climbing steps which may be irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary. Early morning trains and flights depending upon the schedule and some early morning sightseeing’s are also in this tour.
The currency in Albania is the Albanian Lek (ALL) which is a closed currency. This means it is not possible to buy Albanian money in the UK before you travel. It is important to budget carefully as you should not take any Lek out of Albania when you depart. There are foreign exchange offices and cash machines available in most places during your tour. Your tour guide will assist you at the start of your tour with currency exchange. Euros are also widely accepted. Credit and debit cards are accepted in most hotels and some shops and restaurants; a charge is sometimes added for using them.
The currency in Macedonia is the Macedonian Denar known as MKD. Local currency is preferred as any other currency is not legal tender, but some larger establishments do accept Euros. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour to withdraw money in your local currency. Credit and debit cards are accepted in most hotels and some shops and restaurants; a charge is sometimes added for using them.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any dinners where these are not mentioned in your itinerary and personal purchases, such as souvenirs, extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £300-£400 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory and is at your discretion. We would recommend approximately 3,000 LEK (£25) per person which is split between the drive and guide. Should you wish to tip, this will be collected by your guide at the end of your tour for your convenience. It is asked that if you do not tip in the local currency, please do not give coins as these are difficult to exchange.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are notable to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a fullrefund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is a fully escorted tour meaning that you will be met on arrival by your Local guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip ensuring that you always have first-hand knowledge. Local guides may also be used if required at some attractions.
Private Tours: If you have booked a private tour then you will be accompanied by a Driver Guide or a Driver and Local Guides. These will be available to you during all scheduled sightseeing. Private Tours can depart on any day of the week depending on flight and train schedules and the opening days of the attractions. They will follow the itinerary as described in the brochure unless you have been advised otherwise and you will still have all of the same meals, sightseeing and local excursions included.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Albania. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs. A triple room is available but please note that this will be a twin room with a fold away bed for the 3rd passenger.
Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.
Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information. Vegan, vegetarian meal options are available, all meal requests need to be sent over to our suppliers before travel
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way.
On your arrival in Tirana you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Albtours D, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/ Albtours D representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.
If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:
Albtours D: Telephone Number: 00355 (0) 69 20 21 655 Email: enver@albtoursd.al; reservation1@albtoursd.al; book@albtoursd.al
Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for Albtours D (24hrs): 00355 (0) 69 20 21 655 Email: enver@albtoursd.al; reservation1@albtoursd.al; book@albtoursd.al