Tirana and Petrela Castle Daytour / 11.05.2014

Highlights:

Explore the historic and modern heart of Tirana.

Wander the galleries of the National Historical Museum or Gallery of Arts.

Visit the Petrela Castle on a high rock of the Erzen valley.

Go to the Et’hem Beu Mosque to see unusual Islamic art.

Discover old Ottoman architecture, such as the Tanners Bridge.

Summary: Discover the heart and capital of Albania on a 6-hour private tour of the 17th-century city of Tirana, and learn how it has developed into a center of Albanian culture, with contemporary architecture and lots of history.

Start at the central Skanderbeg Square to see the statue of the 15th-century Albanian national hero George Kastrioti Skanderbeg who defended the country against the Ottoman Empire. In the same square, you will see the 115-foot (35-meter) tall Clock Tower of Tirana, with 90 spiral stairs to the top for panoramic city views. Next, go to the 18th century Et’hem Beu Mosque. Its frescoes of trees, waterfalls, and bridges are rare for Islamic art.

Nearby, lies the National Historical Museum, which you will enter to see artifacts from antiquity, Medieval Albania. Learn about the W W II in Albania and the communist genocide. Those interested in the arts can visit the National Arts Gallery spanning 7 centuries of Albanian culture.

Then, drive to Petrela Castle on the slopes of a rock southeast of Tirana. Built in the 5th century, the castle was the former residence of Scanderbeg’s sister, Mamica. Today, it’s a lovely restaurant where you can enjoy a traditional Albanian lunch, with gorgeous views over the village of the same name.

Cost of the trip: 25 euro

Included: 

Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle

Guide

Lunch in local restaurant

Entrance fees

Not included:

Anything else not specified in the “includes” section