Albania, Kosovo & Montenegro

This morning will be spent exploring Shkodra. After lunch we visit one of Albania’s largest defences - the legendary Rozafa Castle. From its imposing position, we are treated to spectacular views of the Albanian Alps. We will cross the border into Montenegro and drive to Budva.

We drive to Cetinje, the old Montenegrin royal capital, cradled by limestone mountains. Founded in the 15th century, it became a hub of culture, and a centre for the country's Orthodox faith. We have the chance to explore Kotor, a Medieval warren of cobbled streets, Venetian fortifications, and ancient walls.

A morning visit to Budva Archaeological Museum, before heading on to the site of Doclea, once the Roman capital of Prevalitana. Next, we travel into the mountains, along the River Moraca, with its Serbian Orthodox monastery. Despite being burned by the Ottomans in the 16th Century, its 13th century frescoes remain remarkably well-preserved.

Descend into the plains of Kosovo. Along our route, we stop at the Patriarchal Monastery of Peja, holiest centre of the Serbian Orthodoxy, and Decan, site of Kosovo's biggest and best-preserved Medieval monastery, home to superb Byzantine frescoes and to the shrine of King Stefan Uros III.

Today we visit the Shiroku tumulus group, Iron Age Illyrian burial mounds. We continue to the excavations at Ulpiana. The focus of the Roman province of Dardania, once a thriving hub of commerce and culture. We make a final stop at the magnificent Gracanica Monastery, before we return to Prizren.

An early start as we drive to Koman, where we catch a ferry to take us along the spectacular gorge of the Black Drin River to the dam at Fierze. Soaring mountains surround the lake which was created by the Albanian communists to feed the ‘Light of the Party’ hydro-electric combine in the 1980s.

Our day begins with a drive to Lezhe. An Illyrian city, Lezhe was a colony of the tyrant Dionysius of Syracuse and became the capital of the Illyrian King Gentius. Later it was the nerve centre of the realm of Skanderbeg, the medieval Albanian hero who was buried in the cathedral.

We transfer to Tirana airport for our return flight home.