Albania, a country that until the 1990s turned its back on Europe under the threat of an invasion that never came. Now it is moving swiftly towards the future. South of Tirana discover Albania’s monuments and history. Ancient villages of Ottoman origin, well preserved and declared World Heritage by the UNESCO . Citadels, archaeological sites and ancient historic centres delight history and architecture enthusiasts.
Would you like to discover Albania? We have departures in September and October, as well as a special 10-day New Year trip.
The topography of Albania is mainly mountainous, 70% of the territory is occupied by mountain ranges, ridges and peaks with an average altitude close to 1000 metres.
Author P. Mongay
From among them highlight the Thetis Mountains, a branch of the Balkans, which appear in all their splendour. This labyrinthine terrain has led to isolation, clashes and wars between small republics in which the Austro-Hungarian Empire nor the Ottoman Empire They were able to win.
The contrasting mountain landscape is crossed by clear river valleys and gorges, with lush vegetation including Black pine groves, Bosnian pine, beech trees and shrubs such as blueberries, providing shelter for species as significant as the brown bear, wolf and Eurasian lynx.
The mountains of Theti stand out as limestone massifs with beautiful dolomitic rocks, where giant bare towers rise above dense forests in the valleys below, through which the Thethi River flows, with stunning waterfalls and springs.
The author Edith Durham , who visited the area in 1908 wrote: «Life in Thethi was fascinating, I forgot the rest of the world and ... I could think of no reason to ever return».