The Managing Committee of CULTURAL SOCIETY LONGOS "LORD BYRON" organizes in cooperation with MATTHEOS-TOURS / Egio a Six-day excursion to the Dalmatian coast from Saturday, 30 May, until Thursday, 4 June 2020. Tirana - Budva - Neum - Dubrovnik - Mostar - Kotor - Kruja - Gjirokastra Travel price 295,- EURO per person with half board in double or triple rooms.

The price of the tour includes the ride in a luxury coach, 5 nights half board in a double or triple room, guide, local guide in Kotor and Doubrovnik, road tolls, city entrance fee and taxes. For single rooms there is a surcharge of 75,- EURO. Accommodation at Hotel Continental vora in Tirana - May, 30, Hotel Adria Neum - May, 31 to June, 3 and Hotel Panorama Kruja - June, 3. Registrations are subject to hotel room availability. With the registration we ask for a deposit of 100,- EURO - Final payment by May, 9. Information and registration:    Mrs Despina Manolopoulou, phone 6984 14 2411    Mrs Dimitra Prinou-Tsamtsouri, phone 6976 61 6337    Mrs Eleni Ntourou, phone 6974 66 8577

PROGRAM:

DAY 1: Departure from Longos at 6.00 at the fountain in E ukalyptus street. Drive to Tirana via Rio, Antirrio, Amhilochia, Terrovo, Kakavia. After crossing the border, drive via Gjirokastra, Fier, Durrës. City tour in Tirana. Dinner at the hotel, overnight stay.

TIRANA Tirana is the capital and largest city by area and population of the Republic of Albania. The city was awarded the title of the European Youth Capital of 2022. Tirana is located in the center of Albania and is enclosed by mountains and hills with Mount Dajt elevating on the east and a slight valley on the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the distance. Due to its location within the Plain of Tirana and the close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, the city is particularly influenced by a Mediterranean seasonal climate. It is among the wettest and sunniest cities in Europe, with 2,544 hours of sun per year.

      Tirana - Skanderberg Monument           read more ...

DAY 2: Tirana - Budva - Neum After breakfast we drive to Montenegro. Through the towns of Lezha we reach the border crossing Skodra. The first Montenegrin town on our way is Bar, the largest port in the country. We continue on to Budva and along the coastal route we can admire the beautiful island of St. Stephen. Arrival in Budva free time to visit the historical city centre inside the castle. Researchers and historians argue that the old town was originally an island and later joined the coast forming a sandy isthmus. It is said that the area was discovered by a Greek sailor named Boutoua. Later, the coast of Montenegro was occupied by the Venetians, whose influence can be seen in the architecture of the old town buildings. In the old town of Budva, which is characterized by Venetian architecture, we will admire the churches of St. John, Our Lady of Punta and the Church of the Holy Trinity and we will see the fortress - Sintel - from the 5th-6th century.

Budva Budva is a Montenegrin town on the Adriatic Sea, former bishopric and present Latin Catholic titular see. It has 19,218 inhabitants, and it is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budva riviera, is the center of Montenegrin tourism, known for its well-preserved medieval walled city, sandy beaches and diverse nightlife. Budva is 2,500 years old, which makes it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast.

                                                                                            Budva - Isle of Sveti Stefan            read more ...

DAY 2: Drive on to Neum Arrival in Neum. Dinner at the hotel - overnight stay.

NEUM Neum is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity. It is the only town to be situated along Bosnia and Herzegovina's 20 km of coastline, making it the country's only access to the Adriatic Sea. As of 2013, Neum municipality has a population of 4,268 inhabitants, while the town of Neum has a population of 3,013 inhabitants. The small town is located in mild Mediterranean climate that has steep hills, stone-sandy beaches, and several large tourist hotels. The inland area behind Neum has a rich archeological history and untouched wilderness with centuries-old olive groves in the hinterland.

      Neum           read more ...

DAY 3: Neum - Dubrovnik - Neum After breakfast we drive to Doubrovnik, where we start our tour through one of the most beautiful cities of the Mediterranean. In the town of 'Ragusa' we will see the Sponza Palace from the 16th century, the Rector's Palace, the Cathedral and the Church of St. Blasius, the patron saint of the town, the Franciscan Monastery and the oldest pharmacy in Europe. The old town is surrounded by walls from the 10th century, probably the largest in Europe. Free time in the city centre and optional programmes (cruise on the island of Lokrum and cable car). Return to our hotel in Neum, dinner at the hotel - overnight stay.

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik (historically Latin: Ragusa) is a city on the Adriatic Sea in southern Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Its total population is 42,615 (census 2011). In 1979, the city of Dubrovnik joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. The prosperity of the city was historically based on maritime trade; as the capital of the maritime Republic of Ragusa, it achieved a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries, as it became notable for its wealth and skilled diplomacy.

                                                                                            Dubrovnik            read more ...

DAY 4: Neum - Mostar - Neum After breakfast we continue to Mostar with the Old Bridge (Stari Most). It is the queen of the Neretva, built on the bank of the river of the same name. The bridge was built during the Ottoman rule in the nine years from 1557 to 1566 by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. It is 30 metres long and is 20 metres above the river Neretva. The bridge was destroyed during the Bosnian war and was rebuilt according to the original plan in 2004. Since 2005 the bridge has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return journey to Neum - dinner at the hotel - overnight stay.

MOSTAR Mostar is a city and the administrative center of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mostar is situated on the Neretva River and is the fifth-largest city in the country. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who in the medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva. The Old Bridge, built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's most visited landmarks, and is considered an exemplary piece of Islamic architecture in the Balkans.

      Mostar - Stari Most            read more ...

DAY 5: Neum - Kotor The town of Kotor is situated at the foot of the steep Lovcen massif (1,479 m) at the southern end of the bay of the same name on the Adriatic coast. The sea bay is serpentine and resembles a fjord, forming a magnificent natural harbour. We will visit the old town, which has been protected by UNESCO since 1979. We will have the opportunity to visit many churches and monasteries. Among them are the Cathedral of St. Typhon, the Church of St. Nicholas and the churches of St. Rrzengels and St. Luke. Stylish and imposing, the fortress of St. John towers over the city. If you want to conquer it, you must patiently climb 1200 steps.

KOTOR Kotor is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of Kotor Municipality. The old Mediterranean port of Kotor is surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period. It is located on the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. Some have called it the southern-most fjord in Europe, but it is a ria, a submerged river canyon. Together with the nearly overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovćen, Kotor and its surrounding area form an impressive landscape.

                                                                                                  Kotor            read more ...

DAY 5: Kotor - Kruja We then crossed the Montenegrin-Albanian border and arrived in Kruja in the afternoon. A tour through the Albanian capital of the Ottoman period, a spectacular mountain town with a beautiful bazaar and the castle, which is closely connected to the Albanian prince George Kastriota, called Skanderbeg. Arrival at the hotel - dinner - overnight stay.

KRUJA Kruja is a town and a municipality in north central Albania. Located between Mount Krujë and the Ishëm River, the city is only 20 km north from the capital of Albania, Tirana. Kruja was inhabited by the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani. In 1190 Kruja became the capital of the first autonomous Albanian state in the middle ages, the Principality of Arbër. Later it was the capital of the Kingdom of Albania, while in the early 15th century Krujë was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, but then recaptured in 1443 by Skanderbeg, leader of the League of Lezhë, who successfully defended it against three Ottoman sieges until his death in 1468.

      Kruja            read more ...

GJIROKASTRA Gjirokastra is a city in southern Albania, on a valley between the Gjerë mountains and the Drino, at 300 metres above sea level. Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, described as "a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town, built by farmers of large estate". The city is overlooked by Gjirokastër Fortress, where the Gjirokastra National Folklore Festival is held every five years. It is the birthplace of former Albanian communist leader Enver Hoxha, and author Ismail Kadare.

                                                                                                   Gjirokastra            read more ...