ITINERARY DETAILS
DAY 1
Arrival in Tirana
Your journey begins in Tirana, where your driver will meet you at the airport and transfer you privately to your hotel in the capital.
The remainder of the day is unscheduled. Settle in after your flight, take a first walk through the center, or head to Blloku for dinner and an introduction to Tirana's lively café and restaurant scene.
DAY 2
Tirana & Petrelë Castle
Meet your private guide for an introduction to Tirana and the contrasts that have shaped Albania's capital.
Begin around Skanderbeg Square and visit the Et'hem Bey Mosque before continuing through the city center. See the Pyramid of Tirana and explore Blloku, once home to Albania's communist leadership and now filled with cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and busy public spaces. Along the way, your guide will trace Tirana's transformation from a relatively small Ottoman town into the colorful and rapidly changing capital of today.
Later, leave the city for nearby Petrelë. Set above the Erzen Valley, Petrelë Castle offers views across the surrounding countryside and a glimpse into Albania's medieval history. Spend time exploring the castle and village, with the opportunity to enjoy a traditional lunch or refreshments overlooking the valley before returning to Tirana.
DAY 3
Krujë Castle & Old Bazaar
Travel north from Tirana to Krujë, one of the towns most closely associated with Albania's national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg.
Explore Krujë Castle and visit the Skanderbeg Museum to learn about the resistance against the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century. Continue into the Old Bazaar, where cobbled lanes and traditional wooden storefronts are home to handicrafts, textiles, antiques, and locally made products.
Return to Tirana with the rest of the afternoon and evening free to enjoy the capital at your own pace.
DAY 4
From Albania to Greece
Transfer privately to Tirana International Airport for your flight to Athens.
On arrival in Greece, meet your driver and continue to your hotel in the city center. No formal sightseeing is scheduled today. Enjoy dinner nearby or take an evening walk through Plaka, where the illuminated Acropolis rises above the historic neighborhood.
DAY 5
Acropolis & Athenian Flavors
Begin with a private guided visit to the Acropolis, entering through the monumental Propylaea before exploring the Parthenon, Erechtheion, and Temple of Athena Nike.
Your guide will introduce the people, politics, beliefs, and artistic achievements that shaped Athens during its Golden Age before continuing into the city below.
The focus then turns to contemporary Athens through its food. Explore locally loved neighborhoods and sample Greek specialties, from savory meze and regional cheeses to traditional sweets, discovering the flavors that remain part of everyday Athenian life.
DAY 6
Corinth Canal, Mycenae & Nafplio
Leave Athens for a private journey into the Peloponnese, beginning with a stop at the Corinth Canal before continuing to ancient Mycenae.
Enter the legendary citadel through the Lion Gate and explore the remains of the powerful Mycenaean civilization. See the Cyclopean walls, royal burial sites, and Treasury of Atreus before continuing toward the coast.
Spend time in Nafplio, known for its Venetian architecture, waterfront, narrow streets, and historic old town. Enjoy time for lunch and independent exploration before returning to Athens.
Travelers who would like to extend the cultural experience can also include the ancient Theater of Epidaurus, renowned for its exceptional acoustics and remarkably preserved classical design.
DAY 7
Athens to Istanbul
Transfer privately to Athens International Airport for your flight to Istanbul.
Meet your local representative on arrival and continue by private transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to begin discovering Istanbul independently, enjoy the hotel, or head out for dinner.
Your Travelive planner can recommend restaurants, neighborhoods, and evening experiences according to your interests.
DAY 8
Istanbul Classics
Discover Istanbul's historic heart with your private guide.
Begin at Hagia Sophia, whose extraordinary history spans Byzantine cathedral, Ottoman mosque, museum, and its present role as the Ayasofya Grand Mosque. Continue to the nearby Blue Mosque, recognized by its grand interior, İznik tiles, and six minarets.
Walk through the Hippodrome, once the center of public life in Constantinople, where surviving monuments include the Egyptian Obelisk and Serpentine Column.
Finish at the Grand Bazaar, a vast maze of covered streets filled with carpets, jewelry, ceramics, textiles, leather goods, and traditional crafts.
DAY 9
Spice Bazaar & Bosphorus Cruise
Begin at Istanbul's Spice Bazaar, where stalls are filled with spices, sweets, dried fruits, teas, and other Turkish specialties.
Continue to the Bosphorus and board a cruise along the waterway dividing Europe and Asia. From the water, see landmarks including Dolmabahçe Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Rumeli Fortress, Ortaköy, and the Maiden's Tower, along with waterfront mansions and neighborhoods on both shores.
Return to your hotel with the remainder of the day free for shopping, further sightseeing, or simply enjoying Istanbul at a slower pace.
DAY 10
Istanbul to Izmir
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Izmir on Turkey's Aegean coast.
Your driver will meet you on arrival and take you to your hotel for a three-night stay. No touring is scheduled today, leaving time to relax or begin exploring Izmir independently.
DAY 11
Ephesus & the House of the Virgin Mary
Travel from Izmir for a private exploration of Ephesus, one of the great cities of the ancient Roman world.
Walk its marble streets and discover landmarks including the Library of Celsus, Great Theatre, Temple of Hadrian, and the remains of homes, public buildings, and marketplaces that reveal the scale of the ancient city.
Continue to the nearby Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, before visiting the House of the Virgin Mary, a pilgrimage site set in the hills above Ephesus.
Return to Izmir after your exploration of one of Turkey's most important archaeological regions.
DAY 12
Alaçatı & Çeşme: The Aegean Coast
Spend your final full day discovering the Aegean coast west of Izmir.
Begin in Alaçatı, known for its stone houses, cobbled lanes, cafés, boutiques, and bougainvillea-lined streets. Take time to explore before continuing to nearby Çeşme.
Visit the historic center and harbor, see Çeşme Castle, and settle in for a leisurely lunch by the coast. Weather permitting, there will also be time for a swim before returning to Izmir.
The relaxed coastal setting provides a change of pace after the monuments, cities, and archaeological sites experienced throughout the journey.
DAY 13
Departure
Transfer privately to Izmir Airport for your flight to Istanbul and onward international journey.
