Montenegro from Albania: A Day Tour full of discoveries

Montenegro may have declared its independence in June 2006, yet it is its medieval castles and settlements that offer unique traces of its history, and placed Crna Gora - which means "Black Mountains", in the world's attention. We will travel from Tirana, Albania along its mesmerizing Adriatic sea coastline. In our full-day tour we will have the opportunity to discover the Bay of Budva, the UNESCO city of Kotor, and the petite island of Sveti Stefan. We will depart from your Tirana hotel in the morning with an air-conditioned vehicle, and head towards north Albania. We will have a quick coffee break by the Buna River at the footsteps of the beautiful Shkodra fortress. Listed as one of the oldest European castles that survived antiquity to modern times, it has adorned this crucial Albanian cultural town for over 2400 years. Upon crossing the Albanian-Montenegrin border, we will initially head towards the city of Budva - one hour and half drive from the border. Prior to reaching the wonderful Bay of Budva, we will have a quick stop at the most iconic Montenegro destination: the tiny islet of Sveti Stefan, a perfect photographic site - now one of the most adored resort sites in the Balkans. One of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast, Budva is 2,500 years old, and is known for its well-preserved medieval walled city and unspoiled sandy beaches. We will have time to visit and sightsee the Old Town which was sadly destroyed by the 1979 earthquake, yet after its 7 years long reconstruction, it has become a permanent home to 200 families, and an amazing touristic place to enjoy some free time prior to heading to the bay of Kotor. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kotor is an ideal destination with its imposing medieval build-in-the-mountain castle walls and little artisan shops. You will have free time to explore the old city and its local shops. In late afternoon we will head back to the Albanian border, and then you will be dropped off in the Tirana hotel that you were picked up from.