Albanien und Griechenland: Tirana, Saranda & Korfu

About the destination: Tirana è di gran lunga la città più grande dell'Albania e il suo centro amministrativo, culturale, economico e industriale. Oggi è una città interessante e affascinante, con una vivace vita notturna. Tirana è dove la vecchia e la nuova Albania si incontrano. C'è un'imponente moschea ottomana e il suo imponente minareto vicino a Piazza Skanderbeg, la piazza principale di Tirana. La costruzione della Moschea Ethem Bey iniziò nel 1798 e fu terminata nel 1821. Chiusa sotto il regime comunista, la moschea ha riaperto come luogo di culto nel 1991. Guarda gli affreschi all'esterno e nel portico che raffigurano alberi, cascate, case ottomane e ponti, motivi raramente visti nell'arte islamica. Il centro di Tirana è una deliziosa area di ampi viali alberati e grandi piazze, popolata da un'architettura brutalista indimenticabile ea volte estremamente colorata. Ha anche alcuni grandi esempi di realismo eroico e socialista, come l'enorme murale sulla facciata del Museo di Storia Nazionale. Tirana è una città affascinante e capitale di un paese affascinante. È molto rilassante, con persone amichevoli e ospitali, alcuni ottimi ristoranti e una vivace vita notturna. Puoi praticamente vedere tutto ciò che la città ha da offrire in un giorno o due, ma è un ottimo posto per partire per esplorare i luoghi vicini, come Durazzo e Kruja.

About the destination: Saranda (Sarandë) is a small city located in southern Albania, near the border with northern Greece. It is a destination that in recent years has become fashionable in Albania due to the recent arrival of several cruise ships to its port. A quiet city, well located, that always has something to do, with cafes and terraces open all year round and with a Mediterranean climate to enjoy its beaches. Not surprisingly, it was chosen as the stopover for their Greek island cruises

About the destination: With its Venetian fortress, British palaces, and a French esplanade modelled on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris, Corfu may no strike you as Greek at all. The most populated and cosmopolitan of the Ionian Islands, it is packed with foreigners and foreign architecture. In legend, Corfu was the island where the shipwrecked Odyssey met the lovely Princess Nausicaa. Some locals claim it was also the magical isle conjured up by Shakespeare in The Tempest. Corfu Town, a small and pleasant city, is the largest and most important town on the island. This is where the airport is located and where most ships cruise and long distance ferries dock. The Old Fortress is definitely one of Corfu’s landmarks. Built by the Venetians in 1546 on the site of a Byzantine castle, the fortress is separated from the rest of the town by a moat. The Old Town is a maze of narrow streets dominated by the 16th century fortress. Around every corner you can find a chapel, old mansion or secret garden square. Between the Old Fortress and the Old Town, we find The Esplanade, with its arches and cafes, is considered the most beautiful esplanade in Greece. The Achillion Palace is ideally located in the picturesque village of Gastouri, 10 km south of the city centre. It was the summer residence of Empress Sissi from 1890 until her death in 1898. This beautiful building and its picturesque gardens overlooks the sea and Corfu town. On the north western tip of the island is the lively resort of Sidari. It's actually two small coastal villages connected by a long sweeping sandy beach. The Kanoni peninsula, with the 17th century monastery for women, is one of Corfu's best known landmarks and can be found on numerous postcards from the island. From the islet of Kanoni, it's possible to go by boat to another islet, the Mouse Island or Pontikonisi. Corfu's architecture is very diverse, influenced by the civilizations that once occupied the island. Mass tourism has turned parts of the island into eyesores but a surprising amount of the island still consists of olive groves, mountains or woodland. Corfu Town is a charming and elegant town, built between two fortresses. Corfu is considered one of Greece's most beautiful cities, and it is easy to understand why when you're strolling down the narrow streets and through the alleys, walking over spacious squares, visiting Byzantine churches and Venetian monuments. And of course, Corfu also has its natural beauty; the green-turquoise water that surrounds the town.