ALBANIA & CORFU. Departing 2 nd October nights from only 989

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1 Albania & Corfu

2 ALBANIA & CORFU Departing 2 nd October nights from only 989 Dear Reader, We are delighted to be able to offer you this tremendous value 7 night Albania & Corfu holiday. On this holiday you will be able to enjoy 7 nights half board hotel accommodation - 5 nights in Albania and 2 nights on Corfu. This holiday gives you the perfect chance to experience two very different worlds. Albania land of sun and hospitality and the beautiful lush green island of Corfu! The holiday is organised by Preferred Travel Services, a company specialising in unusual and interesting holidays from local airports at value for money prices and voted TOUR OPERATOR OF THE YEAR 2007 & 2008 by the Association of Reader Travel. Our holiday includes return flights from local airports, airport-hotel transfers and a friendly tour director who will be on hand to point you in the right direction. To add even more interest, and variety to your holiday, there is a programme of wellpriced optional excursions, which can be booked and paid for in resort. We look forward to the pleasure of your company! Yours sincerely WHAT'S INCLUDED Return flights from local airports Return airport - hotel transfers 7 nights half-board hotel accommodation 5 nights in Albania and 2 nights in Corfu. Included; ferry crossings, visits to a wealth of historical sites (as described) and dinner at Lekursi Castle. 2 lunches in Albania Services of a tour director Julie Harrison Customer Services PREFERRED TRAVEL SERVICES PS : We aim to attract customers with similar tastes from all over the UK. This is why we show all available flights and not just those from your local area. And, of course, you may have friends in other parts of the country who wish to join you. On most holidays, customers will arrive on just a few of the flights shown as the maximum group size on any single departure date is around 50. On arrival, this does mean that in many cases we will provide a transfer by private car or minicoach to your hotel rather than you waiting for a tour bus to fill up. You will thus meet your fellow travellers at the hotel.

3 magnificent part of the ancient city. During late antiquity and early middle ages, Butrint flourished. The construction of the baptistery, which is the most important monument of the early Christian period, dates from this time. The baptistery, which has a round shape with a diameter of m, is laid with multicoloured geometric and animal mosaic motifs. Gjirokastra. This is a museum city which was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in Its distinctive stone houses earned the city the nickname Town of the Stones. Interesting to visit, are the Castle, The Museum of Weapons (Albanians have been known for weapon making since the Your first night is on the beautiful island of Corfu, nicknamed the green island. The next day you take the short ferry crossing to a different world. Albania known as the land of sun and hospitality, with its incredibly beautiful landscapes and wealth of historical sites should be one of the great European tourist destinations. The reason it is not, at least for the time being, is due to its political isolation in the last half of the 20th century. Things have changed and this is your chance to see just how beautiful and hospitable this country really is. It s only six miles across the Ionian Sea from Corfu to Albania, but until the 1990 s it may just as well have been six thousand. After the downfall of hardline communist rule Albania s borders were fully opened for the first time since Early visitors would have found a country in a time warp where ownership of cars (or anything else) had been forbidden, as was religion. But Albania has always been different. Although a race that has been ruled by others for much of its history, Albania has always had its own distinct ethnicity and language. (See our little potted history on the back page for a general introduction.) But what about modern Albania? It is a stunningly beautiful country in the south on the Albanian Riviera and in Saranda you would think you were in Greece. In the mountains of the interior between Gjirokastra and Tirana you could be in Turkey and the northern coast and parts of Tirana have an Italian feel. These are the three areas we explore. Saranda and Butrint. Saranda is the nearest port to Corfu. The seafront promenade is especially pleasant in the evenings. It is a holiday destination in its own right with plenty of shops and restaurants. Nearby is Butrint, an ancient city in an idyllic national park setting with eucalyptus trees and water on three sides. On the same site you will see ruins from several periods going back 2,500 years. First settlers came in the 7th century BC, but it was only during the 5th middle ages and were a major manufacturer of Kalashnikovs) and The Ethnographic Museum, which is in the house where Enver Hoxha was born. Another famous son of Gjirokastra is Ismail Kadare, the outstanding novelist. Tirana. There are several sites to see in this interesting city. The Albanians, a mosaic on the face of the National Historical Museum; the statue of Skanderbeg at the top of the avenue which was once called Stalin Boulevard; Et hem Bey Mosque at the south east corner of Skanderbeg Square; the Clock Tower; the Church of Saint Paul, completed in 2001, the largest catholic church in Tirana; the Orthodox Church of St Prokop built in 1780; the monument to Mother Albania, 12 metres high, inaugurated in the Dëshmoret e Kombit cemetery in 1971; the International Cultural Centre, formerly the Enver Hoxha Museum, popularly referred to as the Pyramid and designed by the dictator s daughter, Pranvera Hoxha, and her husband. You will also see signs of the influence of Tirana s colourful mayor, Edi Rama, who decorated many of the stark communist apartment blocks with children s designs. Another way of seeing just how much Tirana has changed is to stroll around the Bloc a century BC that Butrint turned into a full city. By the end of the 4th century BC the agora, the boulevard, a small temple and the theatre holding 1500 seats were built, the latter remaining intact. The complex of the theatre and other buildings like Asklep s temple, portico, baths,. form the most

4 no go area under communism as it housed the party s aparatchiks but is now where the trendy wine bars and nightclubs are to be found. Berat. The town is renowned for its historic architecture and scenic beauty and is known as the Town of a Thousand Windows, due to the many large windows of the old decorated houses. Modern Berat consists of three parts divided by the Ossum River Goritsa ( little mountain in Old Slavonic), Mangalem and Kalaja, the latter being a residential quarter in the old Byzantine citadel that overlooks the town. The town also has a 15th century mosque and a number of churches of the Albanian Orthodox Church, whose autocephaly (independence from Greek orthodoxy) was proclaimed there in Several of the churches house works by the renowned 16th century painter Onufri. YOUR HOLIDAY PROGRAMME Day one: Direct flight to Corfu. See YOUR FLIGHTS for flight details. Transfer to your hotel in Corfu for 1 night half board accommodation. Day two: Transfer to the port for the short crossing to Saranda. On arrival, continue to Butrint for a visit of the ancient ruins 12 miles from Saranda (entrance included). After the visit, return to Saranda to check in to your hotel. This evening, dinner is included at Lekursi castle in the hills above Saranda. Day three: Saranda to Tirana via Gjirokastra. This is a long but fascinating day travelling through the interior. Roads and Bunkers. This journey will introduce you to two of Enver Hoxha s great legacies roads and bunkers (the other two being hydroelectric power and education). In Albania, distances are measured in time rather than in distance. This is because it depends on how many kilometres of nostalgia (as the locals call it) are on your route. Roads are being improved at a fast rate, but average speeds along nostalgia sections are significantly reduced. For what it s worth, the total mileage today is 165 miles. But you will also see that the lack of development in the interior means that Albania (self-sufficient for so long) is the one truly organic country in Europe no pesticides, manual farming and an undisturbed ecology where you can still see tortoises crossing the road! As for the bunkers, they are displayed in all their glory as you descend towards the Greek border from Blue Eyes. They come in three sizes for 2, 4 and 12 people and are everywhere in fields, gardens and on beaches. Between Saranda and Gjirokastra a short stop will be made at Blue Eyes a pure blue underwater spring which was a retreat for Enver Hoxha and his cronies enchanted by the spring and the hunting and fishing (entrance included). In Gjirokastra you visit the Castle, the Museum of Weapons and the Ethnographic Museum. Lunch is included today. From Gjirokastra you continue north to Tirana where 2 nights hotel accommodation is included. Dinner is also included on both nights. Day four: Morning city tour of Tirana (entrance to the National Historical Museum included). In the afternoon there is the opportunity to take an optional excursion (with lunch and entrances) to Kruja. Kruja, Skanderbeg s stronghold against the Ottomans is a pretty town in the hills 22 miles from Tirana and has great views over the Adriatic. Some of the main points of interest include the restored castle and citadel, the Skanderbeg museum located inside the castle, and the old restored bazaar. The citadel includes a restored house from the Ottoman epoch that serves as the Ethnographic Museum. There is also an interesting small exhibit devoted to the Bektashi a Sufi sect of Islam, frowned upon by the Turkish Sunnis. Expelled from Turkey in 1925, the Bektashi have made Albania their spiritual home. Time permitting we shall have a coffee stop at the oddly named George W Bush cafe! The president insisted on visiting Kruja during his stay in Albania in Having for once received a rapturous reception in the Balkans (for the US role in gaining independence for Kosovo), Bush made a symbolic visit to the site of Albanian resistance against Islamic domination albeit by Skanderbeg, a muslim himself. Day five: Tirana Durres Berat 84 miles. We leave Tirana for Berat making a stop at Durres on the coast. A major gateway for shipping since Roman times, Durres still welcomes ferries from Italy. The city s beaches are also a popular destination for many foreign and local tourists. We visit the amphitheatre before continuing south to Berat. Lunch is included in Berat. In Berat we have a tour of the citadel and the Onufri musem. We stay in Berat for 1 night and dinner is included in a local restaurant. Day six: Berat Vlora Saranda 119 miles. Nearing the end of our journey we cross west to Vlora and then take the coastal road down the Albanian Riviera. The route is long but quite spectacular with some interesting sights including views of the inaccessible Karaburun peninsula, beach resorts like Dhermi and Himara (where lunch is included) and the fascinating Bay of Palermo. You need to take 2 photos here one of the fort built by Ali Pasha (your guide will tell you more about this colourful character, a Bektashi who met Lord Byron and who controlled large swathes of southern Albania and Greece at the turn of the 19 th century until he lost his head, literally, in 1822) and the other, of the tunnel blasted into the cliffs to hide the 4 submarines gifted to the Albanians by the Soviet Union. 1 night hotel accommodation is reserved in Saranda with dinner. Day seven: Depart after breakfast for the return crossing to Corfu where 1 night half board accommodation is reserved. You have free time for the rest of the day and may be take in a couple of sights on the island which was the birthplace of our own Prince Phillip. Day eight: Free time until your transfer to the airport for your return flight back to the UK. PLEASE NOTE: The order of the excursions and the routes taken may be subject to change. Albanian roads are being improved and local conditions may dictate that a different itinerary is followed. However at the time of writing we expect that the programme will remain as published. If we have to change the itinerary for any reason, we expect the content to remain very similar and full details will be provided with your joining instructions days before departure. Optional excursions are at extra cost and subject to minimum numbers. Please also note that the some visits (Berat citadel and Gjirokastra in particular) involve some steep walks on cobbles and should not be undertaken if you have restricted mobility.

5 Albania & Corfu Albania a potted history For Albanians, ancestry begins with the ancient Illyrians who settled the region during the Iron Age. The Romans dominated until the 5 th century AD after which the area was a battlefield with Bulgarians, Normans, Byzantines and local tribes holding sway at various times. The Ottomans had a slender hold on the country in the early 1400s but this gave rise to the reign of Albania s greatest national hero, Skanderbeg, who held the Ottomans at bay for 25 years from It was not until 1913 that Ottoman troops finally left Albania after the country s independence was recognized the year before. After 500 years of foreign domination, 1913 was not the best time to gain independence! Anarchy reigned during WWI until Albania had its first and only monarch in 1923 Zog I, King of the Albanians. A grand title, but one which relied on Italian influence which was formalised in 1939 when Mussolini took power. Italian and German occupation ensued during WWII. British special forces assisted during the war but the extent of their help remained a bitter subject afterwards. The mining of two British destroyers in the straits of Corfu in 1946 did not help relations between the two countries. The most bizarre, and perhaps brutal, period of its history is between 1945 and 1992 when the country s borders were closed. This is the period of Enver Hoxha, the eccentric communist dictator who came to power at the end of the war. Hoxha aligned the country with the Soviet bloc until 1968 when he withdrew from the Warsaw pact and sided with China. Religion and private ownership of anything was banned. China ceased aid programmes in 1978 leaving Albania without any allies. During this period, Hoxha, terrified of invasion, built 700,000 bunkers. Roads in the country were left deliberately narrow also to stop invasion, but also because, since car ownership was banned, there was no need for wider roads. The locals wish now that all that concrete for the bunkers had been used on the roads! (see Day Three of YOUR HOLIDAY PROGRAMME ). With no economic help, rationing was introduced in Hoxha died in 1985 and the regime continued under Alia until 1992 when Hoxha s statue in Tirana was pulled down. This was the time for the country to open up but the failure of new pyramid schemes (introduced to a population on naïve to such scams) in 1997 left Albania close to anarchy again. How to book Simply refer to the HOW TO BOOK MADE EASY section on the enclosed sheet and call the telephone number shown to check that your holiday is available. Health Requirements None compulsory. For up to date UK government health and travel advice please visit uk/travellers ( ) or check with your GP for advice. Passports/Visas Full British passport required. No visas required but a 10 euro fee per person is payable in cash on entry. Climate Average daily high 22 C Average low 12 C Time difference Corfu UK + 2 Hours Albania UK + 1 Hour. Currency Corfu Euro = 100 cents Albania Lek = 100 qindarka. International dialling code 0031 for Corfu for Albania Language Corfu Greek English widely spoken. Albania Albanian Italian, Greek and some English spoken depending on the area. Financial Security The holidays in this brochure are ATOL protected. When you buy an ATOL protected air holiday package from us you will receive a Confirmation Invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser s Licence number In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information visit the ATOL website at About Us Preferred Travel Services is an award winning, independently owned, friendly company whose two directors share more than 50 years of travel industry experience. Our main programmes feature interesting escorted two centre holidays by air, direct from regional airports all over the UK, to Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and North Africa among others. We also offer a programme of Walking Holidays in some countries.

6 ALBANIA & CORFU DEPARTURE DATES AND PRICES (per person) Departure date: twin\double single supplement 02 OCT Price Policy: Prices are per person sharing a twin/double room and subject to change Please see Clause 3 of the Booking Conditions Please note: optional excursions,porterage,drinks with main meals (unless stated) and holiday insurance are not included in the holiday price. HOLIDAY EXTRAS: *Please book the following Holiday Extras by writing your requirements in the price per Holiday Extras section on the attached booking form person *our recommended Travel Insurance for 7 nights *in-flight meals where bookable at extra cost YOUR HOTELS half board Accommodation with private bath or shower and wc en-suite has been reserved for you as follows but we do reserve the right to substitute similar hotels should circumstances dictate. The first and last nights are spent at the 3* superior Park Hotel on Corfu. The hotel is 500 metres from the centre of the resort of Gouvia which is 7km north of Corfu town. The hotel is surrounded by lush gardens. It has 195 bedrooms with tv, air-conditioning, mini-bar, telephone and balcony. There is bar, restaurant and swimming pool (seasonal). Nights 2 and 6 are spent at the 5* Butrinti Hotel in Saranda which is in the centre of the resort. All rooms have tv, telephone, small fridge and air-conditioning. There is restaurant, swimming pool (seasonal) and shop. Nights 3 and 4 are spent at the 4 * Tirana International in the centre of Tirana on Skanderbeg Square. It has 154 bedrooms all with tv, telephone and air-conditioning. The hotel has a bar, restaurant and coffee lounge. Built in the 1970's it was the landmark hotel and tallest building in Albania and has an interesting history from the communist era. Night 5 is spent at the 4* Tomorri hotel in Berat. It has 52 rooms with air-conditioning, central heating, TV and mini bar. Other hotel facilities include a bar and restaurant. The hotel has a superb view over the old town from the top floor terrace. Your Flights Carriers and timings subject to change (refer to Clause 6 of the Booking Conditions). (Our brochures are printed some time in advance and, in some cases, before the airline has published its timetable. In these cases timings shown are based on experience of previous years.) From To Dep UK Ret UK Carrier Dates approx approx Birmingham Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 Bristol Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 Cardiff Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 Doncaster Sheffield Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 East Midlands Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 Exeter Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 Glasgow Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 Leeds Bradford Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 LONDON GATWICK CORFU THOMAS COOK FRIDAY 02/10 LUTON CORFU THOMSONFLY FRIDAY 02/10 Manchester Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 Newcastle Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 Norwich Corfu Thomsonfly Friday 02/10 STANSTED CORFU THOMSONFLY FRIDAY 02/10 In-flight meals are not included. On some airlines it is possible to pre-book meals at extra cost. Please enquire at the time of booking. Precise information for baggage allowances will be sent with your Travel documents days before departure. The Air Holidays and flights in this brochure are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 5537.

7 HOW TO BOOK - MADE EASY! RESERVATIONS HOTLINE (Open 9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri & 9am-1pm Sat) Telephone our Reservations Hotline on Fax or us at:mail@preferredts.com to check availability and make a provisional booking. Complete the booking form and return it with deposit payment per person of 125 plus the relevant insurance premium (or full payment plus insurance) if applicable to:- Preferred Travel Services,41 High Street, Kibworth, Leicester, LE8 0HS. Please make cheques/po s payable to Preferred Travel Services. What happens after you've made your booking:- Upon receipt of your completed Booking Form, we will send you a Confirmation/Invoice - please read through this document very carefully and advise us by return if you have any queries. Any special request that you have made should be stated on this invoice. Please note: this holiday is Group A - see clause 2 of the Booking Conditions. The BALANCE DUE date is stated on your Confirmation/Invoice - no further reminder will be sent to you. WE DO NOT ISSUE RECEIPTS FOR BALANCE PAYMENTS. You will receive your Holiday Itinerary and Joining Instructions approximately 10 days prior to departure. Travel Insurance for bookings taken up to 31 October 2009 This information is subject to change without notice. Travel insurance is a vital aspect to booking a holiday, giving you protection against unforeseen circumstances that could otherwise spoil your holiday. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that properly covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged competitive travel insurance from Travel & General Insurance Company plc to specifically meet your needs on your holiday. Should you decide not to purchase our insurance, you must provide us with details of your alternative insurance with your final payment. The schedule of the cover below sets out a summary of the cover provided by our tailored insurance. The cover is underwritten by Travel & General Insurance Company plc, except for Section K (Legal expenses), which is underwritten by DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited. Both insurers are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. THIS SUMMARY APPLIES TO PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTY YEARS AT THE DATE OF DEPARTURE. Single trip policy Schedule of cover Section Standard cover A Cancellation and curtailment charges B Emergency medical repatriation and Associated expenses abroad Hospital benefit Sum insured per person Excess per person Up to 5,000 Up to 5,000, for each 24 hour period to a maximum of 0 Nil C Emergency assistance in the UK Up to 2,000 D Personal accident Up to 25,000 (age limits apply) Nil E Travel delay Missed departure Missed connection 20 first 12 hours and 10 each subsequent 12 hours to maximum of 100 Up to 1,000 Up to 1,000 Nil F Personal possessions Delay baggage (after 12 hours) Travel documents Up to 2,500 Up to 100 Up to 0 Nil G Personal money Up to 250 H Hijack for each 24 hour period to a maximum of 0 Nil I Mugging for each 24 hour period to a maximum of 0 Nil J Personal liability Up to 2,000, K Legal expenses Up to 25,000 Nil Premiums for persons under the age of 80 years at the time of departure are shown elsewhere in the brochure. Persons between 80 and 85 years will be charged double the premium AND must contact Healthcheck on We regret cover is not available to persons aged over 85 years at the date of departure.

8 These details are correct as at 15/10/08 and are subject to change without notice. As cover under the Cancellation section commences immediately the holiday booking has been confirmed, no refund in premium can be allowed. In the unlikely event that we have to cancel your holiday, any insurance premiums paid to Preferred Travel Services will automatically be refunded. However, we cannot refund premiums paid to other insurers. If you have arranged your own insurance please check that the premium will be refunded in the event of cancellation by us. Walking Holidays. Please check with your insurer if in doubt. Our recommended travel insurance covers you for group walks up to an altitude of 3000m. Some insurers have lower limits usually 2000m. Our "Walking in the Pyrenees" goes up to 2570m and Walking in Tenerife is up to 2300m. If you decide to walk separately from our group, or if you have not taken out our recommended insurance please ensure your cover is valid. Important declaration An insurance policy can only provide cover in respect of an event/occurrence which is sudden, unforeseen and beyond your reasonable control. Therefore any facts known to you, which could possibly result in you having to make a claim, must be disclosed otherwise you may not be covered. In addition, anyone named as insured under this policy must be able to make the following declaration (The legal guardian must make the declaration for anyone under the age of 18 years old): 1 I am not receiving treatment, including regular medication, within the last 12 months for any condition, nor at any time for any heart related or cancerous condition; 2 I have not been seen by a specialist nor been admitted to a hospital overnight in the last 12 months (other than for regular check ups); 3 I have not been diagnosed by a registered general practitioner as having a terminal condition; 4 I am not waiting for, nor have the knowledge of, the need for an operation, hospital consultation nor any other treatment (including regular medication) nor investigations including the results of a routine test; 5 I do not have any other pre-existing and on-going medical condition(s) that could reasonably be anticipated to give rise to a complication needing medical intervention prior to or during a journey (if in doubt check with your general practitioner); 6 I am not aware of anybody for whom I would be covered for cancellation and curtailment, such as immediate family or travelling companions, suffering from any pre-existing medical condition(s) that may cause me to cancel or cut short my journey; 7 I do not know of any circumstances that could reasonably be expected to give rise to a claim under this policy. If you cannot make this declaration when you take out the insurance, you must contact Healthcheck on A policy document that fully defines the cover, conditions and exclusions will be sent to you with your booking confirmation. When you receive your policy, please take the time to read it carefully to ensure you understand what is and what is not covered, and that all activities that you may wish to participate in are included. If it does not meet your requirements, please return the policy, proof of premium and any other relevant documents to us within 14 days of receipt and we will refund the premium in full, provided you have not travelled or made a claim. Failure to comply with the terms & conditions of the policy may result in cover being restricted. CONSUMER PROTECTION The air holiday and flights in this brochure are ATOL protected, since we hold an Air Travel Organiser s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information, visit the ATOL website at This holiday is operated by High Concepts Ltd t/a Preferred Travel Services, 41 High Street, Kibworth, Leicester. LE8 0HS. Tel: Fax: mail@preferredts.com. Registered in England No ABTA Membership No. W3692. Atol Protected Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect the personal booking information held by us. This information will be passed on to the principal and to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. If you travel outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We will only pass your information on to persons responsible for your travel arrangements. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary/religious requirements. (If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EAA or not, we will be unable to provide your booking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons.) Full details of our data protection policy are available upon request. ISSUED:- February ALB.09

9 Mr/Mrs IF YOU ARE FLYING TO A SPANISH AIRPORT Please ensure all passengers passport details are entered below. Thank you. Mr/Mrs Mr/Mrs Mr/Mrs Mr/Mrs