| “WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF LORD BYRON” ▪ Culture & mountains of historic Albania
Our brand new journey to Albania offers a unique insight into the life of British poet, Lord George Gordon Byron (1788-1824), who set out on a grand tour of the Mediterranean in 1809, in the course of which he visited Spain, Malta, Albania, Greece and Asia Minor. His visit to Albania in the autumn of that year made a lasting impression on him and is reflected in the second canto of the poem "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage," that catapulted him to fame as a writer in 1812. Letters written to his mother from Albania, betrays much of the excitement he felt on this journey. "Land of Albania! Let me bend mine eyes on thee, thou rugged nurse of savage men." So wrote Lord Byron in his famous poem Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, where he chronicled the journey that he and his friend and diarist J.C. Hobhouse took through the mountainous regions of Albania in 1809. Along the way he passed through a land that many at the time considered nothing more than an illiterate backwater of the Ottoman Empire, ruled by a despotic vizier and inhabited by savage mountain tribes. What Byron found though was a land of fierce independence and unbowed spirit that appealed to his romantic ideals. This incredible journey follows the path they took through the mountains and the beautiful landscapes of the Vjosë Valley, en route to a rendezvous with Vizier Ali Pasha himself in his castle stronghold at Tepelenë. During the course of this unique trip we will take in the UNESCO splendor of the Ottoman town of Gjirokastër and the beautiful Byzantine church of Labovë e Kryqit, overnight in a Bektashi monastery on the outskirts of Melen and travel through the dramatic Këlcyra Gorge. We will stand in Byron’s shadow and gaze down across the flowing waters of the River Vjosë from the citadel of Tepelenë. Byron described himself at the time as "the humblest of thy pilgrims passing by", but the resulting poem that the journey inspired still remains one of English literature’s most eloquent works. 2012 TRIP DEPARTURE DATES: TRIP SNIPPETS: |
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ALBANIA – IN BYRON'S FOOTSTEPS |
In the heart of the Mediterranean, on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, Albania remains relatively unspoiled by the outside world and offers an inspiring mixture of civilizations and cultures - making this European country truly unique. Nestled in between Greece, Macedonia, Kosovo,and Montenegro, and across the Adriatic from Italy, Albania boasts blue and turquoise seas, beautiful beaches, snow peaked mountains, rivers, lakes and forests. As well as stunning nature, Albanians themselves are famous for their hospitality and tourists are welcomed with heart-warming generosity. Albanian history and culture is fascinating. Albanian culture provides a glimpse of Mediterranean civilization from the Bronze Age through the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman periods. Home of both Mother Theresa and the great 15th century hero Skanderbeg, Albania today offers not only beach and mountain vacations, but also a vibrant city life and relaxing outdoor cafe culture.