Known as the Cradle of the Balkans, Albania is home to a wealth of natural and historic sites. Beyond Tirana, its lively capital, lies spectacular mountain and coastal scenery as well as pretty Ottoman-era towns such as Gjirokastër and Kruja. It’s also home to many important Greek and Roman sites, most notably Apollonia. Over Albania’s northeastern border, Kosovo is a young country where you can admire medieval monasteries adorned with Byzantine frescoes; and meander around historic Ottoman towns with winding streets. This tour reveals the best of an oft-overlooked corner of the Mediterranean..