Beyond Tourism. Towards Connection.
This project begins with a simple idea: a small group of friends and friends of friends coming together to discover Southern Albania through a shared journey.
The journey begins in Munich and follows an 11-day itinerary prepared and coordinated by Bledi. The group consists of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 participants.
The aim is to travel together in a relaxed and personal way, discovering places, landscapes, villages, historical sites, local traditions, food, nature and everyday life beyond the usual tourist routes.
This journey is not intended to be a conventional organized tour where participants simply purchase a package and follow a commercial tour program. It is a shared journey in which participants travel together as friends and friends of friends, while Bledi takes responsibility for the practical organization and coordination.
Bledi will prepare the itinerary and make the necessary practical arrangements. He will also communicate the travel date and relevant flight information at the appropriate time, so that all participants can purchase their own tickets and travel together.
The international flights are purchased separately by each participant:
Munich → Corfu
Tirana → Memmingen
Participants will be informed in advance of the appropriate travel dates and flight times so that the group can travel together.
Ferry: Corfu → Sarandë
The ferry will be handled differently. Participants will purchase their own ferry tickets physically at the port of Corfu while the whole group is together.
There is no need to purchase these tickets online in advance. Several ferry companies operate on this route, with multiple departures during the day. Buying tickets individually online could result in participants choosing different companies or departure times and potentially separating the group.
For this reason, the ferry tickets will be purchased together at the port. Bledi will help determine the most suitable available option at that moment, allowing the group to continue the journey together.
The main itinerary and arrangements will be communicated to participants in advance. These include accommodation, meals, local transportation, activities and visits, as well as the practical coordination necessary throughout the journey.
Participants will not be expected to organize these individual elements themselves.
At the same time, travelling in Albania sometimes requires flexibility. Not everything can be guaranteed to operate exactly as planned.
If, for example, a particular hotel, boat trip, restaurant, activity or other local service is unexpectedly unavailable, Bledi will find and arrange a suitable alternative on the spot. The purpose of this flexibility is simply to keep the journey running smoothly without requiring participants to deal with these practical situations themselves.
Bledi will be part of the group throughout the journey. His role is based on his personal knowledge of Albania, particularly Southern Albania, his ability to communicate in the local language and his connections with local people and services.
He can make necessary phone calls, communicate with local providers, arrange practical matters and deal with situations that may arise during the journey.
The Idea
An Intercultural Journey aims to create a different way of experiencing travel: not only by visiting places, but by getting to know the people, culture, traditions and everyday life of the country.
The project connects Germany and Albania through a direct intercultural experience.
Southern Albania was chosen for its Mediterranean climate, coastline and diverse nature, its cultural and historical heritage, and its proximity to Greece, a member state of the European Union.
There is also a personal reason for this choice: Bledi is from Southern Albania and knows the region personally, with extensive knowledge of and connections to its people and places.
Through local food, conversations, traditions, nature, history, spirituality and encounters with local people, participants are invited to experience Albania from within rather than simply observe it from the outside.
Language should not become a barrier to this exchange. Marleen accompanies the group as the German-speaking guide and interpreter. She communicates with participants in German and supports communication with local people, guides and partners.
Marleen also understands Albanian, allowing her to serve as an important linguistic and cultural bridge between the participants and the local environment. Bledi communicates with Marleen in English and with local people in Albanian.
The aim is for participants to return to Germany with more than photographs and memories: with experiences, human connections, curiosity and a deeper understanding of another culture.
If, after returning home, a participant can say:
“I came as a visitor, but I left feeling connected to the people and place I experienced.”
then the project has achieved something that conventional tourism cannot easily provide.
A Pilot Project and an Adventure
This journey is intentionally designed as both a pilot project and an adventure.
This first edition is an opportunity to test the concept in real circumstances, experience it together and learn how the idea works in practice.
The aim is not only to create a successful journey, but to understand what works, what could be changed or improved, and whether this type of small, personal and shared travel experience can be developed further.
This project is not intended to generate profit. The focus of the pilot is the experience itself, the discovery of Albania, the relationships created during the journey and the testing of the concept.
For this reason, the organization is designed to be practical and flexible. The advance contribution from participants helps make the preparation and coordination of the journey easier and does not change its character as a shared journey among friends and friends of friends.
The Vision
The project aims to demonstrate, on a small but tangible scale, how travel can create opportunities for cultural exchange, mutual understanding and meaningful human connection.
The vision is that this first experience will help us understand whether such a concept can be developed further and create new opportunities for people to meet through travel, culture and direct human experience.
Travel becomes the meeting point.
Culture becomes the bridge.
People become the connection.
The principle is simple:
We travel together. We discover together. We experience Albania together.