Deciding where to go in Albania primarily depends on how long you have and what you want to get out of the trip. Are you looking for an affordable beach escape or are you fascinated by the country’s history? My top three picks for where to go in Albania — if I had to narrow it down — would be Tirana, Berat, and Sarande. But there’s lots more to explore if you have the time!
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Where to go in Albania
From north to south, here are the main destinations when considering where to go in Albania. If you’re a confident driver, you could rent a car to get around, but the country’s main destinations are also well-connected by bus.
Shkoder
If you’re super into hiking and want to get off the beaten track, there are some great trails in northern Albania. Shkoder — which used to be the capital of Albania — is the best place to base yourself. You can catch a bus or rent a car from Tirana and get there in about 2 hours. It has a nice lake shared with Montenegro, the Rozafa Castle, and some beautiful mosques. Many of the top hikes (Like the Blue Eye) are challenging, but the mountainous views will be worth it.
Tirana
The capital city! Tirana definitely exceeded our expectations. Is it the only place you should go? No. Will it be the highlight of your trip? Also no. But it’s definitely worth staying a couple of days to explore.
Albania was under communism until 1991, and you can learn a lot about the history by visiting BunkArt. Contrary to what the name suggests, it’s not a local art gallery in an old bunker. It’s more like a museum, but very cool either way. Also see the Namazgah Mosque, visit the Pyramid of Tirana, and stop at Rehat Bar for a nightcap.
We stayed at the cutest Airbnb in Tirana. A two-floor apartment (I love a two-floor apartment) right in the city centre with a very bold pink and blue theme throughout. It felt super luxe for the price and was only $38 USD/night before cleaning & service fee. The only downside was that it was a 4 storey walk-up, but the upside is that it’s good for your glutes! See my tour of the place on Instagram.
Lake Bovilla
Only an hour from Tirana, it’s actually not so easy to get to — but not impossible — and definitely worth it. There’s a short but steep hike (literally max 20 minutes), and a bit of scrambling if you want the best pics.
We booked this tour, which was the only option available at the time, but it looks like there are tons of providers now! We were also lucky and didn’t have anyone else on the journey with us, so I hope you are blessed with a small group/private tour, too.
The ATV one below would be fun because the roads were insanely bumpy. Like we couldn’t even have a conversation in the back seat because we were bouncin’ around so much. I absolutely do not recommend bringing your rental car out here, you could easily damage it.
Berat
Deciding where to go in Albania is a bit easier if you’re a history buff, because you have to visit places like Berat. Known as the City of 1,000 Windows, this historic town is just as magical as it sounds. It’s divided into two distinct religious districts on either side of the river: one Muslim and one Christian. But the two communities coexist in peace and you can stroll across the stone bridge to check out both neighbourhoods.
There’s a good mix of restaurants where you can get traditional Albanian food and a strip of more trendy bars and cafes. And you can’t leave without exploring the ruins of Berat Castle. It’s a bit of a hike from town up the hill if you don’t want to fork out for a taxi, so if you’re there in the summer, leave in the morning before it gets too hot!
Vlore
This is where to go in Albania if you love beach clubs but don’t want to stray too far from a city. Strolling through the colourful Old Town is a must, and promise me you’ll go for a tea or sip a shot of raki (a spiced grape-based spirit) at Komiteti. It’s such a vibe in there. No matter what you decide on where to go in Albania, the food is going to be great. But we had some of our favourite meals in Vlore!
Beach clubs line the coast and are a great place to relax on a hot day or dance the night away to a DJ set once the sun goes down and they turn into clubs. Consider hopping on a boat tour to see the nearby Haxhi Ali Cave or Sazan Island.
Sarande
Sarande has a special place in my heart. We spent a full week here and while there’s nothing particularly notable about it, it was a great home base for day trips. You’ll be overwhelmed by the endless row of advertisements for boat tours, but make sure you find El Nino. You can also book by sending them a DM on Instagram. Make sure you go up to Hojza for a quiet rooftop cocktail at sunset, or later into the night for a club vibe.
From Sarande, you can get to Ksamil by bus, take the ferry to Corfu, and visit Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you rent a car, you can hit all the smaller beach towns north of Sarande — check out Dhërmi, Himarë, and Gjipë. They’re so cute and they won’t be as busy.
Ksamil
Where to go in Albania for the best beaches? Look no further than Ksamil. This is where you’ll find the bougiest of beach clubs. Those clear blue Mediterranean waters don’t get much better than this. The stunning locale comes with a higher price tag, and it can cost anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 LEK ($10-20) for a beach chair & umbrella.
Or if money means nothing to you, you can fork out 5,000 LEK for a luxury cabana with an over-water hammock. We chose a cheap, quiet beach to hang out at all day then splurged on a bowl of mussels at a nice beach club before we got the bus back to Sarande: Life is all about balance.
The accom also tends to be more expensive in Ksamil than in Sarande, but you can catch the bus for just 150 LEK ($1.50) each way! Warning: there is no aircon — we arrived in Ksamil very sweaty and had to stand the whole way lol. But it’s definitely worth visiting this little slice of paradise.
A few things to know about Albania before you go
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- The local currency is the Lek, and 100 ALL = $1 USD/€1
- It’s one of the most affordable countries in Europe!
- The local language is very challenging, but most people speak English as well.
- About 50% of the population is Muslim, but it’s quite relaxed. T-shirts and shorts are fine unless you’re visiting a mosque, bikinis are normal to wear on boat tours, and alcohol is widely available.
- You can usually pay by card, but some things are cash only so it’s wise to carry some with you. ATM fees are pretty expensive at $5-8 per transaction plus whatever your bank charges you.
- Albania isn’t part of the EU or Schengen Zone
- You can get a Vodafone SIM for as low as $5 for a super basic package, or consider downloading an eSIM
Getting to Albania
There are four main ways I recommend getting to the country, which can also help you narrow down where to go in Albania if you have limited time. Note there are a few trains, but it’s not the most practical way to get around, so I haven’t covered it here.
Fly into Tirana
This is the easiest way unless you’re already in Greece or Italy. Tirana is the capital city of Albania and makes a great jumping off point for your trip. You may also find a couple international flights arriving in Vlore, but they’re far less common.
Take the ferry from Corfu
Corfu, Greece, is just an hour’s ferry journey away from Sarande, in the south of Albania! Not only is it a stunning Greek island to visit, it also has an international airport. So you may find a more direct/cheaper route to Corfu and then you can just hop on the ferry.
This is a good option if you have limited time in Albania and are only going for the pristine beaches. Sarande and Ksamil are the main beach destinations.
Take the overnight ferry from Bari, Italy
Bari is a nice city, so if you’re already in Italy you could hop over there and explore for a day or two before catching the ferry to Albania. The route from Bari takes you to Durres, which is only about an hour away from Tirana. There are lots of bus routes connecting Durres and Tirana if you don’t plan to rent a car.
Bari also has an international airport, so you could skip the whole ferry palava and catch a short flight to Tirana instead.
Take the overnight ferry from Brindisi, Italy
This is what I did! We were already staying in the south of Italy so it was easy to get to Brindisi, and the ferry was much cheaper than flying. The boat took about 8 hours and brought us to the beach town/city of Vlore.
It was certainly an experience, though perhaps not the best use of your time if you’re on a short vacation. Overall, it wasn’t the worst. Our cabin was comfortable, the views pulling into Vlore in the morning were stunning — there were lots of pros. However, we also got eaten alive by mosquitos while waiting outside to board for 3 hours. And they didn’t take Albanian currency or card onboard, so we couldn’t buy anything the whole time, lol.
If you’re considering it, I recommend checking out my article below because I cover a lot of stuff I wish I’d known before we went!