- Highlights: Albanian Riviera, beaches, and top cities
- Duration: 8 days
- Distance covered: 275 – 350 km
Albania is considered Europe’s hidden gem, and here’s why:
This country is home to some of the best beaches in Europe, and whether you like them sandy or secluded, you’ll find the perfect one. For cheaper prices, you will be in the European “Caribbean”.
To experience the beautiful bays and some private beaches of Albania, you can fly to Tirana Airport and rent a car online. The need to rent a car in Albania is obvious, because there are no other solutions to reach these beaches or historical places, except for some private buses willing to transport you only to the main city centers. Renting a car is a “must” in Albania.
On your first day, you need to visit Tirana and taste its traditional food. You’ll be surprised. First, you can visit the House of Leaves (the secret services offices during the communist period), then you can visit the National Museum and Skanderbeg Square. In the city center is situated a communist-era bunker known as “Bunk Art 2.» We do recommend visiting both Bunk Art 2 and Bunk Art 1, which is 5.2 km from the city center. You will be stunned. The capital, Tirana, is a hive of activity with its traditional restaurants, nightclubs, pubs, and clubs. Here are some famous places where you can taste Albanian traditional food: Artigiano Restaurant, Mullixhiu, Era Restaurant, etc.
Then, you can get some refreshment in the bars surrounding the Pyramid of Tirana. During the evening, you must visit the Bllok area and try some good cocktails in bars like Mugo, Kino , or Tribeca Bar. If you are seeking to have some fun in a nightclub, we would recommend reserving a table at Whiskey Bar or The Code.
On the second day, if you want to visit the city of 1000 windows, its castle, medieval center, and Onufri National Iconographic Museum, you need to drive for an hour (47km) in Berat. Many guesthouses, like Hotel Tradita, will provide you with warm hospitality, and tell you much more stories than the 1000 windows of their city.
On the third day, head south towards the Albanian Riviera. You can drive to Fier and visit the ancient city of Apollonia, then pass by “Vlora lungomare” to Llogara National Park, where you can eat your lunch at the top of the mountain with a stunning view of the Jonian Sea. If you are a “hiking lover,» you can sleep one night at Llogara Turist Village “Te Dreri and begin tomorrow an 8 to 10 hour hike from the top of the mountain to San Andrea Bay.
On the fourth day, you need to visit Dhërmi and stay there for 1-2 nights. We would recommend the end of the bay and some sea food at Luciano restaurant.
On the fifth day, you need to pass through Vuno village and go to Jalë Bay. You can enjoy stunning views, a lovely beach, and be part of a beach party in the resort Folie Marine or Soleil Village, or you can seek for privacy and walk 15-20 minutes into a beautiful bay nearby called Akuarium Bay.
On the sixth day, you can stay at Himarë beach town and visit nearby Porto Palermo castle and beach bays.
On the seventh day, once you have explored Manastri and Pasqyrat beaches, you can stay a night in Saranda and visit its castle. On the eighth day, you must visit the ancient city of Butrint and then dive into the blue water surrounding the three island beaches of Ksamil.
- Highlights: Albanian landscapes, hiking, and cycling roads
- Duration: 5 days
- Distance covered: 223 km, or 4 hours’ drive
If you are tired of the sun and salt waters, you can go back to Saranda and, from there, dive into the cold waters of Blue Eye of Saranda. From there, you must drive to Gjirokastra old town, sleep in a traditional guesthouse, visit Argjiro Castle, the Museum of Armaments, the Old Bazar, the Ethnography Museum, the Cold War Tunnel, and taste traditional cuisine at Veranda restaurant.
On your second day, you need to drive 1 hour and 25 minutes and dive into the Thermal Baths of Bënjë, hike Fir of Hotova National Park, or feel the rising of your adrenaline by taking a Vjosa River Rafting Tour, then eat traditional food and sleep at Villa Permet in the city of roses.
Third day, for some stunning views and savage panoramas, direction National Park of Gërmenj and Shelegur. Once there, you’re free to explore the surrounding forests, picnic spots, hiking tours, camping, horseback riding at Farma Sotira, cycling adventures, and of course, traditional food with a lake view in Shelegur at Mezini restaurant.
On your fourth day, if you want to feel the Albanian hospitality and live among locals for 24 hours into a 200 year old stone village, you need to visit Rehovë, 2 km from Erseka city. You can stay, eat, and farm at Bujtina Cakuli, then hike or cycle Gramoz Mountain from there in a 4-5-hour trip with impressive views.
On the fifth day, drive 40 minutes to visit Korça, the city of romance, art, love, and events. You must not miss the Old Bazar, the biggest Cathedral in Albania, its Museums, and the first Albanian school. Then, nearby Korça, there are 2 beautiful villages called Voskopojë and Vithkuq with some old churches, houses, and beautiful panoramas to organize a perfect picnic. Then, to conclude this journey, on your way back to Tirana, you can take a break in Pogradec, near the lake of Ohrid.
- Highlights: Albania’s mountains, hiking, old cities, and castles
- Duration: 5 to 6 days
- Distance covered: 268 km (approx. 6 hours of driving)
Did you ever hear about the thick Albanian mountains and their extraordinary views? If it is your first time, you just need to follow these tips. Begin your journey with a 40 minute drive from Tirana to Kruja, visiting the old bazar and the castle of Albanian national hero Scanderbeg. After a 2 hour visit, you can drive 30 minutes to Kune Vain National Park and have lunch with a lake view at Trendafili Mistik restaurant.
Then head toward Shkoder for a 1 hour drive, visit its ancient castle, and take a cruise or a boat tour to end your day. You can sleep, hear traditional music, and eat at Hotel Tradita.
The second day, park your car near Hotel Tradita and take a minibus to reach Komani Lake or just drive your rented car there. Take a small boat for 25 euros (both ways) per person, and start your adventure by visiting, first, NeoMalsore, a traditional guesthouse in Dukagjin. If you decide to take a full-board package, you will benefit from a night of sleep, farming, traditional food & drinks, kayaking, hiking, and fishing.
Third day, leave early and take a small boat to Fierza, and then a minibus can transport you to Valbona Valley, where you can sleep one night in the local guesthouses and profit from the extraordinary beauty of the valley, or skip the sleeping night and ask the locals to prepare you some food and water for the famous hike below.
On the fourth day, we would recommend hiking from Valbona to Theth (17 km). It is a remarkable hike, and you must do it. From our point of view, this hike is suitable for most people, and it has an 8-hour moderate hiking road. Tomorrow, you will need to wake up in local guesthouse in Theth, a 400-year-old village with stunning views.
Edith Durham, a famous English traveler and writer on the Balkans, visited the area in 1908. She wrote of its seclusion: ‘I think no place where human beings live has given me such an impression of majestic isolation from the entire world. It is a spot where the centuries shrivel, the river might be the world’s wellspring, and its banks are the fit home of elemental instincts and passions that are red and rapid.
On the fifth day, you can explore this Albanian gem by taking a minibus to the Blue Eye and then hiking for 30 minutes. Upon your arrival at Blue Eye, a cold water source will serve as your refreshing spot, where you can cautiously plunge into the freezing water. Then you may return and visit the old village by cycling, walking, or hiking into the waterfall site for 40 minutes. Do not hesitate to grab a sandwich or something to drink during the day, or even have lunch in the restaurant near the river at Blue Eye. Before concluding your return to Tirana, there is a famous and traditional restaurant called Mrizi Zanave on your way to Lezhë, where you can enjoy some delicious food and views.
