By Dirk Pohlers, adventure traveler from Germany. I visit every place I write about & share real tips, photos, & advice from my trips.
Why go on holiday to Albania? Isn’t it far too dangerous there, many will say? I’ve often heard these and many other questions. To be honest, I chose Albania more by chance as I had heard from a friend that he had been there, but not much more. It was probably the unknown and the unknown that awakened my thirst for adventure.
At some point, the decision was made and a flight booked. I didn’t know much about the country and that’s exactly what made this trip so exciting. In the following article, we’ll take you with us and tell you everything you need to know for your holiday in Albania. I’ll also give you a few useful tips that might help you plan your trip.
Albania is located between Montenegro, Greece, Kosovo and North Macedonia. Today, around 2.9 million people live in the country and 4 million Albanians live abroad. Many emigrated back then because they no longer saw a future in Albania. Unemployment and poverty were (and still are) just two of the many reasons for emigration. Since the end of communism, Albania’s economic and social situation has improved somewhat. Nevertheless, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe.
Overall, the country is slightly smaller than Belgium and its landscape is characterised by mighty mountain ranges, a hilly hinterland, white sandy beaches, beautiful bays and idyllic villages. There are a total of 14 national parks in the country. Whether you’re looking for a hiking holiday, city break or beach holiday – Albania offers you a wide variety of holiday options. There is a lot to discover and you should allow at least a week for your holiday in Albania (14 days is even better). Albania is also one of the cheapest countries in Europe.
You have various options for travelling to Albania. There is only one airport in the country itself and it is located in the capital Tirana. Flights from Europe are not that expensive. From Memmingen and Dortmund you can fly there and back with Wizzair for less than €100 (without luggage) and from Düsseldorf Blu-Express (operated by Albawings) flies to Tirana. You can get a return flight for as little as €120, but it also depends on the time you choose to travel.
Another option is to fly to Corfu (Greece) and then take the ferry. Firstly, you save a few euros and you can also visit the beautiful Greek island of Corfu. For us, it was the perfect combination and also a slightly more exciting adventure. There are flights to Corfu from Frankfurt, Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Hamburg and Dresden. Depending on the airline, the flights are not expensive at all.
You can take the daily ferry from Corfu to Albania (Saranda). The one-way trip costs €18 per person. You can buy tickets locally or book them online in advance. You can get tickets from Ionian Seaways or Directferries.com, for example.
There are many offices near the harbour in Corfu where you can easily buy your tickets. On the other side in Saranda, Albania, you will find the terminal directly at the harbour where you can also buy your tickets. But beware: in the winter months, the ferry only runs twice a day. There is the Flying Dolphin and Saranda Express ferry. Car hire can be easily arranged in Saranda. If you are travelling in summer, we recommend booking in advance.
Rent a car! Albania is very safe for motorists, & you can drive across the entire country in less than 6 hours! Best of all, rental cars are very cheap (starting at €30) & easy to book by comparing rates across dealerships in Tirana and Saranda using DiscoverCars.
Compare Rental DealsSome people dare to make the long journey to Albania in their own car (or campervan, bus, caravan). However, you should allow at least 3 days for this. You can travel to Albania via Italy by ferry or without a ferry through the various Balkan countries. You can travel via Croatia and Montenegro or via Belgrade and North Macedonia. Another option is to travel via Belgrade and Kosovo.
At the border with Kosovo, you have to buy additional car insurance, which costs around €40. Processing at the border crossings to Albania tends to be very modern and correct. Attention: Don’t forget your green insurance card!
Anyone who thinks that Albania already has summer temperatures in April is mistaken. I had sunny, mild days, but also cold, rainy days. You can be lucky with the weather in April, or it can be a bit chilly. However, June/July and September/October are recommended for hiking, especially in the north, as it can get very warm in the mountains during the day in summer.
The high season for holidays starts in July and lasts until August. This is when most tourists come from the neighbouring countries. According to climate tables on the internet, the best time to visit is in May, June, early July, September and October. The mountains (Albanian Alps) have a typical mountain climate with very cold and snowy winters.
The further south you travel, the more Mediterranean the climate becomes. Most of the rain falls in the winter months between November and April. But you can never predict it exactly. And even in October you can still have wonderful weather. The good thing about the low season is, of course, that you have many spots all to yourself. The prices for accommodation also tend to be lower.
Many people ask themselves what the safety situation is like in Albania. We can tell you that Albania is a very safe country for holidaymakers. The reputation of this country is far worse than the reality actually shows. The Albanians are warm, open and incredibly hospitable. At no time did I feel unsafe or uncomfortable in the country. Of course, there are also black sheep in Albania, just like in any other country. However, the use of violence in petty and street crime, for example, is rare.
Of course, you should still use common sense when travelling through the country. You should keep valuables and identity documents safe and not carry them with you in plain sight.
Camping is definitely possible in Albania. Even so-called ‘wild camping’ is still permitted; it’s probably just part of a ‘real adventure’. Cool, isn’t it?
There are not an infinite number of campsites in the country, but at least they are spaced out regularly. They are even quite well equipped. When you enter the country with your campervan, you must be able to show your green insurance card, as well as your ID and vehicle documents.
Driving in Albania is free of charge, no tolls have been charged to date. You might think that the road conditions in the country are very poor. In reality, however, they are usually not that bad. Most of the roads are tarmac. Only rarely do you have to drive on gravel tracks. The roads along the coast to Tirana are all very well developed.
The Albanian Riviera is still one of the most unspoilt corners of the country. It stretches from the Llogara Pass to Saranda. Here, the Ceraunian Mountains separate the Riviera from the hilly hinterland. Many parts of the Albanian Riviera are almost inaccessible. You drive through many mountain villages, which look down on the strangely empty sea from a safe distance.
If a road does lead down to the sea (as in Dhërmi, for example), flat blocks, restaurants and hotels line up loosely. New concrete replaces old stone walls. The tourist centre of the Riviera is Himara.
You can also go on breathtaking hikes in gorges, taste olive oil from local producers, watch beekeepers making honey and discover other culinary delights.
Several highlights await you in different destinations in Albania, because the country really is very diverse. On the one hand, there is the beautiful coast in the south, the many national parks, the Albanian Alps and the Peaks of the Balkans in the far north, the capital Tirana and many other cities with history and tradition. In the south is the seaside resort of Ksamil, which is a real highlight in Albania in the low season. The colours of the water…simply beautiful on the beaches in the south.
A detour to the capital Tirana is also worthwhile. You can find everything here: shopping malls, restaurants, cafés, shops, hotels and much more.
If you want to learn more about the socialist past, be sure to visit BunkArt1 or BunkArt2. You can also drive from Tirana to the Bovilla Reservoir. This is a reservoir that is responsible for the capital’s drinking water supply. There is a small path up the mountain from where you have a great view.
There are probably 170,000 to 200,000 bunkers in the country . These were built between 1972 and 1984, because Enver Hoxha wanted to protect the country from foreign troops. These bunkers were the most important military installations in the country and were built during the communist regime. You can still see them everywhere today. There were three different types of bunkers. The dictator’s aim was to create space for four Albanians per bunker.
In total, 750,000 bunkers would have had to be built. To this day, nobody knows exactly how many there actually were. One report revealed that only 173,371 bunkers had been built by the end of the main construction phase. Locals are not so keen on this, as the bunkers are witnesses to the dictatorship. You are sure to see one or two during your trip. There are two large bunkers in Tirana, which have been converted into a museum (BunkArt 1 & BunkArt 2).
Continue on to Butrint National Park, where you can visit a really beautiful ancient harbour town from the 8th century BC. The park is surrounded by Lake Butrint and the Vivar Canal and is also home to 800 plant species, more than 240 bird species, 15 fish species and 39 mammal species.
The ruins of Butrint are an important building block of the past. The protected location in a lagoon attracted conquerors, travellers and those seeking relaxation even back then. Butrint is actually something like a second Troy, only on a smaller scale. We really enjoyed the tour. Admission costs 700 LEK per person (€5.60).
On the way to Gjirokaster, you will pass the famous Blue Eye. This almost 50 metre deep hole in a river magically attracts many visitors. Although there is not much you can do here, the scenery is almost fairytale-like. Everything glows in green, blue and purple colours, very beautiful to look at.
Of course, a detour to Gjirokaster is also a must. This historic city is located in the south of the country and has a population of around 20,000. In 2005, the town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All around it, the mountains (Mali i Gjerë) rise to almost 2,000 metres.
The wide Drino valley looks almost surreal, as if from times long past. The stone houses here climb several hundred metres up the mountainside. There are many small restaurants and shops in the old town, and the castle of Gjirokaster is located at the top of the hill.
On the way from Seranda to Vlorë, you will inevitably have to cross the beautiful Llogara Pass and then find yourself in the Llogara National Park. This pass is a mountain pass and part of the national road SH 8, which separates the Albanian Riviera from the hinterland. The route is really beautiful.
In good weather, you can see great bays and beaches from afar as well as the highest peak of the Ceraunian Mountains (Maja e Cikës). In the national park itself, you can go on hikes, book accommodation and dine in restaurants. The southern slope of the pass is also a launch site for paragliders.
The city of Berat is located around 100 kilometres south of Tirana . Together with Gjirokaster, the two cities are among the most popular and beautiful in the country. In 2008, the old town centre of Berat was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city consists of a new town and the three protected districts. The fortress (Kalaja) towers high above with its many winding alleyways, small churches and mosques.
The small neighbourhood is quiet and the views from there are stunning. The city of Berat is nicknamed the ‘city of a thousand windows’. You can see why when you are out and about in the Mangalem neighbourhood. The houses are close together and all have large windows. This is where the city’s nickname comes from.
The Osum Gorge is something like the Grand Canyon of Albania. This gorge, cut deep into the landscape, is almost 13 kilometres long and between 2 and 30 metres wide. In some places, it is even 70 to 80 metres deep. A tour around the canyon takes around 6 hours.
You will be offered spectacular views time and time again. The narrow suspension bridge over the Osum River right at the entrance to the canyon is the starting point. This is followed by narrow paths along the gorge. You pass waterfalls, caves and broken stalactites.
The town of Shkoder is located in northern Albania between Lake Skutari and the rivers Buna, Drin and Kir. It is just 34 kilometres from the border with Montenegro. The city, which is 2400 years old, has a population of just under 143,000. Shkoder is also one of the cultural and traditional centres of northern Albania.
Here you will find mosques, churches, castles and palaces from times long past. Lake Shkodra is the largest lake in the Balkans and is 2/3 owned by Montenegro. Many tourists use Shkoder as a starting point for tours to the Albanian Alps and Lake Koman.
The Koman reservoir is just under 2 hours away from Shkoder. You can only cross this lake by ferry. The journey is the reward, as the scenery is simply overwhelming. To the left and right are the steep rock faces, behind them the mighty mountain ranges of the Albanian Alps and in front of you the blue waters of the reservoir in the Drini Gorge.
The water has been dammed here since the 1980s to supply the north of the country with energy. The lake is 34 kilometres long and just 50 metres wide at its narrowest point. The deepest point is just under 96 metres.
The Albanian Al ps are one of the country’s absolute highlights. At the very top in the north of the country, you will find a unique and spectacular landscape with peaks rising more than 2,600 metres into the sky. There are valleys, mountain lakes and breathtaking viewpoints.
The hike from the Valbona Valley to the Theth Valley is particularly popular. Some of the roads here are still very bumpy and not as well developed as in other parts of the country. The highest mountain in the Albanian Alps is Jezerca at 2,692 metres.
The long-distance hiking trail ‘Peaks of the Balkans’ is also very popular with hiking enthusiasts. It is 192 kilometres long and leads over 10 daily stages through Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. The trail leads through developed areas, but also through secluded high alpine regions with spectacular views of the peaks of the Balkans. The route also passes through the Theth, Valbona Valley, Bieshkët e Nemuna, Lumi i Gashi and Prokletije national parks. An unforgettable highlight!
The food in Albania is very varied. Here you will find influences from Turkey, Greece and Italy. No wonder, these countries are also right next door. The cuisine is Mediterranean and also has a lot in common with Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro. They cook with lots of vegetables, chicken, lamb, beef, goat and fish. There is a pizzeria and a taverna on every corner. You can get typical Albanian cuisine in the tavernas. And of course burgers, chips, soups, salads and wraps.
Fasul bean soup with meat and vegetables is a favourite. It is usually served with buttermilk, tea, wine or raki. A typical main course is vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat, for example. These are also called ‘dollma’. Byrek’ is also a popular dish. These are dumplings with minced meat, sheep’s cheese or spinach. They are served with flatbread or various types of cheese.
To understand why Albania is the way it is, you need to take a short journey back in time. In 1944, the country was taken over by the communists. It was led by Enver Hoxha, who formed the Sigurimi secret police after the end of the war. This was his most powerful instrument of power for the next 40 years. Tens of thousands of people fell victim to this police force. The country was very poor at the time and the economy lay idle. There was also hardly any functioning infrastructure. Lack of education, epidemics and blood feuds were the order of the day.
The rule under the dictator Enver Hoxha was characterised by state violence, strict police persecution, disapproval and contempt for the constitution and human rights. It is no wonder that locals do not speak well of this period. Anyone who ‘stepped out of line’ and criticised the party and its works was imprisoned, forcibly relocated or simply executed. Travelling abroad was forbidden. In 1967, a total ban on religion was also imposed. Albania was thus the first atheist state in the world. Churches and mosques were closed or even demolished.
After the Second World War, Albania experienced what was probably the strictest communist dictatorship in the whole of Europe. The dictator completely isolated the country. Hoxha also ordered the construction of 750,000 bunkers. He wanted to be prepared in case the country was attacked by other powers. In the end, only just under 200,000 bunkers were built. After his death, his successor continued the policy until 1990. In March 1992, the first democratic elections after 45 years of dictatorship finally took place. With the victory of the Democratic Party, Albania was no longer isolated. Today, Albania is a member of NATO and has been an official candidate for membership of the European Union since 2014.
Albania is a great country. The people are warm, open and hospitable. I had a really good time, never felt uncomfortable and was able to experience wonderful moments and get to know super friendly people. Travelling around the country was much easier than expected. The roads are in good condition, the costs are low and the highlights are really exciting.
For us, Albania is the perfect country to discover, for adventure and a more affordable holiday.
Travellers spend an average of EUR 81 per day on a visit to Albania. While this is only an average cost, prices can vary depending on your style of travel, length of trip and other factors. However, you can travel cheaper if you stay in moderately priced hotels, eat in reasonably priced restaurants and always use public transport. Albania is a reasonably affordable destination. It is among the 25% most affordable countries in the world. If you are travelling on a budget, this is a good destination with cheap accommodation, food and transport.