My Albania Road Trip – The Perfect 7 Days Itinerary

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A road trip through Albania? Why? That was the initial reaction to our travel plans in autumn. But we took a chance on it anyway. And I’m glad we did! I came back with the perfect route for two weeks, lots of tips and priceless memories. I’m sharing all of this with you in this article.

Albania, the small country in the western Balkans, has so far been spared from the large tourist crowds, which was certainly due to the decades-long communist dictatorship. However, there is not much left of this now and in recent years, Albania has increasingly become the focus of individual tourists.

Albania fascinated me with its natural beauty and very, very positively surprised me. Highland mountains and Mediterranean flair on the coast, hot springs and historical sites inland and beautiful beaches on the Adriatic Sea. Albania has something for everyone and, due to its size, can be discovered in a short time!

• Route: Tirana – Berat – Gjirokastra – Benjë – Blue Eye – Saranda – Himarë – Tirana
• Distance: 900 km
• Driving time: 18 hours 50 minutes

Best time to travel: During the peak travel season in July and August, the beaches are packed, but September and October are more pleasant off-season months. At the beginning of September, we still had 25 to 30 degrees – so it was perfect for swimming.

Table Of Contents

Getting there and getting around

I am describing the route here that I took with my best mate Jan in 2024 when he visited Albania for the first time. We flew directly from Leipzig to the capital of Albania. In Tirana, we rented a car for our 7-day stay through Discover Cars. Flights to Tirana can be found at prices starting at €80 (round trip) with the major low-cost airlines. The rental car cost us €35 per day in June and was in great condition!

Albania is also a great country for a camping holiday! You are officially allowed to camp wild almost anywhere and you can often even set up camp right by the sea. So if you have a little more time on your hands, I recommend you grab your camper and let yourself drift through Albania slowly.

We did not test public transport this time. But especially for more remote destinations, of which there are a few, I imagine travelling by public transport to be rather difficult! Although Albania has made great strides in recent years and there are more and more new roads, the transport network is not fully developed yet and many attractions are not connected to public transport.

I have been told that there are hardly any timetables and marked bus stops. Travelling by intercity bus can therefore take a long time a, andou will often have to change buses to get to your destination. However, I imagine that the contact with the locals that comes with it is sure to be a great experience!

Currency and costs

Albania is not yet part of the EU, which is perhaps one reason why the country is one of the cheapest in Europe! We were really amazed at how little money you still need to get by in Albania even though prices have rises over the last few years. Prices are however still lower than in other comparable European countries, such as Montenegro or Greece. Definitely a real blessing for the travel budget. A meal with a drink in a mid-range restaurant costs an average of €4-6 (as of September 2024). Well-kept double rooms/Airbnb’s start from €20 per night. Payment is made in Albanian lek, 1 EUR is currently 100 LEK (as of 2024).

Food

Albanian cuisine is delicious! It is a mix of Greek, Turkish and Italian cuisine. As vegans/vegetarians, we never had a hard time finding something to eat in a restaurant. Since small starters are often served with the dishes (side dishes, so to speak), we were able to conjure up a main course from them without any problems. Vegetable and bean soups (supe perime, supe fasule) are traditional, as are vegetable soufflé (Fergies Tirane) and moussaka (veggie).

Boiled vegetables, stuffed pointed peppers (Dollma), aubergine ajvar and spinach-filled byrek are often served as a side dish in every restaurant. Since many Italians have settled in Albania, you will also find many pizzerias in the country. We ate one of the best pizzas ever in Himarë!

The Perfect 7 Days Itinerary for Albania

Let’s start off with an overview of this epic, fourteen day Albania itinerary, so you can have an idea what to expect.

Day	City	Overnight in
Day 1	Tirana	Tirana
Day 2	Berat	Berat
Day 3	Gjirokastër	Gjirokastër
Day 4	Benjë & Përmet	Përmet
Day 5	Blue Eye & Sarande	Sarandë
Day 6	Ksamil Beaches	Sarandë
Day 7	Himarë	Himarë

Tirana – The colorful Capital of Albania

Our itinerary started in Tirana. The lively capital is definitely worth a short visit! We went straight from the airport to the hotel and visited Tirana at the end of our trip. You can easily explore Tirana on foot. The Pazari i Ri market and the Namazgja Mosque are worth seeing. The Bunk’ Art 2 museum gives you an insight into Albania’s communist era.

You should also indulge in some culinary delights in Tirana. We can highly recommend the Veggies Restaurant (Rruga Perlat Rexhepi 15, Tiranë, Albania). If you have a little more time, visit the Bovilla Reservoir, about an hour’s drive north of Tirana. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it, but it was recommended to us by many travellers.

3 places you should not miss while in Tirana:

• Blloku has developed into a colourful, trendy district with many bars, cafés and restaurants in recent years. It’s a great place to end the day, for example at Radio (somewhat hidden in Rr. Ismail Qemali, P.29 Ap 1). The small bar is cosy with old film posters and retro furniture; cocktails and snacks are served on the terrace in the backyard.

• Bunk’Art 1 and 2 left a deep impression on me during my visit. The dark past of Albania is documented in various rooms in two old bunkers. Bunk’Art 1 (a little further out) mainly deals with the occupation of Albania during the Second World War, while Bunk’Art 2 (right in the city centre) is dedicated to the history of the Albanian secret police.
• The Dajti Ekspres, a gondola lift built in 2005, will take you to the top of the mountain of the same name for 14 euros per person during the day. Once at the top, you will have a fantastic view of the entire city. By the way: Bunk’Art 1 is located nearby. It’s best to visit the museum first and then take the gondola up the mountain.

Hotel tip: The Mulaj Hotel is located in the middle of the trendy Blloku district, in a quiet side street. The service staff are incredibly helpful, the rooms are clean and spacious, and the price is more than fair for a 4-star hotel.

Berat – Road trip through central Albania

Our first stop in Albania was Berat, the city of 1000 windows. The Muslim-influenced town immediately impressed us with its historic white houses and the typical Berat window arrangement, which, by the way, is also responsible for the nickname ‘the city of 1000 windows’.

In Berat, you should definitely make a detour to the 13th-century castle. From there, you have a great view of Berat, the Osum River and the surrounding mountains. By the way, about 70% of the country consists of mountainous landscapes!

Gjirokastër – The city of stone on our itinerary

Gjirokastra should not be missing from your Albania itinerary! The small town is surrounded by huge mountains and delights with a small, quaint old town.

We stayed right in the old town and found 1 night to be more than enough. The main attraction, the castle of Gjirokastra, can be visited in a few hours. A short walk through the cobblestone streets of the old town is all you need to get a good overview of Gjirokastra. Entrance to the castle: free (as of 2024)

Benjë Thermal springs & Përmet

On the way from Berat to our next destination, Gjirokastra, we visited the hot thermal springs of Përmet (Llixhat e Bënjës). The sulfurous water is up to 30 degrees Celsius warm and definitely worth a visit! You can splash around and relax in four different pools.

The thermal springs are said to have a healing effect on the skin and to positively influence stomach and circulatory diseases. Admission is free and it pays to be there early, as the spot is extremely popular and well attended.

The Blue Eye – Albania’s most famous attraction

On the way from Gjirokastra to Saranda, we visited the famous Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër), an underground freshwater spring. Unlike hot springs, the source is anything but cuddly warm. The water temperature at the Blue Eye is just 10 degrees, which did not stop Jan and me from jumping into the spring.

From the viewpoint, where many visitors also jump directly down into the bubbling water, you have a great view of the spring, which actually resembles a deep blue eye. There is still no accurate estimate of how deep the water is, but divers have already dived 50 m down.

Sarande & the Beaches of Ksamil

Sarande and the neighbouring Ksamil are among the most visited destinations in Albania. The two coastal strips of the former fishing villages are almost completely built up with hotels.

Hotel tip: We stayed at Buze Boutique Hotel in Sarande – Direct access to a private beach with sun loungers. Staff are very friendly and helpful. There is a restaurant on site. Rooms have a beautiful, modern design. The breakfast is amazing plus it has very good raatings on Booking.com. – that’s excellent! ☑ Check availability and prices here.

We only included Sarande in our planning because of the famous Ksamil Beach. The colour of the sea there resembles the Caribbean, which is why it is so popular (especially with tourists from neighbouring countries). The bright, white sandy beach looks just heavenly. However, Ksamil Beach is also completely touristy, with beach bars, sun loungers and umbrellas.

A short visit was enough for us, although it wasn’t that busy when we visited in June. But you definitely have to see the beach! However, a one-night stay is sufficient. Unless you like crowds and hustle and bustle. By the way, Ksamil is located directly across from Corfu.

Himarë – My favorite Albanian riviera hidden gem

The area around Himarë was our highlight in Albania! In my opinion, the most beautiful beaches in Albania are located there! The Albanian Riviera consists of original mountain villages and emerging holiday resorts.

The Ionian Sea glistens in the most beautiful shades of blue and the landscape of green mountains and olive groves makes every nature lover’s heart beat faster! We didn’t fall in love with our chosen place, Himarë, but it was a good starting point to explore the beautiful beaches. We also had great accommodation there, high up in the mountains, with a fantastic view of the sea.

Vuno and Dhërmi are also good starting points on the Albanian Riviera, so I recommend booking accommodation there. Vuno is one of the most beautiful mountain villages on the Albanian Riviera and, like Dhërmi, consists of many white houses that blend beautifully into the landscape.

Great beaches in the area include Gjipe Beach, Dhërmi Beach, Jale Beach, Llamani Beach and the beach in Borsh. Most of the beaches on the Albanian Riviera are pebbly, so I definitely recommend packing water shoes!

Our route at a glance:

Tirana (arrival), Berat (1 night), Gjirokastra (1 night), Saranda (1 night), Himare (2 nights), Tirana (1 night)

Continue your itinerary in Albania

Theth & the Albanian Alps

Due to our limited holiday days, we unfortunately only focused on the south of Albania and completely skipped the north. In the north, among other places, is the village of Theth, which is located directly in the Albanian Alps. In the national park of the same name, numerous hiking trails await you, offering picturesque views.

Komani Lake & Ferry

The Koman Lake is also located in the north of Albania and offers visitors emerald green water and rugged rock walls that are said to resemble the Norwegian fjords. Unfortunately, we also had to leave it out, but if we had had more time on site, we would definitely have visited the lake too!

Continue Reading:

• MY ALBANIA ROADTRIP: THE PERFECT 10 DAY ITINERARY
• Tirana – 10 tips for your trip to the capital of Albania
• Where To Stay In Tirana – Best Areas And Hotels