Albania Road Trip: Your Ultimate Itinerary & Guide
We spend in total 10 days in Albania and were able to cover most highlights of the country. The conclusion is simple: the people are warm and friendly, the weather was perfect, the food delicious and for our standards it was a very cheap destination to visit. Go now before tourism explodes!
General tips
Rental Car
As usual we rented our car with Avis. We initially thought of flying on Dubrovnik as a rental car was way cheaper over there, but you have to be careful as crossing borders isn’t always that straightforward. When we rented in Croatia we were allowed to go into Montenegro, but not into Albania. So we changed plans and rented in Albania, which was way more expensive, but we were allowed to go to each country we wanted. You do have to pay an extra 10 euro per day you are driving outside of Albania. We got a nice and recent car in Tirana which was a good partner during our roadtrip through Albania and Montenegro. On the 17 days we drove roughly 2000 km.
Driving Style
The driving style in Albania is something to be aware of. They drive quite active and at moments quite agressive. Certainly around and in Tirana you have to claim your spot. If you are a defensive driver you might to wait a long time to cross a street or get onto a road.
Money
In Albania and less in Montenegro they still prefer cash money. So it’s worth having enough cash with you. In Albania that would be LEK and in Montenegro EUR. As a withdraw of cash can be expensive abroad, you might want to bring enough cash to change into the local currency. Please make sure to avoid to do so in the airport or your hotel. The best is to find an exchange office in the street and check their rate on-line.
1. Tirana
We had a nice day in Tirana and explored quite some things, however, this isn’t the city or capital which has impressed us most. You have the Skanderberg Square, the Pyramid of Tirana, Bunk’Art 2, but we didn’t spot cosy areas which you maybe would expect in a city. We decided to start with a half a day when we arrived in Albania and would slot in more time before leaving if we thought it was needed, but we skipped that.
2. Durrës
Upon arrival in Tirana we decided to spend the first two nights in Durrës to settle in an absorb the first impressions of Albania. We rented the escape appartment at www.albania-rent.com. Lukas was quick in communication and the pictures were exactly as described. It was nice to rent a place from fellow bloggers after I was looking at several vlogs on Albania. The appartment is directly at the beach front and shops, bars and restaurants are nearby. The old town of Durrës might be just too far for some people, but we did it by foot. We had a 11.5 km hike when we were back at the appartment (Strava track)
The old town didn’t impress us too much. There is the Venetian Tower, the old Amphitheatre, Byzantine forum but except the Venetian Tower the locations weren’t that well maintained. We hike back and we enjoyed a magnificent sunset on the renewed boulevard. We can imagine it’s very busy during peak season but for us it was pleasantly crowded in the shoulder season. There are several beach and cocktail bars where you can enjoy the moment.
The next day we went for a day trip to Tirana and that distance was ok-ish, but it might have been more convenient to sleep outside Tirana in the direction of our next step. Now, the good thing was that the weather was awesome and we could still grab some sun at the Durrës beach which was nice.
3. Berrat
Berat is known for the 1000 window views. It’s a nice view, but amongst those buildings there are several cosy and tasteful restaurants. We selected Hani i Xheblatit which has a nice terrace and the food was good. It might be worth checking out the 1000 windows during day and a bit later in the evening when the lights are on.
What is also worth your time is the Berat Castle, which is probably one of the only castle where regular people still live. There is an entrance fee to pay and it can be crowded, but you can escpae both if you go early in the morning. We went around 7am in the morning before the breakfast and could freely enter. The weather was already great but temperature still enjoyable to walk up the hill to the castle. The castle was still quiet which we enjoyed. If you look for some pictures from the castle taken by drone, you will see how big and well maintained it is.
4. Osumi Canyon
The Osumi Canyon is often described as the Grand Canyon of Albania. To explore the Osumi Canyon we started our hike from Çorovodë. You can make a loop but we don’t think it has much added value as we had to return via the road which is a lesser experience compared to the other side where you are remote and in the nature. We also think the best view points are on that side.
5. Apollonia
The archaeological site of Apollonia has several Greek and Roman ruins which are worth visiting. It’s not that far from the highway while heading to the coast of Albania. The entrance fee is acceptable and there is also a museum and WW2 bunker which you can visit. It took us little more than one hour to explore the ruins. Mainly the Amphitheater and the Artemis temple are best kept. Depending on your interests and time schedule, this could be a location which you can skip.
6. Himarë
Along the way from Apollonia towards Himarë we made a stop over to the St. Mary’s monastery which is on a small island which you can reach via a wooden bridge. The monastery nice but it was also quite crowded as we arrived there during the day. Avoid parking next to the lake on the narrow street when you see the first cars, as at the end there is a huge parking which is very convenient. From there we continued our journey over the Llogara pass which was climbed in the Giro of 2025. Once you come from the pass you will quickly reach Himarë. We selected Ion rooms which were so nice and beautiful. It’s not directly at the beach but it’s only a short walk by foot. We enjoyed some time at the beach and has some dinner in a nice Greek restaurant.
7. Blue Eye
The Blue Eye is a source where crystal clear water keeps on bubbling up. It is however also a victim of it’s splendor and attracts plenty of tourists. There is now a big car parking, which is understandable, but having some kind of tourist train and electrical rental scooters to ride from the entrace to the Blue Eye is a bit too much in our opinion. We hiked a bit around the river, but the path isn’t that easy and there isn’t that much to see. Also plenty of other tourists were doing the same. Glad that we have seen it, and probably calling it a tourist trap is also not correct, but we prefer a more natural experience to explore such phenomens.
8. Ksamil
Deep down in Albania, close to the Greek border you find Ksamil. It has very nice beaches and plenty of beach clubs. There are so many where we were that you even need to look for a zone of beach where you can lay down your towel. The beds with umbrella for day rental where mostly in the range of 10 – 20 euro. The beach bar or clubs come with service for drinks and play laid back enjoyable music. There are plenty of beaches like Ksamil beach, Paradise beach, Lori beach. It will be up to you to pick what suits you best. We ended our day with a cocktail at the Orange Beach Club. It is also around this area that you can find the boat on the picture. It was so funny to see it, looks like a car and as fast and maneuverable like a jetski. It didn’t suit our schedule, but it’s something I have added to my bucket list.
When you want to park your car, you will most likely need private lots in busy times which cost you around 5 euro for the day. We selected a hotel on walking distance of the beach, so we could leave our car on site. We stayed in Cozy Veranda Kristian. The owner was friendly and a local breakfast was included. Prices outside peak season were very favourable.
We planned to visit the Butrint National Archaeological Park early in the morning before our breakfast to save some time. However, it only opened up around 08:00 or 08:30 and it’s an area with a gate which was closed. So we couldn’t enter and didn’t want to return after our breakfast as we already visited Apollonia and we wanted to reach Gjirokastër by noon.
9. Gjirokastër
What a pleasant surprise was Gjirokastër, also known as the Stone city. The main attraction is the Gjirokaster Castle which is truly impressive and big. Tickets were affordable and the place is well maintained. You’ll find a U.S. Air Force plan from the Cold War, amazing views of the Drinos Valley and several cannons. Below the castle you’ll find the Bazaar which is a very nice area. The weather was great and just before lunch plenty of people were walking around. I think it might be interesting to visit this part very early or very late, when things are quiet. Luckily we were in shoulder season, so it was still manageable. We did take the hike up the Zekate House but didn’t visit it, it was build in early 1800 and is described as one of the grandest examples of Gjirokastër architecture in the Ottoman style.
10. Llixhat e Bënjës - Thermal Baths
Just outside of Përmet you have the thermal baths. As the weather was great, it was the perfect location to cool down at the end of the day. It’s one of those locations that are being adapted due to tourism. There was still a parking lot on a field, but they were constructing an official parking for roughly 200 cars. Preparing for more tourism. There are options to do canyoning but we sticked to the constructed pool and the river itself.
For dinner we visited “Te Culi” Slow Food Dishes. It’s a small cosy restaurant with a 4.9 rating on Google. Food was indeed great and the service was friendly. We stayed the night in White Villa, which is brand new and has an incredible 5.0 with 80 reviews. The rooms are very good and the owner is so friendly. There is a bar where you can grab a drink or coffee. No breakfast on site, but shops in the same street. In the end it was a great choice to stay the night in the lesser known village Përmet.
11. Korçë
To not go back to Corovodë from Gjirokaster, we decided to make a loop and pass via Korçë and Pogradec. Like this we passed via the marvellous route with hundreds of turns and twists in the direction of Carçovë and continuing towards Leskovik. The route is often next to the river and gives splendid views on the mountains surrounding. Closer to Korçë you can take a new highway. If you don’t, you’ll have several kilometers extra of a twisty road going up and down. Anno 2025, the road from SH75 tot the highway is a non-paved road, which made we decided to skip it, but you’ll be faster if you go straight to the highway.
Korçë is know from the beer but for the rest we weren’t that impressed by the city. You do have the Korca bazaar with the square with only bars and restaurants. I can imagine it might be cosy when the evening falls and lights are turned on. You also have the Mosque, the Clock Tower and the Pedestrian street, St. George Boulevard, opposite of the Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral.
12. Pogradec
We had high hopes from Ohrid Lake as we planned to finish of the day with a swim in the lake. But the lake itself didn’t attract us that much and it didn’t meet what we had in mind. During checkin our host informed us about the Saint Naum Monastery and we decided to go for that one in stead. In the evening we went for dinner at the promenade and selected The Change. We were truly pleased with our selection as the service was friendly, the food awesome and the presentation so original. This is one of the best restaurants we visited in Albania and it really deserves your attention when around. It also covered up for the lack of added value Pogradec itself brought. We wanted a loop and we did see very beautiful things, but if you are short on time, you can skip this area.
13. Saint Naum Monastery (North Macedonia)
Our car rental agreement allowed us to visit Albania and Montenegro but we didn’t request North Macedonia as we didn’t planned to do so. As swimming in the lake didn’t attract us, we decided to park our car close to the border and make a hike towards Saint Naum Monastery. It was also the first time we passed a border with passport control by foot. There is a mostly a path for hikers, although shared with bikers. Once you pass the double border control (leaving Albania and entering North Macedonia) you continue on the road but after some time, there is a way to go off the road and go through the fields to the monastery. This will save you several kilometers of hiking. The Monastery is a nice area and you can also do a loop hike visiting a church and the spring source. You hike back via the double border control over the same road. We ended up with 11 km, which was enough for a sportive afternoon.
14. Shkodër
We were looking for stop overs between Pogradec and Shkodër but didn’t really find something. The Shebenik NP seems impossible to visit with a regular car so we left early in the morning to ride 3 hours 30 minutes to Shkodër. The ride was quite smooth besides the traffic works to enhance the A3 connection (anno 2025). We took a break fast during a short break and arrived around noon in the city. After checkin we went straight to the famous Site of Witness and Memory which closes at 14:30 on Thursdays. So you might want to check opening hours before heading there. This place is intense due to the story which is told via information on the walls. You can still visit the cells as well.
We continued our exploration in the direction of the pedestrian area which is full of small shops, bars and restaurants. A pleasant vibe is around this area. We then went for a well deserved drink at the Meridian Rooftop bar. Both the interior and exterior are nicely decorated and mainly the bar stands out. You can enjoy your drink while overlooking the city and the surrounding mountains. To end our afternoon exploration we headed to the Shkodër Castle which is an impressive area. You have again nice 360° views and mainly the view on the mountains is so beautiful. Check out the video at the bottom of this page.
15. Lezhë
After visiting Montenegro we decided to spend the last afternoon enjoying the sun. We booked a great place, Paradise Laguna Vain, which is only 45 minutes drive from the international airport. The hotel has a nice swimming pool area which comes with service, beds and towels. We enjoyed the sun while consuming several tasteful items from the menu. Very conveniently they have a restaurant on site, so you don’t have to leave the property which was exactly what we were looking for. We had a good dinner and could taste the whiskey and (strong!) raki they produce themselves. In the morning we could enjoy an included breakfast before heading to the airport. This was such a great stop that we will stay here again when we end our Peaks of the Balkan hike.
Some 360 views
Enjoy some 360° views from Berat and Shkodër castle. The endless views of the environment are worth the climb up the hills where these castles are located.