Which part of Albania is the most beautiful?

The Ionian coast between Dhërmi and Ksamil for the sea, and the northern Alps around Theth and Valbonë for mountains. They are opposite trips and hard to combine in under ten days.

Can I combine the beaches and the mountains?

Comfortably in two weeks, awkwardly in ten days, not really in a week. They are at opposite ends of the country and the roads between are slow.

Where should I go in Albania if I only have a few days?

Pick one region. Tirana plus Berat, or the southern coast around Sarandë. Trying to cover the country in three or four days is mostly driving.

Which part of Albania is best outside summer?

Tirana and the old towns. Much of the Riviera closes down out of season, while Berat, Gjirokastër and the capital are arguably better without the heat.

Where should I go in Albania?

Albania splits into four trips. The Ionian coast in the south has the beaches people come for. The Adriatic north of it is flatter, sandier and easier to reach. Berat and Gjirokastër are the historic towns inland. The northern Alps are a separate, seasonal country of their own.

The Ionian coast — the postcard one

From Vlorë south through Dhërmi, Himarë and on to Sarandë and Ksamil. Clear water, mountains dropping into the sea, and the small islands off Ksamil that most images of 'the Albanian Riviera' actually show.

This is where most visitors go and where accommodation is most seasonal — a lot of it opens late May and closes in October. It is also where you should book earliest for the summer weeks.

The Adriatic — the easy one

Durrës and the coast around it: long flat sandy beaches, shallow water, and close enough to Tirana that you can be on the sand within an hour of landing. It is the practical choice for a short break or a trip with small children.

It is less dramatic than the Ionian and busier with domestic holidaymakers in August. What it buys you is simplicity.

The old towns — the year-round one

Berat and Gjirokastër are inscribed together by UNESCO and are the two places worth building an inland leg around. Add Tirana, and you have a trip that works in November as well as July.

These are also the places where a night beats a day trip: both are at their best once the coaches have left.

The Alps — the seasonal one

Shkodër, Theth and Valbonë, plus the Komani Lake crossing. Genuinely mountainous, genuinely remote, and effectively closed for much of the year — the high passes are usually walkable only from around June to October.

Beds up there are guesthouses rather than hotels and there are not many of them, so this is the leg to book first and build the rest of the trip around.

Common questions

Which part of Albania is the most beautiful?: The Ionian coast between Dhërmi and Ksamil for the sea, and the northern Alps around Theth and Valbonë for mountains. They are opposite trips and hard to combine in under ten days.
Can I combine the beaches and the mountains?: Comfortably in two weeks, awkwardly in ten days, not really in a week. They are at opposite ends of the country and the roads between are slow.
Where should I go in Albania if I only have a few days?: Pick one region. Tirana plus Berat, or the southern coast around Sarandë. Trying to cover the country in three or four days is mostly driving.
Which part of Albania is best outside summer?: Tirana and the old towns. Much of the Riviera closes down out of season, while Berat, Gjirokastër and the capital are arguably better without the heat.

Where should I go in Albania?

The Ionian coast — the postcard one

The Adriatic — the easy one

The old towns — the year-round one

The Alps — the seasonal one

Common questions

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