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This exceptionally beautiful country is the most underrated in Europe. It is also incredibly friendly, cheap, and safe! This list of the best places to visit in Albania covers a broader area for each location, making it suitable for daily trips.
In regards to the COVID-19, Albanian borders are open for international tourism (May 2021).
Set your Base & Go Offbeat!
1. Tirana
The Albanian capital and largest city has plenty of coffee shops, planted trees, colorful buildings, and, most importantly, many day-trip options.
Cool spots
Bunk-Art – Underground bunker converted into an Albanian history museum. It’s kind of creepy but really interesting.
Piramida – Abandoned museum from the communist era. Its (piramida) shape in combination with broken windows, rusty structure, and graffiti makes it an interesting site.
Skanderbeg Square – The main plaza in the city center, where all the significant buildings are located.
Grand Park – With a lake and hiking & running trails, it is the quickest getaway to nature.
Central Market – Other than the abundance of fresh, natural produce (which is hard to find nowadays in Western countries), there’s an interesting flea market section surrounded by colorful buildings.
Day Trips from Tirana
Some of the best places to visit in Albania can be found just outside of Tirana.
Mount Dajt
Where the city ends, that’s where the hike starts (about 8.5 km). I hiked a round trip and haven’t seen anybody, cause people prefer using the cable car instead. Either way, checking out Mount Dajt is a must if you are in Tirana.
Tujanit
The best-kept local secret! On Google Maps, search for Bar Restaurant Shkalla E Tujanit. In that small area, you can swim and hike through the canyon to check out the ruins.
Kruje
The medieval capital of Albania is an old town with a castle, a bazaar featuring traditional crafts, and a nice (but steep) mountain hike.
Petrele
A village with a historic castle perched atop a hill makes for an impressive sight! From the SE bus station in Tirana, take the bus to Krrabe
Syri i Ciklopit
A cool swim/chill spot in the middle of nowhere! The only way to get there is through villages and farm trails… Adventure!
Follow the red pinpoints: Walk towards Hakaj, then the viewpoint, then the river, where you’ll reach the pool (photo above).
On the other side, follow the trail along the river (canyon), and eventually, you’ll get back to the Krrabe- Tirana bus route.
Pellumbas
A village with a very scenic trail that takes you to the cave
Then, as you can see in the left pic, the trail isn’t fully marked on Maps.me, but follow this direction (and common sense), and you’ll get to the cave (Shpella) via a beautiful trail!
2. Korce
This mountain city is famous for well-preserved 17th-century buildings, access to the Moravian mountains, beer festivals, and a bazaar.
Day Trips from Korce
Dardha
The ski resort, hiking paradise, and a beautiful village with ancient buildings and narrow streets.
Maligrad island
This tiny island is located in Lake Prespa. It’s got many caves, cliffs, and even a church! It is a protected area, and it seems like the only way to get there is with the tour operator.
Moscopole (Voskopoje)
This is the most popular day trip from Korce. It’s got 7 churches from the early 18th century.
Pogradec
Located on the shores of Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe. Nearby, there’s the village of Drilon, where former president Enver Hoxha used to hang out. If you continue towards the Macedonian border, stop by Tushemisht. It’s a relaxing place, surrounded by mountains and gorgeous beaches
3. Shkoder
It’s the cultural capital of Albania! Other than its theater, it’s famous for cycling along the shores of Lake Shkodra
Day Trips from Shkoder
Komani Lake – It’s popular for the boat ride and hiking.
Rozafa – One of the oldest towns in Albania, with a beautiful Castle and its ruins.
Lazhe – This town’s got an interesting fortress. Make sure you get there from Shkoder by train.
4. Berat
Nicknamed “The city of 1000 windows,” it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s famous for its unique Albanian/Ottoman architecture, a ruined castle, and a surprising replica of the White House. You can see it on the cover photo of the Travel Info Albania post.
However, you can also take the lesser-known trail (pinpointed in the top right). It’s much steeper but provides different views.
The top-left pinpoint marks a cute farmland trail (see the photo below).
I suggest keeping the TV tower in sight, then proceeding to the pinpoint at the bottom.
Day Trips from Berat
Tomurri Mountain National Park
This mountain ridge offers multi-day scenic hikes with panoramic views. Popular sites include Sotira waterfalls and the Bektash monastery.
Bogovë Waterfalls
It’s a small but quite unusual waterfall, due to the interesting rock formation. You can take a swim in the pool; however, the water is cold even in the summer.
5. Gjirokaster
Another UNESCO city. This one is a bit less preserved, which makes it more rustic and organic. It’s famous for old houses with flat stone roofs and the castle.
Day Trip from Gjirokaster
Blue Eye (Syri I Kaltër) – This water spring, located near the village of Muzinë, is a popular tourist attraction. It’s the clear blue water of the river, bubbling up from a depth of more than fifty meters.
6. Vlore
A vibrant and modern seaside city with a ferry to Italy, many beaches, and fun nightlife.
Day Trips from Vlore
Apollonia Archeological Park – An ancient city that flourished during the Roman period. It’s got plenty of ancient buildings and ruins.
Bylis – The second largest archaeological site from the Roman era in Albania.
Zverec Island – a tiny peaceful island with St Mary’s Monastery – a medieval Byzantine church.
7. Himare
This laid-back beach town, surrounded by hills, is the perfect base for exploring the Ionian coast of Albania. The coolest things in town are Himara Castle and Himara Beach.
Day Trips from Himare
First of all, let me specify that the entire Vlore-Sarande stretch is amazing, and while on the road, make sure you are not napping, cause you’ll pass by many of the best places to visit in Albania! Especially stay awake and alert during the LLogara-Dhermi stretch.
From Himare, you can day trip from Llogora National Park to Borsh. Buses are infrequent (which makes the road very pleasant to walk along), but you can always stick your thumb out. You may not get the ride immediately, but it seems to be a reliable form of transportation in this region.
Pilur
A local village hidden behind farmlands and magnificent landscapes.
Beaches Filikurit & Llamanit
Then go back towards the paved road, head south, and follow the trail along the coast. That’s where I had a pleasant swim and took this photo above. FYI, this stretch is pretty rocky and kinda exhausting to walk, but still definitely worth it.
At the end of the trail, you’ll end up at Llamanit Beach.
Go back along the main road (no worries, it’s not busy and the views are also magnificent) and make a left on Rruga Arjileo.
This street provides panoramic views of Himare and its surroundings.
Llogara National Park
This park contains large alpine meadows, vertical rock faces, precipices, and dense forests. Llogara Pass descends from 1000m altitude to the Ionian coast and offers one of the most scenic rides in Europe.
Adventurers, walk down the road, take pics, and check out the graffiti-decorated bunkers on the switchbacks. When you get tired, just stick your thumb out!
Dhermi
Beautiful Greek-style beach town with scenic views. In the summer months, it’s a popular party spot. Get here from Himare by bus or by thumb. I would not recommend a bicycle. The road is too steep.
Gjipe
This bohemian beach is accessible only by hiking or by boat from the nearby Jale beach.
1. From Dhermi (left pic).
2. From Ilias (village before Dhermi, right pic)
3. From Vunoi (right pic),
4. Hike along the coast from Himare, passing Spile and Jale (about 10km).
Porto Palermo
Famous for the star-shaped castle, built in the 19th century. There are some beaches nearby as well. I loved the views from the peninsulas the most…
Qeparo
This village is one of the best-hidden places to visit in Albania! It’s got an Amazing hike with views of the old town, ruins, farmlands, and the Ionian sea. At some point, you might get a company of sheep, cows, or donkeys!
Full day: proceed all the way up to Kudhes, and come back on the dirt road.
8. Sarande
Another modern seaside city (somewhat like Vlore), surrounded by nice landscapes and beaches. The coolest thing to see is Lekuresi Castle. For the beaches, I suggest going outside of the city…
1. Walk along the coast towards Kurrizzi Hill. Once you pass it, you’ll be on a quiet dirt road accompanied by the sounds of the waves.
2. Hike two farm trails uphill marked with red.
Day Trips from Sarande
Ksamil
This is a must-visit beach town in Albania! You may wanna get accommodation here; however, I found it much cheaper to stay in Sarande. The bus between those two takes only 20 minutes and goes hourly.
The town is famous for its tiny islands. It also appears different from the rest of the South coast, cause it’s not so dramatically steep & cliffy. Its hills are more mellow.
Manastir
A quiet village between Sarande and Ksamil has got pretty cool trails and beaches. You shouldn’t miss this area, if you’re staying in Sarande or Ksamil!
The right map presents suggested trails with beaches between Manastir and Ksamil.
Butrint
UNESCO World Heritage Site dating from the era of Julius Cesar has old ruins and the amphitheater.
The red pinpoint to the left of the road to Butrint marks the shoreline trail from where I spotted the ruin in the sea (photo above).
Kodra Bajames Hill has shoreline trails and beaches (though you can’t see them here because the map isn’t zoomed in enough).
The top-right pinpoint marks the farmland trail with olive trees and panoramic views of Ksamil.
Blue Eye (Syri I Kaltër)
It’s the park I’ve described under Gjirokaster Daily Trips. It’s located halfway between Sarande and Gjirokaster. You can make a daily trip to this exotic spot from either city.
9. Teth – Valbona
This is the most popular destination in the Albanian Alps and the most popular mountain-hiking destination. Teth is a charming village with its unique traditions, food, and culture. This little village can only be accessed by a 4×4 or an 8-hour hike from Valbona.
The National Park – By many people, it’s considered one of the best places to visit in Albania! Includes popular sites: Grunas Waterfall and the Lock-in Tower.
Blue Eye – (This one is different from the one located between Gjirokaster and Sarande.) It’s less touristy. Located 2.5 hours’ hike from Teth.
10. Permet, Albania
It’s the most underrated destination in Albania! Permet is a small town surrounded by lush forested hills, hot springs, river rapids, and unmarked hiking trails
Around 6km up a winding road from Permet, you get to a river with an ancient bridge and Benja Thermal Pools, formed by layers of stones. The water is quite warm, heated by geothermal activity beneath the ground. Hence, you’ll get some sulfur smell from the ground.
I’ve made an ultra-short video from the bus rides through the Albanian Alps, Sarande, and the Gjirokaster area.
Check out this Must-read post before your trip:
If you know any other Best places to visit in Albania, feel free to share in the comments below.