How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Albania

It felt like I used to be attending to see and really feel one thing I should not. The water felt too heat, it was too blue, too clear, and there have been too few different folks round. As I tiptoed over the rocks, I let myself soften into the water, which had simply the suitable contact of salt to make it ultimate for floating. I appeared up into the matching blue sky, listening to solely the beating of my very own coronary heart in my ears. I closed my eyes and dove beneath, realizing then that paradise has one other identify: Albania. 

In early June, I visited Albania for a summer season trip alongside my husband. However reasonably than simply go to its famed seashores, we made sure to traverse inland sections and see Tirana, its capital metropolis, to get a full view of what this nation is admittedly like. And we liked each inch of it — nearly as a lot as those that reside there.

“Albania is a hidden gem in Europe, recognized for its gorgeous pure magnificence, wealthy historical past, and heat hospitality. From the pristine seashores of the Albanian Riviera to the rugged peaks of the Accursed Mountains, there’s one thing for each traveler,” Irida Shehu, the supervisor of the Manta Lodge in Ksamil, shared.

In the summertime of 2024, Albania skilled a little bit of a journey growth as extra folks found all its untouched glory — and its comparatively inexpensive pricing, too. 

“Recognized for its crisp blue seas, untouched pure magnificence, and historic websites, it is no marvel Albania is gaining momentum amongst vacationers,” Taib Dzemidzic, a neighborhood Flash Pack Pack Chief in Albania, added. Better of all, it is a spot the place vacationers are receiving a heat welcome. “The nation is extremely welcoming, and locals are recognized for his or her hospitality,” Dzemidzic added. “The comparatively low value of residing and touring additionally means you may expertise loads with out breaking the financial institution. It is a superb selection for solo journey.” 

Able to see it for your self? Here is all the pieces it is advisable to plan the proper journey to Albania. 

Cities to Discover

Tirana

Tirana, the bustling capital of Albania, is a must-see for guests. Vacationers will pay a go to to at least one (or extra) of its spectacular museums, dine in its vigorous cafes (and even go to one of many World’s 50 Best Bars for a drink). And whilst you’re right here, ensure to spend a bit time exploring its artwork scene, together with spending a day on the reasonably distinctive Bunk’Art museum. 

Berat

Often known as the “Metropolis of a Thousand Home windows,” Berat is one other UNESCO World Heritage Web site tucked in Albania that is worthy of a day journey. In Berat, vacationers can discover its well-preserved Ottoman structure and take a look at the hillside houses with their distinctive home windows. Cannot-miss websites embody the Berat Castle, the place you may as well get a beautiful panoramic view of town beneath.

Shkodra

See another spot within the north of Albania at Shkodra, one of many nation’s oldest cities. The cultural hub can also be house to loads of old-school websites just like the Rozafa Fort. Vacationers must also go to its historic middle, which is crammed with cafes worthy of spending a whole day in, alongside museums just like the Marubi National Museum of Photography, which showcases a formidable assortment of historic images of Albania’s previous.

The place to Keep

Rogner Lodge, Tirana

The Rogner Hotel provides a luxurious house base for visiting the nation’s capital metropolis. Right here, company will discover well-appointed rooms together with all the fashionable facilities you’d want, together with a spa, a pool, and a number of eating choices. And its prime location means it is inside straightforward strolling distance to close by points of interest like Skanderbeg Sq.. 

Maritim Marina Bay Resort, Vlore

Positioned alongside the picturesque shoreline of Vlore, the Maritim Marina Bay Resort is yet one more high-end escape, this time with panoramic ocean views. The fashionable rooms include balconies so company can soak within the solar in solitude, together with a large, infinity-edge pool with a swim-up bar as well. 

Lodge Mangalemi, Berat

End up within the middle of Albania with a keep at Hotel Mangalemi. Positioned within the UNESCO World Heritage Metropolis of Berat, the lodge provides a tiny glimpse into Albanian on a regular basis life. The lodge was truly the one-time house of Ahmet Kurt Pacha, who got here to Berat within the mid-18th century. Inside, company will nonetheless discover conventional furnishings and a restaurant serving genuine Albanian delicacies, whereas the surface features a beautiful patio shaded by old-growth olive timber. 

Manta, Ksamil

There is not any higher spot to name house for an evening or two within the south than Manta. The lodge, situated within the widespread seaside city of Ksamil, is tucked away in a personal nook of the neighborhood, offering quick access to its famed nightlife and scrumptious eating places, however simply far-off sufficient to supply the correct quantity of seclusion. And, because of its privileged location, the lodge has a small personal seaside on one aspect and a patio the place company can dive straight into the ocean on the opposite. 

Issues to Do

Hike in Theth Nationwide Park.

Immerse your self in Mom Nature at Theth National Park, situated within the Albanian Alps. It is a vacation spot beloved for its huge, craggy peaks, beautiful waterfalls, and plush valleys. The park is tiny in comparison with different nationwide parks across the globe, clocking in at simply over 10 sq. miles, however it’s house to a unbelievable array of vegetation and animals, together with 50 species of birds, making it a park that punches far above its weight class. 

See the Blue Eye.

Make your approach to the other aspect of the nation, to the southern city of Muzinë, to gaze into the Blue Eye, a pure spring boasting a few of the bluest water on the planet. The attention itself is definitely a 164-foot-deep cave, which supplies it a darker middle, like a pupil, surrounded by electrical blue waters like an iris. You are not imagined to swim within the water, although you will note folks doing it. (And actually, you could not need to because the water is totally freezing.) Nevertheless, you are welcome to stroll over the bridge to get a view of it from above as a substitute. 

Stroll via the Metropolis of Stone.

Gjirokastër, often known as the “Metropolis of Stone,” is a must-see for historical past lovers. The UNESCO World Heritage Web site within the southern area started as a single fort constructed within the 4th century and advanced right into a small metropolis by the nineteenth century. At present, guests can nonetheless tour that fort and its Museum of Arms inside, stroll its cobblestone streets, and duck into its scrumptious eating places serving conventional meals. 

Go to the Nationwide Archaeological Museum.

Get to know extra about Albania’s historical past on the National Archaeological Museum in Tirana. It was the primary museum that opened following World Conflict II and is house to a set of historic artifacts from the Stone Age all the way in which to the Ottoman occupation, giving guests a glimpse into each stage of the nation’s previous. 

Greatest Seashores

Ksamil Seashores

Ksamil is probably the most well-known seaside vacation spot in Albania for a purpose: It is merely gorgeous. Right here, vacationers will discover white-sand seashores lapped by turquoise waters. Within the lodge space, vacationers will both have to stay to the seaside in entrance of their lodging or pay small charges to seize a chair and an umbrella at neighboring seashores. However company may discover public seashores simply exterior of the lodge space, together with hidden spots down steep mountainsides that you could be simply be capable of get all to your self — at the least for a short time. 

Dhermi Seashore

About two hours north of Ksamil, vacationers will discover one other sensational beachside setting in Dhermi. In actual fact, there’s loads of room for everybody right here as Dhermi Seashore is likely one of the longest on the Albanian Riviera. The seaside is a mixture of pebbles and high quality sand, so everybody can discover the fashion of shoreline they like, and it is house to all of the amenities you want, together with loos and eating places, so you may calm down all day lengthy. 

Jale Seashore

Searching for some peace and quiet? Discover it at Jale Seashore. Tucked between two cliffs, Jale Seashore, situated simply north of Himara, is thought for its extra intimate environment. Its calm waters make it a really perfect spot for swimming and snorkeling. And although it is each quieter and smaller than the opposite space seashores, it nonetheless boasts a seaside bar, so you may seize a snack.  

Greatest Time to Go to

The most effective time to go to Albania, in line with Shehu, is “in the course of the spring, in April to June, and early autumn, September to October. These durations provide nice climate, ultimate for exploring each the seashores and the mountains with out the summer season crowds.” 

Certainly, these instances enable guests to get pleasure from all the pieces Albania has to supply, together with its awe-inspiring seashores and mountains, whereas they’re nonetheless heat (ranging in between the excessive 60s to mid-80s) however not as sweltering because the mid-summer days could be. 

Nevertheless, the summer season excessive season in July and August provides its personal perks, together with a celebration environment on the seashores that may have you ever dancing all day and all evening. Simply be ready for temperatures — even by the coast — to hit near 100 levels Fahrenheit. 

There are additionally loads of different causes to go to year-round, together with attending one of many nation’s famed festivals just like the Tirana International Film Festival held within the fall and the South Outdoor Festival, a large music competition, in Might. And if you happen to time your journey proper, you could possibly even attend the Gjirokastër Nationwide Folklore Pageant, held each 5 years within the historic metropolis of Gjirokastër. 

The right way to Get There

By Airplane: The best method for worldwide vacationers to get to Albania is by way of a flight to Tirana Worldwide Airport (TIA). The airport is linked to main European cities, with airways like Lufthansa and Alitalia providing common flights. Simply be ready for a layover if you happen to’re coming from the U.S., as no airways have a direct path to the nation (but). 

By Ferry: Vacationers already visiting Greece or Italy have the simple possibility of merely hopping on a ferry to Albania. There are a number of routes you may take, together with ferries between Bari, Italy to Durrës (which takes about 9 hours) and Corfu to Saranda (which takes about half-hour). 

By Automotive: In case you occur to be road-tripping via Europe, then attending to Albania is a breeze. Drivers can get into Albania from Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Greece. The roads listed below are well-maintained. Nevertheless, be prepared for tight corners within the mountains and plenty of visitors within the main cities.