Albania Road Trip: 10 Days All-Out Balkan

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This 10-day Albania road trip is based on the first of a few Albanian road trips I’ve taken, with a bunch of adjustments to improve on my early mistakes.

When putting this trip together, I had a few priorities:

✅ See the most iconic, Instagrammable places in Albania
✅ Visit both north and south Albania while maximizing time in the best spots
✅ Party and eat as the Balkans do

This road trip is an all-out Balkan immersion, full of beaches that I think could compete with Greece, local farm-to-table restaurant recommendations, windy unpaved mountain roads that tested my courage, and more than a few East European club life situations (when in Albania!)

Here’s an overview of what to expect from this 10-Day Albanian Road Trip:

• Day 1: Arrive in Tirana – Raki & Traditional Balkan Dinner
• Day 2: Drive to Theth National Park – Explore Small Balkan Village – Grunas Waterfall Hike (local gem)
• Day 3: Hike Theth Mountain trails to Blue Eye Pool
• Day 4: Long drive from North Albania to Albanian Riviera (sucky, but necessary)
• Day 5: Himare Beach Day – Local Beaches
• Day 6: Boat to Gjipe Bay – Sunset by the sea dinner
• Day 7: Village of Gjiorkaster – Castle tour – Blue Eye Pool (Insta-famous) – Traditional Dinner
• Day 8: Saranda – Kroreza Beach By Boat – Local Pulëbardhës Beach & Sunset Dinner – Balkan Club Night
• Day 9: Ksamil Beaches – Paddleboarding -Butrint National Park – Beach Lounge & Fancy Dinner
• Day 10: Drive Back to Tirana Airport & Fly Home

What I did NOT want to do was try to checkbox everything and go home tired. So if you’re short on time or want to slow down the trip, I highly recommend heading directly south to the Albanian Riviera – from Himarë on down to Ksamil and adding a few more days to each.

❤️ Places I Loved: I loved Gjipe Bay near Himarë, the little town of Gjorkaster, and spending days on the lesser-known Pulëbardhës Beach near Ksamil. These felt like the most authentic in the Albanian Riviera.

So here’s my 10-day Albanian road trip itinerary, North to South, and all the little places in between. I’ve included drive times because there are a couple of longer days, how money works, and what’s worth it and what’s not.

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10-Day Albania Road Trip

I mostly did this road trip with my friend Fernanda, and it was a bit of a shock to us just how big Albania is and how much driving it involved.

❌ ALBANIA ROAD TRIP OBSERVATION: I couldn’t help but notice there is a lot of trash on the road as you drive through Albania. Just a heads up, it made me a bit sad, but the adventure continued – it’s a beautiful country with a lot to offer.

Here’s an idea of where things are on a map – click anywhere on the map to get interactive.

The north is dominated by the Albanian Alps, which we decided to front-load at the beginning of the road trip, and the south-east coast is where all the beaches and iconic Albanian Riviera are – so we saved that for last.

Day 1: Arrive in Tirana

Most international flights will get you to Tirana Airport, but there is an option to fly into Corfu Airport in the south near Sarandë and do this road trip in reverse.

When we landed in Tirana, it was a hot June day, and traffic compounded by construction and lack of AC in our rental car made for a crazy ass welcome.

🚗 Car Rental Tip: Rent your car with Discover Cars and pick it up at the airport. Just a warning, I got f*cked when I rented with a lower-cost local company (they didn’t have my car reservation, and a long line of people in the same situation), so I recommend renting with SIXT or a similar reputable company.

If you’re short on time or not into city breaks, you could totally skip out on Tirana. I think it’s one of those Balkan capitals that maybe merits half a day – especially as the rest of the country is what you’re here to see.

Tirana is an old communist capital with a glow up – most of the old ugly buildings have been repainted brighter colors and fantastic displays of graffiti brighten up the city, but I can still see the blockiness and gray of communism.

Beyond that, Tirana is clean, there are people (mostly Albanians) out and about at cafes and teraces, and it feels pretty safe to walk around, even at night. Otherwise, it’s the largest city in Albania, with more than half of the population of the country living in it.

My favorite part of Tirana was walking around Skanderbeg Square, the city’s main plaza, and having dinner at Oda’s in the backyard. The host greeted us with little shots of raki (the local fire whiskey made of plums)! That night, there was a traditional Albanian live band playing, the food was delicious, and after more shots of raki, I joined half the Albanians in a Balkan circle dance around the garden!

Where To Stay In Tirana

📍Luxury: Hotel Restaurant Bujtina e Gjelit – A 4-star hotel with a great vibe, outdoor pool, cozy rooms with AC, and a 20 minute walk from Skanderbeg Square and old town.
📍Mid-Range: Ginger Home Tirana – Top floor suite with balcony and windows overlooking the city, a comfy bed, and mid-century modern esthetic.

Day 2: Drive – Teth National Park

Distance from Tirana to Teth: 174 km, 3.5 hrs
NOTE: This is a long drive day with mountain roads at the end, so you should stay two nights in the Albanian Alps and Teth area to really unwind.

I think the Albanian Alps are absolutely worth the extra drive effort. If you get an early start, you should be in the mountains and Theth village by lunch, and checked into your lodging!

In Theth, explore the town with its old buildings and the Church of Theth—because Balkan life is not complete without a little Jesus. You can also do a one-hour hike to Grunas Waterfall, a little off-the-beaten-path gem near Theth.

At the end of the day, I recommend dinner at Villa GJECAJ in their twinkly light garden outside.

Where To Stay Theth

📍 Luxury: Çoçja Boutique Hotel – An incredible view of the mountains from your room, the hotel has a cabin feel to it. Dinner is served outside in the garden the food is as delicious as you would expect!
📍 Mid-Range: Guesthouse “Gjin Thana” – An amazing guest house just a bit outside of town with equally great views of the Albanian Alps. For those looking for a bit more of a rustic stay!

Day 3: Hiking Teth Mountains

Today is a bit of a hike day but also a choose-your-own-adventure. There are a few hikes and trails around Theth, but I recommend the Blue Eye. I didn’t end up doing this hike, so ask for specific details at your hotel, but I think there’s a bus at the endpoint that takes you back to Theth for cheap.

Day 4: Drive – Teth to Himarë

Distance from Teth to Vlorë: 370km, 6 hours
NOTE: This was my longest drive day and a pretty exhausting one from the mountains to the Albanian Riviera in Himarë. But if you want to see it all, this is the sacrifice.

Ahh, this drive sucked, but it has to be done. You can stop somewhere in Durres and especially Vlorë halfway through for snacks and a nice lunch, but ultimately, you’ll have to power through. I hit up gas stations for little espressos and car snacks along the way to keep the energy up. And with a nice road trip playlist, all’s good.

I was so glad to be getting into Himarë by early afternoon time because, at this point, the beach and the Mediterranean were the most welcome sights. I had dinner at Restaurant Merkuri Merkuri and walked along the beachfront before calling it a day.

You’re going to be here for 2 days to rest and recover on the beach, so there’s no FOMO.

Day 5: Himarë Beaches

Himarë was a surprise for me because it’s relatively tourist-free and next to some pretty stunning beaches. Actually, this town got on my list because I saw Gjipe Bay on Instagram (which is on the itinerary for tomorrow), and the best way to get to it is by boat from Himarë. Anyhoo…

Today is about rest and relaxation. We hiked (walked) an hour from Himare to Livadi Beach and spent half a day here. While there are umbrellas you can pay for (about €10 a person, but you can negotiate a bit), Fernanda and I opted for a free spot on the beach and a few beers from the bar!

In the afternoon, we headed over to Potami Beach for sunset – a bit nicer with managed beach clubs – and had rosé and grilled fish dinner.

HOW TO BOOK TOMORROW’S BOAT DAY: At some point during the day or at night, as you’re walking down the Himare beachfront, book a boat trip to Gjipe Bay from one of the many vendors. We paid €20 per person.

I think Himarë is indeed a little hidden gem, and it’s probably one of the more authentic Albanian beach towns on this itinerary.

Where To Stay In Himarë

📍 Luxury: Geo & Art Boutique Hotel Himara – One of the few 4-star hotels on the beach, it’s got the best views, and the rooms come with free private parking.
📍 Mid-Range: Himara 28 Hotel – More budget friendly but still cute and with a view of the sea. We ate dinner at their restaurant on the beachfront and it was great!

Day 6: Gjipe Bay

Today was one of the days I was most looking forward to, a beach day at the Insta-famous Gjipe Bay.

Our boat dropped us off at around 10 a.m. and picked us up around 3 p.m. We negotiated with the shrewd Albanian at Gjipe Bay for €10 a lounge chair (cash only) and had an amazing grilled fish lunch on the beach.

Any chance I get, I’ll take a boat across Albanian waters, but there is an alternative driving option. There’s a parking lot where you can park and walk to the beach if you don’t want to be limited by the boat times.

We wrapped up our time in Himarë with dinner and sunset at SOREN restaurant. On the Albanian Riviera, always get the fish platter – it which pairs well with their welcome Raki shots!

Day 7: Gjirokaster Village & Blue Eye

Distance from Himarë to Gjirokaster: 102 km, 2 hrs 10 min
NOTE: I stayed in Sarandä for the night but took the day to visit the cute little nearby town of Gjorkaster and the famous Blue Eye. The first stop is in Gjirokaster, and you can park here near the village. The second stop is 45 minutes away at the Blue Eye, then back to Sarande.

Technically, the drive from Himare to Sarande is 1.5 hours, but we pushed through for another 45 minutes to the small mountain village of Gjirokaster and then another 45 minutes in the afternoon to swing by the famous Blue Eye.

Gjirokaster is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its well-preserved Ottoman-era architecture. This means the town has a bunch of traditional stone houses, narrow streets, and little markets selling Albanian rugs, pots, vests, as well as kitschy magnets.

We went up to the Gjirokaster Castle, which had the prettiest views of the surrounding mountain area. We spent about an hour just exploring, with my favorite spots being the giant clock tower and WW2 plane parked out front!

All tourist stuff aside, my favorite part of Gjirokaster was wandering around the little streets of old town, especially the ones where all the little shops are spilling over on.

We grabbed lunch at Odaja and had the classic stuffed eggplant and meatballs with yogurt (felt like my Turkey trip food), and the cheese with honey and sesame at the end.

After our late lunch, we drove to the famous (and overly Instagrammed) Blue Eye. It’s a short 45-minute drive looping around the road we would have to take back to our home base, Sarande, so might as well.

Basically, the Blue Eye is a freezing cold, pretty blue pool in the mountains of Albania. I just dipped my toe in. The Blue Eye is pretty, but I don’t think it’s a must-do on this 10-day Albanian road trip.

Finally, we drove to Sarande for the night and had a traditional Albanian dinner at Haxhi.

Where To Stay In Sarandë

📍 Luxury: Hotel Butrinti & SPA – Best 5 Star hotel and location in town, hands down!
📍 Mid-Range: AMI MAR Hotel – This is the best bang for your buck. It’s a bit quieter on this section of the road, but still within close walking distance of the main hubbub of the town. Splurge for the sea view!

Day 8: Sarandë Beach & Boat Day

Sarandë is probably the prettiest city in all Albania, in my opinion, because it has invested some of its tourist money into the infrastructure. This means most buildings are new or freshly painted, so I didn’t feel quite the communist vibe like I did in Tirana, and there are tons of things to do in town for kids and tourists alike.

Which is Better – Saranda or Ksamil? Sarandë is a big port town compared to nearby smaller Ksamil, so there are a few advantages. Many boat trips start here, there are parks for kids, and summer festivals are always going on in front of the Saranda main beachfront.

What’s more, I really wanted to dive into the famous Balkan club vibe I’ve heard about, and Saranda delivered. There are also many different types of restaurants around Saranda, and at this point, I wanted more than stuffed eggplants, lamb chops, and grilled fish.

Finally, to justify staying in Saranda over Ksamil, the lodging options are more varied and quite good (clean, modern, and a good value).

For the morning, I booked a boat trip to the nearby Krorëza Beach. Most of the boats can be booked right on the Saranda beachfront the night before, and they all sort of go to the same places. My boat left at 9 a.m., and I was on the beach enjoying a Corona by 10 a.m. Pickup was around 2 p.m., and I was back in Saranda by 3 p.m.

For the afternoon and sunset, I recommend heading to Pulëbardhës Beach. It’s a bit of a local find, and it was my go-to beach when I spent a few weeks in Saranda this year. The beach umbrellas are the usual €10-15 if you can haggle a bit, and there are 2 restaurants you can choose to eat at – both are great and sort of serve the same grilled fish, pasta and rice type dishes.

🚗 Rough Road To The Beach: Fair warning that there’s an unpaved section of road to get to the bottom parking lot where the restaurants and beaches are, but be brave. I promise it’s worth it not to park earlier on the side of the mountain.

Back in Saranda and cleaned up a bit, we headed to where the locals go, Jericho Cocktail Bar for pre-clubbing drinks. I know that sounds very college of us, but when in Albania! Around 11 pm, we headed to Orange Club for some Dua Lipa dance music overlooking the twinkly lights of Saranda, and were not in bed before 3am!

🥳 Summer Festivals in Saranda: In the two weeks that I was there in May, I caught 3 festivals, which played all sorts of music, from Albanian rap (holy shit!) to techno and even old-school American covers.

Day 9: Ksamil Beaches

Distance from Sarandë to Ksamil: 15 km, 20 min

Ksamil is by far the pearl of the Albanian Riviera as a town, and it’s only a 20-minute drive from Saranda. In fact, it’s sort of at the very end of Albania, and you can literally see the island of Corfu, Greece, from the shore.

There are a lot of pretty beaches in Ksamil, but my favorite is Ksamil Beach. Just to set your expectations, every inch of beach in Ksamil is beach club-owned, and you will have to rent a sunbed, which costs about €10-15 euro depending on the season and location of the sunbed.

I spent an entire day just hanging out at Ksamil Beach, having lunch at Bar Restaurant Rilinda, and ordering way too much espresso fredo to my beach chair than was good for me. From Ksamil Beach, you can swim or rent a paddleboard to visit the little nearby islands or just walk around to some of the shops and other small beaches. Ksamil is pretty compact like that.

A really quick 2-hour thing you can also do around Ksamil is to visit Butrint National Archeological Park, which is famous for ruins dating back to Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian times. It’s also a change of scenery, as it’s in a forest, and just a quick 10-minute drive from Ksamil. I don’t think this is a must, but if you want to get your steps in and love old ruins, this is your jam.

Pro Tip for Sunset Lovers: One of my favorite places to see the sunset in Ksamil is from Bar Restaurant Luna over dinner. Right after, I recommend drinks and music at the best rooftop lounge in Ksamil (maybe the only one), Bianco Lounge.

Day 10: Drive – Saranda to Tirana

Distance from Sarandë to Ksamil: 260 km, 4 hrs.

This wraps up the 10-day Albania Road Trip, and it’s time to drive back to Tirana and head home. My favorite places always tend to be the naturally beautiful spots, and the boat trip to Gjipe Bay, along with sunsets over Ksamil Bay, really did it for me.

👉 Pro Tip for Driving Back to Tirana: We left early in the morning and gave ourselves a cushion to arrive at the airport in time for our flight. Good thing too, because we caught mad traffic around Tirana!

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Driving in Albania

Before you start on your road trip, here are a few tips and things I learned while driving in Albania.

✅ You will need an International Drivers License to rent a car in Albania, so make sure you come prepared.

✅ Most highways are pretty good, but some of the more rural roads are unpaved or filled with potholes, especially the ones going to the beaches I recommend. You might find cows and goats blocking the mountain roads sometimes! 🤗

✅ Speed limits are 80km/h (50mph) outside cities, and between 90km/h (55mph) and 110km/h (70mph) on highways. I did see police in and around Tirana and Saranda checking and pulling cars over.

✅ Drivers in Albania are decent compared to the rest of Europe. They do get a bit crazy when passing, but seeing as most roads are one-lane highways in each direction and cars don’t really go that fast, it’s to be expected.

✅ Rental cars are nice but a bit older in Albania. The two cars I rented for my different trips barely made it over 110km/h, and one of them had a battery failure (which was promptly fixed by the agency, thanks to rental insurance).

✅ You can park almost anywhere in the street that is available in Albania. In Sarandë, Ksamil, and Tirana, I would go down the smaller streets to look for a spot.

Albania Road Trip Tips

Here are a few things we learned along the way.

✅ Fly Into Corfu, Not Tirana

Corfu, Greece, is a nearby island right across the “sea” from Albania. It might be cheaper and easier to get a flight into Corfu and take a 1 hour ferry to Saranda (FerryHopper).

From the Saranda Port, you can rent a car and make this 10-day Albania Road Trip in reverse. On one of my trips, I did exactly this. I just spent my time on the Albanian Riviera from Saranda up to Himare, traveling a bit more slowly.

✅ Cash Is King, ATM Fees Are High

The local currency is the Albanian LEK, and this is a cash-forward country. All of the lounge chairs are paid in cash, half of the gas stations I stopped in were cash only, and a few of the restaurants in more rural towns only took cash.

The exchange rate when I went was €1 = 100 LEK. I was surprised at the high ATM fees, some as high as €7, so I decided to estimate my costs and take out a large amount upfront. For reference, here’s how much some things cost:

• Budget Lodging (per night) – €30 (3,000 LEK)
• Luxury Lodging (per night) – €100 (10,000 LEK)
• Restaurant Lunch for One – €15 (1,500 LEK)
• Lounge Chairs at Beach – €10 (100 LEK)
• Large Beer – €3 (300 LEK)
• Iced Coffee/Espresso Freddo – €2

✅ Try This Balkan Food… and Raki!

A few of my favorite dishes and drinks are:

• Raki—I was greeted with a little shot of raki before and after most dinners in Albania, and from my Romanian roots, I know this fire whiskey well. Firstly, it’s a sipping liquor made out of some sort of fruit, like plums or pears, and is similar to the Italian grappa. I want to say it gets better, but that shit will always burn your throat going down – but in the spirit of doing the thing you’re supposed to do in the place you’re supposed to do it, bottoms up!
• Espresso Fredo—Europeans don’t really do iced coffee, but there is a better option in the Balkans. I discovered this gem in Greece, but the Albanians do it too, and that’s two shots of expresso poured over ice with a bit of sugar and then mixed up a bit for a delicious frothy espresso martini-looking thing (sans alcohol). It’s divine!
• Byrek—A savory pastry made from phyllo dough and filled with different stuffings, like cheese, spinach, or minced meat. You can buy these anywhere, and they’re a great little snack between meals. I mostly loved them in the morning, and the basic cheese ones were my favorite.
• Stuffed Eggplant—I think this is all over the Balkans, and so the Albanians are also talented in stuffing yummy meats and spiced veggies into eggplants.
• Dolmas—Similar to the above, but stuffed vine leaves with spiced rice. And they’re little, served cold, and are quite delicious as an appetizer on a hot summer day.
• Roasted Lamb Chops—In Albania, this is the preferred meat, and it’s super delicious. I usually stay away from lamb because sometimes it has a funny smell, but the way they prepare lamb in Alabnia is more grilled, so it’s dryer. Either way, it’s delicious!
• Tavë Kosi: Often considered Albania’s national dish, Tavë Kosi is a baked dish made with lamb, rice, and a yogurt-based sauce. It’s creamy, tangy, and yummy.

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Albania Road Trip: FAQs

I knew next to nothing about Albania before I went except for the pretty Instagram shots I was obsessing over. It turns out the views and nature are incredible, but here are a few other things I learned along the way.

Is it safe in Albania?

Yes, it is safe to travel in Albania. Despite its darker political past with communism, I think it’s quite a safe country to travel to, and the locals are welcoming. I’m a cautious traveler, being a woman by myself most of the time, but I felt comfortable in the big cities and navigating the roads of Albania. I also didn’t see gypsies or the pickpocketing kind of people around – just Albanians minding their own business.

To be more specific, I felt comfortable walking around at night in Tirana, Saranada, Himare, and Ksamil, especially since every other Albanian and their little kids are out late eating gelato and living it up. I also went to a music festival that ended late and had to drive back at 2 am – again, also fine.

Road Safety Personal Story: Then there was the time my car rental died at a sunset spot I was in, and when I called the guy, he came right out and jumped my car (I did have rental insurance). That was a bit scary because I thought I was stranded in the middle of nowhere, and while it sometimes seems like nothing works like it should in Albania, people show up for you and are kind and helpful.

How are the roads in Albania?

The roads and highways in Albania are fairly good. Most of the highways are one lane in each direction, with the exception of some amazing new roads starting in Vlorë all the way down to Sarandë.

For the more rural roads, most have potholes, and some are just dirt roads leading down to the beaches I recommended in the itinerary. This is why when you rent a car, you’ll want to get the insurance as well.

On A Personal Note: Be brave on those dirt roads, the car can do it, don’t you worry!

Should I visit North or South Albania?

I prefer South Albania, which has beautiful beaches and boat life. This is probably because I’m a spoiled travel princess who visits the Swiss and Italian Alps every summer to hike, but even though I thought north Albania was pretty, the beach is where my heart is in Albania.

How many days do you need to visit Albania?

If you’re sticking to one region, like South Albania or North Albania, than I think 5 to 7 days is a good amount of time to visit.

If you want to do a full tour, as this Albania road trip itinerary recommends, than 10-14 days is best. Albania is quite big geographically, and it takes more time than you might think (of Google shows you) to drive on some of the rougher roads.

How many days do you need on the Albanian Riviera?

I think 5 to 7 days on the Albanian Riviera is a good amount of time. I would split this up by staying 3 days around Saranda and Ksamil and then two days around Himarë.

What is the best time to visit Albania?

The best time to visit Albania is in June because it’s warm enough to enjoy the beach and the summer crowds have not arrived yet, so traffic and congestion is low. Another good time to visit Albania is in early October for the same reasons.

While I don’t want to deter you, I want to set your expectations that July and August are high tourist season, so the Albanian Riviera gets really packed (more packed than. the infrastructure can sustain in my opinion).

• All sunbeds are filled in Ksamil by 10 am, and prices for them are €20 per person.
• Massive traffic on the one road in and out of Sarandë.
• More people packed into your boat tours than is comfy.
• Hot, toasty sun, and not a lot of AC.

Is Albania cheap?

Yes, Albania is a more budget-friendly country to visit. In a day, my average spend was about $130, including lodging.

For reference, a meal is about $20-25 full on the main course, a beer, salad, and sides. Then, there were boat rides, entry fees to the national parks, and souvenirs I would buy. My lodging was about $70 a night.

Final Thoughts: 10-Day Albania Road Trip

After my first 10-day road trip to Albania, I fell in love with the natural beauty of the country. I had gotten used to the Balkan ways, the roads, and the little things that make an Eastern European country a bit tougher to navigate.

I liked the Albanian Riviera; I actually came back this year to lie on a beautiful beach on a tight budget.

All in all, ten days is a great first road trip to Albania. I hope you slowly fall in love with it, just as I did!