Sherry's Take
Base in Tirana for 2 nights, then drive south to Sarandë / Ksamil for the Riviera. Don't try to "see all of Albania" in 5 nights — pick the south or the north, not both.
Best For
BudgetBeachOff-the-beaten-pathAdventureCouples
Go in
MayJuneSeptemberOctober
Avoid if possible
NovemberDecemberJanuaryFebruary
Where to Stay
Tirana
Capital, colourful buildings, communist relics, restaurants, walkable Blloku district
Sarandë / Ksamil
Albanian Riviera hub, turquoise water, Greek island feel at 30% of the price
Berat
UNESCO "city of a thousand windows", Ottoman houses, castle, day-trip from Tirana
Vlorë
Where the Adriatic meets the Ionian, less touristy than Sarandë, cheaper hotels
Money-Saving Tips
- 1Sit-down dinner with wine is €10–15 a head — among the cheapest in Europe.
- 2Mini-buses ("furgon") connect every town for €5–10 — slower than rental cars but very local.
- 3Skip Western hotel chains in Tirana; family-run boutique places (Blloku) are 40% cheaper with better service.
Getting Around
- 1Tirana airport (TIA) → city: Rinas Express bus 300 lek (~€3), 25 min, every hour.
- 2For the Riviera, rent a car in Tirana — winding mountain roads but worth it for Llogara pass views.
- 3No working passenger trains. Buses + mini-buses ("furgon") cover everywhere; book seats one day ahead in summer.
Most Common Mistake
Booking a tour bus from Greece to Sarandë for 1 day — you spend 8 hours on a bus for 4 hours of beach.
Ideal Stay
4–6 nights
Combine with
- • Corfu (1h ferry from Sarandë)
- • North Macedonia / Ohrid (3h drive)
- • Kotor, Montenegro (4h drive)
- • Berat (2h 30m from Tirana)
