First time in Albania

What to see in Tirana

The places to visit in Albania are endless, but if you travel by plane Tirana will most likely be your arrival point and the perfect starting point for a tour of Albania. It is not easy to fall in love with this city: the beauty of Tirana emerges slowly, it is hidden in more than monuments and views, it consists of the atmosphere and the people. However, not to be missed are its museums such as the National Historical Museum, rich in antiquities and icons, and the National Art Gallery, a repository of socialist realism in painting and sculpture. Do not miss a visit to Et'hem Beu mosque, it is one of the most beautiful in the country.

The next area we suggest you visit is the New Market. Here you will find several types of olives, meat, fish and vegetables of all kinds, which will whet your appetite, getting you ready to enjoy an evening at Oda, a small traditional restaurant not far from the market.

After dinner, a nice walk on the Block would be perfect. The block is an old and orderly neighborhood built during the Communist Dictatorship, which has now become the center of the capital's nightlife. Here the exaggeration and pomp are noticeable, starting with the volume of the music, which is sometimes louder on the streets than inside the clubs. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a quieter and more relaxing atmosphere, the best places for you are Bunker 1944 or the Hemingway bar.

We strongly suggest you take a trip outside the city to Krujë, which is the first Albanian capital. Kruja Castle (one of the most characteristic landscapes in Albania), located on a cliff, contains important relics of the past and below it you will find the old bazaar, untouched since the 17th century

Now is the time to discover the most beautiful landscapes and places in Albania, including, obviously, the sea.

Albania, tourism between Shkodra and the North of Albania

If you are coming to Albania by land, most likely the first city you will see will be Shkodra. An elegant, 'European' and cultured city, which houses a wonderful photography museum - Marubi. In the streets of Shkodra you will find bars and restaurants, both traditional and contemporary. Very close to this city is the largest lake in the Balkans, as well as one of the most beautiful, where you can eat fish while admiring the majestic Albanian Alps rising to the north-east. Since you are in this area, we recommend you to visit the Rozafa Castle, the Lead Mosque and the Middle Bridge, with its 13 arches, probably the most beautiful Ottoman bridge in the Balkans.

You will then arrive in Lezha to enjoy one of the best cuisines in the country at Mrizi i Zanave, an agro-tourism that is working hard to recover traditional cuisine. But if you want to discover some of the most beautiful Albanian mountain areas, head to Koman and set off on a mountain adventure. A ferry and many makeshift boats will take you sailing inside a large fjord that enters the massive mountains of the north-east, between thick walls of grain from which occasionally a few locals come out in their small boats. Narrow passages and rocky islands follow each other until you reach Valbona with its wonderful mountain paths. Think it's not for you?

 Then from Shkodra, walk by car or with a guide to Theth (you can find our suggestion at this link https://albania.mytour.eu/en/details/albania-mountains-from-shkoder-to-theth-2- days-tour).

Beaches in Albania: Durrës and the Adriatic Coast

If you choose to travel to Albania by sea, you will most likely land in Durrës (there are ferries from Trieste, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi). From the sea, you can't see much of what this city hides, but you will see that you will discover a lot of surprises.

There we find interesting archaeological remains, both Roman and Byzantine, and the town is populated by friendly people and is full of excellent fish restaurants such as the Aragosta restaurant. You will notice the antiquity in the ancient mosaics and definitely by visiting the Roman Amphitheater and the Archaeological Museum of the city.

Durrës does not lack many beaches, starting with Currilove Beach located near the main promenade, almost in the center of the city. The capital, Tirana, is located only 40 km from Durrës and can be reached by heading north. To the north of the city you will find the wonderful nature of Cape Rodon and to the south, near Fier, are the ancient archaeological sites of Apollonia and Bylis. The Adriatic coast is low and sandy, while further north it is filled with marshy areas and lagoons where hundreds of birds nest, making them perfect areas for summer holidays in Albania for families with children. The largest lagoon in the Mediterranean is located in the Divjakë-Karavasta National Park, a wild and romantic place at the same time. If bird watching is not your thing, you can enjoy the fish cuisine specialties at the Divjaka fish restaurant.

Continuing further south, we cross the Ionian Sea, a coast with beaches and stunning panoramas.

Vlora, the most beautiful Albanian beaches and the Ionian Riviera

If you want to go to the beach in Albania, but you don't know where, head south: the Ionian coast is very different from the Adriatic one, offering magnificent panoramas and impressive small beaches. The Karaburuni Peninsula opens the Albanian Riviera, with small beaches, accessible only by sea, and with its caves that hold a lot of history inside.

Finally, if you choose to spend your vacation in Saranda, you have made an excellent choice, despite the fact that it is a quite populated area in the high season. Here the coast is a dazzling treasure. Forts surrounded by crystal waters dominate, small Orthodox churches cover the steep shores, and kilometer-long beaches are alternated with small bays, with crystal water and untouched by human hands.

Tourists are aware of this great beauty, it is evident, that is why the area is overpopulated in the summer months. The Southern Riviera of Albania is the right place if you are looking for movement, people and fun.

 At the beginning of the season, when the temperatures are also lower, the beaches are definitely less crowded and the harder they are to reach, the fewer people you will find. If you don't feel like walking, then you can take a boat trip to Grama Bay. Here, amidst waters that redefine the concept of the color blue, you will be able to read ancient inscriptions on the rock walls, dating back to the time of Julius Caesar.

Near Saranda, you will find a historical and archaeological treasure, the old town of Butrint, which is enclosed in a lagoon. There you can find the ruins, from the Hellenistic to the Venetian period, which definitely deserves a few hours of visit. If you are not interested in history, then visit the Blue Eye, a karstik spring, almost circular, with a very deep blue color.

Traveling to South Albania

It is in the south and inland that Albania has some of the most interesting places to visit. An example is Berat, the city of a thousand and one windows. The city is truly unique: many white houses with an infinity of small windows that plunge and disappear into the narrow valley of the Osum River. Some of them have been converted into hotels and guesthouses, others into restaurants, some others are inhabited by those who have not decided to move to the new part of the city, which, despite having nothing to do with the charm of the old city, it is quite pleasant and lively. Climbing to the top of the village, we are welcomed by a large fortified and very well-preserved castle, in which dozens of families still live and where the wonderful Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, of the Orthodox religion, is located. .

This looks like magic as you wander through the alleys of the castle and maintains a splendid iconostasis. Inside it is the Onufri Museum, so named in honor of the great icon painter. The Ethnographic Museum cannot be missed on your visit, and don't miss the Bektashi (a Sufi brotherhood) mosques and mosques, exciting masterpieces of Ottoman architecture.

In the south of Albania we find the stone city, Gjirokastra, a unique example of the urban landscape not only in Albania, but also in the world. Its characteristic stone-built houses are completely autonomous and resemble small castles. They are hardly to be confused with small museums, with intact furnishings, complex and refined frescoes, and stunning views over the valley. Some of them, renovated, welcome tourists and travelers who want to rest after visiting the castle, the old bazaar and the surrounding villages. Gjirokastra is an eternal dimension, especially after sunset, when some travelers leave, and other tourists stay, the city takes on a more familiar atmosphere and reveals its unique splendor in a different light.

The beauties of the south of the country do not end here, on the contrary, this is where your adventure begins.

We suggest you to discover Korça with its bazaar and Museum of Icons, Lini and Pogradec with a peaceful view of Lake Ohrid, Përmet surrounded by mountains, wild rivers, thermal baths (Banjat e Benja) and local gastronomic specialties...

Have a nice time in Albania!