Tips for planning a vacation in Albania

Tips for planning a vacation in Albania 

Here is a very useful post for those who are thinking of sending to visit the country of Albania.

There are a lot of people who are scared to visit Albania in particolare with children, maybe because they are full of prejudices… But on the other side there are also people who went to visit this country and then fell in love with it. 

Albania is considered a country of contrasts but beyond that I think it is full of beauty to visit and discover.  

I decided to write this post since I am not the only one who thought about what I wrote and so I made this guide for those who would like to visit Eagle Country. 

Everything you will read has been taken from your questions and our direct experience during our travels. Take them with a grain of salt here!!!

1. Best time to go to Albania

2. Costs for a vacation in Albania

3. Hotels and houses for rent

4. Car rental in Albania

5. Foreign languages and Albanian

6. Albania's most beautiful beaches

7. Shopping in Albania

8. Changing money in Albania

9. Restaurants in Albania

10. Organized tours in Albania

11. Not to be forgotten

12. Albania with children

13. Required documents

14. Weather in Albania

15. A must-see

16. Have a great vacation (and contacts!)

When to go to Albania: what is the best time?

I have been to Albania on vacation during the month of August, but in my opinion, it is not the best time because it is the time when Albanians go on vacation and those who are out of the country return to their homeland. 

I, therefore, recommend June and July but also September also because during August you will find a lot more people and with much higher costs.

How much does a vacation to Albania cost?

I tell you that going to Albania is a bit like going to Croatia in the 1990s although prices have gone up a bit in recent years. Let me give you some examples for what has been my experience: a rented house in Ksamil with two rooms, bathroom and kitchen cost about 50 euros, or 30 euros for a B&B in Berat. Instead, two sunbeds with an umbrella comes about 3 euros, an all-fish lunch by the sea costs 20/25 euros.  

Hotels and houses for rent: how to book in Albania. 

If you choose to book when you arrive to save a little bit there are many beach houses, otherwise you can book earlier on booking. I strongly advise you to check reviews before booking because everything is constantly changing there. If you have children it would be best to choose areas away from the sea. 

Rent a car in Albania 

In Albania it is possible to drive with an Italian driver's license, the roads are both put in good condition and also ruined full of potholes for example those to reach beaches or inland and often the roads are narrow and winding. 

We booked on Rentalcars website to save a little bit before we left otherwise you can book at the airport when you land in Tirana to save even more. If you want to know more go see the post itinerary in Albania. 

Be aware that there is no efficient rail network in Albania, same with buses that are slow and rarely pass. Then there are shuttles to airport to pull it, even to ports. 

For this I recommend you rely on the mytour.eu group that organizes trips and tours that are best for you, perfect for visiting the country of the Eagles.

How to cope while traveling in Albania: what language is spoken? 

In northern Albania it will be easy to find someone who knows Italian, whereas in the south many people know Greek and of course English, although we never had any problems about this in fact we always found people helpful. 

Going to the beach in Albania: what are the most beautiful beaches?

I strongly recommend you to go to the south where the sea is beautiful, for example in Saranda and Ksamil with sand instead in Riviera there are pebbles with wonderful coves. In the north of Albania we can say that the sea is like what we have in the Adriatic, what is different are the beaches that are bigger and equipped for all ages. If you want I have made a post entitled the most beautiful 

Shopping in Albania: supermarkets and stores

In Albania you will safely find many supermarkets and markets selling necessary things and fruit and vegetable markets or even little shacks with super fresh fruit. If you are with children don't worry about Italian products you can find them at Conad with prices equal to Italy. 

Changing money and credit cards: do they accept euros in Albania? 

You will find many places to change money since they use lekhs in Albania but you can safely pay by card or withdraw money know, however, that ATMs are located at gas stations not near banks. For more information go read the post "changing money". 

Eating in Albania: independent or organized travel? 

Speaking of our experience we have always done it independently. I recommend you ask people who live there for information as we did: we asked Italian-Albanian guys who gave us a lot of advice. We also booked through Booking. 

However, there are also agencies that offer family stays, which are much more unique and different. In addition, there are several guided tours and excursions of one or more days. 

What not to forget by setting off on a vacation to Albania 

First, we remind you not to forget the kit to see the wonder that lies under the sea and rock shoes of course also sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun which is very strong in Albania. 

Also remember the umbrella for the beach and also a solar and windproof tent for the children, keep in mind it is very windy!

A vacation to Albania with children: but is it safe?

My child's grandparents were concerned about us going with our son to Albania on vacation. We basically ended up coming back with a "new grandmother" i.e., the owner of the B&B in Berat. 

Of course there are no problems traveling with children in Albania!

Is an ID card enough to go to Albania? 

All you need to travel to Albania is a valid ID card. Be aware, though, that the health card is not valid in Albania so in case of medical problems you will have to pay. 

It would be best to take medical insurance before leaving.

Albanian climate: is it very hot in Albania in August?

A frequent question that many people have asked us is what the climate is like in Albania. Let's say that the heat is not a problem, nothing unbearable. In the seaside areas indeed there is a pleasant breeze that then increases in the evening!

What are the things to see in Albania absolutely?

You will find many stories of our trip in the blog, below are articles of places to visit:

• northern Albania: Valona, Shkodra, Koman Lake and Kruja perfect for a northern itinerary.

• Southern Albania: The south is known for the beautiful sea so you must go to Saranda and Ksamil. Then the archaeological park of Butrino and Gjirokster called the Silver City. 

• Tirana and Durres: one of these two will be the first stop on the trip, and we recommend that you visit them do not run off to the sea right away. 

• I leave you the link to our itinerary. 

If you want to know something else I will recommend some books to read before your trip to know about Albania's complicated history. I recommend reading one of the most famous writers in Albania namely Kadarè, for example "Drums in the Rain" a historical novel that tells the journey of the Albanian people from the time of Skanderberg. For history "History of the Albanian People" would be very useful while for the ancient Albanian Kanun "Skanderbeg's Kanun" would be perfect. Then there are others such as "Journey to Albania" by Roth a travel story set in 1927 and lastly "in Albania in a Van" a van trip through the country.

Have a good vacation in Albania 

We have tried to summarize all your questions here, we hope they will be helpful to you. By now you have realized that we love Albania, we hope we have conveyed this feeling to you as well...have a great vacation in Albania !!!

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