Albania
Go in May–June or September: a warm sea, open beach towns and none of August's crowds or prices.
When is the best time to visit Albania?
The best time to visit Albania is May–June or September: 24–28° by day on the coast and the sea at 19–25°. July and August are hotter, and the Riviera is at its busiest and most expensive.
Month by month
- Ideal
- Good
- Workable
- Poor / Avoid
- Now
October · Good. Warm early in the month, with the first rains later. Good for walking and the stone towns; beach bars start closing.
Pick a month to read its note
January
- High / low
- 13° / 2°
- Rain
- 11 days
- Daylight
- 9 h 30 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
February
- High / low
- 14° / 3°
- Rain
- 10 days
- Daylight
- 10 h 36 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
March
- High / low
- 17° / 6°
- Rain
- 11 days
- Daylight
- 11 h 54 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
April
- High / low
- 21° / 9°
- Rain
- 13 days
- Daylight
- 13 h 18 min
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
May
- High / low
- 25° / 13°
- Rain
- 11 days
- Daylight
- 14 h 30 min
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
June
- High / low
- 29° / 17°
- Rain
- 7 days
- Daylight
- 15 h 6 min
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
July
- High / low
- 32° / 18°
- Rain
- 5 days
- Daylight
- 14 h 54 min
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
August
- High / low
- 33° / 18°
- Rain
- 5 days
- Daylight
- 13 h 54 min
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
September
- High / low
- 28° / 15°
- Rain
- 9 days
- Daylight
- 12 h 30 min
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
October
- High / low
- 23° / 11°
- Rain
- 9 days
- Daylight
- 11 h 12 min
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
November
- High / low
- 18° / 7°
- Rain
- 11 days
- Daylight
- 9 h 54 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
December
- High / low
- 13° / 4°
- Rain
- 12 days
- Daylight
- 9 h 12 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
Where to go in Albania
Land in Tirana, then head south: Berat or Gjirokastër for the stone towns, then the Riviera from Himarë down to Ksamil and Butrint.
The Albanian Riviera
Pebble beaches and clear water from the Llogara Pass down to Ksamil, with Butrint at the southern end.
Tirana
The capital and the arrival point: Cold War museums in bunkers, the café streets of Blloku and the Dajti cable car.
How the regions differ
The south is the coast. The Albanian Riviera runs from the Llogara Pass down to Sarandë and Ksamil, with Butrint at its southern end. Beaches are pebble, the water is clear, and most beach bars and guesthouses open from May to October.
Inland, Berat and Gjirokastër are Ottoman towns of stone houses below castles, listed together by UNESCO and about three hours apart by bus. Tirana, the capital, is where you land and where the buses start; it has the most restaurants and the Cold War museums.
Things to do in Albania
Swim off the Riviera's pebble beaches, walk the ruins of Butrint, and climb to the castles above Berat and Gjirokastër.
Walk the ruins of Butrint
A Greek, Roman and Venetian city in a lagoon forest, with a theatre, a 6th-century baptistery and the Lion Gate.
Climb to Berat's castle quarter
People still live inside the walls, among Byzantine churches; the Onufri Museum holds the 16th-century icons.
Walk Gjirokastër's hilltop castle
A vast castle above the stone town, with an arms museum in its vaults and views over the Drino valley.
See the Blue Eye spring
Water wells up from a karst hole more than 50 m deep, turning deep blue at the centre. Swimming is not allowed.
Go underground at Bunk'Art 2
A Cold War bunker by Skanderbeg Square, now a museum of the police and the Sigurimi secret police under communism.
Swim out to the Ksamil islets
Small wooded islets a short swim or kayak from Ksamil's beaches. In August, arrive before 9:00 for a sunbed.
Walk down to Gjipe beach
A pebble cove at the mouth of a canyon, with no road to the sand: walk down from the car park or come by boat.
Drive over the Llogara Pass
The road from Vlorë climbs through pine forest to just over 1,000 m, then drops in hairpins towards Dhërmi.
Albania itineraries: how many days you need
Seven days covers Gjirokastër and the south coast; four days is enough for Berat and Gjirokastër on their own.
Where to stay in Albania
Spend a day in Tirana, one or two in Berat or Gjirokastër, then base yourself in Sarandë or Himarë for the coast.
Tirana
Your first stop from the airport, with the best food; stay in Blloku or near Skanderbeg Square.
Berat: Mangalem or Gorica
Guesthouses in Ottoman houses on both banks of the Osum; Gorica is quieter, Mangalem closer to the castle path.
Gjirokastër: the old bazaar
Stay in the old town near the bazaar; the new town at the bottom of the hill is a steep walk away.
Sarandë
The year-round base for the south, with buses to Butrint, Ksamil and the Blue Eye, and ferries to Corfu.
Himarë
A smaller beach town halfway up the Riviera, closer to Gjipe and Porto Palermo.
How much does a trip to Albania cost?
Plan on €60–100 per person a day mid-range, €30–45 on a budget and €150 or more for comfort. Rooms and sunbeds on the coast cost much more in July and August.
Mid-range
€60–100
per person, a day
Budget
€30–45
per person, a day
Comfort
€150+
per person, a day
What things cost
- Espresso
- ≈€1
- Lunch in a local restaurant
- €8–12
- Bus, Tirana–Sarandë
- from €13
- Butrint ticket
- ≈€10
- Double room, mid-range
- €50–80
Getting to and around Albania
Fly into Tirana (TIA) and travel by bus: Tirana to Sarandë takes ≈5 h. For the south, Corfu is 30–70 minutes from Sarandë by ferry.
Getting there
- By air
- Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA)
| From | Sarandë | Berat | Gjirokastër | Tirana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarandë | — | No direct leg | ≈1 h 15 min | ≈4 h 45 min |
| Berat | No direct leg | — | ≈3 h | ≈2 h 15 min |
| Gjirokastër | ≈1 h 15 min | ≈3 h | — | No direct leg |
| Tirana | ≈4 h 45 min | ≈2 h 15 min | No direct leg | — |
Sarandë to Ksamil
≈20 min by bus
Every 20–30 minutes in summer, every 45–60 minutes out of season; pay the driver in cash. From 100 lek.
Sarandë to Butrint
≈35 min by bus
The Ksamil bus runs on to the Butrint gate, about hourly in summer. From 200 lek.
Gjirokastër to Sarandë
≈1 h 15 min by bus
Several buses a day, 08:00–17:00; ask to be let off at the Blue Eye junction. From 400 lek.
Sarandë to Himarë
≈1 h 40 min by bus
A few buses a day along the coast road in summer, fewer from October. From 700 lek.
Tirana to Berat
≈2 h 15 min by bus
About every 30 minutes from Tirana's South bus terminal, 05:40–17:30. From 400 lek.
Berat to Gjirokastër
≈3 h by bus
One direct bus a day, usually at 14:00, via Fier and Tepelenë; it fills up, so come early. From 1,000 lek.
Tirana to Sarandë
≈4 h 45 min by bus
Tisa Travel · About ten departures a day from the North–South bus terminal outside central Tirana; the coast-road buses take 6 h or more. From 1,300 lek.
Gjirokastër to Sarandë
≈1 h 15 min by bus
Several buses a day, 08:00–17:00; ask to be let off at the Blue Eye junction. From 400 lek.
Sarandë to Himarë
≈1 h 40 min by bus
A few buses a day along the coast road in summer, fewer from October. From 700 lek.
Tirana to Berat
≈2 h 15 min by bus
About every 30 minutes from Tirana's South bus terminal, 05:40–17:30. From 400 lek.
Berat to Gjirokastër
≈3 h by bus
One direct bus a day, usually at 14:00, via Fier and Tepelenë; it fills up, so come early. From 1,000 lek.
Tirana to Sarandë
≈4 h 45 min by bus
Tisa Travel · About ten departures a day from the North–South bus terminal outside central Tirana; the coast-road buses take 6 h or more. From 1,300 lek.
Before you go: visas, safety and money
EU, UK and US citizens need no visa for a holiday. The currency is the lek, and you will need cash outside hotels and larger restaurants.
Do I need a visa for Albania?
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
- No visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A valid passport or national identity card is enough.
- UK citizens
- No visa for up to 90 days in a 180-day period, for tourism or business. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave Albania.
- US citizens
- No visa for stays of up to one year. Your passport must be valid for 3 months beyond your departure date.
- Other nationalities
- A valid multiple-entry visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the EU, the US or the UK, already used once, lets you enter without a visa. Otherwise check the ministry's list for your passport and apply at e-visa.al.
Is Albania safe?
Neither government advises against travel to Albania. The US State Department rates it Level 2, exercise increased caution, because of crime; the UK FCDO says crime against visitors is infrequent but warns of pickpockets in tourist areas and on buses. The biggest risk is the road: deaths from traffic accidents are among the highest in Europe.
Quick facts
- Emergency
- 112 police · 127 ambulance · 128 fire
- Money
- Albanian lek (ALL). Cards work in hotels, larger restaurants and supermarkets; carry cash for buses, cafés, beach bars and guesthouses. Prices on the coast are often shown in euros too.
- Plugs
- Type C and F, 230 V
Do I need a visa for Albania?
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
- No visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A valid passport or national identity card is enough.
- UK citizens
- No visa for up to 90 days in a 180-day period, for tourism or business. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave Albania.
- US citizens
- No visa for stays of up to one year. Your passport must be valid for 3 months beyond your departure date.
- Other nationalities
- A valid multiple-entry visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the EU, the US or the UK, already used once, lets you enter without a visa. Otherwise check the ministry's list for your passport and apply at e-visa.al.
Is Albania safe?
Neither government advises against travel to Albania. The US State Department rates it Level 2, exercise increased caution, because of crime; the UK FCDO says crime against visitors is infrequent but warns of pickpockets in tourist areas and on buses. The biggest risk is the road: deaths from traffic accidents are among the highest in Europe.
Money, plugs and emergencies
- Emergency
- 112 police · 127 ambulance · 128 fire
- Money
- Albanian lek (ALL). Cards work in hotels, larger restaurants and supermarkets; carry cash for buses, cafés, beach bars and guesthouses. Prices on the coast are often shown in euros too.
- Plugs
- Type C and F, 230 V
Questions people ask
Is Albania expensive?
No. A mid-range day costs €60–100 per person, less than in Greece or Italy. July and August on the coast are the exception: rooms and sunbeds can cost much more than in June.
Do I need a car in Albania?
No. Buses and minibuses link Tirana, Berat, Gjirokastër, Sarandë and Himarë. A car helps for the Riviera's smaller coves and for the mountains, but the roads need care.
Can I pay in euros in Albania?
Prices on the coast are often shown in euros and some places take them, but the currency is the lek and change comes in lek. Withdraw lek from an ATM.
Can I reach the south from Corfu?
Yes. Ferries cross from Corfu Town to Sarandë in 30–70 minutes, several times a day in summer and less often in winter. Bring your passport: Albania is outside the Schengen area.
Is Albania safe to visit?
Neither the UK nor the US advises against travel. Watch for pickpockets in tourist areas and on buses, and take care on the roads, which are the biggest risk.
Is Albania expensive?
No. A mid-range day costs €60–100 per person, less than in Greece or Italy. July and August on the coast are the exception: rooms and sunbeds can cost much more than in June.
Do I need a car in Albania?
No. Buses and minibuses link Tirana, Berat, Gjirokastër, Sarandë and Himarë. A car helps for the Riviera's smaller coves and for the mountains, but the roads need care.
Can I pay in euros in Albania?
Prices on the coast are often shown in euros and some places take them, but the currency is the lek and change comes in lek. Withdraw lek from an ATM.
Can I reach the south from Corfu?
Yes. Ferries cross from Corfu Town to Sarandë in 30–70 minutes, several times a day in summer and less often in winter. Bring your passport: Albania is outside the Schengen area.
Is Albania safe to visit?
Neither the UK nor the US advises against travel. Watch for pickpockets in tourist areas and on buses, and take care on the roads, which are the biggest risk.