Best places to visit in Albania (for first time visitors)

Albania had been on my travel list for years before I finally made it there and it was worth every second of the wait.

From jagged mountains and turquoise rivers to historic stone towns, this little Balkan country packs in more variety than you’d expect.

If you’re planning your first trip and wondering where to start, here are the best places to visit in Albania as a first timer: a mix of natural wonders, history and off-the-beaten-track gems that we visited during our own two week Albania road trip.

Why Albania?

While Albania is definitely climbing in popularity, it’s still relatively under the radar compared to neighbours like Greece or Croatia. It’s affordable, uncrowded (outside of the peak Riviera spots!) and full of character.

Whether you’re into hiking, exploring or simply soaking up the vibes of a new place, it’s one of those European destinations that truly has a bit of everything. You could easily create an Albania itinerary full of amazing things to do across cities, beaches or mountains – or a combination!

The best places to visit in Albania: towns

Berat: the city of a thousand windows

UNESCO-listed Berat is famous for its hillside houses stacked above the river. With a relaxed boulevard perfect for an evening stroll (or ‘xhiro’) and beautiful views from the hilltop castle, it’s a great base for a couple of days if you’re not such a fan of cities like Tirana.

Stay: We chose the oldest hostel in Berat, Berat Backpackers, and with free breakfast and a friendly vibe, it was a lovely place to stay. Just be aware, it doesn’t have A/C in the summer!

It’s more convenient to stay on the Mangalem side and accommodation is still really affordable there. I’d recommend somewhere like Guesthouse Kazazi.

Eat: I loved it so much I wrote a whole blog post about it – Homemade Food Lili is a must.

Gjirokaster: a charming World Heritage town

As I wrote in my two week Albania road trip itinerary, I was toying with the idea of skipping Gjirokaster altogether on our quickfire tour across the country. However, it was so worth the visit – even for just one night.

While equally hilly to Berat, it’s different but completely charming. From its signature Qifqui (ristto-like rice balls) to more spectacular castle views and excellent local shopping, it’s a great place for visiting places like Blue Eye – more on that below – without heading to the busy coastal areas.

Stay: We spent the night at Stone City Hostel which had a great location, spacious rooms with free breakfast and seemed really social too.

Want to know more? Check out my piece on 7 fabulous things to do in Gjirokaster.

Shkodër: more than a mountain gateway

Most people pass through Shkodër on an Albanian road trip, either by entering / leaving the country through Montenegro or on their way to the Albanian Alps. Sure, it’s a convenient stopping place, but we actually loved our day in the town so much that we’d definitely return.

Sure, there’s not a huge massive amount to do, but with very affordable restaurants and the best castle views of our trip over Skadar Lake, the alps and even Montenegro, it’s a great place to hang out and recharge for the weekend. Plus, you can use it as a jumping off point for different day trips, so it’s well worth the stop if you’re heading into the mountains.

Stay: We spent two nights (one before and one after our mountain trip) at The Wanderers Hostel which isn’t great if you want peace and quiet, but is very social. They also make organising the Valbona – Theth hike an absolute breeze.

The Albanian riviera: pick your city!

Along the Albanian riviera, the notable cities each have a different feel. Unless you have tons of time, I wouldn’t recommend trying to hit all of them, but opt for the two that best align with what you’re looking for.

Dhermi: less touristy that Ksamil and Sarandë (we drove through Sarandë and were really happy about deciding to skip it!), with dramatic cliffs.

Himarë: a laid-back town with lots of Greek influences. We stayed just outside the town but it made a great base for tours and some chilled beach days.

Stay: Castle of Himarë is a gorgeous Greek-owned guesthouse outside the hustle and bustle of the main town, with a wonderful homemade breakfast.

Ksamil: too touristy for us in peak season, but offers the country’s only sandy beaches and is a good base to visit the southern Blue Eye and Butrint National Park.

Vlorë: a historical port town with nice beaches that’s currently undergoing a lot of development.

We chose Ksamil and Himarë but if we were to go again, would check out a couple of other spots tooi! If your driving route allows, the coastal drive over the Llogara Pass is worth it for the views alone.

The best places to visit in Albania: nature

Theth & Valbona

The Theth – Valbona hike is the jewel of the Albanian Alps: a challenging but spectacular day walk connecting two traditional villages. It’s best done in summer, as the winter brings lots of snow and icy conditions that make specialist equipment and guides essential.

I can say hands down that this hike was the highlight of our trip to Albania.

You can visit the two villages without hiking, but it’ll be a long drive around the mountains and honestly, it’s well worth the trip if you have a decent level of fitness.

If you want to know more about the Valbona – Theth hike, I’ve written an article with 11 things you’ll need to know when hiking from Valbona to Theth in Albania.

The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) – South

Did you know Albania actually has two Blue Eyes? The most famous Albanian Blue Eye is the southern version, located just a stone’s throw from Gjirokaster and very busy with day trippers.

It’s crowded, but honestly well worth the trip to check out the magnificently-hued waters bubbling up from an underground spring. It’s also got decent facilities like a couple of nearby restaurants to help you make a morning of it.

The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) – North

The more rugged and unexplored of the two, you can access the northern Albanian Blue Eye via Theth, Most who visit spend an extra day in Theth before/after the hike to/from Valbona and tag it on. We managed to do this the morning before our afternoon departure, making it a quick turnaround but well worth it.

Instead of a short walk along pre-made paths with the Southern version, it takes a couple of hours hike to this Blue Eye with incredible mountain views the entire way. It’s not too intense, but you need a decent level of fitness and trainers.

There are some restaurant facilities in Nderlsaj that I believe have developed even more since we visited in 2022. You can arrange to get picked up from here, saving you the long hike back to Theth. There’s also a very simple café at Blue Eye where you can buy a soft drink.

Planning for a dip? It’s a must-do, but just be warned that the water is freezing!

Lumi i Shales

One natural spot we didn’t have time for that came highly recommended by locals is Lumi i Shales (Shala River). You can arrange trips from Tirana or Shkodër: this can be the easiest method, as you’ll need boat transport as well as road.

Set in a lush canyon with turquoise, crystal clear waters, the river feeds into the famous (and equally beautiful) Komani Lake. You can kayak, zipline and hike in the area, or just visit for a day. Personally, if I was to return to Albania, I’d try and stay overnight in the area to make the most of its beauty – and the long journey.

Stay: Located right on the river, Bee Eco Guest House offers comfortable family rooms, breakfast pancakes and its food comes highly recommended.

Osum Canyon & Bogovë Waterfall

Often paired together as a simple day trip from Berat, these two lovely spots are popular yet but too busy like the southern Blue Eye mentioned above.

I’ve written a whole blog post about how to get to the Bogove Waterfall and Osum Canyonwhere you can find out more.

You’ll find kayaking tours in the Osum Canyon if you’re after a bit more adventure, or you can chill and have a mini spa day using the muddy waters. There’s also a café there with lovely owners – when we spent longer than planned exploring the canyon, we returned to find they’d put our bags behind the counter for safekeeping!

FAQs about visiting Albania

Where to stay in Albania

If you’re looking for more inspiration on where to stay, I’ve put together this handy map of everywhere we chose to stay during our two week roadtrip.

How many days for you need in Albania?

Honestly, you could have a month in Albania and still have more incredible places to visit and explore! Instead, choose your destinations wisely by the length of time you have available.

1 – 5 days: Stay in one coastal town, or Albania’s capital Tirana, and stick to day trips to maximise your time. Read my post on 8 incredible day trips from Tiranafor inspiration!

5 – 10 days: With a little longer, you’re able to comfortably hop between 2 – 3 destinations: I’d recommend Tirana, either Berat or Gjirokaster and a coastal town of your choice. Alternately, stick to hiking in the Albanian Alps, with a short detour to Tirana at the end.

10 – 21 days: With more time for hikes and further-flung spots, this length of itinerary gives you more time to immerse yourself in Albania’s hidden gems – or spend longer in the destinations you like the best.

Can you visit Albania without a car?

It’s definitely possible to visit Albania without a car. Even since we visited in 2022, transport links are improving all the time as tourism grows. However, our road trip wouldn’t have been the same without access to a vehicle so honestly if you can drive, do! The roads are generally very safe and well-maintained.

Is Albania worth visiting in 2026?

Absolutely. It’s still affordable, there are incredible variety of things to do in Albania for every time of traveller and while tourism is growing, there are still plenty of untouched spots you can find.

Summary

To round off, I wanted to say that I’m confident that this guide of the best places to visit in Albania has barely scratched the surface.

Whether you’re hiking between mountain villages, wandering historic stone towns or discovering waterfalls tucked into the countryside, there are opportunities to find lesser-explored gems at every opportunity.

However, as a first timer wanting to get a real sense of the country’s highlights, this list will steer you in the right direction. Years later, I’m still dreaming of the amazing two weeks we spent in Albania and counting the days until we can return.

Laura x

Best places to visit in Albania (for first time visitors)

Table of Contents

Why Albania?