7 day Albania Itinerary: The Ultimate Guide for 2026
Albania’s a country that’s rapidly growing in popularity, but there’s still not loads of information out there about where to go and things to do whilst you’re there.
I spent a week exploring Albania with my friend and I’ve put together this seven day Albania itinerary to help you plan the perfect trip.
It’s impossible to see the whole of Albania in just one week, and lots of itineraries will tell you to focus on either the north (mountains) or the south (beaches).
My itinerary mostly focuses on the south, with one day trip to the Shala River in the north as it’s somewhere I really wanted to go to, and I didn’t read any posts that included it, so I found a way to make it work.
Day 1: Tirana
You’ll most likely be flying into Tirana International Airport so this is where your trip will begin.
About Tirana
Tirana is the capital of Albania and the largest city in the country. It has an interesting history which is important to understand before your visit.
The city was officially founded in the 17th century by an Ottoman general named Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, and it remained a small Ottoman trading town for centuries, before declaring independence in 1912.
It became the capital of Albania in 1920 and work started to reshape and modernise the city.
After WW2, the city (and the rest of Albania) became a communist dictatorship under Enver Hoxha, who banned religion, private property and travel, and isolated the city from the rest of the world.
Hoxha believed that Albania was constantly under threat of invasion, and his paranoia led him to build thousands of bunkers across the country, and cutting Albania off from the rest of the world and its former allies.
In 1991, communism ended in Albania, which led to huge economic hardship. The old system had fallen but there wasn’t a new one in place yet, and years of isolation from the meant building from the ground up.
Since then, the city has been gradually re-growing, but its past is still very much evident.
Things to do in Tirana
Spend your first day exploring Tirana at your own pace. How much you’ll be able to see depends on when your flight lands, so I’ve listed suggestions below.
- Take a walking tour to really understand Tirana’s history and visit the main sights. Do this first so you can decide what you want to visit afterwards. This one is really highly rated.
- Bunk’Art 1 and Bunk’Art 2 are two of the original bunkers built under Hoxha’s dictatorship, which are now museums. Bunk’Art 1 is located on the outskirts of Tirana and is the larger of the two, giving you an overview of Communism across Albania. Bunk’Art 2 is smaller, centrally located, and focuses more on the secret police and prisons.
- Skanderbeg Square – located in the centre of the Tirana, dedicated to Albania’s national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti (known as Skanderbeg), who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire and stopped them conquering Albania during his lifetime.
Day 2: Day trip to Shala River
Get up early for a day trip to the Shala River (also called Lumi i Shalës), a crystal clear lake surrounded by dramatic cliffs, located in the Albanian Alps in the north of the country.
From Tirana, it’s a three a half hour drive to the boat terminal, and whilst you technically could drive there yourself, I wouldn’t recommend it.
The closer you get to Shala River, the worse the road gets. At times, you’ll be driving along narrow mountain roads that are uneven and tricky to navigate, unless you’re a local who drives on them every day!
Instead, I booked this day trip to the Shala River and had a really great experience. It’s an early start, but the journey was smooth, with stops along the way to get food.
Our guide was really friendly and knowledgeable, and gave us loads of information about the area.
The Komani Lake and Shala River day trip is one of the most popular experiences in Albania and often sells out, especially in peak season, so it’s best to book in advance.
Once you arrive at the boat terminal, you’ll take a boat to the Shala River. The journey takes around an hour and it’s absolutely beautiful, you’re surrounded by lush green mountains and at times it feels as though you could be in Thailand.
At the river, there’s bars, restaurants and sun loungers where you can relax and enjoy the sunshine. Or, you can hire canoes and explore the river.
Don’t miss the chance to go for a swim, but I’m warning you now, it’s FREEZING. But why come all this way to not swim? The water is so clear and absolutely beautiful, it’s such a magical place.
You can also stay at Shala River overnight, and it’s a great way to experience it without any crowds before the day trips arrive in the morning.
If you have longer in Albania I’d suggest spending more time in the area and doing some hikes in the Albanian Alps.
As you arrive back in Tirana quite late so I’d recommend spending the night there again.
Day 3: Berat
From Tirana, it’s just over two hours by car to Berat, the next stop on your Albania itinerary.
About Berat
Nicknamed “the City of a Thousand Windows”, Berat is known for its Ottoman-era houses perched into the hillside, with their many windows giving the city its name.
It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Albania’s two museum cities, meaning its protected because of its architecture and culture.
Things to do in Berat
Berat sits on the Osum River, and has two neighbourhoods that lie on each side of the water, and one of the best things to do there is to simply explore them with no real agenda.
On one side is Mangalem, the larger of the two, made up of narrow, cobblestone streets lined with shops, restaurants and houses.
It’s a real maze, and at times feels impossible to find the entrance or exit, but that’s what makes it so special.
Make sure you cross the bridge to Gorica and wander along the river as this is where you’ll get your iconic photograph of the city and its many windows.
Don’t miss Berat Castle, there’s a steep walk up but it’s well worth it. The castle is actually a neighbourhood where locals live and go about their daily lives inside the stone walls. From the top you have incredible views over Berat, and it’s a great place for sunset.
Located inside the Church of the Dormition of St Mary within Berat Castle, the Onufri Iconography Museum is home to religious artifacts from the Byzantine era.
Day 4: Himarë
Leave beautiful Berat behind and head to the Albanian Riviera, as it’s time to enjoy some of the country’s incredible beaches.
Himarë is a coastal town home to some of the country’s best beaches, and it’s the perfect place for a boat trip, as some of the coves are only accessible from the water.
I booked a private boat for my friend and I which was €180 for the day. You can book a group tour if you prefer which is a lot more affordable, like this one for €36.
With a private tour you have more flexibility on where you go, and how long you stay in each place. We stopped off at beautiful swimming spots and deserted coves, and I couldn’t get over the colour of the water.
Dinner at Zoe Hora
I only made one restaurant reservation before arriving in Albania, and that was at Zoe Hora.
It’s one of Albania’s few luxury hotels, located in the mountainous town of Dhërmi, but it also has a restaurant that’s open to anyone.
I saw this restaurant on Instagram, and I assumed that it probably wouldn’t be the best food of my life, but the setting was stunning so I booked it anyway.
I ended up being pleasantly surprised by the food, and there was an excellent cocktail selection, with a delicious espresso martini (my favourite), so I was happy.
The restaurant is located around the hotel pool and I’d recommend booking around 45 minutes before sunset so you can enjoy the golden hour glow.
Zoe Hora is a thirty minute drive from Himarë, on the way to Ksamil, your next destination. As it’ll be late when you finish dinner, I’d recommend booking accommodation in Dhërmi.
Day 5 and 6: Ksamil
It’s a two hour drive from Dhërmi to Ksamil, the place you’ve probably seen all over Instagram, often referred to as the “Maldives of Europe”.
It gets this nickname because of its sandy white beaches and bright blue water, and it’s the perfect destination for a couple of days relaxing and sunbathing.
Ksamil is the most popular place in Albania, and it’s extremely busy, especially if you’re visiting during the summer months.
The entire stretch of beach is occupied by beach clubs, where you’ll need to pay for a sun bed. There’s only a small part at the end that’s free to lie on.
I think Ksamil is a good place to visit towards the end of your trip to Albania because by this point you’ll probably be craving a couple of slow days.
It’s important for me to manage your expectations though, as it’s definitely not comparable to the Maldives.
As I said before, the beach is packed, and it’s very noisy, with the music from the beach clubs and the sound of jet skis tearing through the water.
It’s not the place to go if you want seclusion and peace and quiet, but the colour of the water is incredible and it’s a great swimming spot.
In terms of choosing the right beach club, I’d really recommend Guvat beach club.
I walked up and down the beach several times before choosing where to go, and Guvat was pretty quiet compared to the others, and was on a really nice section of the beach, with an inlet that was perfect for dipping into the water.
We paid €30 for two sun beds and the service was really good.
Gjirokastër
Your last destination in Albania is Gjirokastër, just over one hour north from Ksamil.
It’s a good final stop as you’re driving back towards the airport, so you’ll cut down your journey time on the last day.
About Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, often referred to as “The Stone City” because of its Ottoman-era houses and buildings built from stone.
It’s also the birthplace of Enver Hoxha and was deeply impacted by communism.
Gjirokastër castle was used as a political prison, and a nuclear bunker was built under the city, designed to protect communist leaders in the case of an invasion.
When communism ended, the city struggled. Housing support and state jobs disappeared, and many families lost their income, so lots of people left for nearby countries, and Gjirokastër’s population fell.
Over the years, and especially with the city being named as a World Heritage Site, funding has improved and tourism has increased, and houses that were abandoned are now guesthouses, restaurants and cafés.
Gjirokastër’s a vibrant city, with a charming old town and a lively bazaar, and it was my favourite place in Albania.
Things to do in Gjirokastër
- Explore the old town – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Old Town is known for its steep cobbled streets, Ottoman-era stone houses, and traditional wooden balconies.
- Visit Gjirokaster castle, which dates back to the 12th century and has sweeping views over the Drino Valley.
- The Old Bazaar, or Qafa e Pazarit, is in the middle of Gjirokastër’s old town and is the perfect place to find handmade souvenirs.
- Cold War Tunnel – Visit the underground bunker that runs beneath the city. Tickets are £2.00/200 Lek.
- Ethnographic Museum – The museum sits on the site of Enver Hoxha’s birthplace (the original house was destroyed in a fire), and is built to resemble the traditional houses of Gjirokastër. Tickets are £5.00/500 Lek.
My favourite meal in Gjirokastër was brunch at Te Kubé. It’s set inside a traditional stone house in the old town, with a terrace overlooking the rooftops and the valley below.
Gjirokastër nightlife
Something that really surprised me about Gjirokastër is how good its nightlife is.
There’s an Irish bar, which is usually a pretty good indicator that a place will be fun in the evenings, so we headed there for a few drinks, and found that the whole street was lined with bars and pubs.
There’s a really great atmosphere with music playing, and tables outside in the street, and it was the perfect way to end our trip.
Planning your trip to Albania
The best time to visit Albania
If you want sunshine, the best time to visit Albania is from May to September. But this is also when it’s busiest, so expect lots of crowds.
If you prefer to experience places without lots of people, visiting in April, before everything has opened for the season, will mean quieter beaches, but it won’t be as warm.
I visited Albania in September and generally found that the crowds weren’t too bad (except in Ksamil), mostly because it’s still growing in popularity. I love visiting places during the shoulder season but I always prefer the end of the summer rather than the start because the sea is warm enough to swim in.
Arriving in Albania
Albania’s main airport is Tirana International Airport. If you’re flying from the UK, there’s direct flights from London to Tirana.
From the US, you’ll need to change in London or another European city. Another option is to fly to Corfu. If you’re coming from the UK this might work better for you as more UK airports fly to Corfu compared to Tirana.
From Corfu, there’s a regular ferry to Ksamil. The journey only takes around one hour and a ticket starts from £9. If you fly into Corfu you’ll be doing this itinerary in reverse, starting in Ksamil and working your way up.
Getting around Albania
I’d recommend hiring a car for your trip to Albania as it’ll give you more flexibility for this itinerary.
If you don’t drive, there’s regular buses between Tirana, Berat and Himarë. To get from to Himarë to Ksamil, and Ksamil to Gjirokastër , you’ll need to change in Sarandë.
This itinerary is definitely doable by public transport but it requires a bit more planning and time.
I hired a car from Tirana airport with a company called Sicily by Car. I used Discover Cars to compare the cost for my trip and they were the cheapest.
They’re located opposite the airport terminal and the check in process was really quick. I had no issues during my rental and my deposit was refunded instantly when I returned the car.
Driving in Albania
I was warned that driving in Albania was difficult, but I’d visited Montenegro the month before and found it a lot worse.
In more remote destinations you’ll find more uneven work surfaces, but between the larger towns they’re generally fine.
Getting an eSIM
Albania isn’t part of the EU, so you’ll need a local sim if you’re coming from the UK (or the US).
Purchasing an eSIM is the easiest way to do this, as you can activate it within your phone and you don’t need to waste time at the airport queuing up for a physical sim. I use Airalo everytime I need an eSIM.
You just put in your destination and the length of your trip, select the amount of data you need, and then install the eSIM on your phone. The whole process takes less than five minutes.
