12 Beautiful Places in Albania to Visit
It’s hard to narrow down the most beautiful places in Albania. The entire country is extremely scenic. But there some spots that are exceptionally gorgeous.
There’s also a couple of places listed frequently as the most beautiful places in Albania, which they definitely are not! I’m going to debunk that myth today and give you my honest opinion.
2 Places That Aren’t the Most Beautiful in Albania
These are 2 places in Albania that are frequently listed as the most beautiful, but aren’t:
- Tirana: Albania’s capital city is interesting, quirky and worth visiting. It’s one of my favourite places in Albania. But it’s definitely not one of the most beautiful. Don’t get me wrong – Tirana is a great city and you should see it, but in terms of scenery it’s not at the top.
- Ksamil: Albania’s premiere beach resort is often listed as one of the most beautiful places, but I don’t agree. Yes, the beaches are the best in Albania but Ksamil itself is not overly scenic, and it’s very commercialized. The beaches are beautiful, but they’re also jam packed with tourists and expensive.
Beautiful Places in Albania to Visit
There are beautiful places all over Albania – between the coast, the mountains and the countryside, it is a very scenic country. These are some of the most beautiful:
1. Saranda
Saranda is the most pretty city on the Albanian Riviera. The city surrounds the Bay of Saranda and is full of palm trees, flowering jasmine and patterned cobblestone streets.
From just about every viewpoint you can see the island of Corfu, Greece (only a few kilometres away), enjoy beaches, eat seafood and walk the long seafront promenade. It makes an excellent base to explore nearby Butrint, Ksamil, Gjirokaster and Syri i Kalter.
This Mediterranean city is favourite of expats, and I usually go every spring for a month or two.
Where to Stay: Vila Era Beach
2. Himare
This is the perfect beach town on the Albanian Riviera. Not only is Himare beautiful with a rugged coastline surrounded by mountains, it is culturally rich.
Himare is often compared to Ksamil, they’re both small beach towns in Southern Albania. While Ksamil is very commercialized and only about the beaches, Himare is much more authentic. It has a unique Greek population, and a historic Old Town up the hill.
If you’re looking for a more well-rounded beach destination, this is it.
Where to Stay: Guesthouse 1932
3. Kruja
Kruja is a beautiful historic mountain town only 40 km from Tirana. It’s the perfect daytrip from Tirana, and very easy to do on your own.
There’s a historic bazaar, a castle, museums, religious sites, a lovely square and it’s very walkable. While you certainly can stay overnight and enjoy the peaceful mountain scenery, you don’t need to. It’s one of the most beautiful daytrip places in Albania.
Where to Stay: Villa Castriota
4. Berat (UNESCO)
Berat is one of Albania’s most beautiful places without question. I think it’s the most captivating historic city and have visited several times. Often called the City of a Thousand Windows, it’s a post card everywhere you look.
The old town is one of the most beautifully preserved in Albania with cobblestone streets, Ottoman era homes, ancient mosques and Byzantine churches. Berat Castle sits on top of the hill, one of Europe’s oldest living castles.
This is a place that is worth a couple of days. It’s easy to visit from Vlore or Tirana.
Where to Stay: Oda e Gurit Boutique Hotel
5. Gjirokaster (UNESCO)
Visiting Gjirokaster feels like stepping back in time about 100 years. The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a maze of cobblestone lanes, historic homes and a restored Ottoman era bazaar. Overlooking the city is a 12th century castle – one of the largest in the Balkans.
Gjirokaster is one of the most popular daytrips in Albania. I recommend staying overnight so you can enjoy the city without the tourist crowds. There’s enough to see to keep you busy for a full day, and you can hike to nearby Ali Pasha Bridge if you have extra time, a stunning stone aqueduct.
Where to Stay: Hotel Gjirokastra
6. Gramsh
While the town itself is not incredibly beautiful, the region of Gramsh is one of Albania’s most beautiful places. And the good news? It’s way off the tourist path. It’s a hidden gem of Albania.
You will need a car to explore the area, and I suggest using the town of Gramsh as your base. The area is fantastic for hiking to majestic Sotira Waterfalls, Holta’s Canyon and Irmajit Castle. Enjoy thermal pools, agritourism dining, mountain air and genuine Albanian hospitality.
Where to Stay: Hotel Latifi
7. Peshkopi
This is another place Albanians know and love, but tourists haven’t discovered yet. Peshkopi is a pretty town in what many say is the most beautiful region of Albania, Diber. I haven’t been yet, but it’s on my list for 2027.
Peshkopi is an excellent base for exploring Diber. There’s natural thermal pools, river rafting on the Black Drin, hiking, the village of Rabdisht (often called a mini Gjirokaster), and National Park of Lura with 12 glacial lakes. For nature lovers that want to see completely unspoiled landscapes – this is the place.
And make sure you try the cherries – Peshkopi is famous for them.
Where to Stay: Mont Blanc Hotel
8. Korce
Korce is an amazing and beautiful city in the south east of Albania. Imagine tree lined boulevards, Italian style mansions, parks, cobblestone lanes, a beautiful pedestrian promenade, and a restored 15th century bazaar and you have Korce.
No city surprised me more in Albanian than this one. It is full of museums, theatre, has an amazing food scene, beautiful beer gardens – it’s one my favourite places in Albania.
It’s escaped most tourism, but is a favourite winter destination of Europeans – especially the French.
Where to Stay: Vila Lordev
9. Shkoder
Shkoder is the largest city in the north, and Albania’s historic capital. It’s a very walkable and bicycle friendly city that is surrounded by nature, including Lake Shkodra.
There’s museums, beautiful mosques and churches, an old town, and Rozafa Castle, one of the most famous castles in Albania. The food is also a bit different from the rest of Albania, focusing on hearty casseroles and stews – even for breakfast!
It’s the best jumping off point to explore Lake Komani and the Albanian Alps, with many transport options and tours departing from here.
Where to Stay: Hotel Mozart
10. Komani Lake
Komani Lake is one of the most beautiful natural places in Albania. Often compared to Norway’s fjords and China’s Three Gorges, it’s spectacular.
The lake is man-made, on a huge dam, so you have to visit it by boat. The easiest way to do this is by taking one of the ferries. The ferry ride is breathtaking with soaring limestone cliffs and mountains dropping into the water.
There are two ferry route options: to the Shala River (an excellent day trip from Shkoder), or further along to Fierze (perfect if you’re travelling onward to Valbona).
Where to Stay: Villa Davids
11. Theth
This is probably Albania’s prettiest mountain village. Theth is mostly famous for hiking, specifically as the start or end of the Valbona Pass Trail – but I didn’t do any serious hiking in Theth and still loved it.
For one thing the scenery is magical. The village is nestled in a valley surrounded by the Accursed Mountains on all sides. It’s all grassy fields, horses and cows, and traditional stone homes. It’s one of the most peaceful and beautiful places in Albania.
There’s a couple of sites where you can learn about ‘kanun,’ ancient tribal laws that still have some bearing in the northern mountain villages today.
Where to Stay: Guest House Flodisa
12. Valbona
Valbona is another mountain village famous for hiking and traditional stone architecture. It’s more spread out than Theth and doesn’t have as many sites, but is every bit as beautiful. It feels remote and calm.
Hikers will really appreciate Valbona. Besides the Valbona-Theth Trail, there are many others into side valleys and alpine meadows. You could easily spend a week here just exploring the trails.
Where to Stay: Bujtina Valbone
When to Go to Albania
The best time to go is shoulder season: May to mid June and mid September to end of October. Summers are busy, hot and more expensive. Winters are cool and can be wet. Some areas will have snow.
How Many Days Do You Need in Albania
I think 3 weeks is perfect, but it’s easy to customize an itinerary to suit the time you have.
Albania is good like that – if you only have a few days there’s beaches and mountain towns near Tirana to explore. If you have more than 3 weeks, you just add on more regions. The whole country is gorgeous and there’s plenty to see.
How to Get to the Most Beautiful Places in Albania
There are 3 ways to get around Albania: bus, private transfer (taxi) or car. The train system in Albania is almost non-existent.
The bus network is extensive, but dated. In peak season you might be lucky and get a full size coach, or you might end up in a rickety minivan with questionable AC. It is cheap, though. This is best website to get bus information: Gjirafa Travel.
Most taxis will do private transfers and sometimes that’s the best way to go. If I’m departing from Tirana or near Tirana, I use Taxi Landi. For other destinations I just contact local taxi companies either in person or online.
Lately I’ve been renting cars in Albania. I always use Discover Cars to shop around for the best deal and company.
Last Words on 12 Beautiful Places in Albania to Visit
It is hard to narrow it down to the most beautiful places in Albania. The whole country is scenic and every time I return I discover more places. Just go and find out for yourself why so many visitors fall in love with Albania!
