Best Day Trips From Durres
If you’ve got extra time in Durres, there’s some great day trips you can take. Durres is very central and close to historic towns, clean beaches, wineries, and some stunning natural areas.
As the second largest city in Albania, Durres has good bus connections so you can do most of these day trips on your own. But it’s also easy to rent a car, and that’s a great option if you want to explore the vineyards and agritourism restaurants near Durres.
Best Durres Day Trips
There are several excellent day trips from Durres. These are ones you can realistically do in a day.
1. Golem
Golem is perfect if you want a nice beach day. It has one of the best beaches on the Adriatic coast of Albania. And it’s only 20 km south of Durres.
It’s a small and quiet beach town. There’s a beach promenade and a few seaside restaurants and cafes, but that’s about it.
It’s easy to reach from Durres. I took the local bus from the Durres Central Bus Station for 100 lek ($1.20 USD). The ride was 30 minutes.
2. Tirana
Albania’s capital is only 30 minute away by bus and well worth visiting. It’s a very walkable city and Tirana’s sites are all central so you can cover a lot of ground in one day. Check out Bunk’Art 2, Skanderbeg Square and the Pyramid.
There are buses about every 30 minutes between the two cities (Tirana’s North South bus terminal), but you can also take a taxi for about 2200 lek ($26 USD).
3. Kruja
Kruja is one of Albania’s most important historic mountain towns. National hero Skanderbeg (Gjerge Kastrioti) was born here, and this is where he defended Albania against Ottoman rule in the 15th century.
It’s a beautiful town, with several interesting sites. Visit the 400 year old Ottoman bazaar, Kruja Castle and Skanderbeg Museum. You can easily reach Kruja by bus from Durres in 45 minutes.
4. Elbasan
Elbasan is one of Albania’s oldest cities, with a historic centre and impressive castle walls. I haven’t visited yet, but it’s high on my list – especially during Dita e Veres festival in March, when the city hosts the country’s largest celebration.
It’s only 74 km for Durres and there’s many direct buses between the two cities.
There is a train between Durres Beach and Elbasan (Albania has extremely limited rail service), but it’s only once a day and the schedule is not convenient for a day trip.
5. Berat (UNESCO)
Berat is Albania’s most beautiful historic city. It’s called the ‘City of a Thousand Windows’ for the traditional Ottoman era homes with many windows.
There’s plenty to see in Berat, including Berat Castle, one of the oldest living castles in Europe. Explore the historic Christian and Muslim quarters, the Lead Mosque and cross Gorica Bridge. But it’s also nice to relax with a coffee and enjoy the views – Berat is a postcard everywhere you look.
It’s the furthest day trip from Durres, but it’s one of the best things to see in Albania. There are direct buses to Berat from the Durres bus station, and it takes 2 hours.
6. Wine Tasting Near Durres
There are several good wineries near Durres. You’ll need a car or taxi to reach them, but it’s worth it. Albania has a very old and traditional viticulture. It produces some excellent wine, most with indigenous grapes.
I rented a car through Discover Cars to visit wineries and agritourism restaurants when I was in Durres.
You could do a mini wine tour for the day. Abaia Winery, Kokomani Winery and Kantina Belba are all south of Durres and would make a good wine route. Duka Winery is north of the city.
- Abaia Winery: Do a wine tasting at this excellent local winery, which includes food (there’s a nice restaurant) and a tour of the cellars and vineyards. This is one of my favourite Albanian wineries. Rent a car for the day or take a taxi here – it’s 8.5 km from the centre.
- Kokomani Winery: Another well regarded winery offering tastings and tours. There’s a good restaurant here also. It’s 18 km from Durres, so it’s better if you have your own vehicle. Kokomani Winery is seasonal and opens in April.
- Kantina Belba: Unlike the other wineries, this one is located in a small town. The cellars are on site, but the vineyards are further away. I liked that I was able to pick and choose my wines (the aged ones were excellent). Tastings are done in the restaurant, so it’s easy to pair the wine with food. Very good prices here – I paid 1000 lek ($12 USD) for 4 wines.
- Duka Winery: Excellent winery with restaurant. They offer vineyard tours and wine tastings. I haven’t been to this one yet, but I tried some of their wine at the Berat Wine Festival. It’s 32 km from Durres.
7. Agritourism Restaurants Near Durres
Albania has amazing agritourism restaurants that feature farm-to-table food. Everything is home-made and produced on site or at least locally. They almost all make their own wine and some have full wineries, like Kantina Enol.
Enjoying a meal in an agritourism restaurant is one of the best ways to experience Albania. Any of these would make a nice day trip from Durres:
- Agroturizem Gjepali: A lovely farm to table restaurant in the countryside 14 km from Durres. I ate there in March during Ramadan and it was busy and chilly – but it would be beautiful in summer with the outdoor dining open. It’s a beautiful property and the food is very good.
- Kantina Enol: Bit of a remote location 28 km from Durres, but a really nice restaurant and kantina with views of Preze Castle. All the food is produced on site, including the honey and cheese. I got a tour of the wine cellars – you can do tastings here too. Only issue was I had no cell service there – it’s that remote.
- Loka Agritourism: A lovely small restaurant that is very off the beaten path, 35 km from Durres. They are famous for grilled meat – they dry age it on site. Nice indoor and outdoor terrace with beautiful views. Food and wine were very good and cheap. This was another place I had limited cell reception, and it’s a gravel road to reach the restaurant.
8. Cape of Rodon
Another option for a day tour from Durres, especially for nature lovers, is Cape of Rodon. It’s an off the beaten path peninsula on the Adriatic Sea. There’s nature walks, beaches, Rodoni Castle and historic St. Anthony Church.
On the way back to Durres, make a small detour and visit Duka Winery for lunch and a wine tasting.
You’ll need a car to reach Cape of Rodon , there’s no direct bus service. It’s 46 km from Durres, about 1 hour.
If you don’t want to rent a car, take this organized day tour to Cape of Rodon that includes a stop at Duka Winery for a winetasting:
Cape of Rodon and Wine Tasting Tour
When to Visit Durres
Unlike other seaside destinations like Ksamil or Himare, Durres is a year-round city. The plazhi (beach) area of Durres is definitely very quiet off season, but the centre never shuts down.
The best time to visit Durres is shoulder season, April to June, and September and October. The weather is very pleasant at that time and hotel prices are lower.
July and August are hot and everything costs a little more. Accommodation by the beach should be booked in advance. Winters in Durres are cool and wet. It’s not the best time to visit, but you’ll get a good deal on a hotel.
Where to Stay in Durres to Take Day Trips
The best area of Durres for doing day trips is the centre. It’s near the bus station and where most rental car companies are located. The Plazhi (Beach) area is very popular, but it’s 3 km from the centre.
I highly recommend these hotels (all include breakfast):
- Art Gallery Boutique Hotel (luxury): Boutique hotel next to and with views of the Durres Amphitheatre. Great location on a quieter street. My personal favourite property in Durres.
- Moenia Boutique Hotel (mid-range): Charming property next to the Venetian Tower and historic city walls. Very central location.
- Ermes Luxury Hotel (budget): Brand new hotel in the more local and residential part of the centre. The main sites are about 7 minutes walk. Really good value for Durres centre.
Last Words on Best Day Trips from Durres
Durres is a great base, but having spent weeks there myself, I know the sites are limited. That’s what makes day trips such a good idea, especially given how central Durres is and how well connected by bus.
Most of these day trips can be done independently with buses, making them a very budget friendly option. But if you decide to rent a car, it can be surprisingly affordable if booked in advance. I paid less than €20 for a 4 day rental with unlimited mileage.
