How Many Days in Durres Do You Need?

Durres is Albania’s oldest city, founded in 627 BC by the Corinthians. It has Venetian and Roman ruins, the largest archeological museum in the country and beaches on the Adriatic Sea. On top of that, it’s the second largest city in Albania. So how many days you need to see Durres?

How Many Days in Durres Do You Need?

You can see the sites of Durres in one day, but to also enjoy the beaches, cafe culture, seafood and laid back vibe, give yourself 2 or 3 days.

Durres is a very walkable and pleasant city. Unlike some better known destinations further down the coast like Vlore and Saranda, Durres feels less like a holiday beach town and more like a local, lived-in city that just happens to have palm trees and beaches.

1-2 Day Itinerary for Durres

If you’ve only got one or two days, don’t worry. This itinerary is very manageable and will take you to the best things to see in Durres. You’ll be able to walk to everything, except the beach…but I’ll explain all of that.

Day One:

• Start the day like a local by having a coffee at one of Durres’ many coffee shops. Sophie Caffe on Bulevardi Dyrrah is good.
• Walk straight down Bulevardi Dyrrah past Sheshi Liria (town square) and Town Hall over to the Orthodox Church of Apostle Paul and Saint Asti. The church is newer but beautiful and free to visit.
• Head over to the Venetian Tower, which was part of the fortifications that protected Durres. The interior and views from the top are interesting, but not super impressive. Unless you’re really keen, view the tower from the exterior and walk along Rruga Anastas Dursaku to see what remains of the fortress walls.
• Next visit the Durres Amphitheatre. Many tours stop in Durres just for this site. It’s the largest amphitheatre in the Balkans, built in the 2nd century AD.
• See the Great Mosque of Durres. It was built in 1931 on the site of an older mosque. During the communist dictatorship all mosques were closed or destroyed. This one became a youth centre. It re-opened in 1993. Shoes must be removed, and women must cover their hair.
• Continue up Bulevard Epidamn to the ruins of Byzantine Market Square and Roman Baths. These two sites are next to each other. Both are fenced off, but clearly visible from the sidewalk.
• If you’re hungry, have traditional Albanian food at Liridia Restaurant or pick your seafood and have it cooked on the spot at the seafood shop Bracja Fresh Fish Market 2.
• In the evening, walk along the seafront Taulantia Promenade to Sfinksi, the modern concrete landmark meant to look like the Egyptian Sphinx. The tradition of an evening walk, xhiro, is a big part of Albanian culture.

Day Two:

• This morning visit the National Archeological Museum. This is the largest archeological museum in Albania. It’s been closed for renovation since 2021, but is set to re-open later in 2025. Unfortunately it was still closed when I last visited Durres, but you might be lucky.
• After you (hopefully) visit the museum, visit the beach. The nicest beach near Durres is Golem Beach. Golem is a small resort town 15 km south of Durres. I took the bus to Golem from in front of Durres Central Bus Station, and it cost 100 lek ($1.20 USD). It takes 30 minutes.

Best Day Trips from Durres

There are several nice day trips from Durres. These are ones you can realistically do in a day!

Tirana: Albania’s capital is only 30 minute away by bus and well worth visiting. 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.

Kruja: One of Albania’s most important historic mountain towns. Visit the 400 year old Ottoman bazaar, Kruja Castle and Skanderbeg Museum. Kruja is beautiful and only 45 minutes from Durres by bus.

Cape Rodon: Off the beaten path cape on the Adriatic Sea. There’s nature walks, beaches, Rodoni Castle and historic St. Anthony Church. You’ll probably have to arrange for a private transfer or rent a car to get here. It’s 46 km away, about 1 hour.

If you don’t have a car, take this day tour to Cape Rodon that includes a stop at a local vineyard for winetasting:
Cape of Rodon and Wine Tasting Tour

Berat (UNESCO): This is the furthest away, but a must-see while in Albania. Berat is a beautiful historic town known as the city of a thousand windows. Explore Berat Castle, the Lead Mosque and cross Gorica Bridge. There are direct buses to Berat from the Durres bus station – it takes 2 hours.

When to Visit Durres

Unlike other seaside destinations like Ksamil or Himare, Durres is a year-round city. While some beachfront hotels and restaurants might close for the winter, everything else is open all year.

In terms of weather, spring and autumn are the best times to spend a few days in Durres. April to mid-June, September and October are the nicest. Prices are a bit lower and there’s fewer tourists.

Summers are very hot (up to 40C, 104 F), and it’s peak tourist season so prices are higher.

Because of the coastal location, winters are mild in Durres. Temperatures range from 17C (63F) down to overnight lows of 0C (32F), with some rain. Not beach weather, but fine for exploring.

How to Get to Durres

Of all the coastal destinations in Albania, Durres is the easiest to get to. Tirana and the airport are 35 km from Durres, so you can take a taxi or bus.

Bus From Tirana or the Airport

You can take a bus from the airport or from Tirana’s main bus terminal, which is halfway between the airport and the city centre. This is the cheapest way to travel from Tirana to Durres.

From the airport buses depart about every two hours. Cost is 600 lek ($7 USD), in cash. Get local currency from the ATMs by the baggage carrousel in the airport.

Check the Tirana Airport website for the bus schedule.

From Tirana’s South North Bus Station buses leave every 30 minutes between 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. The fare is 200 lek ($2.50 USD), cash.

Taxi from Tirana or the Airport

All Tirana taxis go to Durres. The flat rate from Tirana centre to Durres centre is 2200 lek ($26 USD). I used Taxi Lux for my transfer from Tirana to Durres.

Airport taxis charge 3000 lek ($35 USD). They are always outside arrivals. Rates are posted right inside the cab, so you won’t get ripped off. Make sure you have local currency. There’s ATMs by the baggage carrousel in the airport.

By Ferry from Italy

It’s possible to take a ferry from Bari, Italy or Ancona, Italy to Durres. The Bari crossing is 7+ hours, and the Ancona crossing is 16 hours.

The schedule changes according to the season, and the Ancona ferry may only run in summer. Check the Direct Ferries website for schedule and fare information.

I’ve never done an Italy to Albania ferry (it’s on my Albania bucket list), but I have done the Corfu, Greece to Albania  ferry. It’s a lot shorter, but ferry hopping between European countries is kind of cool.

Where to Stay: Neighbourhood & Hotel Tips

In Durres most of the hotels are either in the centre or by Durres Beach. These are two distinct areas, about 3 km apart.

You can walk between the two in 30 minutes, but the bus is a bit of pain since it takes a really long route. There’s also taxis.

If you want a beach holiday, base yourself by Durres Beach. If you want to explore the city, stay in the centre and visit the beach.

I like these hotels in Durres centre:

• Art Gallery Boutique Hotel: Lovely 4 star hotel. Rooms start from $90 USD, including breakfast. Excellent location for exploring Durres.
• Old Town Villa: Newer boutique hotel with free parking. Rooms from $55 USD (no breakfast). Within walking distance of all the sites.

I recommend these hotels by Durres Beach:

• Cosmo Beach Hotel: Small beachfront hotel. Rooms start from $85 USD, including breakfast. Lovely beachfront restaurant.
• Hotel Saly: Boutique property steps from the beach. Rooms priced from $60 USD, including breakfast. Excellent value for Durres Beach.

Where to Eat: Local Favourites and Hidden Gems

I really enjoyed eating out in Durres. The food was excellent, especially the seafood, and prices were much lower than Tirana and Saranda.

These are some of my favourite places to eat in Durres:

• Te Nona N’Durres: The menu changes daily in this local restaurant away from the tourist zone. Mix of traditional and international foods.
• Liriada Restaurant: Traditional home cooking. You can see what is prepared from the open kitchen and pick what you want.
• Peshk i Fresket Bracja 2: A seafood shop that for a small fee will cook your seafood anyway you like. Very popular with locals.

Where to Go After Durres

After spending a few days in Durres, I recommend heading north to Shkoder, the historic capital of Albania and gateway to the Albanian Alps. This is one of the most spectacular regions of Albania.

If beaches and coastal beauty or more your style, head south toward Vlore and the Albanian Riviera. The coastal drive after Vlore will blow you away – it’s one of the most scenic in Albania.

Want a longer trip? This 14-day Albania itinerary shows how to fit all the highlights in.

FAQs

Last Words: How Many Day in Durres Do You Need?

You can see the sites of Durres in one day, but two or three days is perfect. You’ll be able enjoy the beaches and explore the city at a leisurely pace. Durres is worth visiting, it’s an under-rated Albanian destination.

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