29 Best Things to Do in Albania
Albania is getting a lot of buzz lately, mostly because of the beaches. But if you only visit the beaches you are missing out! There are so many more things to do in Albania.
Albania has thousands of years of history, a rich culture and incredible scenery. There’s ancient cities, castles, a vast mountainous region, farm to table food and a thriving viticulture.
These are the things I like to do in Albania, and why I think it is one of Europe’s most under-rated destinations.
Before You Visit Albania
Keep in mind Albania is an up and coming tourist destination. Tourism is a fairly new concept and it’s not as polished as some other European countries.
Visitors that are flexible and open-minded will enjoy themselves more. The bus might not arrive exactly on time, the internet may not be perfect in your hotel, your server might not speak a lot of English. But what you will find is a very authentic country with locals that are happy to welcome tourists.
To me, this is part of the charm. Keep an open mind and enjoy the amazing things Albania has to offer.
29 Best Things to Do in Albania
I’ve travelled around Albania a lot, and these are the best things to do in my opinion. These are the things that make Albania unique and worth visiting.
If you want to do a lot in one trip, see how I include many of these in my two week Albania itinerary.
1. Visit the Beaches
The beaches are pretty great. There is way more to Albania and I hope you’ll explore beyond the beach, but this is the top reason visitors come here.
Albania has over 380 km of coastline along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The beaches tend to get better the further south you go, with best ones being along the Ionian Sea on the Albanian Riviera.
Ksamil is the premiere beach resort area of Albania and boasts beautiful white sand beaches. But there’s a couple of standouts in the north too like Golem Beach (near Durres) and Velipoja Beach (near Shkoder).
2. Stay at an Agritourism
There are some wonderful agritourism guest houses in Albania. This is a chance to get away from the tourist hot spots and see the beautiful countryside.
Many agritourism guest houses have amazing restaurants and/or wineries. Albania is primarily an agricultural country, and staying in a guest house is the best way to experience the agricultural culture and traditions of Albania.
Agritourism guest houses range in terms of amenities and luxury, but what you are guaranteed is genuine hospitality and fantastic food. Mrizi i Zanave (near Lezhe) Blerina Agritourism (near Tirana) and Alpeta Agritourism & Winery (near Berat) are some of my favourites.
3. Eat at a Farm to Table Restaurant
My most memorable meals have been at agritourism restaurants in Albania. These are farm to table restaurants that have been officially designated as agritourism.
Food is delicious, fresh, homemade, and sourced locally. Everything comes from the restaurant’s farm or nearby villages. Honey, olive oil, bread, cured meats, cheese, jams, roasted meat, wine – it’s all made on site, and often organic.
There’s quite a few farm to table restaurants scattered around Albania, and while they’re very popular with locals, they’re off the usual tourist path. But trust me – agritourism restaurants are worth seeking out.
4. Go Wine Tasting
Albania has fantastic wine and a thriving viticulture. In fact it’s one of the oldest wine producing countries in Europe, and there are wineries all over.
Wine tastings in Albania typically come with food, a tour of the cellar and vineyard, and information about the grapes and wines. Most wineries are located in the countryside in beautiful surroundings.
Wine making was virtually wiped out during communism, but it’s making a huge comeback. Vineyards are small, family run and use mostly indigenous grapes.
This is one of my very favourite things to do in Albania, and if you like wine put it at the top of your list. Albanian wine is surprisingly very good.
5. Walk Through Ancient Cities
Albania is a very old land – the ancient Illyrians, Greeks and Romans all dominated Albania at one point and left their mark in the cities they built.
The most popular ancient cities are Apollonia and Butrint National Park (UNESCO), but there are many more. Apollonia and Butrint are worth seeing, but I love visiting the lesser known and hardly visited ancient sites like Finiq, Antigonea, Bylis and Orikum.
Finiq in particular is very impressive and remote. I visited it as part of a DIY day trip from Saranda.
6. Take the Komani Lake Ferry
Komani Lake is one of the most magnificent river valleys in the world. It’s often compared to China’s Three Gorges and Norway’s fjords. Located in Albania’s alpine region, it’s best visited as a day trip from Shkoder.
Ferries depart from the Komani Lake ferry dock and cruise along the gorge to Fierza and back, or to the Shala River. Both routes are beautiful.
You can book a day tour, like this Shala River and Komani Lake day tour, or book your own transportation to Komani Lake.
7. Go Hiking in the Mountains
There is fantastic alpine hiking in Albania. Approximately 70% of the country is mountainous and nature is everywhere.
The most famous hike is the Valbona Pass – a 17 km trail between the northern mountain villages of Theth and Valbona, part of the transnational Peak of the Balkans trail.
The Accursed Mountains are Albania’s premiere hiking destination, but there’s fantastic coastal hiking on the Llogara Pass and beautiful hikes along the Vjosa River in southern Albania.
8. Visit the Albanian Riviera
Often dubbed the Maldives of Europe, the Albanian Riviera has the best beaches in Albania. It’s a 120 km stretch of coast in southern Albania that starts in Vlore and ends at the Greek border.
Ksamil is the premiere beach resort on the Riviera. It’s touristy but there’s white sand beaches, turquoise water, and islets you can swim or kayak to. I prefer the small city of Saranda, just up the coast.
Here’s more information on which city or town to stay at on the Albanian Riviera.
If you have a car you can explore the smaller and more secluded beaches along the coast – there are many!
9. Admire the Street Art in Tirana
If you are flying in or out of Tirana, don’t miss the opportunity to explore Albania’s dynamic and eclectic capital. It’s one of Europe’s most under-rated cities.
Tirana’s streets are famous for their street art – there’s everything from huge murals, vibrantly painted building facades to quirky public art installations.
10. Ride the Longest Cable Car in the Balkans
The Dajti Ekspres is almost 5 km long and takes 15 minutes one way. It’s located just outside the centre of Tirana, and is one of the more unique things to do in Albania.
The views of Dajti Mountain and Tirana are amazing, and at the top there’s a nice restaurant overlooking the mountain. For more active visitors, there’s a mini-putt, park and hiking trails.
11. Explore Castles
There are over 150 castles in Albania. Every conquering nation built castles from the Illyrian tribes (medieval) to the Venetian and Ottoman empires.
Some of the larger and most impressive ones are Gjirokaster Castle, Kruja Castle, Berat Castle, Himare Castle, and Rozafa Castle in Shkoder. But there are lots of smaller ones dotted around the countryside, like Elbasan Castle and Preze Castle.
12. Stroll Across Ottoman Bridges
The Ottomans ruled Albania for over 500 years and built many bridges, several of which are still standing.
I think the most impressive is Mesi Bridge outside Shkoder, built in 1770. It has 13 arches and you can walk across it. It was part of the road that crossed the Kir Valley all the way to Pristina in present day Kosovo.
I also love the Kadiu Bridge near Permet. It’s smaller, but the scenery is stunning. You have to walk across it to reach the Benja hot springs.
The Ali Pasha Bridge outside of Gjirokaster is also spectacular and is a great hike from the city. Even the centre of Tirana has a small one, Tanner’s Bridge.
13. Check Out Albania’s Bunkers
It’s impossible to visit Albania and not notice the concrete bunkers. There are over 170,000 of them!
Enver Hoxha, the communist dictator, was so paranoid about a nuclear attack or being invaded, he had bunkers built all over the country. I’ve come across them in children’s playgrounds, parks, ancient ruins, empty fields, even in wineries where they’re often used as cellars.
Some have been repurposed into museums (like Bunk’Art 1 and 2, two of the most popular sites in Tirana), or cafes, but most are abandoned and falling into ruin.
14. Visit the Durres Archeological Museum
This is the largest and best archeological museum in Albania. It recently re-opened after a very lengthy renovation.
It was still closed on my last trip to Durres in 2026, so I haven’t been inside it yet, but considering the number of Greek and Venetian ruins in this area, I’m sure the collection is impressive.
15. Visit the Durres Amphitheatre
The Durres Amphitheatre is the largest ancient amphitheatre in the Balkans. It was built in the 2nd century by the Romans and used to hold up to 20,000 spectators.
The amphitheatre is the most important attraction in Durres and worth seeing, but the site is in danger and not well preserved.
Many tour buses stop in Durres just to see the amphitheatre – it is considered one of the top things to see in Albania.
16. Get Lost in Berat (UNESCO)
In my opinion, this is the most beautiful city in Albania. Known as the city of a thousand windows, Berat has cobblestone streets, a living castle, ancient churches and historic Ottoman and Christian quarters.
2 or 3 days in Berat is perfect to see the sites and enjoy the city. But at the very least stay overnight. The first time I went to Berat was as a day trip from Vlore, and I regretted it immediately. It’s a place you want to linger and stay longer.
Berat is also in prime wine country. The last time I was there I used it as a base to visit the wineries near Berat.
17. Cross the Foot Bridge to Zvernec Island
Zvernec is a tiny island connected to the mainland by a wooden pedestrian bridge, and home to the 13th century Byzantine monastery, St. Mary’s. It’s only 11 km north of Vlore, and you can easily take a taxi there.
Narta Lagoon, which surrounds Zvernec is a nesting ground for flamingoes and a well known bird watching site. It is the protection of this lagoon that sparked Albania’s Flamingo Revolution in 2026.
18. Take a Day Trip to Kruja from Tirana
Kruja is one of Albania’s most lovely mountain towns, and it’s only one hour from Tirana by bus. This is a super easy DIY day trip from Tirana.
The historic mountain town has a 400 year old Ottoman bazaar, a castle, a museum dedicated to the nation’s hero, Skanderbeg and a good ethnographic museum. It’s small, walkable and very charming.
19. Soak in the Benja Thermal Springs
If you are visiting nearby Permet, make sure you come here – I guarantee it will be one of the most memorable things you do in Albania.
These are a series of natural mineral pools, and they are in the most beautiful and magical location beside a historic Kadiu Bridge in the hills. The scenery is truly stunning.
There’s plenty of parking, change rooms, and when I visited the thermal pools were still free.
The Langarica Canyon is just a short walk further up the river bed. It’s very easy to do both in one day.
20. Hike the Langarica Canyon
Langarica Canyon is an off the beaten path hiking gem in south eastern Albania. Giant limestone cliffs tower up both sides of a narrow canyon for about 5 km.
The walk is along a riverbed, but depending on season and water levels, be prepared to wade through water in places. I recommend wearing water shoes and using a waterproof bag for electronics.
Warning: make sure you check the weather before you head out. Heavy rainfall can be dangerous in the canyon. Hiking guides won’t go out if it may rain, and you shouldn’t either.
I highly recommend doing a canyon hiking tour like this one that includes Benja Thermal Springs:
Canyon and Riving Hiking Day Tour
21. Marvel at the Blue Eye
Syri i Kalter (also known as the Blue Eye) are beautiful natural springs. The water is so clear you can see to a depth of 50 metres. Swimming is not permitted, but there were people breaking this rule when I was there.
I visited Syri i Kalter on my way back to Saranda from Gjirokaster. At the time the tours weren’t running (it was early spring), so I booked a taxi for the trip, but you can self drive easily. There’s a big parking lot at Syri i Kalter.
I wanted to do this tour of Gjirokaster and Syri i Kalter (Blue Eye), but it wasn’t running in March:
Gjirokaster and Blue Eye day tour
22. Step Back in Time in Gjirokaster (UNESCO)
Gjirokaster is an enchanting medieval stone city. The architecture is beautifully preserved, and the views from the hill top fortress over the valley with slate roofs of Ottoman era homes are very picturesque.
Wander the 17th century bazaar, and explore the cobbled lanes. Gjirokaster feels like a living museum and it’s only 52 km from Saranda, an hour’s drive.
Gjirokaster is built on a mountain and it is steep. Be prepared for lots of up and down walking. Visiting Gjirokaster is a bit of workout – but it’s worth it.
23. Drive the Coastal Highway
The SH8 coastal highway is the main road that goes straight down the Albanian Riviera. It is one of the most stunning drives in the country. Driving in Albania is pretty easy. The roads are mostly good.
This route passes dramatic coastal scenery, secluded beaches and scenic mountain villages.
Most of it is by the water, but some of it is mountainous, going through the scenic Llogara Pass.
24. Visit Shkoder, the Historic Capital of Albania
If you’re looking for a more laid-back city in northern Albania, Shkoder is the really nice.
This small city has it all – a historic centre, interesting museums, good restaurants, historic sites, a castle, a lake and easy access to the beach. It’s also the gateway to the Albanian Alps.
If you want to visit Komani Lake or the village of Theth, it’s the perfect base.
There are tons of bicycles in Shkoder and you can easily rent one to get around the city or bike to Lake Shkodra, which is what I did.
25. Relax by Lake Ohrid in Pogradec
Lake Ohrid is considered one of the most biodiverse lakes in the world, and one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe. Albania shares the lake with its neighbour North Macedonia.
The best place to enjoy Lake Ohrid in Albania is Pogradec. The lake sits in the middle of the centre and is the main social and recreational spot. Pogradec gets little foreign tourism, but is small and charming.
There’s a lovely lakeside promenade, swimming, boating and you can explore the nearby village of Lin and Drillon National Park.
26. Discover Korce
Known as Albania’s cultural capital, Korce is famous for beer, serenades, and a vibrant cafe culture. It’s a beautiful small city, easy to explore and off the beaten track. It’s one of my most favourite Albanian cities.
The centre of Korce is full of parks, Italian style mansions and leafy boulevards. It has a historic and restored Ottoman bazaar with a huge square full of cafes and restaurants.
Korce has a vibrant food scene, with food trucks, beer gardens, creperies, lakror shops and French restaurants. It’s also famous as a winter destination, getting almost as many tourists in December and January as summer.
27. Take the Ferry to Corfu, Greece
A day trip to Greece? Yes! From Saranda you can be in Greece in 30 minutes!
Saranda and the Greek island of Corfu are only a few kilometers apart. The hydrofoil ferry connects the two countries in 30 minutes, while the traditional ‘slow’ ferry crossing take 1.5 hours.
A day trip or overnight excursion from Saranda to Corfu is a unique and fun thing to do in Albania and very manageable. I’ve done both and the overnight version is more relaxing, but accommodation in Corfu is expensive.
28. Enjoy Slow Food in Permet
The southern city of Permet is the centre of the flow food movement in Albania. Many restaurants are officially part of this world-wide movement.
In Permet, slow food restaurants focus on seasonal produce, homemade dishes and traditional Albanian recipes. Every meal I had was delicious, but my favourite slow food meals were at Restorant Familjari and Te Culi.
Permet is what I consider an active nature lover’s dream. It’s a fantastic base for rafting, hiking and cycling. I saw lots of this when I was there.
29. See the Frescoes in Voskopoja
Voskopoja is a small mountain village in eastern Albania which has some of the most beautiful Orthodox Christian frescoes in the world.
Out of the 26 churches built in the 17th and 18th centuries, only 6 remain. Voskopoja was razed several times, burnt in WWI, bombed in WWII – the churches that survived are a bit of a miracle.
You can stay overnight in Voskopoja, or the nearby city of Korce which is 20 km away. Korce is worth visiting – it’s a lovely city.
Practical Tips for Visiting Albania
- Currency in Albania is the Albanian lek (ALL)
- Credit cards are not accepted everywhere – having cash is essential
- Electricity is 230 V and frequency 50 Hz, type C and F plugs
- Language is Albanian (Shqip), English is spoken in tourist areas but not widely
- Best sim for connectivity is Vodafone
- You can’t drink the tap water
Read more Albania travel tips here (including driving, safety & health)
When to Go to Albania
The best time to visit in Albania is spring and autumn. April and May, and mid September to mid November are best.
Summers are very hot, crowded and it’s the most expensive time to visit Albania. Winters are cold and wet – not ideal either.
How Many Days Do You Need In Albania
Two to three weeks in Albania is perfect. There are a lot of things to do in Albania, and even if you have longer you will have no problem filling in the time.
I go for months at a time, and still have so many more things I want to see and do in Albania!
How to Get Around Albania
The most convenient way, especially if you want to explore the countryside, is by car. I always rent from Discover Cars in Albania.
If you don’t have a car there is an extensive bus network. It’s easy to get from city to city once you figure out where the buses leave from and the general schedule. I always use the Gjirafa Travel website for bus information.
Here’s everything you need to know about getting around Albania without a car. Something I have done a lot of.
Final Words on Best Things to Do in Albania
Albania is most famous for its alpine region in the north and the spectacular beaches in the south. I hope this list inspires you to explore things to do beyond Albania’s usual tourist zones.
The whole country is beautiful and worth seeing. It’s in the lesser known areas that you will really experience Albanian culture and hospitality.
