What's up guys! We're here in Albania. We just finished a five-week trip all around the country.
And in this video we're going to show you 15 of the best places to visit. So hope you enjoy it.
Albania is located in Southeastern Europe's Balkan Peninsula. It's a fairly small country,
but has a lot of diversity: from the Ionian and Adriatic coastlines, to a mountainous interior,
and many castles and archaeological sites. Add to that a Mediterranean climate plus
affordable prices and you have a very attractive travel destination. Over the past centuries,
Albania has been in relative isolation in terms of tourism because of its turbulent
history. But today, it's developing quickly and welcoming visitors from all around the globe.
In this video, we'll highlight 15 amazing places that you should visit in Albania. You can find
different tour and accommodation links for the places that we mention in the description
below. Make sure to watch until the end of the video, because we also share a few things that
we learned from our trip to Albania as well as travel itinerary suggestions. So let's dive in!
We're Zac and Ine. We make helpful videos about
destinations around the world so you can easily plan your own adventures.
We start our countdown in the center of the country. You can't visit Albania without
exploring its vibrant capital city of Tirana. Whether you like to enjoy the diverse food scène,
explore the museums and surrounding castles, or have a night out at trendy clubs and bars, you
won't get bored in Tirana. Start your journey at Skanderbeg Square, which is Tirana's focal point.
You can learn about the history of the country and city during a free walking tour here.
Bunk'Art 1 is located in the outskirts and is a must-visit if you're interested in Albania's
painful communist past. Find more things to do in this exciting City in our full Tirana video.
Heading south from Tirana, we have the town of Berat. This UNESCO World Heritage Site
is known for its historic architecture combined with beautiful nature scenery.
It's often nicknamed "the town of a thousand windows", because of the Ottoman-era houses
with large windows that overlook the town. One attraction you can't miss is Berat Castle,
a fortress that dates back to Roman times. Within its walls, you'll find ancient Byzantine
churches mixed in with ruins from other time periods. But given its location on the hill,
the castle also offers incredible panoramic views of Barat and its surrounding nature.
Situated between Permët and Berat, the Osumi River Canyon is Albania's very own Grand Canyon.
With walls reaching over 80 meters or 262 feet in some sections,
this is one of the most underrated spots in the country. A milky, turquoise river flows
through the canyon, offering different types of activities during the various seasons.
We were there during summer so had the opportunity to do some canyoning ourselves.
The small town of Permët lies on the Vjosa River in southern Albania. Surrounded by
impressive mountains, canyons, and beautiful countryside, this is one of the best-kept
secrets in the country. The most unique site you can visit here are the nearby Benja Thermal Baths,
which are sulfur springs that emerge from deep tectonic cracks in the Lengarica Canyon. You can
soak in the water here as they're supposed to have healing properties. But the scenic Vjosa Valley,
unique Sopolit waterfall, and lush Fir of Hotova National Park are also worth exploring.
Situated on a hillside in the south of Albania, Gjirokaster is our favorite town in
the entire country. It's a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, distinguished by ancient history,
Ottoman-style architecture, and cobbled streets. And while walking around the old
town is an experience in itself, it's the grand castle that towers over the center
that is the star attraction. Learn all about Gjirokaster during a guided walking tour,
sample the unique local cuisine, or explore the nature around.
Find more details about this magical town in our full Gjirokaster video.
Albania's most popular tourist attractions is the Blue Eye. This natural phenomenon is located in
southern Albania, near the major tourist towns along the Albanian Riviera. From the viewing
platform, you can see the clear turquoise water with oxygen bubbles rising up from a
karst hole with more than 50 meters of depth. But besides observing the event, it's also enjoyable
to walk through the forest and experience the diverse flora and fauna of the area.
Next, we have
Butrint
National Park. This is one of the most important archaeological sites in Albania.
Sitting next to a picturesque lagoon, this UNESCO World Heritage Site dates back to as early as the
12th century BC. It was inhabited by different cultures over time, such as the Greeks, Romans,
and Venetians. Elements of these cultures are visible in the archaeological site today, such
as the Roman Theater, the Venetian castle, and the Great Basilica. You only need two to three hours
to see the entire site so you can easily combine it with a visit to nearby beaches in the area.
You can see that a lot of these buildings are actually quite
intact at this archeological site, such as the Great Basilica right behind me. It was built
in the Venetian period and you can really still see how big it actually is.
The Albanian Riviera is probably the most popular place to visit in Albania and spans over the
districts of Saranda and Vlora in the southwest. The coastline along the Riviera is rugged with
many rocky mountains and unbelievably clear-blue waters. However, keep in mind that many of the
beaches are private and cost money to rent chairs. So if you want peaceful beaches that don't cost
money to visit, this might not be the area for you. If you do visit, the seaside towns you should
stop at include Himara, Dhermi, and Saranda. We spent the majority of our time in Saranda and
you can find a video about the best things to do in and around the area in the description.
Llogara National Park stretches over a mountain range that splits Albania's
Adriatic and Ionian coasts. The park is home to large alpine meadows,
vertical rock faces, and dense forests that are ideal for hiking, biking,
and other outdoor activities. But it's the Llogara Pass that attracts most visitors,
thanks to its steep zigzagging road that offers breathtaking views of the sea and beaches below.
Back towards the Tirana area, we have Dajti Mountain National Park.
It sits about 26 kilometers or 16 miles to the east of Tirana and rises to an elevation of 1613
meters or 5292 feet. It's often considered the "Balcony of Tirana" and the park is best known
for the Dajti Express cable car, which takes you from the outskirts of the city to the mountain.
But the real natural beauty lies deeper in the park. The stunning Lake Bovilla
Villa is surrounded by steep mountains and feels like a true escape from the city.
It's best explored on foot and we highly recommend hiking to Gamti Mountain here.
Another place that is located near Tirana is the picturesque town of Kruja.
This historic town is closely tied to Albania's national hero Skanderbeg, who in the 15th century
defended this area from the Ottoman invasion. This makes Kruja one of the most famous towns in all
of Albania. You can visit the castle and museum to learn all about Skanderbeg. But you can also visit
the bazaar or enjoy amazing panoramic views as the town sits 608 meters or 1994 feet above sea level.
Heading towards the far north of Albania, we have the city of Shkodra. It's one of the oldest cities
in the country and is located on the bank of Shkodra Lake. The main attraction is the
castle of Rozafa, which was supposedly built by Illyrian tribes as early as the 9th century BC.
And even if you're not a history buff, the views from the castle make it well-worth the visit.
So if you're visiting the castle, we recommend coming in the evening if you can, because you
have the place to yourself basically, and you have a beautiful view over the river here at sunset.
Komani Lake is a reservoir on the Drin River in northern Albania. And even though it was created
by humans, it doesn't feel that way. Its emerald waters meander for over 70 kilometers or 43 miles
through the mountains. In some places, it gets very narrow with vertical canyon walls towering
on both sides. It's a place you won't soon forget. The best way to explore this lake is by ferry,
which takes you from the village of Koman to Fierza in about three hours.
From there, you can continue your journey to the Albanian Alps, which brings us to our next place.
About an hour north of Komani Lake, Valbona Valley National Park boasts the most beautiful
natural scenery in all of Albania. Home to jagged mountain peaks and a deep river valley,
this is a mecca for climbing and hiking. There are many hikes in the area,
but our favorite one was Rosi Peak as we could see the mountains of Montenegro from the top.
Many travelers also come here to hike the famous Valbona-Theth Trail, which is a point-to-point
trek that takes you to the Alpine Village of Theth. Learn more about this famous hike,
the Komani Lake Ferry, and other sights in the park in our Albanian Alps video.
Theth National Park lies to the west of Valbona in the center of the Albanian Alps.
It's the most popular alpine region in the country and is easier to access than Valbona,
thanks to its new road. Theth is home to stunning mountain vistas and a variety of
natural attractions that can be explored by foot, such as the Blue Eye and the Grunas Waterfalls.
One of the most photographed sites here is the church, which is located in the town itself.
But if you want to avoid some of the crowds it might be best to look at alternative trails.
You can find up-to-date trail maps at the tourist center in town.
As we promised at the beginning of our video, we'll now share three things that
we learned that will help your own trip around Albania. First, Albania is very mountainous,
which means that many of the places are located on steep hills. So be prepared to walk a lot!
Second, driving around Albania can be challenging and you have to be very careful. Not only because
of road conditions, but also because of the driving behavior of locals at times.
And finally, you need to carry cash at all times as most places don't accept credit cards.
It's best to withdraw cash at Credins Bank as it doesn't charge a fee. We also included a few
itinerary options on the screen here in case you want to use them to guide your own trip.
If you have more time in Albania, it's also worth checking out other destinations that
we didn't mention, such as Durrës, Apollonia, Korça, and Lake Ohrid.
If you're planning your trip to Albania now, organize your adventure with our interactive
travel planner. Find a discount code below. We also included important links that you'll need
for your Albania trip in the description. We'll catch you on the next adventure!