Why Albania is the best destination for adventurous holidaymakers
With visitor numbers up by 15.2% to 11.7 million from 2023 to 2024^ and more tour operators and holiday companies offering escapes of all shapes and sizes, Albania is well and truly the target of travellers.
Lured by stunning mountain landscapes, pristine white-sand beaches and layers of history, there's plenty to see and do, especially for the adventurous. Whether you head for the national parks and lakes of the north or the UNESCO towns and white sand beaches of the south, there's something for every type of traveller in Albania.
Getting to Albania: book an expert-led trip to Albania with Wild Frontiers*, which offers small group and private, tailormade tours to the country and wider region.
Find history & culture in Tirana
Downtown Tirana is a burgeoning cosmopolitan European city. At its epicentre is Skanderbeg Square. Flanked by looming communist edifices, it's a lively and sprawling focal point for festivals, live music and events.
The National Historical Museum, with its epic mosaic The Albanian, is a well-preserved memorial to the recent communist past. Displays inside offer a comprehensive grounding in Albanian history, although only exhibits on the ground floor have English captions.
Discover more about Albania* under its own brand of communist rule at the central Bunk'Art museum, one of two housed in former Cold War-era bunkers that tell the story of this sobering period of recent history through photos and personal, audio-visual stories.
For the best city views, climb the renovated Pyramid of Tirana. Originally built to honour former communist leader Enver Hoxha, the concrete and glass structure was redesigned by Dutch architecture studio MVRDV and reopened as a multi-purpose education centre in 2023.
From here you'll also spot colourful murals adorning many edifices of the city (brainchild of former mayor, now Prime Minister Edi Rama) and nearby mountain peaks, including Mount Dajti, which can be reached by a short bus ride and a cable car.
For a slice of modern Tirana, head to hip and vibrant Blloku district, west of the city centre, with trendy bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Go birdwatching at Karavasta
Divjakë Karavasta National Park is a RAMSAR wetland site comprising windswept dunes on Adriatic beaches and a wildlife-rich 42 km-square lagoon.
It's a prime nesting spot for the Dalmatian pelican (IUCN-listed as near-threatened) and thanks to conservation efforts, numbers are rising. Resident flamingos, egrets, kingfishers, terns and more are easier to spot. Book a small boat tour through the many waterways around the lagoon.
You can also explore the area by bike or book an early morning tour in one of the electric-powered safari-style vehicles.
Try cave swimming
This once-upon-a-time capital and now Albania's third largest city, Vlorë retains a grandeur and city buzz. But the real draw here is the shimmering seas - seas, plural because it marks the point where the Ionian and Adriatic meet.
The Bay of Vlorë is protected by a jagged strip of land creating a natural harbour. With calm waters, it's ideal for boat trips and you can stop off on secluded beaches or even take a dip in the cooling waters in Haxhi Ali Cave on the further reaches of the bay.
There's seafood aplenty on offer here: buy it straight from the fishermen's cooperative at Qendra e Peshkimit and the restaurant next door will cook it for you.
Cruise dramatic Lake Komani
With its placid, electric green waters and impossibly steep-sided valleys, Lake Komani is one of the most jaw-dropping scenic spots in the country.
Far from a natural phenomenon, it was created in the 1980s when the River Drin was dammed for a hydroelectric power station. Several daily ferries, as well as private tour boats, set off from the haphazard port by the dam on the two-and-a-half-hour journey to Fierza.
Stay in one of the hotels and guesthouses built on the hillside and explore further by kayak at your own pace or take a dip in the clear waters, icy cold even in the summer months.
For beach vibes with mountain views, head to Shala River at the shingle's edge of one of the River Drin's tributaries.
Hike in the Albanian Alps
Also known as the Accursed Mountains, the Albanian Alps, in the north near the Montenegro and Kosovan borders, are every bit (if not more) awe-inducing as their Italian namesake.
This wild and jagged landscape is where lynx, chamois, wolf and deer roam among the peaks and valleys and, if you're keen-eyed, you might spot a golden eagle or buzzards swirling overhead.
The most popular hike is the 17.6 km route between Theth, over the mountain pass to Valbona. You can do it in either direction and, despite its popularity, it still feels very remote.
Many guesthouses in the nearest main town of Shkodra will book your transport and transfers, which often includes a night in either Theth or Valbona.
Be dazzled by Berat
Berat is a UNESCO-designated hilltop citadel and castle, with narrow streets, well-preserved ramparts and far-reaching views across the Tomorri Mountains.
Meaning 'White City' in old Slavonic, Berat is also known as the city of a thousand windows. Feel the layers of history unfurl as you walk among the higgledy piggledy streets.
You'll find Byzantine-era churches with exquisitely preserved frescoes, including the 13th-century Church of St Mary of Blaherna, as well as mosques, like the Sultan's Mosque, dating from around 1500.
Many frescoes were created by Albania's most renowned fresco painter, Onufri, and there's a museum dedicated to his life and work.
Dine with a local family
Albanians are fiercely welcoming and a shared meal is not to be missed. Some recipes are variations on dishes popular throughout the region: perime në zegarë (grilled vegetables), byrek (filo pastry filled with cheese, meat, vegetables or combinations of all three), quofte (grilled minced meat mixed with spices), dolma japrak (stuffed vine leaves).
While others are distinctly Albanian: tavë kosi is a lunchtime favourite consisting of lamb baked in yoghurt; fasule, a cheap and hearty dish made from white beans and tomatoes, and fërgesë is a stew made from tomato sauce, cottage cheese, green peppers and garlic. Don't miss any-time-of-day snack, petulla, a moreish fried dough concoction.
Climate in Albania
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum daytime temperature °C |  11 |
 12 |
 15 |
 18 |
 23 |
 27 |
 30 |
30 |
27 |
21 |
16 |
12 |
| Hours of sunshine (daily) | ||||||||||||
| Days with some rainfall |  13 |
 12 |
13 |
13 |
 9 |
8 |
 5 |
5 |
7 |
9 |
13 |
14 |
The above guide shows the climate in Tirana. Find out more about conditions across the country in our complete guide to the climate in Albania.
Ready to experience Albania? Find affordable group and tailormade tours with the experts at Wild Frontiers.
^ According to Albania's Ministry of Tourism.
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