Albania

Yes, Albania is very nice, and it is less crowded and less expensive than other European destinations! For beaches, you have some nice ones in the south around Sarandë (like Ksamil) but there are also good ones further up the coast. For historical sites, the biggest one is Butrint, a former Roman city, also very close to Sarandë. I know other people on here have also been to Albania so can give additional recommendations.

I've been to Tirana and loved it. Our guide was very pro-American for how we helped them after their dictator fell.

Thank you! How did you find your guide?

Sorry, we went to Tirana on a Gate 1 tour of the Balkans, so didn't have to find ourselves a guide. You might want to look at the Gate 1 tour to see where it stays in Tirana-I really wished we had had time to just hang out at the lovely hotel.

For our Albania trip last year we used Adrian Duqi as our driver who I would highly recommend. He's not a licensed guide but knows a lot about the tourist sights. I sent him our itinerary, then he added additional things for most days.

Adrian Duqi

[email protected]

WhatsApp: +355 69 399 3192

Yes, we took a passenger ferry from Corfu and spent 3 nights in Albania. We took a bus to Gjirokaster for 2 nights, a really neat old castle and town. Old Ottoman-style housing and great food.

Then we stayed in Sarande for one night, it was a quick trip, and we want to go back someday.

I have a local tour contact if you are interested, let me know, and I can private message you the information.

Our Canadian friends went last year for 3 weeks and really loved it.

We are all well-traveled and in our 60's...ish.

This isn’t the easiest tourism. I did it at 63 I guess (?). I am not particularly well-traveled. I am still trying to figure it out. Now I know that TexasTravelMom did a solo of Albania a few years ago. She will chime in, and unlike me, she doesn’t make mistakes.

Not a lot of creature comforts and transportation is hit and miss. I hired a guide with a car for a week. She now owns a small hotel on the coast so not available any longer. I have a couple friends who are only a few years younger than I am who saw my photos and two years ago wanted to see it for themselves. I have an acquaintance that owns a travel agency in Montenegro that set up a tour of about a week for them. Mostly in the north. They were very pleased with it. Had a great time. One of the thrills about going to the north and then heading south is the fastest road is through Kosovo. Everyone wants to say they went to Kosovo. We stopped in one small city, that was lovely.

The Albania that I saw (just one trip of about 8 days) was a wonderful place. Its like three different lands. There is the Albanian Alps, probably my favorite part of the country. Tremendously beautiful country and as the name implies, mountains and mountain rivers (the Valbone) and this incredible ferry ride up the river .... This part is on the border with Montenegro, so you could do Montenegro and the Albanian Alps as a way of testing the water before spending a lot of time in Albania.

Then there is the coast with cities like Vlore, Durres and Sarande. Beautiful beaches and some nice resorts.

Then there is the heart of the country with Tirana, Gjirokaster and Berat. Gjirokaster is a place you will never forget.

But its a fairly large country so seeing it all takes time.

Other countries in Eastern Europe that fit about the same bill for cost and less crowded, and to be honest I enjoyed more (as evidenced by multiple returns) are Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Ukraine. Before the year is over I will have been in 3 of the 4; possibly all 4 for repeat visits ... again. If I ever do get to Albania again it will be the Alps again and as a few days out of Montenegro.

Sorry, I rambled a little.

If you haven't already, do a search for other posts that contain good information on Albania.

Another historic site beside Butrint is Appolonia.

Besides Girojkaster, Berat is also on the tourist trail.

Close to Sarande, Ksamil is a popular beach town.

Does anyone have experience with the ferries to Italy to/from Vlore or Durre? Or to ferries from Vlore to Corfu? Also, any experience with long-stay (one to three month) rental apartments in Vlore? We're considering a trip to check out Albania in early 2028.

ferries to Italy to/from Vlore or Durre?

I took a night ferry from Ancona to Durre a few years back. I was only 69 at that time, and it felt quite luxurous to me: Nice cabin, nice restaurant, good food.

I had a rude surprise when my phone data stopped, because I hadn't checked if my plan covered Albania. I did NOT. It cost me about USD 200 before I found a place where I could buy a local sim card. Next time I will buy one the moment I leave the ferry.

I had a problem finding transportation to Tirana. Found a bus to a transport hub outside Tirana and a taxi to the centre. I think there was a bus, but since I didn't have data service on my phone I couldn't find my way to my hotel.

We've taken the ferry from Corfu to Sarandë and back- it was very easy. When you go from Corfu to Sarandë you actually arrive before you left as there is a one hour time difference and the ferry is less than an hour. We then rented a car and drove to Vlorë (there is a beautiful drive thru the mountains, or you can take the motorway).