Best Places to Visit in Albania: Fall in Love With Wine, Alps & Beaches

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I just returned from a two-week Albania road trip and I won’t lie to you — this was one of the toughest trips I’ve had to plan in a while.

For such a small country, Albania has so many enticing places to visit. And if you’re like me, during your research you’ll quickly find yourself staring at your screen going, “But there’s not enough time to see it all!” and then you may devolve into an anxious mess (am I the only one who gets like this during trip planning?)

Don’t worry. I’m here to save you hours of frustration and research.

In this guide, I’ll share the best places to visit in Albania based on my actual experience from mountain villages and UNESCO cities to stunning lakes and seaside towns. I’ll also be honest about the popular spots I chose to skip (and why), so you can confidently choose which places to visit for your trip to Albania.

Berat

I’ll start with my favorite place in all of Albania: Berat.

Berat was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008 and lies in a significant wine-growing area of Albania, making it a great base for tasting Albanian wine.

Berat is often called the “City of a Thousand Windows,” though the nickname is actually a mistranslation of its Albanian name, which means “the city of windows one above the other.”

Either way, you’ll definitely notice the windows. In fact, it’s one of the most defining features of Berat.

Everything about this town is incredibly picturesque from tired houses on the slope to the bridges connecting the two sides of the river to the surrounding mountains.

It’s a town that you can just exist in. Do you know what I mean? Just walking through the cobblestoned streets, grabbing a glass of wine at a cafe, eating meals that taste homemade, and petting one of the many friendly stray dogs will make you fall in love with Berat.

There are so many things to do in Berat and I highly recommend you spend at least 2 nights here to enjoy the city. I’d tack on a third if you want to do any surrounding tours.

Tirana

I didn’t know what to expect from Tirana and I was pleasantly surprised. The city is quirky, fun, and brimming with things to do. In fact, we only spent one night here and it was nowhere near enough time. I would absolutely spend longer here on a return visit to Albania.

When we visited there was a pop up food and wine festival in the Skanderbeg Square and we got to taste wines from wineries all around Albania. Right after that we headed to the top of the Tirana pyramid to enjoy the sunset and really get a bird eye view of the city.

What we saw was a mix of Brutalism architecture juxtaposed with youthful, vibrant energy that makes Tirana decidedly unique.

After we made our way down from the pyramid, we enjoyed expertly crafted cocktails at a speakeasy and had one of the best dinners of our entire trip.

It’s clear that Tirana has so much to offer whether you want to wander around and sip and nibble your way through the many cafes or learn about Albania’s history at one of the museums.

Theth

Theth is truly a must visit. You’ll find yourself going “is this place for real?”. A quaint, picturesque village with a dramatic backdrop of the Albanian Alps, you’ll immediately feel in tune with nature and the peaceful vibes this place has. It really is that special.

When trying to plan this trip and researching Theth all I really saw were articles about the famous Theth to Valbone hike and indeed, that is why a lot of people visit Theth.

We opted not to do the hike. The logistics sounded a bit complicated and I wanted to ease into our trip not do a strenuous hike within the first couple of days. I also read way too many mixed reviews on the difficulty and safety of the hike. So, instead, we decided to just visit and enjoy Theth and I can confidently say that this town is worth a spot on your itinerary even if you decide not to hike like we did.

While there isn’t much to do in the town, the real magic of Theth is in the guesthouses with their farm to table food and just being surrounded by the dramatic views. Sure, there are nearby hikes such as to the Blue Eye (not to be confused with the Blue Eye in the South) but Theth exudes this peaceful energy that will make you want to slow down and just enjoy.

I promise you some of the best food you’ll eat in Albania is in Theth and it’s worth a visit for that alone.

Quick note: if you’re planning a trip to Albania in the shoulder or off season months just note that the road to Theth closes whenever there is heavy snow.

Shkodër

A lot of people use Shkodër as a base to visit Theth, Valbone, and Komani Lake but I think this town deserves at least a couple of nights on its own.

Shkodër has multiple pedestrian streets bustling with cafes, restaurants, and little stores. You can easily spend an afternoon just wandering around. Be sure you also stop at Margherita Wine in Shkodër to try various wines from all over Albania.

A short drive outside of the city, you’ll find the Rozafa Castle. Look, I’m not usually a castle person. Typically, I don’t find them that interesting. It’s usually a bunch of big rocks in a ruinous state and after a few minutes I’m kind of over it.

Rozafa Castle blew my mind.

Perched at the top of a hill, the views from the castle are simply stunning. You can see the lake, the rivers, and the mountains. I couldn’t stop taking photos

Shiroka, a town on Shkodra Lake, is also a must visit. You can stroll right along the banks of the lake and soak in the picturesque views.

With a fun city center to explore, lakes, mountains, and more, Shkodër should definitely be on your list.

Komani Lake and Shala River

I’d read that the views on Komani Lake rivaled those of the fjords in Norway, and after seeing them in person, I’d have to agree. The peaceful lake with the jagged mountains in the background is some of the most stunning scenery you’ll find in Albania.

To get there, you’ll first take a two-hour bus from Shkodër to the Komani Ferry Terminal. While you technically can drive yourself, I wouldn’t recommend it because the road is unpaved, narrow, and not for the faint of heart. The bus is inexpensive, easy to arrange through your guesthouse, and saves you the stress of navigating rough terrain.

Once you reach the terminal, hop on a ferry across Komani Lake. This is where the real magic happens. The ride offers sweeping views of dramatic cliffs, mirror-like water, and guesthouses in the distance. The entire journey feels otherworldly and easily ranks among the most beautiful boat rides I’ve ever taken.

You have two main options once you’re on the lake:

Continue all the way to Valbonë if you’re planning to do the famous Valbonë-to-Theth hike.
Or, stop at one of the lakeside or Shala River guesthouses for an overnight stay. We stayed at Riverside, which was basic but comfortable. I personally would opt for another guesthouse if I returned because the vegetarian and vegan food options were extremely limited.

If you’re visiting during the off-season, expect a peaceful, quiet escape. In the summer, however, the nearby Shala River becomes a popular day-trip destination known for its party vibes. Either way, the scenery is absolutely stunning with turquoise water surrounded by soaring peaks.

One final tip: check the weather before you go. Many guesthouses offer refunds if the forecast looks bad, and you’ll want clear skies to fully enjoy the experience. We went on a cold rainy day and while we enjoyed the boat ride across Koman Lake and the views from the guesthouse, there wasn’t much to do in the dreary weather.

Himarë

Oh, how we loved Himarë. The day we drove there was quite the day. We first took an hour ferry from our guesthosue on the Shala River in the pouring icy rain (yes we got soaked) and then a two hours bus back to Shkodër and then had a six hour car drive where we tried to stop for lunch twice and were unsuccessful (that’s a story for a different day).

Needless to say, it wasn’t the greatest day.

But, a couple of hours from Himarë, the weather started to clear up and we had these jaw dropping views of the sea. We knew our luck was turning and it continued to improve as we drove into quaint Himarë.

This seaside town is unbelievably special. When we were planning our trip we knew we wanted to visit the Albanian Riviera. There are so many options for beach towns but in our research Himare consistently came ahead because of how quiet it is but large enough with things to do.

It really delivered. The town is small but cute with stunning beaches right in the center or a quick drive away. The restaurants were fantastic. With its proximity to Greece, you’ll find some wonderful Greek food. In fact, I’ve been to Greece 5+ times and I think the Greek spot we ate at in Himarë was just as delicious as a traditional Taverna in Greece.

The other reason we fell in love with this town? Our hotel, Rea Boutique. It was hands down the best hotel of our entire trip. Our room was right on the water and the balcony fully opened up so we had a complete sea view. The restaurant on site was also excellent with the best wine list in town.

If you want to visit the Albanian Riviera on your trip, Himarë has to be a part of it and you have to stay at the Rea Boutique Hotel. Just trust me.

Popular Spots But Why We Didn’t Visit Them

Valbone

If you’re not doing the Valbone – Theth hike it’s logistically complicated to visit Valbone. From Shkodër you have to take a 2 hour bus then a 2.5 hour ferry and then another bus for 1 hour. If you’re not then hiking over to Theth, you’ll have to do all of that transit just in reverse.

It did look beautiful but we opted to stay on the Shala River so we’d still get a taste of Komani Lake without doing the full ferry.

Between Theth and Valbone, we also chose Theth not just because it’s logistically easier (a 2.5 hour drive or bus ride) but also because it seemed to have a bit more infrastructure with restaurants and such.

Ksamil and Sarande

We also decided not to visit these two cities. In our research, they both looked crowded and commercialized. That being said, since we went in October which is not the peak season, I bet both spots would have been quieter so they may have been worth checking out.

Ultimately, I think it depends on your vibe and what you’re looking for. Himarë checked off all our boxes and I personally only need a few days by the beach before I get antsy so I didn’t feel the need to see multiple beach towns/cities.

I think if you’re visiting in the summer, Ksamil and Sarande are probably a bit chaotic.

The Blue Eye

The Blue Eye is always listed as one of the top things to do in Albania but it just seemed too touristy to me.

That being said, we still intended to visit to see if it lived up to the hype or not but it was a 2 hour drive from Himarë and we were enjoying the town so much we decided to skip the drive.

Girjokaster

Like Berat, Girjkoaster is a UNESCO World Heritage Town and is a popular place to visit. That being said, we only had time to visit either Girjokaster or Berat.

While we heard good things about Girjokaster, I also heard that it was a bit more touristy. When comparing, Berat won out because of the nearby wineries and just overall vibe of the town.

That being said, it does look beautiful and I’ll probably check it out on my next visit.

Picked Where You Want to Go? Here’s What’s Next

I hope by now you’re feeling like “phew, I’m so glad I read this post” and that you’ve got a solid idea of which places in Albania are calling your name.

So… what’s next? Figuring out when to go.

Because here’s the thing — Albania changes a lot with the seasons. Some places are magical in spring, others shine in summer, and a few are best skipped if it’s too hot or too quiet