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Planning an Albania road trip? From the beaches of Vlore to the mountains of Permet, this is my road trip itinerary with where to stop along the way.
I’ve just come back from an epic road trip through Albania, and I had such an amazing time. Let me tell you this now – if you’re umming and ahhing about Albania and whether it’s right for you, it is. Book it now and you won’t regret it.
When we were planning our next holiday, it was a toss-up between Greece, Italy and Spain. But then I said, “What about Albania? It’s like Greece, but at a fraction of the cost.”
It was only when Chloe started researching the best things to do in Albania that she realised how beautiful the country was. Once she saw the beaches of Ksamil and the mountains of Permet, she was completely sold.
On this trip, we really wanted to see the best of the south, so we picked up our car and drove to places like Vlore, Himare, Saranda and Ksamil. However, we didn’t just want beach time; we also wanted to see more of the country.
Places like Berat and Gjirokaster are already really popular. We wanted somewhere off the beaten track, so we added Permet to our road trip. This is an authentic town tucked away in a valley, and the surrounding scenery is absolutely stunning.
If you’re thinking of an Albanian road trip, then this is the guide for you. In it, I’ll tell you where we went, where we stayed, and some of the top things to do along the way. I’ll also go into what it’s really like driving in Albania (though I will write a separate guide to that too!). As I said, book the trip – you won’t regret it.
Choosing between north vs south
I know Albania is being billed as one of the next up-and-coming destinations in Europe. It’s one of those “visit now before it changes” places. Well, this was actually my second visit to Albania. I came here 12 years ago, and I can tell you it has changed a lot! I can see why everyone is buzzing about travelling here now.
On my last trip to Albania, I only made it up north as far as Shkoder. On this trip, I was desperate to explore Theth and the Albanian Alps. But as Chloe pointed out, with two little ones, hiking wasn’t exactly on the cards.
That’s why we chose the south. It’s much more family-friendly, and skirting the coast from Vlore to Ksamil, stopping off at beach towns along the way, is the perfect road trip in my eyes.
Here’s a little table highlighting the pros and cons of the north vs the south.
| North | South | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Hiking, mountain scenery and off-grid adventure | Beaches, history and a relaxed road trip |
| Top highlights | Theth, Valbona, Lake Komani, Shkoder | Vlore, the Riviera, Ksamil, Butrint, the Blue Eye, Gjirokaster, Permet |
| Scenery | Dramatic peaks and remote valleys in the Albanian Alps | Turquoise coastline, lagoons and rugged mountain passes |
| Hiking | World-class, including the classic Valbona to Theth trek | Shorter walks, like Lengarica Canyon, that work for families |
| Beaches | Very few – it’s all about the mountains | Plenty, from lively beach clubs to quiet coves |
| Driving | Winding mountain roads, and some routes are easier without a car | Mostly straightforward, with short distances between bases |
| Family friendly? | Tougher with little ones – lots of hiking and long travel days | Very – short drives, beaches and easy days out |
| Best time to visit | June to September, when the mountain trails are snow-free | May to October, with summer best for swimming |
| Pros | Wild, remote and seriously adventurous | Easy, varied, and great for food and beaches |
| Cons | Short season and hard going for little legs | Busy and pricier in July and August |
Map of Albania
Feeling inspired? Now for the practical bits. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your own Albanian road trip, from getting there and getting around to the best time to visit. I’ve also thrown in a few lessons we learned along the way, so you can hit the road with confidence.
8 days in Albania
We squeezed a lot into this trip. That’s just the way we like travelling. Some people might want to swap Permet for Gjirokaster or Berat and save some driving time. I completely get it. I’ve been to both places before, and they are awesome. As I said, though, we wanted to go somewhere different on this trip, hence Permet.
On this itinerary, we stayed 2 nights in Vlore, 3 nights in Saranda and 2 nights in Permet. As we were travelling out of season in October, we knew places like Himare and Ksamil would be a lot quieter, so we based ourselves in the bigger towns. That way, we could explore the surrounding area more easily.
Day 1: Drive to Vlore
Our flight landed in Tirana at 2pm, so it was a toss-up between staying in Tirana for the night, staying in Durres on the coast 30 minutes away, or doing the big drive to Vlore straight away.
In the end, we decided to drive to Vlore to get it out of the way. Even though the kids were knackered, we wanted to wake up the next morning and start our adventure rather than do more driving.
The drive to Vlore took approximately 2h 20m, so it made for a very long travel day, but we thought it was worth it. It felt sooooo good to finally be in Vlore!
Once we got to Vlore, we checked into our apartment, dumped our bags and went out for dinner. Dinner was great – just some local dishes and a couple of beers, and then we all went straight to bed.
Stay – Sea View Apartment
One of the things I was really impressed with in Albania was the standard of the accommodation and how cheap it was. We stayed at Sea View Apartment, and it was lovely. It was a very spacious 2-bedroom apartment with lovely views overlooking the beach and the coastline. The best bit? It was only £75 for two nights! That’s ridiculously cheap for what you’re getting.
Day 2: Explore Vlore – St Mary’s Monastery & Old Town
Right, now it’s time to really start our Albania adventure. The first place we headed to was St Mary’s Monastery. Located on picturesque Zvërnec Island, the monastery dates back to between the 11th and 14th centuries. There’s a charming wooden walkway over to the monastery, which our boy loved.
As you’d expect, it’s a really peaceful place to visit. The monastery building itself is very ornate, but I really enjoyed the views of the surrounding lagoon. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled, because there are flamingos in the lagoon too. We were lucky and saw a pair off in the distance, so they definitely do feed in the lagoon.
Driving to St Mary’s Monastery took around 20 minutes. There is plenty of parking in the car park. We spent about an hour there.
After the monastery, we headed back into Vlore. The Lungomare is the main stretch of coast, and it’s lined with bars, cafes and restaurants. If you’re looking for some beach time, then this is it. There are loads of beach clubs to choose from too – most of them were closed as we visited out of season, but some of them looked quality. One place that was open was Ammos Lounge, and the views were gorgeous. It was such a beautiful spot for a coffee or a cocktail.
After we walked around the Lungomare, we headed up to Vlore Old Town. We had our car, so it was a 10-minute drive. Otherwise, it would’ve been a 1-hour walk.
The Old Town of Vlore is surprisingly small, but it’s still well worth seeing. The heart of it is one main pedestrianised street, Justin Godart Street, which has been turned into a pleasant traffic-free stretch lined with cafes, restaurants and gift shops. It’s been nicely restored, with cobbled streets and traditional Ottoman-era buildings, and the colourful facades make it a lovely spot for a slow wander.
The street leads you straight out onto Flag Square, home to the Independence Monument. This is a big deal for Albanians, as the monument marks the country’s declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912 – and Vlore is where it all happened. The statue itself dates from 1972 and is a classic example of the socialist-realist style, so expect big, bold, heroic figures. It’s genuinely impressive up close and makes a great photo stop.
Then, just around the corner from the monument, you’ll find something much older. These are the remains of the walls of the ancient city of Aulon, dating back to the 5th or 6th century BC. There isn’t a huge amount left to see, but it’s a great reminder that Vlore’s history goes back a lot further than 1912. It only takes a few minutes to have a look, so it’s well worth tacking on while you’re there.
Day 3: Drive to Saranda – Stop at Dhermi or Himare for lunch
The next morning, we continued our Albanian road trip south. The drive from Vlore to Saranda is about 2h 30m, so we wanted to break up the drive by stopping off for lunch along the way. We actually visited both Dhermi and Himare. Dhermi is a cute beachside town. It’s very small, but it was lovely stopping there for a coffee.
We then continued on to Himare. Now, this place was everything I’d expect from the Albanian Riviera. Beautiful bright blue waters, waves gently lapping on the rocky beach, and people lazing in cafes watching the world go by. It’s the Albania I remembered from 12 years ago, and it hadn’t changed.
We had a delicious lunch at Enigma Restaurant, and the food was lovely. We had a big feast of yoghurt dip, baked cheese and grilled vegetables. Everything was great.
From Himare, we continued our drive on to Saranda. We arrived in the late afternoon, so after checking into our apartment, we headed down to the promenade for ice cream and cocktails. You can’t beat a sunset cocktail after a long drive, can you? It really helps you relax. We found the cheapest cocktails at the small bar infront of Jericho Coctail Bar, and they were great. Cocktails for us, ice cream for the kids. Perfect.
Saranda is a really big town, so there are plenty of restaurants to choose from, depending on what you fancy.
Stay – Limani Luxury Apartments
We stayed at Limani Luxury Apartments, another stunning 2-bedroom apartment overlooking the beach. Again, this place was huge, with plenty of self-catering facilities. It’s also just a short walk to the main promenade. At £84 a night, it was our most expensive apartment, but we really liked it here. We spent ages finding somewhere like this, so we felt it was one of the best apartments around for the price.
Day 4: Explore Saranda – Boat trip & Lekursi Castle
Right, it’s time to explore Saranda and the surrounding area. A boat trip along the coast is the most popular thing to do in Saranda. The coastline is packed with hidden beaches and sea caves that you can only really reach by water, and a boat trip stops at spots like Turtle Cave, Anchor Cave and Kakome, with time to swim and snorkel along the way.
That said, we gave it a miss this time. With little ones in tow, five hours on a boat didn’t feel like the most relaxing option. It’s worth knowing that the tour isn’t suitable for babies under one, and buggies aren’t allowed on board either. If you’re travelling without kids, or yours are a bit older, it’s well worth booking.
Instead, we spent the day at a beach club, which was the perfect alternative for us. After a few long days travelling around, we felt like a lazy day was what we needed.
In the evening, we headed up to Lekursi Castle for sunset. It’s only about a 10-minute drive uphill from the centre of Saranda, and honestly, it was gorgeous. The castle was built in 1537 by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and from the old towers you can look down over Saranda’s bay, south to the Ksamil islands and Butrint, and across the water to Corfu.
This is one of those Instagram spots that’s actually well worth the hype. There was plenty of parking up there, and drinks were reasonably priced. Even though there’s a restaurant, I’d read that the food isn’t the best, so we just stayed for a drink.
We ate at Marea Restaurant for pizza, and it was awesome. Pizza is always such a family favourite, isn’t it? Well, this was as good as anything you’d get in Italy. Can’t recommend it enough.
Day 5: Explore Saranda – Butrint National Park & Ksamil
This was probably my favourite day of our trip. Just to the south of Saranda and near the Greek border is Butrint National Park. Butrint (or Buthrotum) was an ancient Greek, then Roman, city that was very prominent between the 3rd century BC and the 3rd century AD. Julius Caesar even visited in 48 BC, so it was a popular city. In 1992, it became Albania’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it was made a national park in 2000.
This is the type of place you have to explore slowly. The ruins are spread out among the trees beside Lake Butrint, a salt lagoon, so it’s a lovely place to explore on foot. Highlights include the ancient theatre, the Roman baths, the Great Basilica and the baptistery. Our son loved the theatre and climbing up all the steps.
I’d recommend finishing at the Venetian castle on the hill, which houses a small museum and has great views back over the site. The museum is mind-blowing. It’s very hard to believe that the statues are over 2,000 years old – they’re so well preserved, and the artistry is flawless. This was my second visit to Butrint, and I loved it even more this time around. You can read all about Butrint in my guide here.
From Butrint, Ksamil is just a 10-minute drive back up the coast. Now, Ksamil has been branded by the Albanians as the “Maldives of Europe”. With little islands and pristine white sandy beaches, it’s easy to see why. Saying that, it’s nothing like the Maldives, because all of the beaches are man-made! It’s very much a tourist gimmick, but it’s still one of the best beach spots in Albania.
Ksamil is a beach town that’s really up and coming. Everyone seems to be talking about it at the moment. It’s a mix of bougie beach clubs and lazy bars. It’s a bit like Tulum, with Instagrammable sculptures and hammocks floating above the water.
Now, there’s a massive caveat here. We visited Ksamil out of season, so everything was basically shut. Luckily, one place was open – Bar Restaurant Tre Ishujt. We had a really delicious lunch there and then spent the afternoon on the beach playing in the sand.
I can imagine Ksamil is absolutely packed during high season. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular, and I would’ve loved to see it in high season.
Day 6: Drive to Permet – Visit the Blue Eye & the rock of Permet
Today, we said goodbye to the coast and headed inland to Permet. It’s around 113km and roughly a two-hour drive, but it’s well worth breaking up with a stop at the Blue Eye on the way. This is a place that everyone raves about.
The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) is one of Albania’s most famous natural sights. It’s a karst spring where water bubbles up from deep underground, creating a vivid pool of blue surrounded by green. Around 6,000 litres of water gush out every second, and it stays at a chilly 10°C all year round. It’s definitely one of the prettiest places I’ve visited in Albania.
To get there, take the old SH99 road out of Saranda towards Muzinë, which also lets you carry on towards Gjirokaster afterwards. From the car park, it’s around a 2km walk to the spring. Alternatively, there’s a little train for 600 lek (return), which the kids absolutely loved – and they travelled for free. Entry to the Blue Eye is 50 lek per person, and parking is an extra 300 lek per car. Just note that swimming isn’t allowed, as it’s a protected area. Please don’t go swimming here. I’ve seen plenty of videos saying you can swim in the Blue Eye, but you can’t any more, so don’t try.
From there, we headed on to Permet. The section of road through the mountains was very winding, and we even came to a standstill when a flock of sheep was being herded down the road, but it’s a stunning drive. Once you cut through the mountains to the SH4, the road becomes much easier to drive. If you’re looking for a place to stop along the way, I can’t recommend Ruci Restaurant enough. This was probably the best meal of our trip. The food, the restaurant, the views – all great. Definitely worth adding to the map.
After another hour, we arrived in Permet, a small town on the banks of the Vjosa, often called Europe’s last wild river. I really liked Permet, and it’s so different to the Albanian Riviera. This is exactly what we wanted from our road trip – to mix the coast with the mountains.
Its most famous landmark is Guri i Qytetit, or the City Stone, a huge 42-metre rock right by the river. It’s listed as both a cultural and natural monument, and you can still find the ruins of old stone walls up top. I climbed the 160 or so steps to the summit for some brilliant views over the Vjosa valley. Hopefully the photos do it justice. It’s the perfect way to stretch your legs after a day in the car!
Stay – Noméa: Modern Accommodations Permet
Accommodation in Permet was pretty thin on the ground, so we stayed at Noméa. This was a nice 2-bedroom apartment that was very spacious. The only problem was that it was on the edge of town, down a very dark dirt track, so we had to drive into town each night. We were hoping it would be walkable, but with the kids, it wasn’t. Saying that, we still enjoyed staying there and appreciated the space, as always.
Day 7: Explore Permet – Benja Thermal Springs & Lengarica Canyon
Now, this was another day on our road trip that I absolutely loved. One of the reasons people visit Permet is the Vjosa River. The river has carved its way through the mountains, and the whole area surrounding Permet is just stunning. They’re some of the best views I’ve come across in Albania. Hopefully my photos can do them justice.
The top attraction nearby is Benja Thermal Springs. These are natural hot springs in an unbelievable location. Hidden away near Lengarica Canyon, you’ll find these hot springs beside an old Ottoman bridge spanning the river. You can’t find a more beautiful place for hot springs.
The hot springs themselves aren’t very hot – they’re more like warm springs. The temperature is around 28°C, so warmer than the air temperature, but you’re not going to overheat in them.
We arrived early in the morning, parked our car (200 lek per car) and walked the 15 minutes to the hot springs. There are some basic cabins to get changed in. It looks like there’s a lot of development happening here, with proper changing rooms and toilets being installed. I suspect that by summer 2027, it will be a ticketed experience. Anyway, we rocked up as a family of 4 and spent a good couple of hours relaxing in all the different hot springs. There are 3 main ones by the bridge, then another 3 further into the canyon on the other side of the bridge. This is quite a big place, so I’ll write a separate guide to it.
Right behind the springs is Lengarica Canyon. It’s roughly 4km long, with rock walls rising over 100 metres, and it’s been declared a natural monument. Walk past the bridge into the canyon and you’ll hit one of the most scenic spots within 10 to 15 minutes. In summer, when the water is low, you can even walk the whole length of the canyon along the riverbed, which takes around two hours.
I walked in as far as I could, but eventually the water got too high, and I didn’t have water shoes. It was a great spot, though, and it’s well worth trekking into the canyon itself.
Back in Permet, a place I’d recommend for dinner is Trifilia. Their whole ethos revolves around slow food. It’s Albanian classics, just cooked really well. We had the lamb chops one night, and our 3-year-old basically devoured the lot. You can’t get a much better review than that!
Day 8: Drive to Tirana
Sadly, it was time to start heading north. The drive from Permet to Tirana is around 232km and takes just under four hours without stops, going via Tepelenë and Fier. It’s a long day in the car, but there are some good places to break it up.
The first stretch follows the Vjosa River through the Këlcyrë Gorge, and it’s a really scenic bit of road. The river has carved its way through the mountains here, and you can spot springs bubbling up along the riverbank, including the Black Water of Këlcyrë (Uji i Zi), where spring water pours into the Vjosa and creates all sorts of colours. We broke up the drive with a coffee at Bar Restorant Te Ura, and it was a great stop. Just what we needed before the long run north.
Next up is Tepelenë, the hometown of Ali Pasha, one of the most powerful figures in Albanian and Balkan history. His castle sits on the northern side of town and was rebuilt in 1819 under his supervision. It’s worth a quick stop to stretch your legs. Fun fact: Lord Byron visited Tepelenë in 1809 and wrote about the hospitality he received there. From there, the roads get quicker as you head north past Fier and on towards Tirana.
How you finish your trip really depends on your flight home. Hopefully you can get an evening flight and head straight to the airport. If you’re flying the next day, staying in Durres is a good shout. It’s only around 30 to 40 minutes from Tirana Airport, and with its Roman amphitheatre, long sandy beaches and seafood restaurants, it’s a lovely spot for one last evening by the sea.
Planning a trip to Albania
Getting to Albania
Most people fly into Tirana International Airport, which is where we started our road trip. From the UK, Wizz Air, Ryanair and British Airways all fly direct from London, and the flight takes around three hours.
You might have heard about the new airport in Vlore. It’s been built, but at the time of writing, it still has no scheduled commercial flights, so Tirana is your best bet for now.
Another option is to fly into Corfu and catch the ferry across to Saranda. The fast ferry takes around 30 minutes, so it’s a great choice if you’re focusing on the south. We actually looked at this option ourselves, but flights into Corfu were a lot more expensive, so bear that in mind.
Getting around Albania
I’ll be writing a separate article all about getting around Albania, but here’s the short version: hiring a car is the best way to do a road trip like this. It gives you the freedom to stop wherever you like, and you can reach places like the Blue Eye and Benja Thermal Springs without relying on tours. I hired a car with Discover Cars, and they were brilliant as usual. It only cost £55 for 8 days car hire. I told you Albania was cheap!
Now, I was warned A LOT about the driving in Albania. It was almost the first thing people talked to me about. Honestly, I found the driving okay. There were only a couple of occasions where we came across some crazy Albanian drivers, but if you keep out of their way, it’s fine.
As you’d expect, some of the mountain roads are super winding, but I just took everything slowly. It was only driving on the motorways around Tirana that I didn’t really like.
When to visit Albania
Okay, so caveat time again. We visited towards the end of October, just as the tourist season was coming to an end. Even though the weather was lovely (I was mainly in shorts and a T-shirt), a lot of tourist attractions and beach clubs had already wound down. The upside is that you’ll have the main sights far more to yourself.
I would say the best time to visit Albania is during the shoulder seasons of May to June and September to October. You’ll get milder temperatures and fewer crowds than in the height of summer.
July and August are peak season, with busy beaches and higher prices. Temperatures regularly climb above 30°C. If a beach holiday is your main focus, though, summer is when the sea is at its best. Swimming is usually possible from May through to early October.
Winter is low season, with cold, damp weather and some mountain passes closed. If you’re driving between 1 November and 30 April, you’re also required to carry snow chains, so check your hire car comes with them.
As always, I’m here to help, so if you have any questions at all, let me know in the comments below and I’ll try and help out!
