Albania Travel Guide - The Holistic Backpacker

Albania is one of my favourite travel destinations. The low costs, unspoiled nature, ancient cities, rich history, and delicious food make Albania a backpacker’s paradise – one of the best countries in Europe to backpack, in my opinion.

Main Points of Interest

Albania locals are some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met and they’re so excited to share their beautiful beaches, mountains, and history with visitors. I backpacked Albania for 1.5 months as a solo female and never felt unsafe when walking alone at night or hitchhiking by myself. Contrary to popular belief, Albania is a very safe country to backpack.

Currently there’s little tourism in Albania and domestic travel costs are low when it comes to food, accommodations, and activities. This will change in the near future though as Albania is the next Croatia.

Book your backpacking trip to Albania sooner than later!

Advice for backpacking Albania.

Albania Backpacker Itineraries

These Albania backpacker itineraries are full of my favourite things to see and do in Albania complete with lodging recommendations, transportation info, and packing tips.

Here are my know-before-you-go travel tips for Albania.

I week SOUTH albania backpacker itinerary

1 Week Southern Albania Itinerary

I week NORTH Albania backpacker itinerary

1 Week Northern Albania Itinerary

2 Week Albania Itinerary

1 Month Albania Backpacker Itinerary

200+ Pin Albania Map

Don’t feel like scrolling through blog posts trying to find things to do in Albania?

Then my Albania map is for you!

Get my 200+ recommendations for hiking trails, beaches, activities, ancient cities, and must-see spots all in one place.

One click and everything is saved to your Google Maps app – a digital tour guide that fits in your pocket.

DOWNLOAD MAP

Must Read Albania Blogs

If you’re planning to travel or backpack Albania, these blog posts outline the best places to add to your itinerary and unique activities to explore.

My Albania Backpacker Guide lists everything you need to know to plan a successful Albania backpacking trip including typical costs, public transportation info, dress code info and packing tips, best time of year to visit, and more.

17 Best Places in Albania

30+ Best Things to do in Albania

Backpacker’s Guide to Albania

Best Places in Albania

Whether you’re looking for a beach getaway, historic ancient cities, or epic destinations for hiking & adventure – these are the best places to add to your Albania itinerary.

Where to Stay in Albania

Best Albania Hostels for Backpackers

If you’re backpacking Albania be sure to take advantage of the amazing hostel system here.

Albania’s hostels are cheap, offer amazing amenities, and delicious free breakfast.

Find my top recommended hostels around the country in the post linked above.

Albania’s Best Luxury Hotels

If you’re looking for an upscale travel experience, the blog linked above outlines the best luxury hotels per city around Albania.

Albania is a great country to “treat yourself” as luxury establishments and services cost a fraction of what they would cost elsewhere in Europe.

Popular Albania Tours

From Berat: 4×4 tour: Mount Tomorr & Sotira Waterfall | Bogove Waterfall & Osumi Canyon | Osumi Canyon Rafting

From Gjirokaster: Vjosa River Rafting

From Permet: Benja Hot Springs & Lengarica Canyon | Horseback Riding

From Tirana: Gamti Mountain & Bovilla Lake Hiking Tour | Bike Tour | Traditional Cooking Class | Zipline

From Tirana or Shkoder: Day trip to the Blue Eye & Grunas Waterfall | Shala River Day Trip

From Vlora: Boat tour to Haxhi Ali Cave & Sazan Island – Karaburun | Snorkelling

From Saranda/Ksamil: Paddle boarding the Islands | Butrint, Ksamil, Blue Eye, Lekuresi Castle – 1 Day | Day Trip to Gjirokaster | Catamaran to Korez & Kokomo Beach

UNIQUE: Multi-day hiking tour: Peaks of the Balkans

You can find more Albania tours I recommend here

MORE UNIQUE ALBANIA TOURS

Best Things to do in Albania

From hiking to beach hopping, to cobblestone streets, to boat trips, to delicious food and castles – these are the best things to do in Albania. I personally did almost everything mentioned below when I backpacked Albania, so I can 100% confirm these recommendations are honest and worth-while.

Go Hiking in Albania

Did you know the north of Albania lies within the Accursed Mountains with peaks soaring well above 2,000m? Or that 75% of Albania is covered in mountains?

Hiking in Albania - best trails for backpackers

Albania is a GREAT destination for hiking. There are trails all over the country, however my favourite spot to go hiking is in the Albanian Alps. Here’s my hiker’s guide to the Albania Alps which gives you a complete overview of the region and how to plan a trip. If you’re looking for itineraries for the national parks in the alps, here they are for both Theth and Valbona.

This post outlines 10+ hikes in Albania that are worth doing. The following are hikes that are easily accessible to those backpacking Albania using public transit or with a guided tour:

Valbona-Theth – this is the most famous hike in Albania connecting Theth and Valbona. It’s the only way to see both parks without backpacking to Shkoder.
Maja Rosit – is the most beautiful hike in Albania, located in Valbona.
Maja e Tujanit – is a great summit hike in Tirana which overlooks Dajti National Park.
Gamti Mountain – is located in Dajti National Park and overlooks the beautiful Bovilla Lake.
Blue Eye of Theth & Grunas Waterfall – this 1 day trip from Tirana and/or Shkoder brings you to both the Blue Eye of Theth and the Grunas Waterfall without the need to stay overnight in the village. This tour is great if you’re short on time, but still want to visit the alps.

Explore Albania’s Canyons

Albania has many canyons to explore. A few popular ones are:

Lengarica Canyon – is located near Permet. The entrance of the canyon is by the Benja Hot Springs which are said to have healing powers. The canyon is difficult to access without a car so a guided tour is recommended.

Osumi Canyon – is known as the “Grand Canyon of Albania” and is accessed from Gjirokaster. This guided tour encompasses canyoning, swimming, beautiful viewpoints, cliff jumping, and a trip to the Bogove Waterfall.

Gjipe Canyon – is accessed from Gjipe beach. Getting through the canyon requires difficult scrambling – its recommended to go with a local guide.

Visit the Thailand of Albania

Komani Lake is known as the “Thailand of Albania.” The turquoise water surrounded by towering, uniquely shaped rock formations feels lakes landscape not native to Europe.

Komani Lake is an essential mode of transportation if you’re hoping to get from Shkoder to Valbona or vice versa. More or less, if you plan to hike through the Albanian Alps you will 100% take a ferry across this lake. You can find more information about the ferry in my Albanian Alps guide.

I recommend detouring from Komani Lake and spending 1 night on the Shala River before or after your trip to Valbona. The Shala River is a small beachside area full of locally run guesthouses tucked back in the mountains next to a river of crystal-clear blue water coming from the mountains. It’s magical.

More information about the Shala River can be found in my

SHALA RIVER GUIDE

Hit the Albanian Riviera

The Albanian Riviera is the southwestern stretch of 200km coastline that runs along the Ionian Sea from the town of Vlorë to the town of Ksamil, which borders Greece. The Riviera is the main area backpackers in Albania flock to.

There are TONS of beaches to explore in this area and a few small beach towns that are worth a visit too. The following are my top-pick beach towns and corresponding activities in the area:

Himara is easily the most relaxed beach town in Albania. There’s a hidden beach you can hike to, great kayaking opportunities along the coast, and a castle. You can also rent a scooter and drive up the Llogara Pass standing at 1,043m. I spent 1 week in Himara when I backpacked Albania and never got bored.

Saranda & Ksamil are touristy areas but boast some of the bluest water, a great backpacker scene, and plenty of things to do like the Blue Eye of Saranda, Butrint National Park, a castle, and a variety of clubs and restaurants.

Vlora is near the northern tip of the Riviera and is often overlooked by backpackers in Albania. There’s however a huge stretch of beach here, a great seaside area lined with restaurants, and an epic boat trip to nearby caves and an old military base on the Karaburun Peninsula.

Visit Albania’s Ancient Cities

Albania’s ancient cities are old towns filled to the brim with historic buildings, cobblestone streets, and interesting stories.

Shkoder is known as Albania’s official ancient city. Although nothing really seemed old to me here, there’s an amazing biking culture, great patio scene, and this city acts as the gateway to the Albanian Alps.

Gjirokaster is known as Albania’s Stone City. The old centre of town is entirely cobblestone streets and original buildings made of stone. There’s a large, colourful bazaar here filled with local artisan goodies: rugs, tableware, jewelry, etc.

Berat is known As the City of a Thousand Windows. There are two old quarters here and an impressive castle. Nearby you’ll find plenty of nature too like Osumi Canyon and the Sotira Waterfall.

Things to do for backpackers in Albania.

Explore Albania’s History & Local Culture

Come hungry – Albania’s food scene is full of Mediterranean flavours and it’s priced very affordably making eating out accessible for backpackers in Albania.

My favourite local dishes were byrek (phyllo pie with different fillings), qifqi (rice balls), sarma (stuffed grape leaves), petulla (fried dough), qahi (tiny spinach pies), and baklava (phyllo-style dessert). Ice creams, cheeses, breads, meats, fish – you can find a bit of everything when it comes to food in Albania and it’s all delicious.
My favourite restaurants for traditional Albanian cuisine were Edua in Gjirokaster, Bar Restorant Sofra Permetare in Permet, and Trifilia in Permet.

Visit Castles – There are so many castles scattered around Albania. Many castles are mere ruins, however entry fees are only a few euros so it’s worth checking them out. I found Lekursi Castle in Saranda, the Berat Castle, and Rozafa Castle in Shkoder the most impressive.

Check out the museums – the best place for backpackers to learn about Albania’s communist past is in Tirana; Albania’s capital city. There are oodles of museums here and some are even located in old underground war bunkers.