Albania was an unexpected adventure. We were enjoying Greece when the country went into a full lockdown due to covid. We needed to leave the country (or spend weeks sitting in a hotel room) and ended up finding a cheap priced flight from Athens to Tirana, Albania.
We didn’t know anything about Albania. We booked the flight and then started researching things to see and do. We were surprised by what we found and ended up staying for a month, exploring as much as we could.
The country isn’t huge which makes it very driveable to get from one end to the other. There’s lots of different things to see and do.
We visited the following cities:
We had planned to visit a few more towns in the south of the country (along the Greece and North Macedonia borders), but had an issue with our car hire which forced us to return to Tirana to get a different car. This took up additional time and we ended up not heading to those additional towns. We loved Albania and plan to return, especially once travel restrictions (due to covid) are reduced so we can visit the other Balkan countries and complete our journey through Greece.
Tirana
We arrived in Tirana later in the evening. When we got off the plane we stopped at Vodafone, which was right outside of the baggage claim area, to pick up a local sim card. The process was super easy, and the 30-day sim card was a good price for data to help us navigate the country. After getting our phone sorted, we headed outside to grab a taxi to head into the city centre where we had an AirBNB booked.
Outside the arrival area is a taxi stand, and we approached the first taxi in the line. He didn’t speak great English, but another taxi driver that was standing nearby came over to assist. They also called over a third person, who worked at the airport for the taxi service, to tell use the price of our trip. It was a super easy process and within minutes we were on our way.
We booked an apartment in the Blloku area. This area is just off the main square and was a part of town that was off limits to anyone other than members of the communist party. Blloku means “block”, the area that was “blocked” to the general public.
When we were searching for somewhere to stay, we found that all of the accommodation options were really inexpensive. We booked a two-bedroom, two bathroom apartment, with a full kitchen, dining area, and lounge, plus a large balcony – all new and beautifully styled for $70AUD/45EURO a night.
The Blloku area was perfect. There are lots of restaurants, cafes, coffee cafes, grocery stores, and fashion stores in the area. There is also a bus stop on the main street that takes you around the city or to the city square. You can also walk to the main square in less than 15 minutes. We loved the area and had so much fun in the evenings walking around the streets to find somewhere for dinner.
One thing we noticed was the variety of food options, – and all good quality food. There were lots of Italian options (yum) and Greek (also yum), plus steak houses and other restaurants serving a variety of food. Everywhere we ate (from really basic places for lunch to nicer restaurants for dinner) was delicious and all sooooo inexpensive. One night we ate at an Italian restaurant near our apartment (it had really good reviews). The restaurant was on the 10th floor, with windows overlooking the street below. It was a nicer style restaurant (think Google rating of $$ to $$$). We had two main courses, plus a glass of wine all for under $20AUD/12EURO. Amazing value for pretty much everything in Tirana.
You can go budget and still have quality food and accommodation or spend a bit more (but still much less than other European countries) for a bit of luxury.
We spent 4 nights and 3 full days in Tirana. Here are some of the highlights and places we visited.
Tirana Free Walking Tour
On our first full day in Tirana we decided to start by doing the Tirana Free Walking Tour. The tour runs twice a day, 10am and 2pm, and starts in front of the Opera House stairs. Our Guide, Gazi (also an owner of the company), was amazing. He was full of information and told us all sorts of personal stories about his family and his childhood experiences growing up in a communist country. It was fascinating.
The tours takes about 2 to 2.5 hours and covers a lot of ground. Gazi was in no hurry to finish our tour and probably would have kept going had he not needed a lunch break before his afternoon tour. We walked all over the city centre, seeing some great sites. It was a great way to start our stay in Tirana and gave us an idea of places we wanted to return to and explore further.
National Art Gallery
The National Art Gallery is quite large and has multiple floors to explore. Lots of paintings from different eras, including communist artwork and communist propaganda art. There is also an entire area on the ground floor of communist statues. I’m assuming they once lined the streets and buildings around town – I did try to ask one of the guides within the museum but didn’t quite get a clear answer due to the language barrier.
When at the gallery, be sure you go around to the back of the building. There are several large statues on display that you can view.
Museums
The next day we wanted to visit some of the museums. Most of them are not open on Mondays, so keep that in mind when planning your time in Tirana.
House of Leaves
The Museum of Secret Surveillance, also known as House of Leaves, is “dedicated to the innocent people who were spied on, arrested, prosecuted, convicted and executed during the communist regime.”
The museum is in the villa used as Sigurimi’s (Directorate of State Security) headquarters during the communist era. There were rooms full of technology used to spy on Albanian citizens. The number of microphones and recording devices used during the communist period was unbelievable. There were spying devices setup all around the country and a large number of actual spies following and documenting people’s everyday movements.
National History Museum
The National History Museum is located in the main square. This museum is huge – there are multiple floors and rooms full of information on the history of Albania – so be prepared to spend a bit of time there.
The museum is organised by time period. I was so happy (and surprised) to see so many artifacts on Greek mythology – it almost made up for our shortened trip to Greece and the fact that I didn’t get to see much on Greek Gods and Goddesses while we were there.
Albania has a fascinating history – so many different occupations over the years which makes it the very unique country that it is today.
I really enjoyed the early periods, there were lots of artifacts and information available in English. As we made our way through the museum the later periods unfortunately did not have much information in English. We made our way looking over the items on display, but not fully knowing what we were looking at (and why it was on display).
There is a section of the museum that contains quite a lot of graphic content – bloody clothing, pictures of deceased people on the streets, pictures of people hanging, etc. It was quite confronting, but it is a part of their recent history with people trying to escape the communist regime and the violence during the Albanian Civil War in 1997.
This museum gives you a general overview of Albania’s history.
Pyramid of Tirana
In Tirana you can see the abandoned Pyramid of Tirana. The Pyramid originally was opened as the Enver Hoxha Museum. After the collapse of communism, the Pyramid was no longer used as a museum and was repurposed as a conference center and exhibition venue. During the Kosovo War in 1999 it was used as a base by NATO and humanitarian organizations.
Since 2001, part of the Pyramid has been used as a broadcasting center, but the rest of the structure has been left to ruin and vandalism. I recently saw online that there are plans to restore the Pyramid, however I’m not sure what they plan to do with it.
While we were in Tirana, the Pyramid was abandoned. It was covered in graffiti and had lots of broken glass around the building. During our Free Walking Tour our guide mentioned that you could climb to the top of the Pyramid. The top of the structure is a hangout area for local kids. Ben really wanted to climb the Pyramid, however I wasn’t up for the challenge – I could just picture myself sliding down the side of the Pyramid, snagging my favorite pair of pants! No thanks!
I stayed at ground level while Ben climbed the Pyramid. I was impressed with how quickly he scaled the side of the building. He was at the top before I knew it. After he got some pictures from the top he started to make his way back down the wall. I was watching from below – having a heart attack. He had trouble figuring out the best way down.
He started on his front (same as he went up), but he kept sliding (terrible choice of non-grip shoes) and at one point was stuck flat on the wall, unable to move. It was scary for me because there was nothing I could do except watch him struggle and hope he didn’t slide all the way down (there’s lots of broken glass and nothing to catch himself on, he would have slide all the way to the bottom). After a while, trying to figure out what to do, he made his way back to the top and turned around. He crab walked, very slowly, all the way down.
We were both relieved when he made it back to the bottom. He was so happy that he did it, but anyone wanting to climb should be very careful. I’m glad I passed on that one!
BunkArt and Dajti Ekspres (cable car)
We spent a full day visiting BunkArt and Dajti Ekspres (cable car). They are located near each other, outside of the city centre, so it’s probably a good idea to do them together.
We took a bus from the main square to a stop near the two attractions. We found that public transport in Albania always had at least two people working, the driver and another person taking payment. We weren’t exactly sure which stop to get off at, so we asked the payment collector. He was so friendly (as we found most Albanians to be) and he said that he would tell us when to get off. During the journey, there was a longer stop (about 5 minutes) and he came over to tell us exactly what was going on and then offered us to join him for a cigarette. We declined as we don’t smoke, but this was the kind of treatment we had almost everywhere we went. Everyone wanted to help you for the sake of helping and not to try to get anything from you – it took us a while to get comfortable with that idea!
Dajti Ekspres
The cable car is a short walk from the bus stop. We bought our ticket for the cable car ride and jumped right on. The cable car ride was quite long. It keep going and going and going, until we finally made it to the top of the mountain. Once there, there is quite a bit to do (or at least there normally would be if things weren’t closed due to the time of year). There are restaurants, bars, a skating rink, animals, and a miniature golf course.
It was lunch time, so we enjoyed lunch at the restaurant, before taking a few pictures and then heading back down the cable car. We were surprised that the prices at the restaurant were not too expensive considering that it was such a touristy area. The low prices kept surprising us.
BunkArt
After the cable car, we walked down the hill to BunkArt. BunkArt is a museum within a bunker built during the communist period. If you don’t have time to make it to BunkArt, you can visit BunkArt 2 which is near the main square.
The bunker at BunkArt is huge and there is a lot to see. Several of the rooms are full of information, so it will take a bit of time if you want to read through everything. There are some very interesting rooms, such as the assembly/theatre room and the officer rooms.
Grand Park of Tirana
Late one afternoon we walked through the Grand Park of Tirana. The park is nice and quiet and made for a nice evening stroll. At the edge of the park is a large lake, with several cafes near the water’s edge.
Explore the City
We found Tirana a really fun city to just wonder around. It had a fun vibe, with things to see (bunkers everywhere) around the streets and great shops to pop into. It was fun to explore, enjoy the atmosphere and take pictures around the city.
Shkoder
After a few days in Tirana we decided to head to Shkoder. We were planning to hire a car to explore the country, but decided to do so after we explored Shkoder and the mountain area. So instead, we took a bus to Shkoder. It was a bit tricky to find the bus schedule, especially during off peak, but we did find out that the buses run regularly (hourly) from Tirana so it shouldn’t be an issue to catch a bus, just be aware that you may have to wait a little while for the next bus.
The bus terminal was full of buses, each bus had a sign in the window indicating the destination. As we were walking around the area, trying to find the right bus, several people were approaching us. At first, we were ignoring them – thinking that they were trying to sale us a private taxi – but then one of them heard us say “Shkoder”. He yelled across the parking lot to another driver, who waved us over to the right bus.
We are so used to be hounded in certain situations that you tend to try to figure things out for yourself without getting assistance – in the past we have found that people willing to help are usually trying to get you to buy something from them. However, over time, we realised that that was not the case in Albania. People were just trying to help without wanting anything in return. That’s not to say that we didn’t encounter some people begging, but it wasn’t usually the people trying to assist us.
Once you find the correct bus, you can climb aboard and find a seat. During the journey there will be someone coming around to collect payment – only 350 LEK each. The bus to Shkoder was quite nice and only took about two hours. We arrived in Shkoder at the main round-about area. From there we walked to our accommodation to check in. After checking in we explored the town and grabbed some food.
Exploring Shkoder
While in Shkoder we wanted to visit the castle. There aren’t any great transport options to get to the castle from the city centre, other than taking a taxi. We decided to walk there and check out a few other sites along the way.
I wasn’t overly impressed with Shkoder, however it is a good stopping point if you are heading further north to the mountains (Valbona or Theth). We stayed a total of three full days, but we probably would have been OK to only stay for one or two. There are a few museums to visit, but they looked similar (or not as good) to what we had already done in Tirana and what we planned to do in other parts of the country, so we decided not to visit any.
Zdrale and Tophane Neighbourhood Market
There is a large market area in the Zdrale and Tophane neighbourhoods. Here you’ll find a veggie market, fish market and lots of other various product stalls and stores. We had fun walking through and surprisingly were not hassled too much as we wondered around and looked over the stalls. We did buy some juice from a local lady who was super sweet. She gave us some samples and tried to explain which fruits were used by pointing and lots of hand gestures!
Shkoder Lake
After the market we decided to head towards the lake and have lunch there. From the market area, we headed down the main street towards the castle. We crossed the foot bridge over the river and walked to where the river meets the lake. From what we saw of the lake area, we weren’t too impressed, however we were there in the off-season so things might be different during peak time. For us there wasn’t much to see and the area around the river (towards the lake) wasn’t very nice. We did have lunch at a nice restaurant along the water’s edge.
Shkoder Castle – Castle Rozafa
From there we walked back along the river and crossed the water over the Buna Bridge. From the bridge we headed up the hill to Castle Rozafa. The castle grounds are larger than we expected, however the area wasn’t very well kept. The grass (or should I say weeds) was tall and there was quite a bit of litter around in the main area of the castle grounds. We walked around the castle walls, climbing up a few of the staircases to get views overlooking the area. There is a museum in the castle, which costs extra, but unfortunately it was closed when we were there so we didn’t get to check it out.
After exploring the castle we headed back to the town center. The walk directly from the castle to the town is about 30 minutes. There is a hill up to the castle, but the rest of the walk is level.
Travel to the Albanian Alps
North of Shkoder, in the mountains, is a known hike between two villages – Valbona and Theth. We had heard that the path was closed over winter, from November and figured that it would be too cold to do the walk. However, it turns out that the weather wasn’t actually too bad and that we could do the hike if we wanted to. So, we decided that we would see if we could get it arranged. Since it was the off season, we didn’t have too many options on how to get to Valbona and back to Shkoder from Theth.
We ended up arranging transportation to Valbona with the tourist information desk in Shkoder. We took an early morning bus to Koman and then caught the ferry to Fierze. From there we took a taxi to Valbona. It was a lot of traveling – 2 hours on the bus, 2 hours on the ferry, and about an hour taxi ride to Valbona.
The Komani Lake Ferry was amazing. The scenery along the lake was stunning. It was a bit cold during the journey, but we still sat outside most of the ferry ride so that we could take in the amazing views.
Valbona is a small town and everything is quite spread out. There are several guesthouses in area, and some that provide meals. Since everything is spread apart, I would suggest finding a place that serves food or staying somewhere near a place that serves food. We found a guesthouse near the riverbed. They didn’t serve food, but a short walk away was a hotel with a restaurant which was perfect for us.
There isn’t much to do in Valbona, so we ended up grabbing a late lunch once we arrived, then we hung around the guesthouse, before heading out again for dinner.
Valbona Pass (Valbona to Theth Hike)
The hike from Valbona to Theth takes between 6 to 8 hours to complete, so we left early in the morning, giving us plenty of time to complete the hike in daylight. We also decided to get a taxi from the hotel to the beginning of the trail. The taxi ride took about 30 minutes which cut off a large amount of walking.
We were not prepared to do a long hike – we only packed basic trainers, nothing too warm, etc. – so we were a bit worried about doing a long hike and thought it best if we eliminate a little bit of time. The road over the riverbed was quite bumpy, but it was actually fun!
It turns out the hike wasn’t as bad as we expected. The path was in good condition and the weather was fantastic. The scenery throughout the walk was beautiful. I love the colours of autumn, so November was a good time to complete the hike. There were fallen leaves all over the path – which made it a bit hard to walk at times because it was slippery and you couldn’t see the wobbly rocks you were walking over – but otherwise is was stunning!
We completed the hike in just over 6 hours. We had quite a few stops to enjoy the scenery and take pictures, plus a long break for lunch once we reached the top.
The way down (on the Theth side) didn’t have the view over the valley like the Valbona side. The Theth side was full of trees and it seemed a bit steeper than the way up. Near the bottom of the mountain, it was a bit tricky walking down – we each slipped (but didn’t fall) several times.
Once we reached the bottom, we were in Theth and walked a bit further to find our accommodation for the night. We rested for a bit and then had a delicious homemade dinner from our host.
The next morning, we had a bit of time before our ride back to Shkoder. We walked around town and viewed the old church, then we headed to the lockup tower. The tower was locked when we first arrived, but we were able to find someone with a key to let us take a look.
The ride from Theth to Shkoder was interesting. The first part was very bumpy along an unsealed road. Then we came to the sealed winding roads – I’m glad I took my motion sickness pills before left! We had a good driver (after all we did make it safely to Shkoder) and we made it in record time. We spent a couple hours in a beat-up old vehicle, bald tires with the smell of burning brakes… It was interesting…
Skhoder to Durres
Once we got to Shkoder we checked the schedule for buses to Tirana and had a bit of time before the next bus. We grabbed some lunch and then picked up our luggage (which our Shkoder accommodation was nice enough to keep for us why we did the hike).
The bus was similar to the one we took from Tirana. In Tirana we arranged to hire a car so we could explore more of south Albania on our own. We asked the staff on the bus about getting a taxi from the bus terminal to the car hire place. He said that he would sort it out for us.
Turns out he planned to give us a ride as he was off work and heading home. We had a nice conversation throughout the ride and then when we got to the car hire place we asked how much we owed him. He was actually really uncomfortable about taking payment, but we gave him what we thought would be the cost of a taxi. Again, everyone in Albania is so friendly and helpful – it’s a strange concept…
After we picked up the hire car we drove 40 minutes west to Durres. We had a great apartment right on the beach, with a beautiful view over the water.
Durres
We weren’t sure what to expect for an Albanian beach. And we weren’t expecting too much in Durres because everything we read didn’t give Durres the best review. However, we were pleasantly surprised with Durres and really enjoyed the beach area. Actually, the beach in Durres is probably nicer than Saranda – it’s a sandy beach, not rocky like the beaches further south. And Durres town is amazing – there is a lot to see including a fantastic archaeological museum!
Beach of Durres
Our accommodation was on the south end of the Durres Beach. We spent the day walking along the nice, sandy beach. There are tons of great looking restaurants and nice beach areas to relax. The area we explored is a long open beach, with a paved pathway lined with restaurants, bars, and hotels. Most things were not open due to the off-peak season, but the few things that were open were busy and we had some great meals during our stay. I’m sure it’s a great, busy place during the peak months.
After a long walk along the beach, we headed back to our apartment to relax. I spent the afternoon on the balcony enjoying the view and waiting for sunset – we had a perfect view.
Durres Town
Since our accommodation was bit far from the town centre, we drove to the area and found a free parking spot on the street. Albania doesn’t seem to have parking lots, so your only options are street parking. Since it was the off season, we had no issues with parking throughout Albania, but I would imagine that is harder during the busy summer months.
We started by visiting the Amphitheatre, then walked along the promenade. After lunch we visited the Archaeological Museum, then we walked around the Venetian Tower at Durres Castle, and finished up by viewing the ruins of Byzantine Market and Vila e Ahmet Zogut.
Durres Amphitheatre
The Durres Amphitheatre is a Roman amphitheatre that was originally built in the 2nd century AD. It was the largest amphitheatre built in the Balkan area, with a capacity of 20,000 people.
The amphitheatre is in the middle of a neighborhood with businesses and houses surrounding it. We were walking from the car, through narrow crowded streets and then suddenly the amphitheatre is in front of us. Part of the amphitheatre is built over with modern houses.
You can see quite a bit of the ruin from outside the fenced off area. To see the tunnels under the seating area there is a small entrance fee. Inside the tunnel there is also a chapel with mosaics.
Archaeological Museum of Durres
The Archaeological Museum of Durres was one of my favorite museums in Albania. The building looks quite new and the displays were very well done. Right inside the door is a recreated tiled mosaic surrounded by large artifacts. While we were there, they were renovating the upstairs level with plans to display thousands of additional artifacts in the near future.
The entire museum is full of amazing artifacts found in the area. I still can’t get over the small, delicate items that have survived hundreds and hundreds of years. The large ones are pretty impressive as well. Everything is so beautiful and decorative. I could spend hours looking over each and every item.
Outside, surrounding the museum building, are several artifacts as well. You can walk around to the back of the building and see tons of items in storage. The things outside, open to the elements were quite impressive, and there was a building closed off – I’m sure it was full of goodies as well (and will hopefully be on display in the new upper floor). It was a very impressive collection and can’t wait to return when they open the additional area.
Durres Promenade
The promenade area is full of restaurants and bars along the waterfront. There is a nice walking area to stroll along and at the end are a bunch of stairs leading to the water where lots of people were sitting and enjoying the sun and water view.
The area is mostly paved up to the water’s edge, with a small beach area at the end of the promenade, near the stairs. It’s a great area to wonder around and grab some food and/or drinks. This part of Durres is closer to the ferry port and the main attractions. The area was nice, and we did look at staying in this part of Durres, but I’m glad we stayed on the other end of Durres near the long sandy beach and visited the old town/town centre for the day. To be fair, both areas are very nice and where you decide to stay will depend on what you want to do while in Durres.
Durres Castle – Venetian Tower
In parts of Durres, you can see the old city walls, and some parts have a large portion still remaining. Along the wall you will find the Venetian Tower, built in the 15th century as part of the Ottoman Empire defence. Online, lots of people mention visiting the café on top of the tower, but while we were there nothing was open. Not sure if that was a permanent change or due to the off-peak time we visited.
Byzantine Market
The Byzantine Market is a ruin of a Roman open market complex, built at the end of the 6th century. The ruin is right in the middle of modern Durres. It’s a circular area with several columns still standing. The structure is impressive, however the area around it could be better kept. We found a lot of these amazing structures in Albania were a little neglected looking. There is lots of litter around (which is a major problem throughout Albania) and a drainage pipe running right through the complex (you would think they could have gone around the structure).
Near the market ruin is the Top Hane Well. It’s a bit hard to find as it’s right in the middle of a number of buildings. Again, it is very neglected looking and only worth a quick glance.
Berat
Berat “the town of a thousand windows”
After spending the couple days in Durres, we hit the road and headed to Berat.
We stayed in an old Ottoman house on the hillside. It was beautiful with a stunning ceiling and a lovely courtyard. Berat is built on the hillside and is full of windy cobblestone walkways. There’s a main road at the bottom of the hill (which is where we parked the car) and one road up the hill towards the castle. Be prepared for lots of walking, up and down, over the uneven cobblestones. We found the town very charming, but others may find it difficult to navigate. There are lots of restaurants and hotels along the bottom main road, so you can visit and see the few attractions without having to climb too many stairs if you prefer. There is also a great pedestrian area off the main road full of restaurants and bars.
There’s not a lot of attractions within the city, but the whole point of visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site is to see the stunning Ottoman buildings covering the hillside. While we were there we visited the Ethnographic Museum and the castle.
Ethnographic Museum
The Ethnographic Museum is inside an old Ottoman house filled with traditional furnishings, as well as traditional clothing and old craft tools.
The museum is worth a visit to see the layout of an old Ottoman house and learn about how the rooms were traditionally used. On the first floor there is a large open veranda with seating areas. This room was used in the summer to allow for a cool breeze rom the open area and windows along the side walls. The living rooms were used for sleeping, eating, and entertaining. They had built in seating areas along the rim of the room, a beautifully decorated fireplace, and painted walls. There were lots of decorative wood on the walls, ceilings, and doors as well as huge built-in closets where bedding could easily be stored during the day. Meals were eaten on a large round table in the centre of the living room. While entertaining, men were separated from women and children. In the men’s rooms there were small rooms with terraced panelling so the women could see into the room and be available if the men needed anything, but the men could not see the unmarried women.
They ask you not to take pictures inside, so I only have a picture from the outside.
Berat Castle
We decided to walk up to the castle. There is a good size road available so you can drive up the hill if you prefer. There is parking outside the castle walls, as well as parking inside.
The castle dates mainly from the 13th century and contains many Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques. There were also several homes where people currently live (in the castle grounds!), as well as restaurants and guesthouses. There is also a large cistern that you can view. You used to be able to walk into the cistern, but currently there is a water issue and it has slightly filled with water so you can only look into the cistern.
It was a fun afternoon to walk around and explore the grounds.
Exploring Berat
Berat is a fun town to explore. You can wonder around the pathways through the lovely Ottoman houses or along the river to find a good restaurant or bar. We walked over the bridge to see the other side of the town and have a great view of the Ottoman buildings on the hillside.
For dinner we planned to have dinner at Lily’s Homemade Restaurant, which was only a row away from our accommodation. The restaurant is setup in the courtyard of someone’s home. In the courtyard there was a covered, enclosed area with a heater which was perfect for the chilly evening. The hosts, Lily and his family, were amazing. The food was fantastic, and we had a great evening. I would highly recommend making a reservation if possible.
Drive to Saranda
Next, we planned to visit Saranda for a few days. It was a bit of a drive from Berat to Saranda so we decided to stay south of Vlore, in Orkium, to break up the drive and allow us to stop and view several of the beaches and towns between Vlore and Saranda.
As we were making our way towards Orkium we saw a sign for Apollonia Archaeological Park. We didn’t know anything about it, but it sounded interesting and we decided to stop.
Apollonia Archaeological Park
This was a great find and well worth a visit. The site is spread across 2 square kilometres with various ruins to see. This history of the area dates back to the 4th and 3rd centuries BC.
The city of Apollonia, or Apollonia of Illyria, had about 60.000 inhabitants and flourished during the 4th century AD. It was an important economic and trade center for Albania and the Mediterranean. Most of the ancient city is still buried and it is estimated that only about ten percent of the city has been excavated.
There’s a cluster of buildings that make up the Monumental Complex of Apollonia. In the centre of the city there is an agora, a theatre, a monumental fountain, gymnasium, and more to see.
Later history of the area includes the monastery complex from the thirteenth century AD. The old monastery contains frescoes, archaeological remains and a mosaic. The frescoes were painted in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Across from the monastery there is an old church, the Church of St.Mary, which dates from the late thirteenth century. Outside the front of the church there are old carved inscriptions in the stone.
There is also the archaeological museum that contains several artifacts from the site.
We really enjoyed our afternoon explore the ancient city of Apollonia.
St Mary’s Monastery
As we continued our drive to Orkium, we stopped to see St Mary’s Monastery. The monastery is located on an island with a walkway over the Narta Lagoon. We arrived later in the evening, just in time for sunset. The walkway over the water is stunning and was filled with fisherman. We walked to the end of the walkway, but unfortunately there is a gate blocking access to the island the monastery. The monastery is set a bit further back from the water, so it is hard to see much of the building, but the area is lovely and worth a short stop. There is a food truck if you want to grab something to eat and enjoy the area a bit longer.
We ended our day at our accommodation in Orkium and continued our drive to Saranda the following day.
Beaches to Saranda
The drive along the coast goes through the mountains. The views are stunning from the top overlooking the water below.
During our drive we stopped at a few beaches and town along the way, including Palasa Beach, Dhërmi Beach, Dhermi, Vuno, Jala Beach, and Himarë. Most of the beaches were really quiet due to the time of year. We also noticed most of the beaches were pebble beaches and not nice sandy beaches like Durres.
We really liked the look of Jala Beach. The beachfront was lined with restaurants and bars, so I’m sure during the summer months it’s a very fun place to be. It didn’t look like there was much for accommodation in the area and the closest town was a bit of a distance, so I’m not sure how you would get there or back (guessing there would be buses), but it still looked like a fun area.
After the few hour drive and stops at the beaches, we arrived in Saranda.
Saranda
We stayed in an AirBNB apartment just south of the Saranda Embankment (across the water from the ferry port). We were a road back from the water with great views of Corfu. It was a great area as it was a close, easy walk to restaurants and the town centre.
While in Saranda we explored the streets of Saranda and nearby areas. At first, we didn’t quite get the hype, but the longer we stayed the more we fell in love with the area and the people.
We were visiting in the off-season during the month of November, so things were quiet and it was too cold to be in the water. I’m sure the summer months are completely different to what we experienced – I would image more lively but hopefully still just as enjoyable.
Butrint National Park
South of Saranda is the archaeological site of Butrint. Butrint is a UNESCO site, that was inhabited from prehistoric times, including the site of a Greek colony and a Roman city. We enjoyed walking around the ruined structures, including a theatre, forum, city walls, and an old well.
You are mostly free to wonder around and view the sites. There are information boards throughout the site to learn a bit about the different areas.
Our favorite was the old well. The door to the well still has old hardware and you can see the imprints from the use of rope and buckets doing up and down the well. Buildings and structures are amazing to see, but I love the imprint of daily life – such as the rope markets from city residents getting water from the well. Incredible.
Another highlight of the site (there are a lot of highlights) was the Baptistery and its mosaic pavements. The Baptistery has several standing columns that you can view, but the best part is the mosaic pavements hidden under the gravel. You can see a picture of the mosaics on a board displayed nearby. Every few years the gravel is removed, and the mosaic can be viewed. We will be returning sometime when the mosaics are open for viewing – they look amazing.
Ksamil Beach
While in Saranda we also headed south to visit Ksamil Beach. It’s a very nice area, with a rocky beach and beautiful clear water. The beach area was quiet while we were there, there was no one around and nothing was open, so it we didn’t see the beach in its normal state. It seemed like a nice area to relax and swim. Hopefully we return in the summer so we can fully experience all that Saranda and the surrounding area has to offer.
Blue Eye
About 30 minutes east of Saranda is the Blue Eye. It was too cold to swim, but it was stunning. No one was there, so it was peaceful and calm. The water was stunning – the clarity and the color. It was all so inviting, I wanted to jump in even if it was freezing!
The road to get to the blue eye is a bit rough, it’s off a main road and over a bridge. It looks like there is normally a charge to cross the bridge, but since it was the off season it was fully open for us to visit.
We headed over the bridge and saw some signs indicating the area. We parked the car and walked down a dirt path, which lead to the water. The blue of the water was breathtaking. We were there on an overcast day and it was still amazing.
We walked along the water’s edge, finally arriving at the Blue Eye. The water is a different shade of blue and is bubbling.
While we were there we noticed several cabins where you can stay as well as a hut or two for food service. I’m sure it’s a very busy and popular area during the summer. I would have loved to have swam in the water, but I’m glad we got to see it with no one around.
Gjirokaster
Gjirokaster is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Earlier in our trip we visited Berat (another UNESCO site) and loved the Ottoman buildings and history. We didn’t think it was possible for a town to top Berat, but to our surprise Gjirokaster became our new favorite!
We stayed at the family run Boutique Hotel Musée. The hotel is in an old Ottoman house. The owner’s father hand carved the ceilings and wood features throughout the rooms. The family was amazing and was very welcoming. We had a beautiful room, and got a sneak peak into the other rooms, as well as an amazing breakfast on the terrace. The hotel is in the older part of the city and only a short walk from the Old Bazaar.
Old Bazaar
The Old Bazaar was amazing. The beautiful streets and buildings are full of shops, cafes, and restaurants. It was a great area to wonder around and grab a tasty meal.
Castle of Gjirokastra
Up the hill from the Old Bazaar is the Castle of Gjirokastra. Inside the castle you can view a museum and visit the old prison block. The castle grounds are quite large, so you can wonder around and explore the different areas. It’s a nice way to spend the afternoon, with views overlooking the town.
Ethnographic Museum
Right across the road from our hotel was the Ethnographic Museum. The museum is inside an old Ottoman building and is designed as a model of a traditional Gjirokastra house with many classic features. We visited a few Ethnographic Museums throughout Albania and each one is a little different. The admission fees are so low, so it’s worth visiting as many as you can.
Skenduli House
Further along the road is the Skenduli House. We followed the signs from the road and ended up at the entrance to Skenduli House. We were greeted by the owner, who is a descendant of the original owners.
He took us around the entire house and explained the different features of the house. It was fun to get a tour from someone who knows the house inside and out.
Zekate House
At the top of the hill is the Zekate House. We walked to the house from our hotel and it was quite the adventure. The roads twist and turn, and sometimes come to a dead end. We wondered along the roads, heading up and somehow made it to the top of the hill along the road leading to Zekate House. It’s worth wondering the streets and getting lost. The houses are beautiful, and the people are very friendly.
Zekate House is an example of a fortified tower house, known as a kullë (kullë is Turkish for tower), that was built in 1811. The front of the house is made up of two tall towers with large archways in between.
When we arrived, we were greeted by a gentleman, who we believe is a descendant of the original owners. He didn’t speak much English, but enough to direct us to the house entrance and let us explore on our own.
The upper floor is beautifully decorated. The woodwork and paintings on the walls are stunning.
After exploring the house, the gentleman met us again to collect the small entrance fee. He then offered us some Turkish coffee. The low entrance fee would barley have covered the cost of coffee! As I said, everyone is so friendly and take pride in being good hosts.
Cold War Tunnel
Near Cerciz Topulli Square, and partially under the castle is the Cold War Tunnel. The tunnel can only be visited by a tour guide. If you head to the Cerciz Topulli Square you will see the white building (with tourist info in the building) behind the Topulli statue. To the left of that building (and a bit in front) is a woodshed. Inside the shed you will find the tour guides for the Cold War Tunnel. We just walked in and asked if anyone was available to give us a tour, and luckily they were and took us straight into the tunnel.
The guide took us all through the tunnel. We got to see the entrance gates, the tunnel engines, and lecture room. He was a great guide, with lots of information.
Benja Thermal Baths
While in Gjirokastra we took a side trip to the Benja Thermal Baths near Përmet, Albania.
At the thermal baths there are several man-made pools filled with heated water that flows down the river. You can enjoy a soak in the different pools. There are also a few walking trails that lead from the hot baths area.
While we were there, there were lots of local families enjoying the warm water (I wouldn’t call it hot). It was a nice, relaxing afternoon.
Drive to Kurja
Byllis Archaeological Park
After Gjirokastra, we headed back towards Tirana to spend a few days in Kurja (north of Tirana).
On our way towards Kurja we stopped at the Byllis Archaeological Park. This archaeological site is off the main road on a bit of a rough track, but so worth it. This site has history dating back to the 4th and 5th centuries BC.
When we arrived at the site we parked in the marked parking area and headed towards the entrance gate. There was no one around and the restaurant (near the entrance gate) was closed. The gate was unlocked so we decided to head inside to explore, assuming we would run into someone at some point to pay the admission fee.
The site is much larger than expected and the buildings and structures were amazing. This was by far our favorite archaeological site. Every area we explored was better than the last. There was so much to see and explore – it was stunning.
Within the city you will find the ruins of a theatre, stadium, water depot, promenades, and various dwelling spaces. The water depot is incredible. Throughout the site you will see lots of different structures, various carvings in the stones, and some incredible ancient features.
This place is a most visit when in Albania.
Kurja District
After Gjirokastra, we headed back towards Tirana to spend a few days in Kurja (north of Tirana).
Kurja Castle Tower
The area is known for Kurja Castle, which is a large, ruined castle with a couple of museums inside the castle grounds and a bazaar just outside the castle walls.
We stayed at Rooms Emiliano inside the castle walls. The accommodation is quite basic, but the area is amazing. The outside area of the guesthouse, where they serve meals, is on the ruined castle walls near a ruined tower. Amazing!
Castle Grounds
The area inside the castle walls makes for a nice afternoon stroll. There are several things around the castle grounds to find and explore.
Skanderbeg National Museum
Inside the castle grounds is the Skanderbeg National Museum. The museum is quite new and has great artifacts and lots of history about Skanderbeg.
Ethnographic Museum
Across from the National Museum is the Ethnographic Museum. The museum is inside an Ottoman house built during the mid-18th century. The house is quite large, with about 15 rooms full of history. We visited a few Ethnographic museums while in Albania, but this one probably had the best displays. The rooms will filled with items to showcase life during the Ottoman Empire.
Grand Bazaar of Krujë
Just outside of the castle walls is the 450-year-old Grand Bazaar of Krujë. In it’s peak the bazaar had more than 150 merchants. Today, the bazaar is full of merchants selling a mix of traditional handmade items and souvenirs.
The bazaar area is small, but there are some great shops. When we visit these a shopping area, we like to browse and look over the merchandise. If we like what we see, we tend to wonder into the store. Unfortunately, we were hassled by every store owner trying to get us into their store. It made it difficult to browse as they wouldn’t let us look at what we wanted to look at. They kept trying to get us to look at other items. In was unfortunate, but this was the only time we experienced this during our entire trip in Albania.
After Krujë, we headed back to Tirana to catch our flight to Istanbul. Our trip to Albania was totally unplanned. We originally planned a short trip to Greece, but when Greece went into lockdown due to covid we headed to Albania. We ended up loving the country and spent four weeks exploring as much as we could. In order to return to London (and the airport where our car was parked) we had to fly through Istanbul. The flight times were terrible – super early or super late, with a long layover in Istanbul. To make the timings work and avoid sitting in an airport for hours we decided to spend a few days exploring Istanbul. It was another amazing unexpected adventure.
Conclusion
Albania was amazing. Ben and I both fell in love with the country and the people. They have a fascinating history and so many wonderful sites to explore. We already have plans to return soon and explore more of the country.