Most Beautiful
Albania's most beautiful places — the landscapes and towns that stop you in your tracks. From turquoise Ionian bays to alpine valleys and Ottoman hillside cities.
BeachesThe Ionian coastline from Vlore to Saranda — turquoise bays, pebble coves and dramatic mountain drops to the sea.
The Riviera is the stretch of coast that put Albania on the beach map. The Llogara Pass drops from the mountains straight to the sea, and a string of beaches — Dhermi, Himare, Borsh, Qeparo — follow one another to Saranda.
MountainsA remote stone village in the Accursed Mountains, surrounded by peaks, waterfalls and alpine meadows.
Theth is the starting point for Albania's most famous hike, the crossing to Valbona. The village itself has a photogenic church, a blood-feud tower and a dramatic blue eye spring. Guesthouse culture makes it easy to stay overnight.
MountainsA wide alpine valley in the Accursed Mountains, reached by ferry from Koman and the end of the Theth hike.
Valbona is the other half of the Theth–Valbona crossing. The valley floor is broad and green, ringed by peaks, with guesthouses and trails heading toward the Montenegrin border.
BeachesA small coastal village with three offshore islands and some of the clearest turquoise water in the country.
Ksamil's shallow, warm Ionian water and swim-to islands make it the most photographed beach destination in Albania. It sits just minutes from the Butrint archaeological site, so you can combine ruins and a swim in one day.
Historic CitiesA UNESCO-listed city where rows of Ottoman houses climb the hillside beneath a hilltop castle.
Berat is one of Albania's oldest continuously inhabited towns, with a castle that is still lived in today. The Mangalem and Gorica quarters preserve centuries of Ottoman domestic architecture, and the Onufri Museum holds remarkable 16th-century icons.
Historic CitiesThe 'Stone City' of the south, built from grey limestone beneath one of the Balkans' largest castles.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Gjirokaster preserves a dense ensemble of Ottoman tower-houses, cobbled streets and a vast castle that hosts a folklore festival. It is the birthplace of novelist Ismail Kadare.
NatureA reservoir of emerald water between steep mountains, crossed by a famous car ferry.
The Koman ferry is one of Albania's signature experiences — a crossing through flooded valleys that connects the road to the Alps. The scenery is dramatic and the water improbably green.
Road TripsA mountain pass at 1,027 m where the road twists from pine forest down to the Ionian sea.
The Llogara Pass is the dramatic entrance to the Riviera — a series of hairpins with a sudden view of the coastline. The pine forest at the top is a cool escape from the summer heat.
NatureA deep natural spring where turquoise water bubbles up from a karst source of unknown depth.
The Blue Eye is a striking spring near Saranda — vivid blue at the surface, dark below. Divers have explored it to 50 metres without reaching the bottom. It's an easy stop on the way to Gjirokaster.
NatureA river-carved limestone canyon near Berat, with steep cliffs and spring rafting.
The Osum Canyon is one of the deepest in the Balkans. Spring meltwater makes it a rafting destination; in summer you can walk along the riverbed. It pairs naturally with a Berat visit.
BeachesA Riviera village with white-pebble beaches, beach clubs and a dramatic coastal setting.
Dhermi has some of the Riviera's most popular beaches — Drymades and Dhermi itself — backed by olive groves and limestone cliffs. It's lively in summer and quieter in shoulder season.
BeachesA relaxed Riviera town with a long beach, an old hillside village and easy access to quieter coves.
Himare is a good base for the central Riviera — less intense than Ksamil, with a genuine old town above the sea and beaches like Jale and Gjipe within a short drive.