What's up guys! We're here in Albania. We just
finished a five-week trip all around the country. And in this video we're going to show you 15 of
the best places to visit. So hope you enjoy it. Albania is located in Southeastern Europe's
Balkan Peninsula. It's a fairly small country, but has a lot of diversity: from the Ionian and
Adriatic coastlines, to a mountainous interior, and many castles and archaeological sites.
Add to that a Mediterranean climate plus affordable prices and you have a very attractive
travel destination. Over the past centuries, Albania has been in relative isolation in
terms of tourism because of its turbulent history. But today, it's developing quickly and
welcoming visitors from all around the globe. In this video, we'll highlight 15 amazing places
that you should visit in Albania. You can find different tour and accommodation links for
the places that we mention in the description below. Make sure to watch until the end of the
video, because we also share a few things that we learned from our trip to Albania as well as
travel itinerary suggestions. So let's dive in! We're Zac and Ine. We make helpful videos about destinations around the world so you
can easily plan your own adventures. We start our countdown in the center of the
country. You can't visit Albania without exploring its vibrant capital city of Tirana.
Whether you like to enjoy the diverse food scène, explore the museums and surrounding castles, or
have a night out at trendy clubs and bars, you won't get bored in Tirana. Start your journey at
Skanderbeg Square, which is Tirana's focal point. You can learn about the history of the country
and city during a free walking tour here. Bunk'Art 1 is located in the outskirts and is
a must-visit if you're interested in Albania's painful communist past. Find more things to do
in this exciting City in our full Tirana video. Heading south from Tirana, we have the town
of Berat. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is known for its historic architecture
combined with beautiful nature scenery. It's often nicknamed "the town of a thousand
windows", because of the Ottoman-era houses with large windows that overlook the town.
One attraction you can't miss is Berat Castle, a fortress that dates back to Roman times.
Within its walls, you'll find ancient Byzantine churches mixed in with ruins from other time
periods. But given its location on the hill, the castle also offers incredible panoramic
views of Barat and its surrounding nature. Situated between Permët and Berat, the Osumi
River Canyon is Albania's very own Grand Canyon. With walls reaching over 80 meters
or 262 feet in some sections, this is one of the most underrated spots in
the country. A milky, turquoise river flows through the canyon, offering different types
of activities during the various seasons. We were there during summer so had the
opportunity to do some canyoning ourselves. The small town of Permët lies on the Vjosa
River in southern Albania. Surrounded by impressive mountains, canyons, and beautiful
countryside, this is one of the best-kept secrets in the country. The most unique site you
can visit here are the nearby Benja Thermal Baths, which are sulfur springs that emerge from deep
tectonic cracks in the Lengarica Canyon. You can soak in the water here as they're supposed to have
healing properties. But the scenic Vjosa Valley, unique Sopolit waterfall, and lush Fir of
Hotova National Park are also worth exploring. Situated on a hillside in the south of
Albania, Gjirokaster is our favorite town in the entire country. It's a designated UNESCO World
Heritage Site, distinguished by ancient history, Ottoman-style architecture, and cobbled
streets. And while walking around the old town is an experience in itself, it's the
grand castle that towers over the center that is the star attraction. Learn all about
Gjirokaster during a guided walking tour, sample the unique local cuisine,
or explore the nature around. Find more details about this magical
town in our full Gjirokaster video. Albania's most popular tourist attractions is the
Blue Eye. This natural phenomenon is located in southern Albania, near the major tourist towns
along the Albanian Riviera. From the viewing platform, you can see the clear turquoise
water with oxygen bubbles rising up from a karst hole with more than 50 meters of depth. But
besides observing the event, it's also enjoyable to walk through the forest and experience
the diverse flora and fauna of the area. Next, we have Butrint National Park. This is one of the most
important archaeological sites in Albania. Sitting next to a picturesque lagoon, this UNESCO
World Heritage Site dates back to as early as the 12th century BC. It was inhabited by different
cultures over time, such as the Greeks, Romans, and Venetians. Elements of these cultures are
visible in the archaeological site today, such as the Roman Theater, the Venetian castle, and the
Great Basilica. You only need two to three hours to see the entire site so you can easily combine
it with a visit to nearby beaches in the area. You can see that a lot of these
buildings are actually quite intact at this archeological site, such as the
Great Basilica right behind me. It was built in the Venetian period and you can
really still see how big it actually is. The Albanian Riviera is probably the most popular
place to visit in Albania and spans over the districts of Saranda and Vlora in the southwest.
The coastline along the Riviera is rugged with many rocky mountains and unbelievably clear-blue
waters. However, keep in mind that many of the beaches are private and cost money to rent chairs.
So if you want peaceful beaches that don't cost money to visit, this might not be the area for
you. If you do visit, the seaside towns you should stop at include Himara, Dhermi, and Saranda. We
spent the majority of our time in Saranda and you can find a video about the best things to
do in and around the area in the description. Llogara National Park stretches over
a mountain range that splits Albania's Adriatic and Ionian coasts. The park
is home to large alpine meadows, vertical rock faces, and dense forests
that are ideal for hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities. But it's the
Llogara Pass that attracts most visitors, thanks to its steep zigzagging road that offers
breathtaking views of the sea and beaches below. Back towards the Tirana area, we
have Dajti Mountain National Park. It sits about 26 kilometers or 16 miles to the
east of Tirana and rises to an elevation of 1613 meters or 5292 feet. It's often considered the
"Balcony of Tirana" and the park is best known for the Dajti Express cable car, which takes you
from the outskirts of the city to the mountain. But the real natural beauty lies deeper
in the park. The stunning Lake Bovilla Villa is surrounded by steep mountains and
feels like a true escape from the city. It's best explored on foot and we highly
recommend hiking to Gamti Mountain here. Another place that is located near
Tirana is the picturesque town of Kruja. This historic town is closely tied to Albania's
national hero Skanderbeg, who in the 15th century defended this area from the Ottoman invasion. This
makes Kruja one of the most famous towns in all of Albania. You can visit the castle and museum to
learn all about Skanderbeg. But you can also visit the bazaar or enjoy amazing panoramic views as the
town sits 608 meters or 1994 feet above sea level. Heading towards the far north of Albania, we have
the city of Shkodra. It's one of the oldest cities in the country and is located on the bank
of Shkodra Lake. The main attraction is the castle of Rozafa, which was supposedly built by
Illyrian tribes as early as the 9th century BC. And even if you're not a history buff, the views
from the castle make it well-worth the visit. So if you're visiting the castle, we recommend
coming in the evening if you can, because you have the place to yourself basically, and you have
a beautiful view over the river here at sunset. Komani Lake is a reservoir on the Drin River in
northern Albania. And even though it was created by humans, it doesn't feel that way. Its emerald
waters meander for over 70 kilometers or 43 miles through the mountains. In some places, it gets
very narrow with vertical canyon walls towering on both sides. It's a place you won't soon forget.
The best way to explore this lake is by ferry, which takes you from the village of
Koman to Fierza in about three hours. From there, you can continue your journey to the
Albanian Alps, which brings us to our next place. About an hour north of Komani Lake, Valbona
Valley National Park boasts the most beautiful natural scenery in all of Albania. Home to
jagged mountain peaks and a deep river valley, this is a mecca for climbing and hiking.
There are many hikes in the area, but our favorite one was Rosi Peak as we could
see the mountains of Montenegro from the top. Many travelers also come here to hike the famous
Valbona-Theth Trail, which is a point-to-point trek that takes you to the Alpine Village
of Theth. Learn more about this famous hike, the Komani Lake Ferry, and other sights
in the park in our Albanian Alps video. Theth National Park lies to the west of
Valbona in the center of the Albanian Alps. It's the most popular alpine region in the
country and is easier to access than Valbona, thanks to its new road. Theth is home to
stunning mountain vistas and a variety of natural attractions that can be explored by foot,
such as the Blue Eye and the Grunas Waterfalls. One of the most photographed sites here is the
church, which is located in the town itself. But if you want to avoid some of the crowds it
might be best to look at alternative trails. You can find up-to-date trail maps
at the tourist center in town. As we promised at the beginning of our
video, we'll now share three things that we learned that will help your own trip around
Albania. First, Albania is very mountainous, which means that many of the places are located
on steep hills. So be prepared to walk a lot! Second, driving around Albania can be challenging
and you have to be very careful. Not only because of road conditions, but also because of
the driving behavior of locals at times. And finally, you need to carry cash at all
times as most places don't accept credit cards. It's best to withdraw cash at Credins Bank as
it doesn't charge a fee. We also included a few itinerary options on the screen here in case
you want to use them to guide your own trip. If you have more time in Albania, it's also
worth checking out other destinations that we didn't mention, such as Durrës,
Apollonia, Korça, and Lake Ohrid. If you're planning your trip to Albania now,
organize your adventure with our interactive travel planner. Find a discount code below. We
also included important links that you'll need for your Albania trip in the description.
We'll catch you on the next adventure!
