Albania might look quite small on a map, but there is a surprising amount to see. You have the clear blue beaches of the Albanian Riviera in the south, historic towns like Berat and Gjirokastër in the middle, then completely different mountain scenery around Komani Lake and Theth in the north.
When planning my trip I didn’t really want to choose between them, so I tried to squeeze a bit of everything into one week. We were also traveling as a group that had different interests so trying to diversify the activities made sense to keep everyone happy.
Albania is impossible to explore everything in 7 days, and generally I would tell you to choose either 7 days in the south or in the north. This itinerary is more heavy to the south and the Albanian Riviera but I managed to fit in a day up in the north to have a taste of Albania’s nature.
If you are looking for more nature and the Valbona valley than this itinerary is not for you. However if you want to have a proper taste of Albania, experience a bit of everything or want to explore simply the beaches then this Albania 7 day itinerary can be easily catered for you by skipping the north and have extra beach days. Nevertheless continue reading on how I spent my 7 days in Albania.
Table of Contents
- Albania 7 Day Itinerary Overview
- Do You Need a Rental Car for This Albania 7 Day Itinerary?
- Where Should You Stay on the Albanian Riviera?
- Day 1 – Arrive in Albania and Drive South to Himarë
- Day 2 – Himarë Boat Trip and Drive to Sarandë
- Day 3 – Blue Eye and Gjirokastër Day Trip
- Day 4 – Full Beach Day in Ksamil
- Day 5 – Sarandë to Berat and Continue to Shkodër
- Day 6 – Komani Lake and Shala River
- Day 7 – Tirana, Bovilla Lake ATV Tour and Fly Home
- Is 7 Days Enough for Albania?
- Final Thoughts on My Albania 7 Day Itinerary
- Frequently Asked Questions – Albania 7 Day Itinerary
Albania 7 Day Itinerary Overview
This Albania 7 day itinerary is the exact route I followed. I will tell you the exact stops and where I stayed. It starts with a road trip south towards Himarë and Sarandë, gives you a couple of proper beach days, takes you through Berat and then all the way north to Shkodër for Komani Lake before finishing in Tirana.
I will warn you straight away that this is not a slow itinerary. Day 5 in particular involves a lot of driving, and you will have a couple of early starts. However, if you only have seven days in Albania and want to experience both the Riviera and at least a taste of northern Albania, it works surprisingly well.
The route is essentially: Tirana Airport → Himarë → Sarandë → Blue Eye and Gjirokastër → Ksamil → Berat → Shkodër → Komani Lake → Tirana.
Do You Need a Rental Car for This Albania 7 Day Itinerary?
For this particular itinerary and in all seriousness almost all Albania itineraries, I would definitely rent a car.
You can travel around Albania using buses and furgons, but trying to do this exact route using public transport would make an already busy itinerary far more complicated. Places such as Sarandë, Tirana, Berat and Shkodër are connected fairly well, but once you start adding Himarë, the Blue Eye and Ksamil, it’s going to be long and logistically impossible.
Picking the car up directly from Tirana Airport also makes sense because you can completely skip central Tirana on Day 1 and immediately start driving south. There are multiple booths and it is a bit chaotic, I would recommend picking up your logic and heading straight out to skip the queues if possible.
Rental prices vary massively with the season. Current comparison data puts average Tirana Airport car hire at around €40 per day across the year, with July and August noticeably more expensive. Small manual cars are generally cheapest, while automatics become more expensive and can sell out during summer.
You do not need a huge SUV for this route. The main roads connecting Tirana, the Riviera, Berat and Shkodër are paved. A normal small car is actually easier when parking in towns such as Sarandë and Berat.
Before driving away, take photos and videos of the entire rental car including the wheels. Check what excess your insurance has, whether you need a credit card for the deposit and whether there are any mileage restrictions.
Driving Rules in Albania
Albania drives on the right-hand side of the road and you overtake on the left. Seatbelts are compulsory and using your phone while driving should be hands-free.
Typical speed limits are around 40 km/h in built-up areas, 80-90 km/h outside towns and up to 110 km/h on motorways, although always follow the actual signs because limits change frequently. Albania also has an extremely low drink-driving limit of around 0.01%, so realistically I would treat it as zero alcohol if you are driving.
Albanian police also like to set up speed guns at corners so be wary that if people are driving slow there might be a reason. They also weren’t showing up on Waze or Google Maps so be careful and drive within the speed limit.
The main thing I noticed was that Albanian driving can sometimes feel a little chaotic. You might get overtaken unexpectedly and road markings are not always followed in the same way you may be used to.
I wouldn’t say this should stop you from renting a car, but drive defensively and don’t feel pressured to match the speed of the locals.
The other thing I would avoid where possible is long-distance driving late at night. Rural and mountain roads can have poor lighting, potholes and unmarked hazards.
Where Should You Stay on the Albanian Riviera?
One question you will probably have when planning this itinerary is where exactly to stay in southern Albania.
Sarandë, Ksamil, Himarë and Dhërmi are all relatively close to each other on a map, but the atmosphere is completely different.
Sarandë – Best Overall Base and Nightlife
If it is your first time in southern Albania, I would stay in Sarandë.
It is easily the liveliest option out of the four. You have a long waterfront promenade, plenty of restaurants and bars, supermarkets, accommodation at different price points and much more going on in the evening.
It is also the best location for this itinerary because Ksamil is around half an hour away and the Blue Eye and Gjirokastër are both easy day trips.
The actual beaches directly in Sarandë are not as beautiful as Ksamil or Himarë, but I think it works much better as a base.
I stayed in Sarandë from Day 2 until Day 5 to avoid constantly changing hotels. Having a car facilitated this of course.
One downfall is that accommodation in Sarande is a bit more expensive then the other beach towns in southern Albania.
Ksamil – Best if the Beach Is Everything
Ksamil has the famous turquoise water you see all over Instagram and TikTok.
If your main aim in Albania is to wake up, walk to the beach and spend almost the entire day swimming, then staying here makes the most sense.
However, Ksamil is considerably more touristy in peak summer and the evening atmosphere is nowhere near as lively as Sarandë.
Since Sarandë and Ksamil are only a short drive apart, I personally think it makes more sense to stay in Sarandë and visit Ksamil as a full-day trip like we do on Day 4.
Himarë – Best Balance
Himarë is probably my favourite compromise.
You still have restaurants, a promenade and enough atmosphere in the evening, but it feels smaller and considerably more relaxed than Sarandë. There are also plenty of beaches and boat trips departing directly from town.
Its location roughly halfway along the Riviera also makes it great for exploring beaches such as Livadhi, Jale and Gjipe.
We stayed the first night here and the bars along the promenade stayed open till late so it was quite lively.
Dhërmi – Best Alternative for Beach Clubs
Dhërmi is another option further north along the Riviera.
It has a more polished beach-club atmosphere and some impressive accommodation around the coastline. If your ideal Albania trip involves nice hotels, beach clubs and spending more time relaxing, Dhërmi could easily replace Himarë.
I can’t go into detail here as I didn’t personally stay here and opted for Himare due to driving logistics to try and minimise driving time each day.
Day 1 – Arrive in Albania and Drive South to Himarë
Your Albania road trip starts as soon as you land at Tirana International Airport.
We picked up our rental car directly from the airport rather than travelling into Tirana as this saves quite a lot of time. We don’t go into Tirana until the last day and instead we immediately started driving towards the Albanian Riviera and Himarë.
The journey takes around 3 hours, so this works best if your flight arrives in the morning or around lunchtime. If your flight does not land until late afternoon or evening, I would probably stay closer to Tirana and shift the itinerary slightly rather than driving the Riviera roads in complete darkness. One thing to consider is that the drive to Dhermi takes a bit less so oyu can base yourself there for the first night.
We arrived around 2pm so it was a bit tight but it was imperative we make it so that we make the most of our days.
As you get closer to the coast, the drive becomes one of the highlights in itself. The mountains start rising around you before you eventually drop down towards the Ionian Sea. There are several viewpoints along the way where you can stop for photos, so don’t necessarily trust the Google Maps arrival time.
One viewpoint which we made a point to stop was the Llogara Pass. It was really windy even on a hot day and as the sun was setting it made for a nice relaxing time up there soaking in the views.
Once you reach Himarë, check into your hotel and spend whatever remains of the evening walking along the promenade and grabbing dinner.
I wouldn’t plan loads of sightseeing today. You have just taken a flight and driven halfway across the country. Grab some dinner near the seafront, walk around Himarë and get an early night ready for the boat trip tomorrow.
Day 2 – Himarë Boat Trip and Drive to Sarandë
We started out day 2 by pre booking a boat trip from Himare to see some of the best spots along the Albanian Riviera. It is one of the best ways to see the coastline because several of the smaller coves and caves are difficult or impossible to reach properly by road.
Most of the shorter Himarë boat tours last roughly 3 to 4 hours. Depending on the company and route, you may pass places such as Livadhi Beach, Aquarium Bay, Jale Beach, Gjipe, various sea caves and Pirates Cave, with swimming stops along the way.
Prices vary, but shorter shared tours commonly sit around €25-€50 per person depending on the route and booking platform.
This is the boating tour we booked and it was mixed with caves and cool sighting spots as well as dropping us off at a beach for a couple of hours to relax.
I booked a morning departure rather than the afternoon one. That way we returned to Himarë, grabbed lunch, and continued south to Sarande.
From Himarë, drive along the coast towards Sarandë. Allow roughly 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic and how often you stop.
Once you arrive in Sarandë, check into your accommodation and keep the rest of the day simple. Walk along the seafront promenade, find somewhere for dinner and enjoy the livelier atmosphere. After Himarë it will feel more like a proper holiday town.
Day 3 – Blue Eye and Gjirokastër Day Trip
I decided to do Day 3 as an inland and somewhat shorter day. We took a break from the beaches and swapped it for two of the most popular places in southern Albania: the Blue Eye and Gjirokastër – a famous charming village.
I would start with the Blue Eye on this round trip from Sarande. It takes around 45 minutes to arrive by car and then around a 20 minute walk.
I have written a much more detailed guide on how to visit the Blue Eye from Sarandë covering parking, entrance fees, the tourist train, walking routes and why swimming in the actual spring is no longer allowed.
From the Blue Eye, we continued towards Gjirokastër. It is around a 30 minute drive from the Blue Eye
Gjirokastër is completely different to the Riviera. The city is based steeply up the hillside and is filled with stone houses, narrow streets and a cobbled old bazaar.
Start around the Old Bazaar before walking uphill towards Gjirokastër Castle. The castle dominates the town and gives you excellent views across the valley.
You don’t need the entire day here. Around three or four hours is enough to walk around the historic centre, see the castle and stop for some food.
Finally drive back and rest in your accommodation in Sarande and enjoy its nightlife in the evening.
Day 4 – Full Beach Day in Ksamil
This day is a full beach day. We spent it near Ksamil islands but realistically you can scout any beach that you like and spend your day here.
The drive takes around 20 to 30 minutes, although summer traffic approaching Ksamil can slow things down a bit so start early.
Ksamil is famous for its light sand, incredibly clear water and small islands sitting just offshore.
There are several different beaches around town rather than one huge beach. Walk around before immediately paying for the first sunbeds you see because prices vary between beach clubs.
July and August are extremely busy. If you can visit in June or September, you will still get warm weather and clear water without quite the same level of crowds.
You can rent a kayak or small boat, swim towards some of the nearby islands or simply spend the entire day relaxing.
There is also the famous stone hand in Ksamil where instagram photos are flooded with it.
Day 5 – Sarandë to Berat and Continue to Shkodër
This is the longest day of my Albania 7 day itinerary. It is a long travel day from the southern point right up north to Shkoder. However there is a stop to break the journey up.
This is Berat. Berat is known as the City of a Thousand Windows thanks to the Ottoman houses stacked along the hillside. The main areas are Mangalem and Gorica on opposite sides of the Osum River.
You should aim to depart Berat at around 3pm to reach Shkoder around 6-7pm.
The drive getting to Berat from Sarande is around 3 hours and the drive from Berat to Shkoder is another 3 hours.
Once in Berat walk through Mangalem, cross Gorica Bridge and explore some of the old streets. If you have enough time and energy, drive or walk up towards Berat Castle.
The castle is interesting because it is not simply an abandoned fortress. People still live inside the walls, with houses, cafés and churches scattered throughout the complex.
I have a complete guide to the best things to do in Berat in one day if you want to decide which stops to prioritise.
After Berat, get back in the car and continue north towards Shkodër. Arrive in Shkodër, eat somewhere near the centre and go to bed because tomorrow also starts early and is the reason why we set up and slept in Shkoder.
Day 6 – Komani Lake and Shala River
Komani Lake was easily one of my favourite experiences in Albania. This is also the main reason I made the point to drive all the way north rather than spending the entire week around the Riviera. There is much more nature that northern Albania has to offer, but that would merit 7 days in itself and skip the south.
The experience people normally mean when they talk about visiting Komani Lake is the boat ride from Koman Port through the canyon towards Shala River.
Because we already had a rental car, we drove from Shkodër towards Koman Port ourselves and booked the boat rather than paying for transport as part of the tour.
The road to Koman has a terrible reputation in older travel guides, but this is slightly outdated. When I visited, large parts had recently been improved and there was even fresh tarmac being laid. It is still a winding mountain road and you should leave plenty of buffer time, but it is nowhere near as terrible as some old reports make it sound.
The boat journey itself takes around 60 to 70 minutes each way.
Once you reach Shala River, most tours give you several hours of free time. You can swim, have lunch, rent a kayak or hike up towards the viewpoint above the river.
I definitely recommend doing the short viewpoint hike before relaxing. It only takes around 30 minutes but gives you one of the best views over the turquoise river.
The water looks incredibly inviting but it is freezing. I barely managed to get waist deep.
My full Komani Lake and Shala River day trip guide goes into much more detail about getting there from Shkodër, parking, road conditions, the ferry versus the Shala River boat and what to bring.
After returning from Komani Lake, we continued towards Tirana rather than spending another night in Shkodër.
Yes, it adds more driving after an already long day, but it makes the last day significantly easier because you wake up in Tirana ready for your final day.
Day 7 – Tirana, Bovilla Lake ATV Tour and Fly Home
The final day brings you back to Tirana for either your flight or a full day in Tirana and then flight the day after. Whatever your outcome you have options on this day.
If your flight is early in the morning on day 7, you can either skip Tirana or skip Komani Lake. If it is in the afternoon, you can skip the ATV portion of this guide. If it is on day 8 morning even better as you will get to space out the attractions.
I prefer putting Tirana at the end of the itinerary just in case something happens on the last day, we would be nearby the airport.
I would start the day by seeing Tirana’s central attractions. Here are some of them
Skanderbeg Square is the obvious starting point. From here you can quickly see the Et’hem Bey Mosque, Clock Tower and surrounding buildings.
Walk towards the Pyramid of Tirana afterwards. You can climb the outside stairs for free and get a nice view over the city. For more things to do in Tirana My complete guide to the best things to do in Tirana covers the Bovilla ATV trip as well as Mount Dajti, Bunk’Art, Blloku and everything else you could add if your flight is very late.
You are not going to have time to properly see every museum in Tirana today because there is one final activity I would definitely include: an ATV tour around Bovilla Lake.
This ended up being one of the highlights of my time around Tirana. Most Bovilla ATV experiences take around three to four hours and cost roughly €60 per person. You ride through rougher countryside outside the capital before heading towards the lake and surrounding mountain viewpoints.
Expect dust everywhere. Do not wear your nicest clothes. In hindsight it was a mistake putting this tour right before our flight but there was no other way to fit everything in. We cleaned ourselves off in a sink and had a proper shower back home!
Is 7 Days Enough for Albania?
Seven days is enough to see a portion of Albania. You need to choose either going to the south or the north.
This itinerary gives you the Albanian Riviera, beaches, two historic towns, Komani Lake and Tirana in 7 days.
It does not give you is much downtime. If I had another day, the first change I would make would be splitting Day 5. Spending a night in Berat would make the journey north considerably more relaxed.
With two or three extra days, you could also properly explore northern Albania and add Theth or Valbona.
However, if you only have one week available, I think this route gives you one of the best introductions to Albania because every couple of days feels completely different.
You go from the relaxed coastline of Himarë to busy Sarandë, turquoise Ksamil beaches, Ottoman towns and finally the huge mountain scenery around Komani Lake.
An alternative 7 days would be to focus on the north part of Albania where nature dominates, you visit Theth, the Valbona valley and Ohrid. This is in the plans for another trip in the future for me.
Final Thoughts on My Albania 7 Day Itinerary
Albania was one of those trips where I felt like I saw a lot more variety than I expected from such a relatively small country.
The south obviously gets most of the attention because of Ksamil and the Riviera, but I would strongly recommend making the effort to see at least something in the north as well. Komani Lake was worth the long drive alone.
If you want a completely relaxed beach holiday, this probably isn’t the itinerary for you. Spend most of your week between Himarë, Sarandë and Ksamil instead.
But if you are like me and only have seven days and want to see as much as possible, this Albania 7 day itinerary is completely doable with a rental car, an early start or two and the acceptance that Day 5 is going to be a long one.
You get beaches, cities, mountains, boat trips, a road trip and even an ATV adventure all within one week.
For more detailed planning, check out my Albania budget travel guide as well as my individual guides to Tirana, Berat, the Blue Eye and Komani Lake and Shala River.
