Things to do in Albania

The 18 best things to do in Albania

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1. 1Berat

   Wander the one-over-one windows of Mangalem

   Berat is known as the city of one over one windows, and Mangalem is where the name makes sense. This old quarter curls around the south and east of the castle hill, with white stone houses packed onto a steep slope, rows of windows stacked above each other and small balconies facing the Osum River. Most buildings date from the 18th and 19th centuries, and the lanes are still cobbled. Two Ottoman mosques, the King Mosque and the Bachelors Mosque, stand in the quarter. Berat's old town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2008. Plan an hour or two to wander, and note that you are walking through a place where people still live.

   Tip: Wear comfortable shoes for the steep cobbled lanes, and keep your voice down near the homes.

   Free to wander
   Sources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
2. 2Berat

   Climb Berat Castle and its living hilltop village

   Berat Castle sits on a rocky hill about 214 m above sea level on the right bank of the Osum, and is often called the crown of the city. Illyrians settled the hill first. The walls you see today, about 1,400 m long with 24 towers, took shape in the 13th century. Inside the 9.6 hectare enclosure, once home to around 42 churches, about eight survive, along with the Red Mosque from Ottoman times. People still live behind the walls, so the lanes feel like a small village rather than a ruin. From the top you look across the old town, the river and the Gorica Bridge.

   Tip: Wear sturdy shoes for the cobbled lanes, and check the opening hours of the churches and museums inside before you go.

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   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
3. 3Berat

   Cross the Gorica Bridge to the quieter bank

   The Gorica Bridge is one of Berat's best-known symbols. Ahmet Kurt Pasha built it in stone in 1777 to replace an earlier wooden bridge, and it was repaired after floods brought it down in 1880. It is 127 m long and has seven semicircular arches. Cross it to reach the Gorica quarter on the left bank, where the first Orthodox community lived. Smaller houses climb the upper slope and larger merchant houses with decorated porches sit by the river, many rebuilt after the 1851 earthquake. From Gorica you get the classic view back at Mangalem and the castle, and every January 6 the bridge is the setting for a cross-throwing ritual in the river.

   Tip: Walk over in the late afternoon for the view back across the river, then return to the old town the same way.

   Free to visit
   Search tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
4. 4Berat

   See Onufri's red icons in Berat Castle

   The Onufri National Iconographic Museum fills the Cathedral of the Dormition of St Mary, built in 1797 on the foundations of an earlier church, in the heart of Berat Castle. It is named after Onufri, a 16th century painter known for his rich color and a famous red. About 200 icons and church objects from the 14th to the 20th century hang here, including work by Onufri's son Nikolla, David Selenica and the Zografi masters of the Çetiri family. The carved wooden iconostasis, made around 1806 to 1807, is among the finest baroque woodcarvings in the Balkans. The museum also keeps two manuscripts protected by UNESCO, the Codex Purpureus Beratinus and the Codex Aureus of Anthimos.

   Tip: Visit it as part of your castle walk and check the opening hours at the gate, since small museums can close earlier than the castle.

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   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
5. 5Sarandë

   Explore the ruins of ancient Butrint

   Butrint lies a short way from Sarandë, between Lake Butrint and the Vivari Channel and a few kilometers from the Corfu strait. Its ruins layer Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian eras in one site. You walk past the theater, a basilica, Roman baths, the Temple of Minerva, a monumental gate and the old city walls, with statues, portraits and inscriptions found in digs. Butrint joined the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992 and became a national park in 2000, covering 29 sq km that also include the Ksamil islands. A common pairing is Ksamil's beaches in the morning and Butrint in the afternoon.

   Tip: Pair it with Ksamil on the same day, and confirm opening hours locally before you set out.

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   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
6. 6Sarandë

   Climb Gjirokastër Castle above the stone city

   Gjirokastër is the stone city, with tower houses, stone-slab roofs and cobbled lanes that all lead down to the bazaar. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2005. The castle on the hill is one of the largest and best preserved in Albania, with a history from the 4th century and its present form from Ottoman times. Inside you find the Arms Museum, the ruins of a communist-era prison and an American aircraft left as a Cold War symbol. The views run over the Drino valley. The castle also hosts the National Folklore Festival. Gjirokastër is usually done as a day trip from Sarandë or a stop between Berat and the coast.

   Tip: Wear sturdy shoes, since the lanes are cobbled and the castle sits on a steep hill.

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   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
7. 7Sarandë

   Step inside a tower house at Zekate House

   Zekate House shows how wealthy families lived in Gjirokastër. The Zeko family built it in the early 19th century as a classic tower house, with massive stone walls and a layout that follows custom: defensive lower floors and living floors above. Big rooms with many windows open views over the town. Inside you see carved wooden ceilings, decorative fireplaces, built-in cupboards and the reception rooms called odas, where hospitality mattered above all. Together they show the skill of Gjirokastër's builders and the standard of living of its 19th century elite. It is one of the most visited places in town and a good way to understand the stone houses you see from the street.

   Tip: Pair it with the Skënduli House or the castle in one half day, and check house opening hours because small museums keep their own schedules.

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   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
8. 8Sarandë

   Look into the Blue Eye spring

   The Blue Eye, or Syri i Kaltër, is a karst spring in the village of Muzinë, about 18 km from Sarandë. Water wells up from a depth of more than 45 m, and the deep blue of the center against the green around it looks like an eye, which gives the spring its name. It is a protected natural monument for its hydro-geological and visual value, and one of the most visited attractions in southern Albania, especially in summer. It is easy to pair with Gjirokastër on the way north.

   Tip: Go early on a summer day, since it is one of the most visited places in the south.

   Check access on arrival
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
9. 9Sarandë

   Swim and boat around Ksamil's beaches and islets

   Ksamil is one of the best-known summer places on the Albanian Riviera, close to Sarandë in the far south. Its beaches have clear, shallow water, and several small islands sit just offshore and can be visited by boat. It sits inside the Butrint National Park area, so the beach day pairs naturally with the ruins. The area has plenty of tourist services and a welcoming feel. It suits families and anyone after a relaxed swim day rather than a long sightseeing day. Plan it for summer, the season the tourism agency points to for the southern coast.

   Tip: Check licensed operators for boats and jet skis, since local reports note that rented craft sometimes lack proper safety equipment.

   Check access on arrival
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (official); UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (official)
10. 10Tirana

    Start in Skanderbeg Square, Tirana's living room

    Skanderbeg Square is the center of Tirana and the easiest place to get your bearings. It was redesigned in its current form in 2017 and won the European Prize for Urban Public Space in 2018. The surface is paved with natural stone gathered from every region of Albania. Around it stand the National History Museum, the Opera and Ballet theater, the National Library, City Hall and the Bank of Albania. The Et'hem Bey Mosque, with its rare frescoes, and the early 19th century Clock Tower are right beside it. The square also hosts festivals and exhibitions. Use it as the starting point for the rest of the city.

    Tip: Walk it once in the morning and again at dusk to see how the space changes.

    Free to visit
    Sources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
11. 11Tirana

    Go underground at the Bunk'Art 2 bunker

    Bunk'Art 2 is a museum inside a nuclear bunker built in the late 1980s, in central Tirana a short walk from Skanderbeg Square. About 24 rooms spread over roughly 1,000 sq m cover how the Ministry of the Interior watched, arrested and imprisoned people under the communist dictatorship. Exhibits run from the Gendarmerie of 1912 to 1939 through to the Police and Sigurimi of 1944 to 1991, with documents, objects and multimedia in Albanian and English. It is sobering but well told, and one of the clearest ways to understand modern Albania. Plan about an hour.

    Tip: Ask about the combined ticket for Bunk'Art 1 and 2, which is valid for 72 hours, and consider an audio guide in English and bring your own headphones.

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    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); Bunk'Art
12. 12Kruja

    Visit Kruja Castle and the Skanderbeg Museum

    Kruja is the birthplace of Skanderbeg, who defended Albania against the Ottoman Empire, and its castle is the main reason to come. The oval fortress covers 2.5 hectares on a rocky hill and was built in the 5th and 6th centuries, with nine towers on its walls. Inside you find the Skanderbeg Museum, an ethnographic museum in an 18th century Toptani house, a small mosque and a 15th century hamam. Viewpoints look over the town and the plain. Below the gate runs the old bazaar with wooden shops, cobbled lanes, filigree, carpets and souvenirs. Kruja is a half-day or day trip from Tirana.

    Tip: Walk up through the old bazaar to the gate, and keep time for the Ethnographic Museum inside the walls.

    ALL[fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
13. 13Tirana

    Ride the Dajti Ekspres cable car above Tirana

    Dajti Mountain National Park is about 26 km from the center of Tirana, with forests, hiking, mountain biking, camping and picnic spots. The Dajti Ekspres cable car carries you up for a wide view over the city and the surrounding plain. At the lower station you can also add mini golf or an adventure park. A public bus from the Clock Tower near Skanderbeg Square runs to the stop near the station, and the trip takes about 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. It makes an easy break from the museums.

    Tip: Tickets are sold only at the lower station, the cable car rests on Tuesdays, and arriving between 9:00 and 11:00 is the best way to avoid queues.

    Buy tickets at the lower station
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); Dajti Ekspres; Dajti Ekspres
14. 14Tirana

    Understand surveillance at the House of Leaves

    The House of Leaves is a museum in central Tirana about how the communist state watched its people. The building was once the main eavesdropping center of the Sigurimi, the secret police, and it keeps the original equipment used for surveillance. Displays include documents, listening devices, archive files and audiovisual material that show how the system worked and what it did to private life. It pairs well with Bunk'Art 2, and together they give a clear picture of the communist period. Expect a thoughtful, reflective visit rather than a light one.

    Tip: Visit it on the same walk as Bunk'Art 2 and check hours before you go.

    ALL[fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
15. 15Tirana

    See Albania's story at the National History Museum

    The National History Museum opened on October 28, 1981 and is the most important museum in Albania. It holds about 4,750 objects spread across eight pavilions, from the 4th millennium BC to the second half of the 20th century. The museum stands on Skanderbeg Square, so it fits easily into a first morning in the city. Walking the pavilions in order gives a chronological tour of the country before heading out to the sites that show the story on the ground, like Butrint or Berat Castle.

    Tip: Walk the eight pavilions in order to follow the story from antiquity to the 20th century.

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    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
16. 16Sarandë

    Watch the Ionian from Lëkurësi Castle

    Lëkurësi Castle stands above Sarandë, built in 1537 under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to protect the port and control sea and land routes against Venetian influence. Its fortified walls and some inner buildings survive, and the hill gives a wide view over the town, the coast and the Ionian Sea. It fits easily at the start or end of a day in Sarandë, a town that faces the island of Corfu across the water.

    Tip: Check the opening hours before you go, and aim for a clear day for the view.

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    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
17. 17Sarandë

    Stop at Porto Palermo's bay and Ali Pasha's castle

    Porto Palermo is one of the most distinctive stops on the Albanian Riviera. The coastal road opens onto a sheltered bay with a castle on a small rise, and the water is calm and clear enough for a swim. Boats often stop here for a short break. Next to the bay is a small beach, and a few meters above stands Ali Pasha's castle, where you can walk around the structure and see the bay and sea from above. It is on most itineraries between Himara and Qeparo, so it fits well on the drive along the coast.

    Tip: Treat it as a short stop on a coastal drive and leave time for a swim in the bay.

    ALL[fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al); National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)
18. 18Tirana

    Browse the covered market at Pazari i Ri

    Pazari i Ri, the New Bazaar, is a rebuilt market district close to the historic center. At its heart sits a covered market selling fresh fruit, vegetables, spices and traditional Albanian specialties. Around it, cafes, restaurants, craft workshops and souvenir shops fill the lanes, mixing the old market spirit with a modern setting. Locals and visitors both use it, so it is a good place to see everyday Tirana. Come hungry, then walk on to the rest of the center.

    Tip: Start in the covered market for produce and spices, then settle into a cafe.

    Pay as you go
    Sources: National Tourism Agency of Albania (akt.gov.al)

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