An EPIC 10-Day Albania Itinerary – North To South Albania
Looking for the perfect 10-day Albania itinerary? You have come to the right place!
Albania is an amazing, underappreciated gem that is finally starting to get the attention it deserves.
Itโs easy to see why when you uncover the sheer beauty and variety that this country offers. Here you can wander through dramatic mountains, canyons, ravines and the stunning Albanian Riviera.
Not only that but Albania is also home to some insanely delicious cuisine, vibrant traditions and some of the friendliest locals you will ever meet.
Whether youโre an adventure seeker or a history lover, Albania offers something special for everyone.
This Albania itinerary will take you from North To South Albania. Youโll experience the rugged mountains of the Albanian Alps in the North down to the crystal-clear waters of the Ionian Sea in the South.
10-days in Albania is the perfect amount of time to experience its incredible landscapes, charming towns, and fascinating cultural heritage.
So, whatโs included in a 10-day Albania itinerary? Read on below to find out!

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โฌ๏ธPrepare For Albaniaโฌ๏ธ

๐๐ปBOOK YOUR HOTELS๐๐ป
For this trip I recommend using Booking.comย and Hostelworld to book your accommodation.
๐BOOK YOUR TRANSPORT๐
Book transport to and around Albania from my favourite websites: Flixbus, Omio & Skyscanner. Alternatively, you canย rent a car fromย Discover Cars.
๐กEXPLORE THE BEST ACTIVITIES๐ก
Uncover the best activities in Albania with GetYourGuide and Viator.
๐
WHEN TO VISIT ๐
For great weather and fewer crowds make sure to visit in the shoulder seasons of April-June and September-October.
About Your 10-day Albania Itinerary
Your 10 days in Albania will start in the city of Shkodรซr in the North, and end in the beautiful beach towns of Ksamil and Sarandรซ in the South and will look like this:
- Day 1 โ Shkodรซr
- Days 2-3 Valbona โ Theth Hike
- Day 4 โ Theth
- Day 5 โ Theth > Shkodรซrr > Tirana
- Day 6 โ Berat
- Day 7 โ Gjirokaster
- Days 8-10 Ksamil and Sarandรซ
This North to South Albania route has been intentionally curated so that you can spend the first portion of your trip hiking and exploring and the second half of your trip relaxing on the beach.
Arriving in Albania
This 10-day Albania itinerary starts in the city of Shkodรซr in Northern Albania. Shkodรซr is a well-connected city and you can easily travel here from other towns and cities in Albania as well as other countries in the Balkans.
Flight
If you are flying into Albania you will need to fly into Tirana International Airport. You can get direct flights into Tirana from the most popular European cities. I always search for cheap flights using Skyscanner. Both Ryanair and Wizz Air fly into Tirana so you should be able to get some good budget deals if you time it right!
Renting a Car
If you plan on driving on this itinerary you can rent a car from Tirana Airport and drive straight to Shkodรซr. The journey is approximately 98 KM in distance and will take you a little under 2 hours to get there (traffic dependent).
NOTE โ It might be worth considering taking the bus to Shkodรซr and then renting a car from there, as you wonโt be using the car as much until day 5 of this itinerary. This will save you a large chunk of money.

Direct Bus from Tirana Airport
It is very easy to get around Albania by using public buses and the bus journey to Shkodรซr is fairly straightforward.
A direct bus from Tirana Airport to Shkodรซr has recently been introduced. The bus departs the airport at 11:15 AM, 12:45 PM, 5:30 PM, and 8:10 PM every day. Tickets cost โฌ10 for a one-way trip and the bus leaves from the parking area at Tirana Airport and arrives at Hermes Airport in Shkodรซr.
Bus From Tirana City Centre
If you are unable to get the direct bus from the airport, you can easily catch a bus from Tirana city centre.
From the airport, you will need to get to โRegional Bus Terminal North and South Albaniaโ. You can catch a taxi where the journey will take you approximately 35 minutes. Itโs also important to note that there is no Uber in Albania but they have like-for-like apps including โPatokoโ and โSpeed Taxiโ. The cost for a taxi to the city centre will be rough โฌ20-โฌ25, however, if you use one of the apps you can get it for a slightly cheaper price of around โฌ15-โฌ18.
Alternatively, you can catch the bus. This will involve two bus journeys as you will first need to get to the city centre, and from there to the Regional Bus Terminal.
There is a shuttle bus from the airport that leaves almost hourly from 8 AM to 11 PM (please note there is no bus at 8 PM or 10 PM). This bus will drop you off at Skanderbeg Square. From Skanderbeg Square, you will need to head to Rruga Dede Gjo Luli and catch the bus to Instituti Bujqesor which will make a stop at the Bus Terminal.

Alternatively, you can catch a taxi from the city centre to the bus station which should only cost you around โฌ5-โฌ10.
From the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania, you can then catch the bus to Shkodรซr. These leave hourly and should cost you no more than โฌ5. If you would prefer to pre-book the bus you can do so on either the FlixBus or GetbyBus websites, however, you will be paying a premium price for the bus ticket and routes might not always be available on these websites.

International Bus
It is very easy to travel to Shkodรซr from other places in the Balkans like Kotor in Montenegro and Dubrovnik in Croatia. If you are travelling overland in the Balkans you can pre-book your bus tickets to Shkodรซr on either the FlixBus or GetbyBus websites.
Day 1 โ Shkodรซr
Shkoder is one of Albaniaโs oldest cities and is home to a vibrant culture, a rich history and some very beautiful nature. The city was founded in the 4th century BCE and it is here that you can find Albaniaโs largest lake, Lake Shkodรซr. Shkodรซr is also the gateway to the Albanian Alps which makes it the perfect starting point for this itinerary.
Where To Stay in Shkodรซr
Shkodรซr has some incredibly affordable accommodation, and you can often get a studio apartment for as little as โฌ25 per night. Plus, the hostel scene here is really great too with a few good options to choose from for those looking to meet other travellers.
When it comes to hostels in Shkodรซr there are two main ones I would recommend, Shkodra Backpackers Hostel and The Wanderers Hostel. The Wanderers Hostel does have a slightly younger crowd, but it is a really good place to stay if you are doing the Valbona to Theth hike which is part of this itinerary (Iโll discuss more on this later on in this blog post).
If you prefer private accommodation I recommend checking out the plethora of budget-friendly, private apartments here.

Things To Do In Shkodรซr
There are a few things to do in Shkodรซr but personally, I donโt believe it is the best place youโre going to be visiting on your trip to Albania which is why I recommend spending just one day here.
Some of the best things to do in Shkodรซr include:
- Hiring out bicycles
- Swimming in Lake Shkodรซr
- Visit Rozafa Castle
- Visit the Marubi National Museum of Photography
- Visit the Ebu Bekr Mosque
- Visit the Mesi Bridge
Day 2-3 Valbona To Theth Hike
The Valbona to Theth hike is a 16 KM hike through the stunning Albanian Alps and is probably one of my favourite parts of this itinerary.
The journey to Valbona is a bit of a long-winded one that requires multiple forms of transport but itโs definitely worth it.
When planning this hike you either have the option to book everything by yourself, or through The Wanderers Hostel.
Booking Through The Wanderers Hostel
In order to book through The Wanderers Hostel you have to be a guest there during your time in Shkodรซr but they will book everything for you. This includes your journey to Valbona, your guesthouses in both Valbona and Theth and your journey back to Shkodรซr from Theth.
Booking Yourself
If you would prefer to organise the hike yourself you will need to arrange the following:
- Transport from Shkodรซr to Valbona
- Bus from Shkodรซr to Lake Koman
- Boat from Lake Koman to Fierze
- Bus from Fierze to Valbona
- A Guesthouse in Valbona
- A Guesthouse in Theth
- Bus Transport from Theth to Shkodรซr
You can book all of your tickets through Albanianbus.com. The Shkodรซr to Valbona journey will cost around โฌ30 and the Theth to Shkodรซr bus journey will cost around โฌ10-โฌ15. You can also ask your guesthouse in Theth to book this for you instead as you might get a slightly cheaper price than online.
When it comes to booking your guest houses there are lots of beautiful little places to choose from in both Valbona and Theth. Check out the best guesthouses in Valbona here and the best guesthouses in Theth here.
For this itinerary, you will need to book 2 nights in Theth as you will spend a full day exploring this village on day 4 of this itinerary.

Important Information Regarding the Valbona to Theth Hike
The Hike
The hike is 16 KM and should take you approximately 6 hours. In terms of difficulty, it falls within the easy to moderate range, though your experience may vary depending on your fitness level. If youโre someone who walks or exercises regularly, youโll likely find it quite manageable.
You will reach the peak of the hike fairly early on which means a large portion of the hike is spent going downhill, this is just something to be aware of if you have dodgy knees like me!
Please note that it isnโt uncommon to see a nose-horned viper on this trail, which is a venomous snake. So make sure to be aware of your surroundings when youโre hiking as we were told that someone was bit on the trail just a few days before we embarked on our hike.
Itโs also not uncommon to be followed by mountain dogs on this hike and they are pretty friendly and harmless. During our hike we had 2 dogs follow us for almost half the journey, and it really felt like they were showing us the way.
But the most important thing to note of all is that this hike is absolutely stunning, and you will meet some incredible people along the way. I can almost guarantee you that it will be the highlight of your trip.

ATMs
Please make sure to get enough cash out for this portion of your trip. There is no ATM in Valbona, and whilst there is one in Theth I had issues getting my card to work in the ATM so itโs much better to air on the side of caution. Almost all guesthouses and restaurants take cash payments only.
Rental Cars
Please note if you have rented a car I would advise either leaving it in Shkodรซr for the duration of your hike. I would advise staying in an apartment, hotel or hostel that offers private parking and will allow you to leave your car there over the course of two nights, so make sure to do your research. Both of my favourite hostels in Shkodรซr, Shkodra Backpackers Hostel and The Wanderers Hostel offer private parking.
Day 4 โ Theth
On day 4 of this Albania itinerary, youโll be spending the day exploring the beautiful village of Theth. During your time here I recommend visiting the beautiful Grunas Waterfall and the even more stunning Blue Eye Kaprre.
The Theth > Grunas Waterfall > Blue Eye journey will be almost another full day of hiking (6-7 hours round trip with time included for chilling at the waterfall and Blue Eye).
The first part of the hike, from Theth to Grunas Waterfall, takes about 50 minutes and is easy to follow thanks to clear signs along the trail. From Grunas to the Blue Eye, the journey takes another 2โ3 hours, but the path is less clearly marked.

We were told that in order to do this hike we had to first head to the Grunas Waterfall, then walk back down to the entrance point of the waterfall, and carry on past this point towards the Blue Eye, however, we managed to find a different route.
Once we reached Grunas Waterfall, we crossed over the falls and walked down into the woods on the other side and from there carried on walking towards the Blue Eye. I would say this route is a little more โadventurousโ than the other so please only take this route if you are super comfortable.
For this hike, I recommend downloading a trail map (we used All Trails) and also making sure you speak to other hikers to ensure youโre going the right way.
If you prefer not to spend another day hiking you can get a taxi to and from Theth to the Blue Eye car park. From the car park, there is a short 30-40 minute hike to get to the Blue Eye. For this taxi, I would recommend finding a group of people to get in with you as it can get expensive otherwise. But if the car is full then it should only cost around โฌ5 per person.


Day 5 โ Theth > Shkodรซr > Tirana (Travel Day)
Whether you have rented a car or have decided to take the bus, day 5 unfortunately is a full travel day.
The journey from Theth to Shkodรซr is approximately 2 hours and from there you will need to make your way to either Tirana or Berat (depending on whether you are travelling by bus or by car).
By Car
If you have rented a car you can drive straight from Shkodรซr to Berat and skip out the night in Tirana. The journey from Shkodรซr to Berat is 197 KM and a little over a 3-hour drive.
By Bus
To catch the bus from Shkodรซr to Tirana, you will need to head to the Shkodรซr โbus stationโ which is essentially a bus stop on the side of the road located close to the main roundabout in Shkodรซr.
All you need to do is speak to the bus drivers here and ask them which is the correct bus to Tirana and they will point you in the right direction. The buses leave once every hour and cost around โฌ5. The bus journey from Shkodรซr to Tirana should take around 2 hours. This bus will drop you off at the โRegional Bus Terminal North and South Albaniaโ in Tirana.
Depending on what time you arrive you can either decide to spend the evening in Tirana or head straight on another bus to Berat. The bus from Tirana to Berat does not depart from the same bus station that you are dropped off at. You will have to make your way to the โIntercity Bus Terminal โ South Zoneโ station which is a 10-minute drive away.
Buses from Tirana to Berat depart daily, every 30 minutes between the hours of 5:40 AM to 5:30 PM, tickets cost โฌ3.50 and the journey should take you just over 1.5 hours.
Day 6 โ Berat
Berat, best known for its stunning and historic architecture, is a UNESCO World Heritage site often referred to as โthe town of 1000 windowsโ due to the large windows of the old, decorated houses overlooking the town.

Where To Stay in Berat
Berat is a fairly small town, so no matter where you decide to stay you will be a good distance from all the best things to do in Berat.
Some of the top hotels in Berat I recommend are:
- Hotel Klea โ A very traditional and reasonably priced hotel with incredible views over the fields of Berat
- Hotel Borklad โ A beautiful hotel located in central Berat with amazing views over the city
- Timoโs Guest House โ A beautiful guesthouse with a luxury edge
Click here to take a look at more hotels in Berat.


Things To Do In Berat
Berat is quite a small town so you will be able to visit all of the best things to do in Berat in just one day.
Here are some of the best things to do during your one day in Berat.
- Visit Berat Castle
- Admire the โ1000 windowsโ in Old Town Berat
- Walk Across Gorica Bridge
- Explore the Bulevardi Republika
- Enjoy Wine Tasting at Cobo Winery
Read my in-depth 7-day Albania itinerary here.
Day 7 โ Gjirokaster
Gjirokastรซr is a beautiful historic city in southern Albania and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Itโs famous for its Ottoman-style architecture and charming cobbled streets, earning it the nickname โCity of Stone.โ The houses here are truly unique, with stone roofs, wooden balconies, and bright white walls, giving the whole place a one-of-a-kind feel thatโs hard to forget.

How To Get From Berat To Gjiroksater
By Car
The drive from Berat to Gjirokaster is 2h 34m and 181 km in distance.
By Bus
There are two buses a day that go from Berat to Gjirokaster which leave at 8 AM and 2 PM. Tickets cost around โฌ10 and the journey is a little over 2.5 hours long. The buses leave from Berat Bus Terminal which is about 20-minutes outside of the city. As there are only 2 buses a day I recommend getting to the bus stop a little early so that you get a seat on the bus.
Where To Stay In Gjirokaster
There are lots of incredible hotels in Gjirokastรซr that are reasonably priced with great views of the town.
Some of the top hotels in Gjirokastรซr I recommend are:
- Kerculla Resort โ A stunning luxury resort overlooking Gjirokastรซr
- Guesthouse Mele โ A beautiful and reasonably priced guesthouse overlooking the green fields of Gjirokastรซr
- Panoramic Vlachos โ A great budget option with great views of the city
Click here to take a look at more hotels in Gjirokastรซr.
Things To Do In Gjiroksater
Much like Shkodรซr and Berat, Gjirokastรซr is also a small town that you will be able to explore in just one day. Here are some of the best things to do on your one day in Gjirokastรซr.
- Explore the Old Town Bazaar
- Visit the Castle of Gjirokastรซr
- Explore the Manalat Quarter
- Visit the Ali Pasha Bridge
- Explore the Cold War tunnel


Day 8-10 Ksamil and Sarandรซ
Ksamil and Sarandรซ are two beautiful beach villages located on Albaniaโs Ionian coast that are just a short distance from each other. Itโs famous for its clear turquoise waters and lovely beaches. They also directly opposite the Greek island of Corfu which you should be able to see in the distance on a clear day.

Where To Stay In Ksamil and Sarandรซ
For this portion of the itinerary, I recommend choosing to stay in just one place (either Ksamil or Sarandรซ ) so that you donโt have to repack your bags for the 20th time on this trip. Ksmail and Sarandรซ are just 30 minutes from each other and if you donโt have a car there are regular buses to and from each town as well as fairly cheap taxis too.
Some of the best hotels in Ksamil include:
- Villa Nertili โ This is a great budget with beautiful sea views
- Ventus Hotel โ A good option for those looking for something comfortable, reasonably priced and a good walking distance from the beach
- Hotel Queen Margaret Seaside โ Located just 500m from the beach Hotel Queen Margaret is one of the most popular hotels in Ksamil, with great prices and stunning beach views
Some of the best hotels in Sarandรซ include:
- Apart-Hotel Lili2โ A stunning boutique apartment with gorgeous sea views and very reasonably priced.
- Da Luz Boutique Hotel โ A stunning hotel ideal for those looking for a little bit of luxury
- Home Away From Home โ A no frills, but cosy guesthouse which is close to the beach and perfect for those on a budget
Things to do in Ksamil and Sarandรซ
- Relax on these beaches:
- Ksamil Beach
- Lori Beach
- Augusto Beach
- Ohana Beach
- Mirror Beach
- Pulรซbardha beach
- Shpella e Pรซllumbave
- Spend the day chilling at one of these beach clubs:
- Bianco Beach Club
- Principotes and Tulum Resto Lounge
- Poda Lounge
- Black Pearl Beach Club
- Kayak over to the Ksamil Islands
- Best Restaurants in Ksamil
- Explore Butrint National Park
- Explore the streets of Sarandรซ
- Relax at Lost Seaside Sarandรซ
- Watch the Sunset from Lekuresi Castle


Albania FAQโs
Travel Tips For Albania Itinerary
In Albania cash is king, so I really recommend having cash on you at all times. The currency used is the Albanian Lek however I found a lot of places were also willing to take Euros too. This is completely up to the discretion of the establishment you are in so I recommend always having local currency on your person just in case.
How Many Days Do You Need For Albania
It really depends on what you are doing, however, I would say you need a minimum of at least 5 days. If you want to do a road trip of the country from the North to the South then you need at least 10 days as this itinerary discusses.

What Is The Most Beautiful Part Of Albania
This is a very diplomatic answer, but the whole of Albania is beautiful. From the mountains of Valbona and Theth to the Ottoman architecture found in Berat and Gjirokaster and the clear waters of Ksamil, Sarandรซ and Himare there are so many beautiful things to see in the country. Wherever you decide to visit, you certainly wonโt be disappointed.
This itinerary takes you from North to South Albania so that you get to experience it all!
Is Albania Safe To Travel To Right Now?
Yes, Albania is very safe for tourists to visit.
Is Albania Safe For Solo Female Travellers?
I felt very safe as a solo female traveller in Albania, however, I did have some very uncomfortable moments. One of these included getting flashed by a man in broad daylight in the North of Albania. I do want to stress that this can happen pretty much anywhere in the world, and overall I had a great time travelling solo in Albania.
When travelling in Albania as a woman I recommend exercising the usual precautions that we take both at home and when in a foreign country, including not walking alone in the dark and ensuring you have battery and data on your phone. I recommend Airalo or Holafly eSIMs if you need data during your time abroad.

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Final Thoughts On Visiting Albania
In short, Albania is a stunning place that combines natural landscapes, history, great food and warm and welcoming people. Whether youโre hiking through the Albanian Alps, exploring picturesque towns or chilling on the beach, this 10-day itinerary gives you the chance to see the best of this underrated country.
I hope this post has helped you plan the perfect 10 days in Albania. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out!