01
Tirana
The capital has Skanderbeg Square, the bunker museums Bunk'Art 1 and 2, the House of Leaves and a cable car up Dajti. It is the base for three days and for the day trips to Krujë, Durrës and Berat.
Destination
Albania
Three cities for one trip: a capital with bunkers and a cable car, and two UNESCO-listed towns
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- Currency
- Albanian lek (ALL)
- Language
- Albanian (official)
- Entry
- visa-free 90 days, outside Schengen
Albania is easiest to see from Tirana: the capital works as a base for three days, Berat lies about two hours away by bus, and Gjirokastër waits further south. The country covers 28,748 square kilometres and has about 2.4 million people (2023 census), yet three cities are enough for a first trip, and two of them sit on the UNESCO list.
Money is simple once you know where cash is needed, and the currency is the lek: Albanian lek (ALL). Cards are accepted in many mid-range and upmarket restaurants in Tirana: cards in cities, cash at stalls. Smaller places, market stalls and the intercity buses want notes, so at the airport cash machine withdraw only enough for a day or two and decline the offer to convert the amount into euros. Tipping is not obligatory: 5–10% for good service.
Where next
Cities and places in Albania
Each place has its own page — what makes it worth the detour, and how long you need.
The full list
All 292 places we write about sit on one page — narrow them down by continent, country, price or what you are travelling for.
Entry depends on your passport, and Albania is not in the Schengen area. In short: visa-free 90 days, outside Schengen. EU and UK citizens may stay 90 days in any 180, EU citizens can enter with an ID card alone. American citizens may stay up to a year, and every passport should be valid for at least three months. Anyone driving needs a green card, and an international driving permit is not required.
Getting around means buses, which leave from terminals northwest of the centre of Tirana, about 25 minutes from Skanderbeg Square, and payment is in cash. The fares for the two most popular day trips are these: Berat, €13–15; Krujë, €2.20–4.40. Korçë and Pogradec are served from a different terminal in the south-east, and two practical details travel with you, the sockets (type F (and C), 230V) and the emergency number (112; police 129, ambulance 127).
The country divides into trips of different length. Give Tirana three days, Krujë or Durrës half a day and Berat a full day, and treat Gjirokastër as a trip of its own because it lies far to the south. Berat and Gjirokastër are both UNESCO towns, built of stone on steep slopes, and each deserves more than a quick stop between buses.
Flights
Flights to Tirana
Both sites fill in your nearest airport for you; change it in one click.
Where to stay
Places to stay in Albania
Check the same room on both sites: price and cancellation terms can differ.
What it's known for
Four things Albania means
Hundreds of thousands of bunkers
Bunkers were built from 1967 to 1986, and estimates range from 500,000 to more than 750,000, and some of them are cafés and restaurants today.
Two UNESCO towns
Gjirokastër has been on the UNESCO list since 2005, and Berat joined as an extension in 2008. Berat is known as the city of a thousand windows, Gjirokastër as the city of stone.
Skanderbeg and Krujë
The fortress at Krujë withstood sieges in 1450, 1466 and 1467, and a museum to Skanderbeg was founded in its courtyard in 1982.
A capital four centuries old
Tirana was founded in 1614, became the provisional capital on 8 February 1920 and the permanent one on 31 December 1925.
What to see
Three places for a first visit
This isn't a ranking — it's a route. Any one of these could carry a whole trip.
02
Berat
The city of a thousand windows is about two hours from Tirana by bus, with the last bus back around 4 pm, and it was added to the UNESCO list in 2008 as an extension of the listing that began with Gjirokastër.
03
Gjirokastër
Known as the city of stone, it climbs the steep side of the Drino valley. It has been a UNESCO site since 2005 and lies far enough south that it deserves a trip of its own.
Frequently asked
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Do I need a visa for Albania?
That depends on your passport: visa-free 90 days, outside Schengen. EU and UK citizens get 90 days in any 180, EU citizens can use an ID card, Americans can stay up to a year, and the passport must be valid for at least three months.
How many days does Albania need?
For the capital the count is: 2–3 in town; 4 with trips. Berat takes a full day, so plan another one for it, and add half a day for Krujë or Durrës.
Do I need a car in Albania?
No, not for Tirana, Krujë, Durrës or Berat, because buses run from the terminals northwest of the centre and take cash. Anyone bringing their own car needs a green card.
Which plug does Albania use?
The sockets are type F (and C), 230V, and the voltage is 230 V.
Plan the trip
Ready for Albania?
Checked at the source12 facts on this page carry a source and a check date.All sources →
Where next
If you liked this
Keep going — these destinations and stories pair well with this one.
Montenegro
→The Bay, the riviera or Ulcinj for the sea, Durmitor for July — choose the coast by its beaches and the north by the month
Greece
→The north by road, the Cyclades by ferry, Rhodes by air — pick the region first and the island second
North Macedonia
→Skopje on the Vardar, Ohrid on a UNESCO lake and about three hours of road between them
Bosnia and Herzegovina
→Two cities, a mark pegged to the euro and mountains that were Olympic in 1984
On the map
Tirana, Berat and Gjirokastër
The whole of Albania fits into one query — six questions and you know which of them suits you.
Front row for the next trip
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