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Discover stunning Albania on an 11‑day road trip

  • Melanie
  • Feb 7
  • 9 min read

Recommendations, route & highlights for your Albania road trip-adventure!


by Melanie


Albania – a country full of contrasts, untouched nature and warm hospitality.


Our 11-day road trip took us from the rugged mountains of Theth in the north to the breathtaking beaches of the Riviera in Himarë. Along the way, we discovered spectacular scenic roads, historic towns, and hidden coves that truly left us speechless. In this post, we’ll share our route, the most stunning highlights, and practical recommendations to help you plan your own Albanian adventure.





Table of contents



  1. General information about travelling to Albania


    Here you’ll find key information to help you prepare for your trip to Albania:


  • Capital: Tirana

  • Currency: Albanian Lek (ALL).

    Euros are accepted almost everywhere, but usually with a slight exchange‑rate disadvantage.

  • Language: Albanian (English widely spoken in tourist areas)

  • Safety: Albania is a safe travel destination; normal precautions are recommended

  • Hospitality: Extremely warm and welcoming

  • Best Time to Visit: May–September for beaches and outdoor activities

  • Internet: Best option is an eSIM from Airalo — use my code: MELANI8850

  • Tipping: 5–10% is common but not mandatory

  • Road Conditions: Good on main roads; mountain roads can be challenging and should not be driven at night

  • Price Level: Generally cheaper than many other European countries

  • Sockets: No adapter needed if you're traveling from Germany.

    Albania uses Type C and Type F plugs.



  1. Our route


Here’s a rough overview of the places we stayed, including the number of nights in each location.


We didn’t drive all the way down to the far south, even though the beaches — especially around Ksamil — look absolutely stunning. We were a bit worried that the area might be too crowded, so we decided to stay only as far south as Himarë.



You can open our complete route on Google Maps here – perfect if you want to follow the trip yourself!


You can find our hotel recommendations here.


In the next section, you’ll find a table that gives you an idea of how many kilometers or hours lie between each stop on our route. Because of the road conditions, it’s much more helpful to look at the driving time rather than the distance in kilometers.

from
after
kilometers
travel time

Tirana

Shkodra

101 km

1h 40 min

Shkodra

Shala River

60 km

2 h

Shala River

Theth

131 km

3h 30 min

Theth

Berat

272 km

4h 45min

Berat

Himarë

175 km

2h 45 min

Himarë

Tirana

233 km

3h 30 min



  1. Our activities during the road trip


Here you’ll find a table that shows what we did on each day of our trip:

Day
Location
Activity
Recommendations / tips

1

Shkodra

  • Arrival in Albania

  • A great starting point for exploring the north and Komani Lake

  • If you arrive earlier than we did: Rozafa Castle, the Old Town, and the Ura e Mesit Bridge

  • We can highly recommend our accommodation — the location was perfect for a one‑night stay before heading early to Komani Lake the next morning

2

Shala River / Komani Lake

  • Drive to Komani Lake

  • Boat ride to the accommodation

  • Day at the Shala River with sunbathing, swimming, and canoeing

  • Leave early to make sure you arrive on time for the boat.

  • Stay at least one night to avoid the crowds from day‑trip tours.

  • Right at the boat dock there’s a bit of a “party vibe,” but the farther you walk, the quieter it gets.

  • If you prefer a calmer spot, it’s worth walking 15–20 minutes.

3

Continue the drive to Theth

  • Boat ride back in the morning

  • Arrival in Theth

  • Zip‑lining over Theth

  • The road to Theth is paved, with only a few potholes, but it becomes narrow and very winding toward the end — avoid driving it in the dark if possible.

  • Theth is much more touristy than you might expect, even in September — when we arrived, it was quite crowded due to day‑trippers.

4

Theth

  • Hike to the Grunas Waterfall and the Blue Eye

  • There are several hiking options, and we chose this one.

  • We reached the waterfall very early and were lucky that it wasn’t crowded yet.

  • The beginning of the hike after the waterfall is especially beautiful and peaceful.

  • The closer you get to the Blue Eye, the busier it becomes.

  • Shuttle buses run to the Blue Eye, allowing people to skip most of the hike — which is why it gets very crowded there.

5

Theth

  • Hike at Valbona Pass

  • On the second day, we hiked part of the Valbona Pass — up to the summit.

  • The summit is beautiful, but it was also very crowded.

  • The trail is quite strenuous, as it goes uphill the entire time.

  • Bring your own food and drinks — there is nothing to buy along the way.

6

Continue drive to Berat

  • Arrival in Berat

  • Exploring Berat

  • Berat was originally planned as just a “stopover” for us, but it ended up becoming one of the highlights of our trip.

  • The town is absolutely charming, with lots of small cafés and narrow little streets.

7

Berat

  • Berat

  • We had actually planned to visit the Osum Canyon (about 1 hour away)

  • We ended up spending the entire second day in Berat as well, because we weren’t feeling very fit.

  • Our original plan was to visit the Osum Canyon to go hiking, swimming, and canoeing.

  • Tip: Definitely include Berat in your itinerary — and consider adding an extra night so you can visit the canyon without stress.

8

Continue drive to Himarë

  • Arrival in Himarë at our hotel right by the sea

  • Beach day

  • The villages of Himarë and Dhermi are not located directly on the beach but slightly up in the hills — something I hadn’t realized beforehand. Parking there is not very easy.

  • Our hotel is an absolute recommendation.

  • The beach area right in front of the hotel is just as highly recommended.

  • We had originally planned to explore several other beaches from there, but it was so beautiful and peaceful that we ended up staying only at our “home” beach.

9

Himarë

  • Beach day


10

Himarë

  • Beach day

  • Bootsausflug entlang der Küste

  • A small boat tour from Himarë is a great way to see more bays and coastline without having to drive much yourself.

11

Return drive to Tirana

  • Beach day

  • Drive back to Tirana

  • Bovilla Lake / Canyon

  • We only used Tirana for our final night so we wouldn’t have to drive a long distance on the day of our departure.

  • If you have more time, Bovilla Lake / Bovilla Canyon near Tirana is a great destination — it’s considered very scenic and absolutely worth a visit.

12

Tirana

  • Flight back home

  • Returning the rental car was very chaotic, so make sure to plan enough time. The parking area is far too small for the number of cars.

  • We had to wait about 30 minutes until someone finally showed up to take the car back.

  • And this was during the off‑season — it may be even worse in peak season.



  1. Impressions of our activities


Komani Lake & Shala River



Activities around Komani Lake & Shala River





Theth



The landmark of Theth – the church in the center of the village



Hiking in Theth – Grunas Waterfall & the Blue Eye



Turquoise water and impressive rock formations along the hike to the Grunas Waterfall and the Blue Eye



Hiking in Theth - Valbona Pass



View from the summit in the Albanian Alps on the Valbona Pass




Berat - Exploring UNESCO-Town



Narrow alleyways in Berat with great viewpoints over the city





Albanian Riviera – Beaches Around Himarë



Beautiful beaches around Himarë





  1. Accommodations: Our hotels along the route


I’ve linked our accommodations to Booking.com so you can check them out directly.

Location

Our hotels 

Notes

Shkodra

Hotel Vila Sela

  • Located close to the lake with a beautiful view over the water

  • Quiet and peaceful setting

  • Very friendly hosts

  • Ideal starting point for your road trip

Shala River

Riverside Komani Lake

  • Very suitable for a one‑night stay

  • Great location

  • Canoes available to rent

  • Rooms are a bit noisy

Theth

Hotel Jezerca Theth

  • Large hotel

  • Good location

  • Nothing particularly special

  • Good value for money

Berat

Boutique Hotel Muzaka

  • Great location

  • Fantastic breakfast with a beautiful terrace

Himarë

Anel Rooms

  • Lovely and very clean accommodation

  • Incredibly beautiful location with stunning sea views

  • Super friendly hosts

  • Parking available


  1. Restaurant & Café recommendations


Restaurant in Theth:


  • Gurra Family Restaurant: we ate there three times, and it was excellent. The quality was very high, and the prices were absolutely reasonable.



  1. FAQ - FAQ – Questions You Might Have While Planning Your Trip


While planning my own trip, I came across several questions that I could only answer by reading lots of different blogs and very long texts.


Here I want to give you short and clear questions — and the matching answers.


Can you pay in euros in Albania, or do you need Lek?

  • Both are possible: you can pay in many places with euros as well as in Albanian Lek.

  • I still recommend carrying at least some Lek, especially outside the main tourist areas.


Are there toll roads, and how do you pay them?

  • Yes, there are toll roads, and you can pay either in cash or by card.

  • Both euros and Lek are accepted.


How do you get to Komani Lake / Shala River?

There are several options:

  • If you only want to go for a day trip, you can either:

    • Drive there yourself and make sure to buy your boat ticket in advance, or

    • Book a tour, for example through your hotel.

  • If you want to stay overnight:

    • You can drive there yourself — our accommodation had its own boat, so we didn’t need to arrange anything separately.

    • Many accommodations also offer a shuttle service.

    • Our accommodation also told us where to park — good idea in theory, but tricky in practice because the parking lot is just a gravel area with nobody around.

    • There was only a sign with a phone number — make sure to call it! The driver will pick you up and bring you to the boat dock.

    • You can bring all your luggage with you — the boats are big enough!

    • I had considered leaving luggage at the previous accommodation and only taking the essentials, but that would have been a detour towards Theth. Bringing everything worked perfectly.


How early should we leave from Shkodra to Komani Lake?

  • We left at 7:20 a.m. and arrived easily in time for the 10:00 a.m. boat.

  • Even though we had a bit of chaos with the parking situation.

  • In September, the route was very quiet; the last section is a gravel road where you have to drive slowly — plan some extra time.


What are the accommodations at the Shala River like?

  • The accommodations are very simple and sound carries easily. Because they’re in the middle of nature, it’s not possible to build “proper” houses there.

  • For one night, they’re absolutely fine — the location makes up for everything.

  • We were undecided between Riverside Komani Lake and the Bee Eco Guest House and were very happy we chose Riverside Komani Lake.

  • Riverside Komani Lake is much quieter than Bee Eco Guest House — if you want more action, go for the Bee Eco Guest House.


Is the road to Theth difficult, and do you need a 4x4?

  • We drove with a small car (Skoda Fabia) without four-wheel drive — totally fine.

  • The road is paved, only narrow and winding towards the end — don’t drive it in the dark and you’ll be fine.


Do you need to buy everything (especially water and food) before driving to Theth?

  • No, it’s not absolutely necessary.

  • There are shops in Theth — you can get everything you need, just a bit more expensive than in the valley.


How strenuous are the hikes in Theth?

  • Doing the Grunas Waterfall + Blue Eye and the Valbona Pass on two consecutive days was quite exhausting for us — and we’re sporty.

  • If you're not super fit, plan at least half a rest day or choose only one of the hikes.

  • We recommend the hike to the waterfall and the Blue Eye.


  1. Packing List


Here are the most important things to bring for your Albania road trip:


  • Hiking boots or sturdy footwear

  • Water shoes (many beaches are pebbly)

  • A hat/cap — especially for hikes



I hope this guide helped you find all the information you needed for planning your trip — and maybe even inspired you to explore Albania at your own pace. If you have any questions that weren’t answered here, feel free to reach out or leave a comment below. I’m always happy to help and share more tips.

Wishing you an amazing time in Albania — full of incredible landscapes, warm hospitality, and unforgettable moments.Enjoy every second of your adventure! 💛✨

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