Albania

On a map Albania looks small — smaller than Belgium — but it's really three different trips stacked into one country, and the mistake most people make is trying to do all three in a week and spending it in the car. The north is mountains: the Accursed Alps around Theth and Valbona, reached by the Komani Lake ferry, and best for hikers. The center is Ottoman and UNESCO — Berat, the "City of a Thousand Windows," whose hilltop citadel has been fortified since the 4th century BC and is still lived in today, plus the stone streets of Gjirokastër. The south is the Ionian coast: Saranda, the Corfu ferry, the ruins of Butrint, and the sandy bays of Ksamil. The catch is the roads. The country is about three-quarters mountain, so drives run long even when the distance looks short — Tirana to Berat is 2 to 2.5 hours, Berat down to Ksamil is closer to 5. Nearly everyone flies into Tirana (TIA, still called Rinas), about 30 minutes from the capital; Kukës in the northeast also runs some international flights and Vlora's airport is on the way. Our honest advice: pick one or two regions and go deep, instead of a highlight reel seen through a windshield.

Choosing a Albania tour

Choose by what you actually want. Beaches and boat days: base in the south around Ksamil and Saranda — but Ksamil is heavily built up and jammed in July and August, so June and September are warmer-priced and far calmer. Culture and old towns: Berat and Gjirokastër, one to two nights each; Berat rewards two, letting you climb the castle in the soft evening light and still fit in Osumi Canyon. Mountains and hiking: the north deserves its own trip, not a day tacked onto a beach week. Practical reality: the currency is the lek, cash matters more than you'd expect, and there are no ATMs in Ksamil — draw money in Saranda first, since many smaller beach places are cash-only. A rental car gives you the most freedom, but Tirana traffic and mountain roads aren't relaxing, and plenty of travelers are happier with a driver. There are no direct flights from the US; you'll connect through Istanbul, Rome, Vienna, Munich, or London.

When to go

Late spring and early autumn — roughly May–June and September–October — are the best all-round windows: warm enough to swim in the south, comfortable for walking the cities, and without peak crowds or peak prices. July and August are hot; inland towns like Berat regularly top 30°C and the midday castle climb is punishing, while the coast books out and accommodation spikes two to three times. The northern mountains are really a summer-only proposition — trails and guesthouses in Theth and Valbona are open roughly June to September. Winter is mild on the lowlands but wet, with snow at altitude and some coastal hotels closed for the season.