In August of 2021 after visiting Lebanon I decided it would be convenient to add this small European country to my visit. I wanted to spend some time on the beaches since it was August, but I also wanted to experience some culture, nature and history. All of which were easy to plan, and even easier when I decided to rent a car to help out and keep it a good budget. So here's my tips on Albania for the budget traveler:
Beaches: You are going to read all about Sarandë which I imagine is absolutely fantastic, but it is also a significant drive from Tirana which is a likely starting point unless you are coming from Italy or the Balkans. I decided since there was so much coastline to see what else I could find, and I found Shëngjin. A small beach town less than a two hour drive from Tirana. I know the beach is not as luxurious as Sarandë, but my Airbnb with an ocean balcony was only $40 a night, that part was pretty nice. I would say it had more of an old beach classic feel rather than a new wave feel. The food was good, and the night life was lively. The water was smooth swimming and locals are friendly. I parked in a big lot across my Airbnb for only 3 euros a day.
Castles: I'm a big fan of castles and seeing history, and I really wanted to visit Kruja and Petrela castles, but the tours were a bit expensive and seemed a little long for my liking, as some of the castles can be really small and don't really need a full 8 hours to tour, so instead after mapping it out I opted to drive, this made it easy to self tour, and almost free. I paid something to enter Kruja but it was so cheap I don't remember how much it was. Using the map I figured I landed early I could drive and see both castles the same day, and make it to Shëngjin with ample time to enjoy most of the afternoon there. The driving was not bad but to each some advice from YouTube and friends in Europe here's my driving tips...
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| Wooden guns in museum |
Driving: First you DO need an international drivers license, the rental car company likely won't ask but if you get pulled over you will be in trouble without one. I recommend renting from a company local to your country in case an issue arises down the road. As always with rental cars, I do a phone video when I pick it up and drop it off. Now as for driving, the city is a bit chaotic and I never quite figured out how they use roundabouts (people on the inside lanes seemed to always wanna exit), but I never felt like the vehicle was in danger. The freeways are relatively traffic free but not always clearly marked lanes which could be an issue at night. At times since the freeways aren't totally developed you will drive thru some small towns rather than on the big roads. As a traveler this was nice, as a local it would frustrate me. The biggest advice to pass on I got was getting into the old cities, don't drive in them. They were designed for horses and carriages, not for your cars. Cobble stone streets, hundreds of tourists, no easy ways to turn around. As you approach the old cities, in my case Kruja, look for easy free street parking outside the city or pay a small fee as I did.
Tirana: Tirana is VERY easy to get around, most of the major sites are in the small downtown area except Dajti mountain which is well worth a visit while at the Bunkart museum, unknown to me from lack of planning you can paraglide down!
A lot more fun than the cable car up, although I can't complain, it was still scenic. Bunkart 1 and Bunkart 2 are somewhat similar, so if you are limited on time you can cut one if you must. Nightlife is definitely best in the Bloku neighborhood, as was dining.
General Albania Tips:
There is a lot more to do just outside of Tirana if you have time, we decided to do a tour of the Erzen caves and river to throw some nature in. But Berat and of course as mentioned Sarandë are good spots.
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| Hiking the mountains |
Albania is a budget travelers paradise, everything was super cheap, our last meal at a fancy restaurant was $50 for three people, it included a bottle of wine, 3 entrees, 3 appetizers, and espressos.
If you are on a long journey in Europe and want a central location, Tirana or Albania could make a great base. Imagine working from home Monday thru Friday at your apartment in Tirana then going anywhere you want in Europe with easy access to the airport.
Covid stuff, hopefully one day I don't write about it... But for now.... The airport has a lab onsite to test for outgoing flights, the test takes about 2 hours, and the line takes at least an hour to get the test so plan appropriately. There are two restaurants there to chill while you wait for your results.
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| Albanian Nights |
The Bloku night life is fun, a little too much fun, the last night me and my friends did a bar crawl enjoying cheap beers, great food, and cocktails! At the end we made it back to their hotel where we indulged in some more local beers. Around 1am, I headed to my Airbnb and finished the bottle of wine off I had. I had noticed Taxi's were always on the same spot and had no problem finding one at 2am to get me to the airport, but the hangover the next day on the Vienna Airport connection was definitely a problem! Not Albania's fault!
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| Sunset over Shenjin |
While Albania isn't a top renown destination I feel like this is more of a reason to visit there while you still can! I'm grateful for my time there, and although as a visit I wouldn't repeat it, I would certainly consider living there due to the low cost and peaceful atmosphere I experienced in Tirana. An unplanned stop on the world map that I will forever be grateful for!
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