Albania itinerary Archives - Magnificent Midlife

Blog

How I Spent One Week Solo In Albania – My Perfect Itinerary

I took an unforgettable solo trip to Albania. I didn’t know much about the country before I went, and to be honest, I was rather nervous. But I’m so glad I went. It was an incredible experience—full of challenges, surprises, fascinating history, and a whole lot of personal growth – in just a week. I think my one week Albania itinerary was pretty awesome, so I wanted to share it. This post grew from an episode of my Magnificent Midlife podcast which you can listen to here.

Why Albania?

After my three-week solo adventure to India, I wanted to travel again—but not for quite so long, nor so far. I’ve now got this rather nerdy dream of visiting as many countries as I can, and I keep track with a spreadsheet! Albania took me up to 49 countries. It seemed like a perfect next stop: relatively nearby, somewhere I hadn’t been, not too pricey, and full of intrigue.

_{Himare, Gjirokastër, Berat}

Getting There and Getting Going

I wanted to drive myself around but I was nervous about getting a rental car. I don’t drive much in the UK, living in London and using public transport. So the thought of driving alone on the right side of the road in Albania was daunting. But public transportation is limited to taxis and buses and I knew having a car would enable me to see much more. I took inspiration from a friend who drives solo through Africa, and I thought—surely I can manage Albania!

Arriving at Tirana international airport was a bit chaotic—it was one big construction site. Finding the car hire place took longer than expected, but eventually I picked up my tiny Fiat Panda – parkable in the tightest of spots, I reckoned, and set off toward Golem, roughly in the middle of the Albanian coast. My heart was in my throat as I navigated my first drive on the right (wrong) side of the road for quite some time.

The Pool That Wasn’t

I’d booked a package tour hotel as a base because it had a big swimming pool and not knowing much about the country, I thought this was a good idea to ease me in gently. But when I arrived, the pool was empty and dirty. I was really upset, especially as I’d been up since 4am and travelling all day. All I wanted to do was plunge into the pool. There was no warning online that it would be unavailable. The owner was kind and tried to help, but the holiday company was hopeless. I eventually checked out and booked other accommodation myself. A lesson learned. I’m still waiting to see if I can get any of the refund the hotel owner offered to give me.

First Big Drive: To Gjirokastër

Heading south and away from the very busy coastal road, my confidence started to grow—until the petrol gauge plummeted from “plenty” to “you need fuel now.” The petrol stations that had been every five minutes now disappeared for long stretches. Luckily, I was able to search for and find a nearby petrol station on Google maps, which saved the day, and the attendant turned out to be an English teacher!

Tip: I used an Airalo eSIM for mobile data, which worked brilliantly. It didn’t in India, but they gave me credit, and I used that in Albania. It meant I had data for maps, WhatsApp, FaceTime, and more. Just no regular calls. So when the petrol gauge plummeted, I was able to search for the nearest petrol station, even if that involved doubling back on myself. Phew!

My first stop, Gjirokastër, was a dream—cobbled streets, Ottoman houses, and stunning views. Getting to my hotel, though, was dramatic – it was right next to the castle, which should have given me a clue about how high it was! I froze halfway up a steep hill with cars approaching. A lovely Albanian stranger stepped in, drove my car up to the bazaar, then handed it over to a local policeman who took me all the way to my hotel. Two guardian angels. You can hear the full story of this little adventure on my podcast.

_{Where I stayed in Gjirokastër – inside and out}

My hotel was a traditional stone house with incredible views. It was cold – I was staying on the lower storey which I discovered had been the food store in days gone by – but gorgeous. Being so high, it was a short walk to the castle which was spectacular.

The next day I visited several beautiful old houses. Gjirokastër is the birthplace of Enver Hoxha, Albania’s long-time communist leader—always now referred to by Albanians as “the dictator.” His childhood home is now the Ethnographic Museum. I visited a bunker he had had built under the castle in Gjirokastër to protect him in the event of a Soviet attack. The bunker could house 300, was never used other than for a 2 month practice by the army, and was built in the 1970s by political prisoners held in the castle prison. I also visited the house of Albania’s most famous novelist, Ismail Kadare. His book Broken April about the Albanian blood feuds, which have had such a huge impact on Albanian culture, is fascinating.

Albania’s layers of history are truly astonishing. It has been controlled in total or parts by so many different peoples: ancient Greece and Rome, the Byzantines, Ottomans, Venetians, fascists, and communists. It has only had democracy since 1991, after student demonstrations proved the catalyst for change. All this makes for a fascinating place.

South to Ksamil

From Gjirokastër, I drove on a very winding road up some big hills to Ksamil via the Blue Eye spring—so blue, so deep, and a quite mystical.

_{The Blue Eye}

Ksamil is near the Greek border, with turquoise waters and beautiful views. But like much of the coast, it was again a building site. I suspect it’s normally nicer and they were trying to get the work done before the season started proper. The views out to sea were still spectacular.

The next day I visited the Butrint national park, an ancient city, a short drive south of Ksamil, that’s as captivating as any archeological site in Greece or Italy. Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Venetian—all layered into one beautiful location. It was stunning.

Himare and the Llogara Pass

My next overnight stop was Himare, a key beach town on the Albanian Riviera, but it wasn’t as relaxing as I was expecting. More roadworks throughout the town, which I got stuck in while water was gushing out! I’m sure there was much tutting from the locals. A confusing self-check-in had me in a dark garage, waiting for a stranger to bring a lift key. But the beach views were very good. There are some absolutely beautiful beaches in Albania, with crystal clear waters – they just need to sort out what surrounds them!

The following day, I tackled driving over the Llogara Pass—tight hairpin bends and spectacular mountain scenery. I was getting better at this hairy driving! There are many national parks in Albania and Llogara is a key one. At the top, I hiked Caesar’s Pass solo and thought to send a location pin to a friend for safety. Then if I fell, at least someone knew where I was! Pro tip: always let someone know where you are when solo hiking!

Flamingos, Pelicans, and Berat

A surprise highlight was spotting pelicans at Narta Lagoon that I’d read about in my Bradt guidebook. I do love my birds. I went off-road (sorry, car hire company), but it was worth it. Pale pink flamingos in the distance, pelicans right near the car. Joy! (Must remember binoculars next time!)

_{The blurry pelicans!}

Then on to Berat, an old town like Gjirokastër, and another Unesco World Heritage site, with more stunning houses and vertiginous roads. I loved it. I again booked a hotel on arrival, and the family owners helped me park my car right outside their guest house. A superb shower, rooftop views, great breakfast. This time it was at the bottom of the hill which I much preferred! I visited Berat castle, a true fortress and still home to 200 families, and saw great views and breathtaking frescoes in a tiny church.

Later, and back down the hill, just wandering the beautiful cobbled streets and along the river was amazing. I had a light lunch of the popular Albanian home pie – Byrek – filo pastry with spinach – and then headed to the capital, Tirana.

Tirana

I didn’t drive in the capital city Tirana, which proved to be a very wise move. It’s chaotic. I stayed outside the city centre and took the bus in. I started my day visit in Skanderbeg Square. Skanderbeg was the hero who secured independence from the Ottoman empire for Albania, so he is very popular. I climbed the clock tower and visited the mosque. I’d wanted to visit the National History Museum, but sadly it was closed for the year for renovations. Tirana felt a bit strange. Given its history of Italian fascist occupation during World War II and then extreme communism afterwards – Albania declared itself the only atheist state – most of its historical buildings were either bombed or destroyed. Only churches and mosques that could be thought of as historic monuments survived. There is very little of anything old in the capital, and it’s a strange mismatch of modern buildings. What I did like was the extensive use of primary colour on a lot of the buildings. Perhaps it’s a rebellion against the very drab life they were forced to live under the communist regime.

The House of Leaves, a museum dedicated to communist-era surveillance, moved me deeply—especially given my background in China. Over 6,000 names of political prisoners who were killed are etched on a wall there. Bunk’Art 1, housed in another massive bunker in the centre of the city, added even more context to the oppression suffered. Both are important but difficult exhibits. There are two Bunk’art museums with the other bigger one being a short taxi ride out of town. I also visited the Orthodox Cathedral which was pretty spectacular, had lunch in a park restaurant centre called rather curiously Taiwan, and visited the very lovely Tirana Park. There is also a cable car which sounds interesting but I didn’t have time for that.

_{Namazgah Mosque, Tirana}

A Fitting Finale

The next day I headed home from Tirana airport. After a week of driving, navigating unfamiliar roads, discovering breathtaking landscapes, and delving deep into Albania’s multi-layered history, I returned the hire car with a sense of pride. I felt like superwoman, compared to the quivering wreck I’d been at the beginning of the holiday! This trip turned out to be far more than I ever expected.

_{My route round southern Albania}

From ancient ruins to dramatic coastlines, from guardian angels in Gjirokastër to pelicans by the lagoon, Albania offered up moments of awe, challenge, and joy. It’s a country that rewards the curious and the adventurous—and one I now recommend wholeheartedly. While I only managed to see the highlights of southern Albania in the week, my guidebook and ChatGPT enabled me to create a perfect Albania travel itinerary full of unique experiences. Next time I will venture north.

If you’ve ever considered solo travel, especially to somewhere slightly off the beaten path, Albania might just surprise and delight you as much as it did me. It really is the perfect place, full of rich history, stunning beaches and fun things to do. Great for culture and nature lovers. You might even want to do like me and make it a road trip!

You can listen to more details of my trip on my podcast.

I have a great travel packing list that tells you about all my great travel gear.