A Guide to Albania: Tirana, Shkodër, Theth, Berat, Vlorë, Borsh, and Gjirokaster
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Albania is not one of those countries that scream out as a tourist destination, although this sentiment is changing year by year. As the country works its way to being a full EU member, more investment is being made into critical infrastructure in the country to achieve European standards.
The capital of Albania is Tirana and geographically the country has four neighbors (Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Greece) while being situated on the Adriatic/Ionian Seas. Its history is long and storied but this region started off as a Greek colony, before becoming part of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires over the years. This diversity in Albania’s past make it a melting pot of culture, seen in its architecture and cultural/religious customs.
As a tourist, getting around Albania is not as easy as it is in a Western European country. In my opinion however, this is just part of the adventure. I predict in 5 years that Tirana will be known as an up and coming trendy European capital.
Our time in Albania was too short but we managed to see a few other cities in the country, including Tirana, Shkodër, Theth, Vlorë, Berat, Borsh, and Gjirokaster. I have summarized each city within this blog post and have included links to each blog post, dedicated to each place we have visited as well. We plan to return to Albania someday to see what we had missed and I will update this post when we have done so!
How to get to Albania
There are a few different ways one can get to Albania. The first and most obvious would be to fly into the country’s capital and its main airport in Tirana at Tirana International Airport (TIA). There are of course regional and local airports in Albania you could fly to, but flying into them requires higher ticket prices.
If you are coming from another part of Europe, as we were coming from Italy, you could take a ferry, specifically from Bari, Italy to Durrës, Albania. This ferry takes 9 hours with departure times being at 12pm and 11pm. Other departure points in Italy include Brindisi, Ancona, and Barletta.
You can also travel by bus if you are already on the Albanian side of the Adriatic Sea and in a neighboring country to Albania (Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Greece). FlixBus is a company I have taken many times and the traveling has almost always been smooth and cheap.
If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including Albania, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames and Wooden-Frames).
Tirana
(See Blog Post - What to see in the Albanian Capital of Tirana)
Tirana is the capital of Albania, located in the center of the country, and founded in 1614. The city limits are known to have been inhabited ever since the Iron Age by the Illyrians. This territory was then annexed by Rome and became a part of the Roman Empire. The split of the Roman Empire saw Tirana under control of the Byzantine Empire.
Present day, Tirana is designated as a Gamma city and was given the title of European Youth Capital for 2022. After communist rule of Albania ended in the early 1990s, the city of Tirana and country as a whole, has transformed economically and culturally. Even during our trip, we noticed much construction and investment in infrastructure throughout the country, presumably due to the country’s desire to be a full member of the EU (they are under EU candidate status currently).
Shkodër
(See Blog Post - What To See in Shkodër, Albania)
Shkodër is considered the traditional capital of Albania and also referred to as Gegëria. Its earliest origins date back to the Bronze Age whereby the surrounding land was known to be quite fertile. Early inhabitants were the Illyrians which then lost the city to the Romans in 168 BC, before being a part of the Byzantine Empire in 535.
Shkodër is the 5th most populated city in Albania whose skyline is dominated by churches and mosques. The old town is the main attraction with great viewpoints also coming from Rozafa Castle, also known as Shkodër Castle.
Theth
(See Blog Post - Do not miss seeing Theth in Albania)
Theth is a small village in Northern Albania, located two hours from the large city of Shkodër. It was thought that the community of Theth was descendant from a common ancestor named Ded Nika. The reason for the community’s relocation to Theth 300 years ago was for preservation of their Catholic traditions. This makes sense considering the distance Theth is from other cities as well as the isolation you receive while living in the Theth valley.
The tourist infrastructure in the area is barely existent but this will change in the coming years. Up until 2023, there was only a dirt road that led to the village, now that road is paved and takes you right to the center of Theth. Much work has and will also be done to mark trails in the area since it is most known for its scenery and great hiking.
Berat
(See Blog Post - A Journey to the UNESCO Historical Center of Berat, Albania)
Berat is located in the south of Albania on the Osum river. It was designated in 2008 as a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique style of architecture from several civilizations, surviving by coexistence through centuries of history.
Archeological findings suggest that Berat was settled back in the 7th century BC by the Illyrians. It was then conquered by the Macedonian King Philip V in 217 BC and then became a part of the Roman Empire, before finally becoming a part of the Byzantine Empire after the Roman Empire split. The Ottomans then ruled it thereafter for quite some centuries. I’m sure the history is MUCH more detailed but I will leave that to a historian.
Vlorë
Founded as an ancient Greek colony, Vlorë is located on the western coast of Albania along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The city served as the center of the Albanian Independence movement in 1912 and is noted for its beach coastline and excellent weather.
Borsh
(See Blog Post - Check Out the Beach town of Borsh, Albania)
The village of Borsh is located in southern Albania on the coastline, just north of Ksamil. What makes Borsh so famous, at least to other Albanians, is its gorgeous beaches and natural scenery.
Furthermore, due to the more popular beach destination of Ksamil located South of Borsh, this village is much quieter and more relaxing than those seeking out Ksamil. Despite this, Borsh does have the longest beach on the Ionian Sea at 7 kms long.
Gjirokaster
(See Blog Post - A Journey to the UNESCO Historical Center of Gjirokastër, Albania)
Located in a valley between the Gjerë and Drino mountains, Gjirokastër sits 300 meters above sea level and has an old town that is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This honor was in recognition of Gjirokastër as a ‘rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town, built by farmers of large estate.’
The city dates back 1336 while it was a part of the Byzantine Empire, but taken by the Ottomans in 1418. This change in ownership converted the city from being largely Christian in the 16th century, to predominately Muslim by the 19th century. The Balkan Wars from 1912-1913 gave the city to the newly formed Albanian state.
