Albania itinerary check and suggestion.
Hey everyone! 25M from Canada, planning my solo trip to Albania from Sept 2–10.
I’ll be flying into Corfu, Greece, then taking the ferry to Saranda. I’m flying out of Tirana (TIA) on Sept 10, so I want to slowly make my way north and finish with around 2 nights in Tirana.
I’m trying to figure out the best itinerary without making the trip exhausting. I don't want to just sit on beaches the entire time. I want a mix of Albanian culture, traditional food/music/dancing, historical places, meeting locals and other travellers, beautiful beaches, beach clubs, boat trips, bars/nightlife, plus enough time to actually relax.
Places I'm currently considering:
Saranda — around 3 nights BASE
- Stay downtown near the promenade
- Explore Sarandë
- Ksamil + beach clubs
- Butrint
- Blue Eye
- Possibly Gjirokastër as a day trip
- Bars/nightlife
Himarë — around 2–3 nights BASE
- Beaches
- Old Himarë / castle
- Group boat trip to Gjipe, caves and hidden beaches
- Beach bars
- Considering Pine Side Camp for the social atmosphere
Tirana — around 2 nights (should i just do 1 day here?)
- Explore the city/history
- Albanian food/culture
- Traditional Albanian music/dancing
- Blloku nightlife
- Fly out of TIA on Sept 10
That still leaves me with some flexibility. I originally wanted to see Shala River, Theth and Shkodër, but I don't want to ruin the trip by trying to fit the entire country into 8 days. Is there somewhere else that's worth adding? Please, I am very open to suggestions. I also want to experience the Albanian valle. For anyone who has solo travelled Albania, I'd really appreciate recommendations. Would you change anything about my route or number of nights?
Also, if anyone else is travelling around Albania during Sept 2–10 and wants to meet up, explore together, grab food/drinks, hit a beach club or make some plans, feel free to message me! And if any locals are around and would be down to hang out, show me some local spots or go out for drinks/nightlife, I'd love that too. Always happy to meet new people and make some friends along the way. 🇦🇱🍻
Thank you in advance!