How many days in Tirana

How many days should you spend in Tirana?

One full day covers the centre. Two to three days are better, because they let you add a day trip to Kruja, Lake Bovilla or Berat, which are the highlights around the city.

Central Tirana is compact. Skanderbeg Square, the Et'hem Bey Mosque, Bunk'Art 2, the House of Leaves, the Pyramid, Postbllok and Blloku are all within a short walk, and a guided walk covers most of them in 2 to 2.5 hours. Add Mount Dajti and Bunk'Art 1 on the edge of the city, and one long day is full.

The most reviewed tours from Tirana are day trips out of the city, and for good reason. Kruja and Bovilla are about an hour away, Berat about 2 hours. With three days, you can spend one in the city and two on trips, and come back to the same hotel each night. How to reach each place on your own is in getting around Albania.

What can you do with one day in Tirana?

Take a guided walk in the morning, visit Bunk'Art 2 or the House of Leaves at midday, ride the cable car up Mount Dajti in the afternoon, and have dinner in Blloku. On a Tuesday, swap Dajti for Bunk'Art 1 or the Grand Park.

Start at about 9 or 10 am, before the heat. The Tirana Highlights and Hidden Corners Walk meets at the Clock Tower and covers Skanderbeg Square, the House of Leaves, the Orthodox cathedral, Youth Park and the Pyramid in 2 hours. After lunch near the New Bazaar, visit Bunk'Art 2, a few minutes from the square.

In the afternoon, take a taxi to the lower station of the Dajti Ekspres. The ride takes about 15 minutes, over more than 4 km, to over 1,000 m, and the view over the city is best towards sunset. The cable car does not run on Tuesdays, unless a Tuesday is a public holiday, and wind or maintenance can stop it, so check the operator's page and its social pages. Bunk'Art 1 is next to the lower station. End the day in Blloku, where the cafés and restaurants stay busy late.

Two hours on foot in a small group from the Clock Tower: Skanderbeg Square, the House of Leaves, the Orthodox cathedral, Youth Park and the Pyramid, with a guide who adds humour and food tips. Rated 4.8 from 1,436 reviews.

★ 4.8 (1,436) · 2 hours · Full refund up to 24 h ahead

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How should you plan two days in Tirana?

Spend the first day in the city and the second on a short day trip: Kruja for the castle and the bazaar, or Lake Bovilla for a hike and a view. Both bring you back by late afternoon or early evening.

Kruja Castle, Bazaar and Sari Salltik (4.8 from 3,721 reviews) takes 8 hours with pickup. You drive up a panoramic mountain road to the Sari Salltik shrine at 1,176 m, then walk through Kruja's old bazaar and into the castle, with the entry included. The museum tickets inside the castle are extra.

The Bovilla Lake and Gamti Mountain Hike (4.9 from 6,857 reviews) is shorter, 5 to 6 hours, morning or afternoon. It includes a hike of about 2 km each way, so bring trainers or hiking shoes. The lake is Tirana's drinking-water reservoir, so there is no swimming. If you take the morning slot, you have the evening for the city: a food walk or a cooking class fits well.

What can you see in Tirana in 3 days?

Day one for the city and Mount Dajti, day two for Kruja or Lake Bovilla, and day three for Berat, the UNESCO town of white houses. The table shows each part of the day.

Put Dajti on any day except a Tuesday. If you arrive on a Tuesday, start with Berat or Kruja and keep the city for later. In July and August, plan walking for the morning and the evening, and keep the middle of the day for museums or a long lunch.

Where do guided tours fit into a short stay?

A city walk fits best on your first morning, a food walk or cooking class on an evening, and day trips on the days after. Mount Dajti works as a gentle half or full day.

The Tirana Local Food Walking Tour (4.9 from 260 reviews) takes 3 hours with a local guide: byrek at a small local place, the Çam bazaar, local cheeses, olive oil, honey and a traditional dessert. Reviewers say to go hungry. For a hands-on evening, the cooking class with homemade wine and raki (5.0 from 507 reviews) teaches you tavë kosi and lakror in 4 hours. The dishes are explained in the guide to Albanian food.

For a day in the green, the Mount Dajti and Shengjergj Waterfall tour (4.8 from 172 reviews) takes 6 hours with pickup near your address: about an hour in Dajti National Park, then Shengjergj village and a 15 to 20 minute walk to a waterfall. The cable car ticket is not included; you can buy it or stay in the van to the top.

Three hours through the markets and backstreets with a local guide: byrek, the Çam bazaar, local cheeses, olive oil, honey and a traditional dessert. Rated 4.9 from 260 reviews.

★ 4.9 (260) · 3 hours · Full refund up to 24 h ahead

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How many days should you spend in Albania?

A week is a good first trip: two or three days based in Tirana, then the north or the south. With ten days or more, you can see the Alps, the UNESCO towns and the coast.

Albania is small on the map, but mountain roads are slow, so plan fewer places than distances suggest. Tirana is in the middle of the country, which makes it a natural start and end. Berat and Shkoder are about 2 hours away, Gjirokaster 3 to 3.5 hours, and Theth in the Alps 3.5 to 4.5 hours.

If you drive, take mountain roads slowly and in daylight. If you would rather not drive, day tours with hotel pickup reach most places, and buses and furgon minibuses link the towns. Practical points on money, language and documents are in before you travel to Albania.

What is a good 6-day route around Albania?

Start in Tirana, go north via Kruja to Shkoder and Komani Lake, then south to Berat and Gjirokaster, and back to Tirana. If you prefer the sea, swap the north for the coast.

• Day 1, Tirana: a guided walk, the bunker museums and Mount Dajti (not on Tuesdays).
• Day 2, Kruja and Shkoder: the castle and bazaar of Kruja on the way north, then a night in Shkoder by its lake and Rozafa Castle.
• Day 3, Komani Lake: the boat ride through the gorge, from about mid-April to early November. Outside that season, spend the day in Shkoder or drive to Theth if the weather is good.
• Day 4, Berat: a long drive south to the UNESCO town of white houses, with a night there.
• Day 5, Gjirokaster: the stone town and its castle, also on the UNESCO list.
• Day 6, back to Tirana: 3 to 3.5 hours by road, or stop at Durres on the coast on the way.

For a coast version, keep days 1, 4 and 5, add Durres and the southern beaches, and skip Komani. Without a car, base yourself in Tirana and do Kruja, Berat and Komani as day trips.

The UNESCO town of a thousand windows in one day: Berat's castle with entry included, the Mangalem and Gorica quarters, and a stop at Belsh lake. Rated 4.8 from 7,533 reviews.

★ 4.8 (7,533) · 9.5 to 10.5 hours · Full refund up to 24 h ahead

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Which months are best for a trip to Tirana and Albania?

May to June and September to October. Days are warm and good for walking and hiking. July and August are often above 30 degrees, so plan sightseeing for the morning and the evening.

Spring brings green hills and wild flowers on the Bovilla and Dajti trails. Autumn is still warm enough for the coast in September. In midsummer, choose morning or evening slots for walking tours, carry water, and keep the middle of the day for a long lunch or a museum. Winter is quieter and cooler, and some museums close earlier.

Check the seasons for the trips you want. The Komani Lake boats run only from about mid-April to early November. Bunk'Art 1 moves to its winter hours in late October. The Dajti cable car runs all year except on Tuesdays, but wind or maintenance can stop it.

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