Visit Albania .guide

Regions · 6 of 9

Tirana and Durrës

Where nearly every trip starts and ends: the country's only real international airport, its road hub, and a port an hour away. A first and last night rather than a week.

2 to 4 days · best Apr to Jun, Sep to Nov · 4 places

Base townsTirana, Durrës
Typical stay2 to 4 days
Best monthsApr to Jun, Sep to Nov
Getting inTirana has the country's only airport with scheduled international flights, and Durrës is its main passenger port. Everywhere else in Albania is reached from here by road.

The year · August is underlined

Tirana and Durrës: viability by month
RegionJFMAMJJASOND
Tirana and Durrës

Right now, in August: ok. 31°C, city empties. Read the whole of August.

  1. JanMuseums, café season.
  2. FebQuiet city breaks.
  3. MarDita e Verës, 14 Mar.
  4. Apr18-20°C, green parks.
  5. MayTerrace weather.
  6. JunBefore the heat.
  7. Jul31°C, mornings only.
  8. Aug31°C, city empties.
  9. SepWarm, everything open.
  10. OctAutumn food season.
  11. NovMild, crowd-free.
  12. DecFestive, short days.

Nearly every Albanian trip starts and ends in the same two places. Tirana is the airport, the bus network and the rental desks; Durrës is the port, the Roman amphitheatre and a long beach that fills up in July.

Treat the pair as a first and last night rather than a week. What earns a longer stay is the ring of day trips around them: the castle and the bazaar at Krujë, the cable car up Dajti, and the reservoir at Bovilla behind a ridge most visitors never notice from the city.

Places · 4 in Tirana and Durrës

Tiranano photograph yetThe city empties for the coast. Hot and cheap.Krujëno photograph yetPeak coach season, and the bazaar at its most touristic.Durrësno photograph yetPeak domestic season, and the strip is saturated.Bovilla Lakeno photograph yetHot and hazy, and the water level drops.

Walks

RouteDistanceAscentTime
Mount Dajti10 km650 m5 h
Gamti Mountain5 km300 m2.5 h

Routes through here

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