December · month profile
An inland trip or none
December is January arriving: the Alps snowbound, the ferry stopped, the coast at 15°C, and the castles empty. Tirana runs a proper festive season and Korçë gets its snow. It is the cheapest fortnight of the year to be in Albania and the smallest version of the country.
The numbers
| Air high | Air low | Sea | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14°C | 7°C | 15°C | 11 | 9.2 h |
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 normals 2015-2024, southern coast (air, rain days); Ionian sea-temperature tables via research/ia-dataset (sea), read 2026-08-25.
Shut this month
At its best
Nothing on this island is at its best in December. That is the honest answer, not a gap in the data.
Asked about December
Is Albania worth visiting in December?
For Tirana, Berat, Gjirokastër and Korçë, yes, and for very little money. For the Alps or the coast, no: both are out of season and one of them is closed.
Is the Theth road open in December?
No. December sits in the middle of the closure window and the north is often snowbound.
Is there any ferry on Lake Koman in December?
Not a tourist one. Berisha is stopped until 15 April; the Dragobia boat runs for residents and supplies.
What is open at Butrint in December?
The site itself. Standard adult entry is 1,000 lek, about EUR 10; 500 lek for ages 12 to 18 and free under 12. It is the quietest the ruins get.
How cold does it get?
The southern coast averages 14°C by day and 7°C at night. Korçë sits at 850 m and gets real snow; the mountains go below freezing.