The numbers
| Air high | Air low | Sea | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12°C | 5°C | 15°C | 13 | 9.5 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
Asked about January
Can you swim in Albania in January?
The Ionian sits around 15°C. That is swimmable for a few people and unpleasant for most, and the beach towns are closed anyway.
Is the road to Theth open in January?
Do not count on it. The SH21 is paved to Theth, but there is no published winter season: the road authority clears snow and closes the road when it is unsafe, as it did when avalanches blocked it on 5 February 2026, and most guesthouses are shut. A 4WD sometimes gets through and it is not advisable.
Is the Koman ferry running in January?
Not the tourist one. Berisha runs daily only from 15 April to 5 November. A separate boat, Dragobia, sails every day of the year for residents and visitors, carrying passengers and motorcycles; it is a local service rather than the scenic crossing.
How busy is Albania in January?
It is the quietest month of the year. January foreign arrivals run at roughly a fifth of July's. You will share Berat castle with almost nobody.
What is worth doing in January?
The UNESCO towns and Tirana, driven rather than walked between: Berat, Gjirokastër, Krujë. Add Korçë if you want a real winter, and pack for rain, thirteen wet days is the monthly average on the coast.