Albania is compact: with a rental car from Tirana, many of the best places to visit are within a few hours. This guide focuses on realistic road-trip stops, when to stay overnight, and which routes are better with your own car instead of public transport.
Berat — the city of a thousand windows
Two hours south of Tirana on good roads. Ottoman houses stacked up a hillside, a castle neighborhood where people still live, and excellent wineries just outside town. Doable as a day trip, better with one night.
Gjirokastër — stone city of the south
A UNESCO old town of slate roofs and steep cobbled lanes, with a huge castle above it. Pairs naturally with the Riviera or the Blue Eye spring on a southern loop.
The Albanian Riviera
The drive over the Llogara Pass down to Dhërmi, Himarë, and Ksamil is the country's signature road trip. Beaches range from lively to nearly empty — having a car means you can find your own. See our dedicated Riviera road-trip guide for a day-by-day plan.
Make it a trip
Pick the right car for the route
City hops or mountain passes — tell us your plan and we'll recommend honestly.
Theth and the Albanian Alps
The road to Theth is now asphalt, but it's still a slow, spectacular mountain drive — check conditions before you go in spring or late autumn. The reward: waterfalls, stone guesthouses, and the best hiking in the country. A car with some ground clearance helps; ask us which of our fleet we'd take.
Easy wins near Tirana
- Durrës — Roman amphitheatre and a long beach, 40 minutes away.
- Krujë — Skanderbeg's castle and the old bazaar, under an hour.
- Bovilla Lake — dramatic reservoir viewpoint, a short rough-road adventure.
- Pogradec & Lake Ohrid — quiet lakeside towns, about 2.5 hours.
Planning the route from Tirana
For a first Albania road trip, do not try to collect every destination in one loop. Pick one direction: north for Shkoder and the Alps, south for Berat, Gjirokaster, and the Riviera, or east for Lake Ohrid. A slower route gives you safer driving and more time outside the car.
