Road Trip: Discovering Southern Albania
We’ve been in Tirana for a week now. With very little info available about Albania, we decide to hit all the must-see spots, which are almost all in the south, to see if there’s another city we could settle in for a few weeks.
Part 1: Travel Journal
Part 2: Practical Tips
Part 1: Travel Journal
Car rental
We swing by Europcar in Tirana, which has an office right off the highway. Renting a compact car costs us €15/day, but we got upgraded. We ended up with a pretty tall Dacia, which is nice for tourists like us. To get to the Europcar office, we just grabbed a taxi. Albanian taxis are friendly, don’t rip you off, and use the meter. We paid 500 LEK (about €4).
And off we go!
Since we’ve been in Albania, we can’t stop seeing Mercedes. After doing some research, we learn that Mercedes accounts for 40% of the car fleet, more than in Germany ! Even though some of these cars are old and on their last legs, owning a Mercedes is a sign of social status. With our Dacia, we’re clearly embracing our “poverty” amidst the Mercedes and Audis that dominate Albanian roads.
The highways are in good shape, even if there aren’t that many lanes (3 at most). But you’ve got to be careful because you could be cruising at 110 km/h and suddenly see a sign for a speed bump (which are actually just imperfections in the joints between the road and bridges). As soon as you get on the smaller two-lane roads, potholes and speed bumps are everywhere. You really need to stay alert.
Day 1
Normally, the route below would take 5 to 7 full days, but since we’re more in “scouting” mode, we did it all in 3 days.
Vlora
I had no idea this city existed, but several seafood restaurants mention Vlora as the source of their fish. Driving past it, I was instantly smitten. The promenade, the endless beach, the relaxed vibe, all while having plenty of open restaurants – it really appealed to me.
Not to mention the crystal-clear water with a dreamy color. Vlora’s location means you see mountains framing the sea. The Adriatic is calm to begin with, but this spot is even calmer, more paradisiacal.
I loved the city’s vibe so much that JB and I decided to go back and test out an apartment in Vlora, spotted on Airbnb. The goal was to check (1) the heating (2) the internet connection (3) the tables. Even though the desk in the bedroom is too high, we found an alternative: the ironing board with adjustable height, haha. It won’t be as comfy as my desk in Tirana, but it’ll do. With plenty of restaurants around and the apartment’s strategic location (downtown, 15 minutes’ walk to the beach, 50 meters from a supermarket), it helped us make the call: we’ll spend 3 weeks there in April.
Bojo Resort
In the meantime, we’re pushing on because today we have 5 hours of driving total. Quick stop on the way, at Bojo Resort specifically for a lunch with a view.
We want to order several things, but unfortunately the mussels, crabs, and oysters aren’t available. The waiter points us to where they get all their stock. I pick a random fish, which will be grilled over the barbecue.
The traditional salad is gorgeous! The fish soup is delicious. The fish might be a bit over-grilled, the flesh is less firm. But everything else is superb! We paid 4,400 LEK for this meal for two, drinks included (card payment accepted).
Llogara National Park
Apparently, there’s a visitor center where you can spot deer and feed them (a bit like in Japan). But we’re short on time, so we just admire the views from the roadside. Here, trucks and heavy vehicles struggle to climb, so if you’re heading downhill and hear honking, pull over right away and let them pass on the curves.
Big Bunker
Our Dacia isn’t very powerful, but luckily we manage to drive in the mountains without issue. The road is full of hairpin turns, and the descent is even more spectacular as we see the sea in the distance. We stop at the Big Bunker, abandoned and covered in graffiti.
The view from here is breathtaking. There are two huge beaches with dreamy turquoise water. You can even see a helipad.
This area doesn’t seem very developed, as you see few facilities along the beach. But man, does it make you want to stay!
Himarë
Himarë is a better-known seaside resort with two small, quiet beaches. The seafront is adorable, but everything is closed right now. I don’t know if it gets livelier on weekends or if it’s just dead like this during the off-season. Anyway, we couldn’t even find ice cream, even after checking two supermarkets, to just chill on the beach. Sigh.
A bit further, I’m not sure where it is, but the water color is a dream! These plots are completely empty! Would anyone like to open a coworking space here, by any chance?
Ksamil
We FINALLY arrive at our destination: Ksamil. It’s a tiny seaside resort, with two small beaches that must get packed in summer. Everyone stops here, not for the beaches, but for its proximity to Birunt.
Stepping away from the village a bit, you can see in the distance the Greek island of Corfu. It must have been tough, during the communist years, to see this island so accessible (swimming there seems doable), to see freedom within reach, without being able to touch it. The border police were very present and very violent.
The sunset is gorgeous; I highly recommend heading to the heights toward Corfu for a great view of the surroundings.
Unfortunately, the hotel we chose is just pretty in the pictures, but everything is broken inside. There’s a beeping sound that goes off every 20 seconds and we can’t stop it (apparently the fire alarm system). The reversible AC doesn’t work well. We had to sleep in our puffer jackets because we were so cold. It was awful.
Day 2
But from the morning, the shades of blue on the beach right in front of the hotel soothed us. We could almost be in Polynesia!
Look how my hair has grown in 9 months! Thanks to the solid shampoo homemade by my sister <3 Ever since I started using it, I have way less split ends and there are lots of little baby hairs growing.
The water is super clear. However, I think it’s better to swim with aqua shoes. Whether in Croatia, Montenegro, or Albania, we don’t really have paradisiacal beaches, but rather beaches with gravel, pebbles, or sea urchins.
Butrint
While driving, JB notices a big stone on the road and avoids it. Actually, the big stone is just hiding a huge hole! It’s horrible! Be very careful when you walk in Albania, especially at night. There are holes everywhere. don’t walk with your eyes glued to your phone. This hole is wider than me, imagine if I fell in! RIP
We visit the park of Butrint, which contains Roman ruins (1000LEK/person). It was a prosperous city before being neglected and then completely abandoned.
JB finds the place particularly soothing.
The wildflowers scattered around the site remind him of the relaxing vibe of Giverny, even though it’s not exactly the same. We’re surrounded by bees and butterflies. It’s a haven of peace.
The entrance costs 1000LEK, which is a bit pricey for the country, but we really enjoyed this place.
Right next to the park, there’s a cute “ferry” to cross from one bank to the other, with your car if you want. It’s just a big floating plank, tied to both banks with ropes. I don’t know how much the crossing costs, but if you want to visit the fortress (in ruins) on the other side, it could be a fun experience.
On the way back, we stop at the “panoramic parking” to take pictures. The layout of the place is complex; you need to check Google Maps to understand. We felt like we were facing Greece but not here. It’s still Albania across.
We hit the road again to head to The Blue Eye, an incredible water spring. On the way, we stop for lunch at a hole-in-the-wall joint: BAR RESTAURANT SOTIRIS The food quality is pleasantly surprising compared to how the place looks. Even the small salad is full of flavor, and they have a huge barbecue going on next door. It smells amazing (unfortunately we saw it too late and couldn’t order what was on the grill). This delicious lunch cost us 1100LEK for two (8.8€)!
The landscapes are stunning, and we come across more and more animals. Herding dogs take care of their goats on their own. Cows wander alone on the road, and we don’t know how their owners manage to find them. There are also lots of stray dogs, though they seem pretty healthy. I think if you love animals, it’s not a bad idea to carry paper plates and some kibble. Be careful, rabies hasn’t been eradicated in Albania yet, so don’t touch them!
The Blue Eye
You need to be motivated to get here. The road is full of potholes. Don’t hesitate to get out of the car to assess the situation before doing something silly. With two people, it’s pretty easy, but if you’re alone, 10 meters from the entrance, there’s a big hole to watch out for. Then, just drive slowly, that’s all. You’ll cross a small bridge, and when you arrive, you’ll be so happy you’ll forget the journey. JB didn’t know where we were going, but he trusted me completely. I’m the family tour guide ahihihi.
So when we arrive at the parking lot, we can’t ignore this dreamy landscape. The current is very, very strong, but it’s shallow, so I think in summer, it’s totally possible to hide among the trees on the small natural beach to cool off. There are two restaurants on site. The first is on the right and sits on a floating platform.
With a very romantic view.
The second restaurant, poorly rated, but it’s busy, is this one: also by the water, but a bit more elevated.
As you approach the second restaurant, you’ll see an arrow pointing to The Blue Eye. Cross the bridge and walk 50 meters. You’ll see something like this! Unbelievable !
In the middle of nowhere, there’s a huge hole about 3 meters wide, extremely deep (that’s why the color is so blue). No one knows how deep it is; they’ve only been able to explore down to 50 meters so far. It’s the source of a river. How cool is that?
The origin of a river! How lucky are we to visit a river’s source, so accessible, and so clear? The urge to dive in headfirst is too strong, but the water is cold, you’d need to aim well to avoid breaking a leg, and the current is way too strong. I think, even though there are no signs, swimming is forbidden. I can’t verify this info in winter. Anyway, given the current, accidents are likely, so be very careful.
Note: I did my homework at home: the current is so strong and the volume of water so massive that according to my calculations, it’s possible to fill an Olympic-sized pool in less than 5 minutes! 5 minutes! OMG.
All I want is to plunge my camera underwater to see what’s hidden there, but the risk of losing the camera is huge. Besides, we don’t have an action camera anymore, and I haven’t bought a waterproof case for the Osmo Pocket yet. Sorry! We’ll have to come back, hehehe.
It’s a huge stroke of luck to visit this extraordinary place, and for free, too. However, we did see brand-new turnstiles. Soon, it’ll be paid, I think, but I hope the tickets will help improve the road.
This kind of place leaves me speechless. I’ve only seen one other equivalent spring, but at over 100 degrees. in New Zealand. It’s an incredible feeling. A feeling of being able to go all the way to the center of the earth through this spring.
The place is magical! Don’t miss it for anything!
JB and I have visited other springs, smaller ones (Ginnie Springs in the US). How we love springs! Seeing the little bubbles rise to the surface, swimming in water so pure you could drink it while swimming, it’s indescribable. There’s a smaller spot in Vietnam, it’s Gieng co chin, you have to know about it because it’s behind the locals’ houses.
I even saw a little frog 😀
What an extraordinary day! I’m all emotional.
Gjirokastra
On the way to Gjirokastra, we have to cross several mountains. Then, a long descent awaits us. At every turn, we see a bit more of the valley below. It’s breathtaking. The valley is so immense, and so flat, on both sides, that you wonder how they managed to turn this huge valley into farmland. It’s the kind of landscape I thought I’d see in the US maybe, but not in Albania. On the road, many farmers set up small stands to sell their crops: including strawberries <3<3
The closer we get to Gjirokastra, the higher we climb. The reason is simple: the city is at the top of the mountain. Unfortunately, we can’t even get to the city center. There’s roadwork; you have to park outside the city and walk. If we were staying nearby, it would have been doable, but we need to get back to Vlora (1h45 away) to test out the Airbnb, so we give up. I’ll come back, don’t worry, because it’s very beautiful (see the corresponding travel diary here)
Day 3
Poor JB, who’s been driving non-stop for 2 days. That’s why we’re allowing ourselves a sleep-in. The schedule is pretty light: we just need to go to Berat, then return to Tirana.
Berat
Well, good thing we’re not planning to settle in Berat, the city of a thousand windows. It’s beautiful, but it’s too steep!
We have the bright idea to ditch the car at the first available parking spot because to get up to the castle, the car needs to be more powerful than that. The road is just wide enough for two cars to pass (plus a few extra centimeters). But our Dacia rolls backward uncontrollably, and since we almost had an accident going up a hill with an underpowered car in Montenegro, we decide to leave it down there and walk up. 15 minutes with a steep incline to reach Berat Castle and visit its church. Once again, we visit without paying, but there is a ticket office open in high season.
The castle is in ruins, but you can wander around the area. It’s like an old town, with even guesthouses, restaurants, and souvenir shops. It’s all cute. People come here to have family picnics. You can drive into the citadel. You don’t have to leave your car at the parking lot, if yours is powerful enough, of course.
There are two bridges in Berat worth our attention: a modern bridge, but one that offers a panoramic view of the city, and another beautiful stone bridge. Unfortunately, finding a parking spot is a huge problem in Albania. We’ll come back another day (see our travel diary here)
The road to Tirana isn’t easy; there’s too much traffic and we get stuck in a massive jam near Tirana. We can see our Europcar agency 20 meters away as the crow flies, but crossing the road took us 45 minutes. Returning the car is simple: just leave the keys with the attendant.
To get home, luckily taxis always pass by. Our driver takes a longer route but avoids the jams. End result: 1000 LEK for a taxi, twice as much as the ride there.
Part 2: Practical Tips
Budget
- Accommodation: between €22 and €25/night, double room. If you’re traveling in winter, it’s safer to ask if the heating is effective. Bring more warm clothes than we did. Even if the weather is mild during the day, it can get very cold once night falls.
- Car rental: €15/day with Europcar
- Fuel: 5800 LEK for about 15 hours of driving
- Restaurant:
- Yum yum: 1,100 LEK for two
- Fancy restaurants: 4,400 LEK for two
- Average restaurants: 2,800 LEK for two
- A large bottle of water at the supermarket: 50LEK (note, tap water is not drinkable)
Links
All my articles about Albania are available here
For excursions, guided tours in Albania, check out Civitatis or Viator (by Tripadvisor) here.
My best addresses in Albania are on this custom Google Maps. You can also access it here
