Albania is the rare European country where you can drive from snow-capped mountains to a turquoise coastline in under four hours, and where back roads still take you past Ottoman bridges, abandoned bunkers and shepherds' villages that look untouched by time. The best way to see all of this is on an Albania road trip, and a week is just enough.
This 7-day itinerary covers the country's headline destinations — Tirana, Berat, the Vjosa Valley, Gjirokastra, Saranda, Ksamil, the Albanian Riviera, and Theth — and assumes you fly into Tirana International Airport (TIA) and pick up your rental car there. All driving distances below are realistic, including coffee stops.
Day 1 — Tirana, your launchpad
Pick up your rental at the airport and drive 17 km into Tirana. Spend the afternoon walking Skanderbeg Square, the colourful Blloku district and the BunkArt 2 museum (an old nuclear bunker turned exhibit on Albania's communist past). Eat dinner at a traditional tavernë in Pazari i Ri.
Day 2 — Tirana → Berat (UNESCO old town)
Drive south on the SH4 highway. In about 2 hours you'll reach Berat, the "city of a thousand windows", with its Ottoman-era white houses stacked on the hillside. Park near Mangalem and walk up to the castle for sunset. Stay overnight in a guesthouse inside the castle walls.
Day 3 — Berat → Përmet via the Vjosa Valley
Today's drive is the most scenic of the trip. Head south along the SH75 into the Vjosa Valley, following Europe's last undammed wild river. Stop at Bënja thermal baths and the Ottoman bridge at Katiu. Sleep in Përmet, a small mountain town famous for raki and slow food.
Day 4 — Vjosa Rafting Day
Take a full day off the road and get on the water. The Vjosa is the only big wild river left in Europe, and rafting it is the single most memorable thing you can do in southern Albania. Trips run from Përmet between roughly April and October, with class II–III rapids that are friendly for beginners. Book in advance with Vjosa Rafting — a local operator that runs guided half-day and full-day descents on the wildest sections of the river.
Day 5 — Përmet → Gjirokastra → Saranda
Drive over the Llogara Pass area to Gjirokastra (UNESCO, 2 hours), the "stone city" where Enver Hoxha and Ismail Kadare were born. Tour the castle, then continue 90 minutes down to Saranda on the Ionian coast. Check in to a hotel with a sea view and have dinner at the harbour.
Day 6 — Saranda, Butrint & Ksamil beaches
Spend the morning at Butrint, an ancient Greek/Roman/Venetian site spanning 2,500 years on a peninsula. In the afternoon swim at Ksamil's white-sand beach islands — the closest thing Albania has to the Caribbean. Dinner back in Saranda.
Day 7 — Albanian Riviera drive back to Tirana
Take the long way home. Follow the SH8 along the Albanian Riviera, stopping at Borsh, Himarë and Dhërmi beaches, then climb the Llogara Pass with its panoramic Ionian views. Continue through Vlora and back up the SH4 to Tirana. Drop the car at the airport.
Practical tips for an Albania road trip
- Petrol is widely available; petrol stations stay open late on highways but close earlier in mountain villages — fill up before sunset.
- Roads are generally good on main routes (SH4, SH8) but expect potholes on secondary mountain roads. Pickup trucks and tractors are common — drive defensively.
- GPS: Google Maps works well; download offline maps for the Vjosa Valley and Theth where signal can drop.
- Border with Greece/Kosovo/Montenegro: most rental contracts cover these countries — confirm with your supplier in advance.
Why a rental car beats buses in Albania
Public transport exists between major cities, but to reach the things people actually come for — Vjosa, Theth, hidden coves on the Riviera — you need wheels. A rental car turns Albania from a fine country into an unforgettable one. Browse cars on RentalX for pickup at Tirana International Airport from €18/day.
