If you are thinking of heading to Albania for a holiday but unsure about car hire in Albania or driving in Albania then check out our post. After spending 10 days driving around the Albanian Riviera here are our trips for an Albanian Road Trip for a family holiday.
Albania is fastly growing in popularity and it is easy to see why. From stunningly, beautiful beaches to delicious food, wonderful weather and friendly people. Not to mention the cost, Albania is the perfect budget-friendly holiday. All the reasons why we are going back for another holiday this year (Aug 2023).
Is it Safe to Drive in Albania?
Driving in Albania is completely fine, coming from Dubai where there is a lot of dangerous driving and big roads I found the roads in Albania easy to navigate. Drivers seemed to be pretty sensible and we didn’t have any issues with road rage!
Make sure to follow the speed limits and have your driving licence on you at all times as there are a lot of police along the roads. We didn’t get pulled over but we did hear stories of how the police lie in wait to catch people speeding and give them on the spot cash fines.
How do I get to Albania?
We always say it, the easiest way to arrive in Albania is to get a flight to Corfu. Pretty much all the budget airlines and many others in the UK fly to Corfu. Once you are in Corfu it is super easy to jump in a taxi to the ferry port and get the 30minute ferry over to Saranda, Albania.
Read our post here for all the information on the Corfu to Saranda ferry.
Alternatively, you can fly to Tirana, a few airlines fly from London to Tirana and then you would need to hire a car to drive south to the Albanian Riviera.
If you are flying from the UAE both Wizz Air and Fly Dubai offer direct flights to Tirana.
Car Hire in Albania
It is possible to get cheap car rental in Albania if you hire from a local company. There are many car rental places in Saranada so it would be easy to rent a car in Albania as soon as you arrive, if you are arriving from Corfu. This is the best route to take for an Albanian road trip in the Albanian Riviera. Search below for Local Car Hire companies to get the best rates in Albania.
Alternatively, if you are flying into Tirana then the airport will have the usual big car rental brands like Hertz, Avis, Europ Car etc. You can check out the best prices from Tirana at this link.
First Stop on your Albanian Road Trip – Saranda
Ideally you will be arriving in Albania from Corfu on the Corfu to Saranda ferry. (Click here to check out our blog post with all the information if you haven’t read it already!).
If you are looking to buy tickets for the Corfu to Saranda ferry then we recommend using Direct Ferries where we always buy our tickets. You can find the link here.
Once you have arrived in Saranda, spend a few nights here in the town along the coast to explore Saranda. The coastline is beautiful and there are many great restaurants and bars to explore in the evenings.
We highly recommend staying in Villa Skenderi which is along the coast road on the way to Ksamil.
Second stop on your Albania road trip – Ksamil
Nearby Ksamil (only about 20minutes drive from Saranda) is a must-see. Ksamil is what all the guide books are calling the European Maldives. Here are the most sandy beaches on the Albanian Riviera. Expect to find coves and small sandy beaches, busy with sun loungers to rent (inexpensive considering the location, views and comparison to the rest of Europe).
Hire a boat and explore the 3 islands, lounge around and visit some of the beautiful restaurants and experience the delightful Albanian food – make sure to try the mussels. We loved Guvat Bar for the views and food.
You could tie in your time in Saranda and Ksamil by just staying in one location and driving between the two towns as they are so close.
There are many hotels and apartments for all budgets in Ksamil but some that we recommend are Kuburi Hotel if you are looking for a pool, Villa Abedini for a basic room with a balcony or Hotel Mira Mare if you are looking for something a little special with their suites and sea views.
Third Stop on your Albanian Road Trip – Gjirokaster
The journey from Ksamil to Gjirokaster is around 68km which takes about 1hr 15minutes. The driving conditions are good with well maintained roads. The road takes you through the Albanian countryside through fields and mountains which makes for a pleasant trip.
There are many petrol stations along the way where you can stop for snacks and to stretch your legs if needs be.
Once you arrive in Gjirokaster you will be in the new town, this area we did not explore at all as it was a pretty standard town. You will need to drive uphill (get your clutch control ready!) through the cobbled streets to the old town of Gjirokaster, or the Stone City.
Make sure to visit The Barrels restaurant Gjirokaster. Read our post here on why we think it is the best restaurant Albania.
We highly recommend staying at Hotel Gjirokaster during your time in Gjirokaster. It is at the foot of Gjirokastra castle and a 2 minute walk to the main area and the old bazaar Gjirokaster or Qafa e Pazarit as it is known to locals. Hotel Gjirokaster is cheap, the breakfast is fantastic and the people running it very helpful. We spent 3 nights in Gjirokaster but you could always do it in 1 or 2 nights if you prefer more time on the coast of the Albanian Riviera.
For recommendations and what to do during your time in Gjirokaster, check out our post on the Best Things to Do In Gjirokaster.
Fourth Stop on your Albania Road Trip – The Blue Eye
We chose to stop at the The Blue Eye on our way back down to the coast from Gjirokaster as it broke up the journey. However, you could stop here on your way to Gjirokaster if that suits you better. The Blue Eye is located about half way between Saranda and Gjirokaster so it is only around a 30-40minute drive.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you arrive early! The parking gets really full and it takes a lot to navigate your way out of the line of cars queuing up to get in.
The Blue Eye or Syri i Kalter is a natural water spring. It is such a popular place to stop because it’s simply beautiful. A very deep pool with a cave under the water that pumps up fresh water, watch out – it is ice cold! Swimming here is not allowed, however we did manage to have a little paddle just to see how cold and fresh the water was. There are some people diving in but there are signs everywhere saying do not swim.
You can read all the information about Blue Eye Albania in our post here.
When you arrive at the parking for Blue Eye make sure you have cash with you as there is a nominal charge to enter the national park 100LEK per person. You will then have to walk around 2km along a path to reach the pools. Electric scooters are available to hire too and you can see lots of young people hiring them and sharing the scooters to zip down there quicker.
There is a balcony and viewing area over the pools, the water is breathtaking to look at. Stop in the little cafe and have a cold drink or an ice cream and admire the view before heading back.
Fifth Stop on your Road Trip Albania – Dhermi Beach
After leaving the Blue Eye you will continue your Albanian Road Trip back through Saranda and up the West Coast of Albania in Vlore. You will pass through the towns of Borsh and Himare until you get to Dhermi. Get ready for some amazing views. We pulled in at many a service road or view point to get out and admire the stunning Albanian Riviera views.
Himare looks like a beautiful town with a huge beach, so if you have extra time in Albania you could include a few nights in Himare.
We chose Dhermi as it has one of the longest beaches along the coast, it has a promenade full of restaurants and bars and made a great relaxing few days after Gjirokaster. We enjoyed a slower pace of life in Dhermi Beach before heading back to Saranda. Returning the car hire in Saranda and getting the ferry back to Corfu.
For more information about Dhermi Beach check out our post here.
Where else can I go on my Albania road trip?
Some other places on our list but we didn’t get to on this trip were Vlore and Berat. Vlore is the third largest city, has a large beach and promenade. Berat is a traditional town known as the town of a thousand windows because of the large amount of houses overlooking the town. Both look like great additions to an Albanian road trip.
If you have enjoyed this post an Albanian road trip for the Albanian Riviera then check out our Albania Guide. For all the information about arriving in Albania check out the Corfu to Saranda Ferry. Saranda with kids, Dhermi Beach and Best things to do in Gjirokaster for all our recommendations.
If you are looking to spend some time in Corfu whilst in Albania then check out is Corfu Old Town worth visiting? The best all inclusive hotel in Corfu and Paxos and Antipaxos boat trip.
For other family travel inspiration check out our Destinations Page for all our other trips.
Disclaimer: This post Albanian Road Trip on the Albanian Riviera, has affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you.
