In this blog, I’ve chosen my best 20 tours in Albania. Hopefully this will help you make the most of your time in this great country. There are so many different things to do, from historical and cultural tours in Albania, to hikes and adventures in nature.
We spent several months exploring as much of the country as we could fit in! I absolutely loved our time in Albania. We visited so many of the popular tourist spots, as well as some more off the beaten track.
Taking a tour was an excellent way to visit many of these spots as public transport isn’t always reliable. Equally, as Albania is a budget friendly European country, the tours represent excellent value.
Here are the 20 best tours in Albania for you to make the most of your time here.
How to Book Tours in Albania
I use either Get Your Guide or Viator to book all of our tours in Albania in advance.
These two sites have the best range of tours available. They also encourage flexibility with either free cancellation or the ability to reserve now and pay later.
Get Your Guide offers free cancellation on nearly all of their tours. You can also reserve your place now and pay later. This gives you great flexibility when booking a tour.
In addition, Get Your Guide offers a best price guarantee. So you’re safe in the knowledge that if you find the same tour cheaper elsewhere, they’ll refund the difference.
Viator are one of the largest tour providers in the world. They are rated excellent from over 100,000 reviews on Trust Pilot.
Viator is part of the Trip Advisor group. They also offer free cancellation and reserve now, pay later on the majority of their tours. They have partnered with Klarna and so you can book your tour and pay in instalments.
So now you know how to book, let’s take a look at some of my favourite tours in Albania!
1. Visit the City of 1,000 Windows
The city of Berat is over 2,000 years old and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s also one of the most beautiful cities in Albania with its traditional, cobbled streets and fascinating architecture.
Berat is a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman City. It has a variety of Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques to explore.
It gets its nickname from the way its houses are constructed on the hillside, with a wall of windows and whitewashed walls welcoming you as you reach the city.
This Berat tour is one of my favourite Tirana day trips. It guides you through the cobbled streets of this ancient city. You’ll explore the three major neighbourhoods of this city, including the castle in Kala.
You’ll take in some iconic views at the top and explore several museums in Berat. This will give you a real insight into life here in years gone by. There is an optional lunch stop at a traditional restaurant and transfers to and from your hotel in Tirana.
Click here to read more about this excellent tour.
Alternatively, if you are staying in Durres you can take a 1 day private tour to Berat here.
2. Explore Permet on Horseback
From the town of Permet, near Gjirokastra, Funky Guest House and Adventures organize this beautiful horse riding tour.
The tour will take you through the countryside where you’ll see local stone houses, cold water springs and old churches.
The tour caters for any ability and there are various trails that can be followed depending on your experience. You’ll be out with a guide for around 4 hours in total. You’ll take in the stunning Lengarica canyon and several ancient Ottoman stone bridges.
This relaxing tour concludes with the chance to enjoy the thermal baths, relax in the pools or explore the canyon further.
It’s an amazing experience for those that love to get back to nature and off the beaten track.
Check out the full details of this tour here.
3. Explore the Incredible Blue Eye (one of my favourite tours in Albania)
The Blue Eye in Albania is one of the most incredible things that I saw during my time here. I would definitely recommend making time to visit it.
The Blue Eye is located in Southern Albania and is a fresh water spring that flows from deep underground. The pressure of the water hitting the surface is so much that divers haven’t been able to reach the bottom!
The Blue Eye gets its name from the incredibly blue water. When taken together with the lush green forest in the surrounding national park, it’s one of the most beautiful parts of nature in the Albanian Riviera.
One of the best tours in Albania for exploring the Blue Eye is this great guided tour from Sarande. You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Sarande and guided through the national park to the Blue Eye. You’ll learn about the park and this natural phenomenon with a chance to swim in its cold waters.
There is a restaurant located inside the park before you are transferred back to your hotel.
Alternatively, why not combine a tour of the Blue Eye with the incredible stone city of Gjirokastra? The same guys at ReiTours also offer this full day tour to both destinations for more information.
4. Explore BunkArt and Djati
Combine history and nature in this excellent Tirana based day trip.
Tirana portrays its communist past throughout the city in an effort to ensure that lessons are learned and past mistakes aren’t repeated.
BunkArt 1 is a former bunker complex in the north of the city. It has now been transformed into a fascinating museum. The bunker, and over 170,000 others, were built during the communist period under the instruction of the former dictator Enver Hoxha.
On this great two part tour, learn why the bunkers were built and about daily life during the communist era.
Then, head next door to the Dajti cable car which takes you high into the Djati mountains. From here you’ll get incredible views back over Tirana.
Lunch at the Ballkoni Djati, overlooking the city, is included before you are driven back to your hotel in Tirana. Check out my blog post on the best hotels in Tirana if you’re looking for inspiration.
Read more about the tour here.
5. Food and Wine Tasting in Berat
If you want to combine a trip to the city of 1,000 windows with the opportunity to try some amazing local food and wine, then this is one of the best tours in Albania.
This great day tour will pick you up from any hotel in either Tirana or Durrës and take you to Berat. Here you’ll explore this incredible UNESCO protected city with a tour guide.
When you’re ready for a break, you’ll head to a local house inside Berat Castle for coffee and dessert.
After you have explored all that Berat has to offer, you’ll be driven to the Alpeta Agrotourism & Winery. Here you’ll enjoy a tour of the winery followed by lunch overlooking the vines. Sample a number of their delicious wines before being dropped back at your hotel.
To read about the full tour, take a look here.
6. 8-Day Mega Tour of Albania and Macedonia!
If you are struggling to decide what you want to see, why not see it all, in one of the most comprehensive tours of Albania and Macedonia!
This 8 day epic tour of two countries visits 4 UNESCO world heritage sites. It also takes in some of my favourite places in both countries. This includes Blue Eye in Albania, Lake Ohrid, Butrint National Park, Berat and so much more.
The price includes accommodation and breakfast for 7 days. It also includes entry to all stops, transport around the two countries and pick up from your Tirana hotel.
It’s hard to overstate how much you get to see on this incredible tour. From mountains to the sea, from historically important cities to natural phenomenon.
Check out the full details of this tour, and the strongly positive reviews from those who have taken part, here.
7. Hike Gamti Mountain and Bovilla Lake
One of the best ways to explore Albania is to head out into the countryside in this beautiful country.
This 1-day private tour is perfect for active visitors who want to escape the city. You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Tirana and taken to the stunning Bovilla Lake.
From the lake, you’ll take a guided tour up into Gamti Mountain. Here you’ll take in some stunning views back across the lake and the surrounding area.
The hike isn’t too difficult or long and so isn’t limited to seasoned hikers! As it’s a private tour, you can go at your own pace to make sure you have the best time.
Click to find out more about this picturesque escape from Tirana.
8. Take a Cooking Class
One of the best ways to truly understand a country is through its food. And what better way to understand the food than to learn to make it. Have fun and learn some new recipes to try at home and remind you of an amazing trip!
Albanian cuisine is my favourite Balkan cuisine, with influences from Italy and Greece as well as the Balkans itself. It makes for a delicious, fresh and healthy style of cooking.
Here, I have a number of different cooking classes for you depending on where you are based.
In Tirana, try this great 4 hour cookery class where you start at the local market to collect your ingredients. Then you’ll learn to make some traditional Albanian dishes including the Dish of Independence, Tave Kosi.
In Gjirokastra, this local cookery course you’ll turn your hand to an extensive menu of traditional Albanian starters, mains and desserts in a working restaurant.
Whichever course you choose, you’ll have a lot of fun, meet new people and take home some new recipes.
9. Sarande Jeep Safari
If you want to head off the beaten track in the Albanian Riviera then there is no better way than with this day long 4×4 safari.
Start your adventure at your hotel in Sarande or Ksamil. During the course of the day you’ll visit unspoiled beaches and coastlines, traditional stone villages and historical churches. All of these are away from the traditional tourist routes and will be yours to explore.
You’ll also visit the beautiful Lekursi castle built in 1537 with great views over the coast. You also call in at the incredible Blue Eye in Albania which is a great Albania trip in its own right.
Halfway through the tour, you’ll stop in the beautiful little village of Piqeras for lunch. This gives you the chance to see and sample the best of Albania.
This day-long safari tour is completely different and takes you away from the tourist spots in the Albanian Riviera.
10. Embrace the Nightlife in Tirana
If you are in Tirana for a good time, then the nightlife in this vibrant city will not let you know.
The hardest part may be deciding which of the many great bars to visit. Here is a simple solution, join a Tirana bar crawl!
This night-long bar crawl will take you to some of the coolest bars in Tirana and in particular to the trendy neighbourhood of Blloku.
Benefits include free drinks and VIP entry to some of the most popular bars. It’s a great way to explore the city at night and meet some new friends over a cold drink.
Read more about this cool night out here.
11. Take a Historical Tour of Kruja and Durres
Kruja is a beautiful, historical town in north central Albania. It’s famous as the birthplace of Albania’s national hero, Skanderbeg.
Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg, was an Albanian military commander who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in 1444.
He would go on to defeat the Ottomans in dozens of further battles in Albania and overseas. Skanderbeg died a hero, and he’s remembered across Albania today. The main square in Tirana is named Skanderbeg Square in his honour.
This fascinating tour is one of my favourite day trips from Tirana. Your tour will start from your accommodation, and you’ll first enjoy a guided tour of Kruga. This includes Kruja castle, the scene of many battles between Skanderbeg and the Ottomans.
You’ll also visit the Skanderbeg Museum and the Ethnographic Museum to get a feel for how the Albanians lived. After, you’ll have time to relax and drift through the beautiful Old Bazaar with its cobbled streets and historical architecture.
Lunch is included, with an incredible view over the city and valley of Kruja. The afternoon takes you to Durrës, the second-largest city in Albania. Here you’ll have a guided tour of the city walls, the Byzantine forum, the thermal baths and the amphitheater. This is followed by a coffee stop at the historical Venetian tower.
One of my favourite day trips in Albania and an excellent tour for those that want to know more about the history of this incredible country.
12. Explore the UNESCO world heritage site of Butrint
This great half day tour explores Butrint National Park. Butrint is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Albania. It’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in Albania.
The ancient city of Butrint lies within the national park and overlooks the Vivari Channel. It was made a Roman colony in 44BC by Julius Caesar himself. It was designed to be a lavish town for successful Roman warriors to settle after battle.
The city of Butrint is packed with fascinating archaeological discoveries from the ages. These include a beautiful Roman theatre, the Great Basilica and the Venetian castle and tower with incredible views over the national park.
There is a museum within the city which contains various artifacts that have been discovered during the excavation of Butrint. Just across the water, separated by a car ferry, is the Venetian Triangular Castle which is well worth a visit.
Butrint is 14 kilometres south of Sarande. It’s an excellent half day tour to learn about the importance of Butrint during the Roman and later Venetian ages.
Equally, you can combine a visit to Butrint National park with a tour of the incredible Blue Eye in Albania and Lekuresi castle in this great private day tour from Sarande or Ksamil. This day trip is one of my favourite Albania tours.
13. Cross the Border into Montenegro
If you’re basing yourself in Tirana for your Albania visit, then consider heading north and explore Montenegro for the day.
This full day private tour will take you into Montenegro to explore the beautiful towns of Budva and Kotor.
First up is the beautiful-walled city of Kotor. I particularly love this town as it’s affectionately known as the town of cats! But there is so much to see besides. This fortified city has cobbled, narrow streets and ancient architecture. It’s possible to climb to the top of the walls for the best views over the Bay of Kotor.
The tour includes a walking tour of Kotor Old Town and the Bay of Kotor to learn about its history. A tour of St John’s Fortress in Kotor then follows.
After Kotor, you’ll stop by the impressive Sveti Stefan. This former town and fortress is now a hotel resort perched on a rock overlooking the sea.
Then you’ll head to the old port of Budva complete with Roman Ruins and Budva Fortress. The town itself is charming with cobbled streets and lots of boutique shops, bars and restaurants to explore.
This is a unique opportunity to explore nearby Montenegro from Tirana on an all day private tour. Both Kotor and Budva are beautiful and popular destinations in Montenegro and are amazing places to explore.
14. Take a Walking Tour of Tirana
One of my favourite tours in Albania was the walking tour in Tirana. I love a walking tour! I think it’s one of the best ways to learn about a new city, as well as getting your bearings.
Tirana has a range of walking tours for you to choose from. They vary depending on what you want to learn and where you want to go.
This 3 hour organised walking tour takes you to the main areas and gives you a great overall understanding of the history of Tirana. It starts at 9.30am in Skanderbeg Square.
It takes in the Skanderbeg Statute, the Theatre, the historical museum, the Cultural Palace, Et’hem Bey Mosque and much more. Later, you’ll head to the fascinating district of Blloku. It was once closed to non-communist part members and now one of the coolest parts of town.
If you want to learn specifically about Tirana’s communist history, then I recommend joining this 2 hour Communist Walking Tour. I really enjoyed this tour and found it fascinating to learn about Albania’s recent past. The tour guides are hugely knowledgeable, and you’ll learn about Tirana under the dictator Enver Hoxha. You’ll see the Pyramid of Tirana and BunkArt 2 as well as other symbols of the communist past.
Alternatively, why not take a free tour with the excellent Free Walking Tour Tirana company. Their tours run from Skanderbeg Square twice a day at 10am and 6pm for 2 hours. You’ll explore the centre of Tirana as well as Blloku and see learn all about the monuments mentioned in the tours above. The free tours are tipped based, so please do make sure you tip your guide at the end!
15. Take a Speedboat to Sazan Island
If you are in the beautiful coastal city of Vlore whilst you are touring Albania then I would recommend taking a trip out to Sazan Island.
Sazan Island is an uninhabited island off the coast of Vlore which is a designated military exclusion zone. It’s strategically located at the border of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Since 2010 it has been designated as the Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park.
This great speedboat day tour will take you out to Sazan island in luxury. The skipper will take you to the marine park, where you can use the snorkelling equipment provided to explore below the surface. The water here is beautifully clear.
After, you’ll land at Sazan Island where you can explore the island, and you’ll learn about its military history. There is a small military town to explore or a shingle beach which has some stunning turquoise water to bathe in.
The tour lasts for around 6 hours and includes water and alcoholic beverages to complete a great day trip exploring off the beaten track.
16. Discover Osum Canyon and Bogove Waterfalls
If you are staying in Berat, the city of 1,000 windows, then I would highly recommend checking out Osum Canyon and Bogove Waterfalls.
Osum Canyon is the largest canyon in Albania and is nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Albania. It lies a few hours from Berat and is packed full of beautiful wildlife, nature, trails and incredible views.
This day long hiking tour to explore Osum Canyon first calls in at a city called Polican which is on the way. This city was once famous for producing guns during the Communist era, and now those factories lie abandoned as a reminder of the past.
Once you reach the canyon, you’ll hike through the canyon up to various viewpoints at the top. From here you’ll enjoy spectacular views over the canyon and the countryside beyond.
After a great hike, you’ll get a chance to swim in the river to cool off, so bring some spare clothes! It’s an excellent day trip from Berat to see some of the most beautiful landscape in Albania.
Or if you are seeking a bigger adrenaline rush then why not consider this awesome rafting tour of the Osum canyon. Drift and fly down the canyon with 8 waterfalls to visit on the way, this is a truly memorable way to explore the Grand Canyon of Albania.
17. Visit the beautiful Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid straddles the border between Albania and North Macedonia and is one of Europe’s deepest and oldest lakes.
The largest city on the lake is Ohrid. It’s located in North Macedonia and a stunning example of Ottoman influence and architecture. Its Old Town is breathtaking and positioned on the side of a hill overlooking the lake.
The lake and the city are both designated as UNESCO world heritage sites and are two incredibly beautiful sites to discover just over the border in North Macedonia.
This fantastic day long private tour to Ohrid starts in Tirana before heading to Struga, a beautiful town in North Macedonia in its own right. It’s located on the lake and is the source of the River Drim. Bars and restaurants line the river, which flows from the lake and into the town.
After Struga, you arrive at the incredible city of Ohrid. I spent over a month living in Ohrid. Its Old Town is one of the most interesting and beautiful places I’ve visited in Europe. Explore the town, the lake and some of its 365 churches (one for every day of the year!) before heading back to Tirana.
A unique and exceptional tour in Albania and I would not hesitate in recommending a trip to both Struga and Ohrid.
18. Go Wine Tasting!
There may be no better way to understand a country than to try its wine!
If you want to know more about the increasingly popular Albanian wine, then the best way is to join a wine tour and visit a local winery.
This day-long wine tour starts in Tirana and first takes you to Durrës for a guided tour of this ancient city. Here you’ll explore the ancient ruins, city walls and street art that makes Durrës famous today.
After that, you’ll head to the Duka Winery, which is located overlooking Lalzi Bay. Here you’ll learn about the rich wine making history of Albania and sample various locally made wines with appetizers. You can even upgrade your experience to include a 3-course lunch at the vineyard if you really want to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Alternatively, if you are based in Berat then this wine tasting tour of Luani winery is certainly recommended. This half day tour takes in the Luani winery, which is the largest in Albania. You’ll have a guided tour and will taste a variety of their wines as well as the locally produced Raki.
19. Hike the Dajti Mountains
If you are staying in Tirana then one of the coolest things to do in the capital is to take the Djati Express cable car up into the mountains for some incredible views back over the city.
Why not go one further and take a guided hike beyond the top of the cable car and into the mountains beyond. This tour will take you to the highest part of the mountains accessible on foot. You’ll head through forests scattered with waterfalls, canyons and much more to see.
At the top you’ll have incredible views over the beautiful blue Lake Bovilla as well as back over Tirana from this highest viewpoint.
The half day hiking tour includes the return cost of the cable car as well as the guided hike. It’s a great way to escape the city and get into nature. There is also an excellent, and reasonably priced, restaurant at the top of the cable car. It has incredible views over the city and is a great place to refuel after your hike!
If the cable car back down seems a little tame, how about paragliding down?! This adrenaline packed private tandem paragliding experience is the ultimate way to see the city. You’ll descend with a fully qualified paragliding instructor. Your instructor will film the whole trip on a GoPro for you to relive once you have recovered from the rush!
20. Visit Albania from Corfu
Last but by no means least is this fantastic day trip from just over the water in Corfu.
If you are staying or visiting the beautiful Greek island then why not take this excellent full day tour from Corfu to explore the city of Sarandë and Butrint National Park which features in this blog already.
You’ll start your day in Corfu and take the ferry over to Sarande. Then you’ll head to the city of Butrint to explore the beautiful countryside and villages on the way. A full guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Butrint with its incredible Roman and Venetian discoveries is also included, which is fascinating.
After, you’ll return to Sarande for the included lunch together with a guided walking tour of this coastal town. Finally, you’ll sail back to Corfu to conclude the tour.
This great day-long experience is an excellent way to explore a small part of the incredible country of Albania during your trip to one of Greece’s most popular islands.
FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about tours in Albania and visiting this great country and hopefully some helpful details for you.
Time to book some tours in Albania!
I hope this blog will help you choose from the many tours in Albania to explore the parts of this amazing country that appeal to you the most.
Whether you are a nature lover, a foodie, a history fan or an adrenaline junkie, there is something for everyone in Albania.
We had an amazing time taking many of the tours in this blog. It really helped us discover so many parts of Albania that we wouldn’t have seen or reached otherwise.
If you have any questions about these tours in Albania, leave me a comment or get in touch on social media. I’ll be happy to help.
Disclaimer: My blog contains affiliate links. If you buy something through these, I get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you x
