L'Heure du Voyage
🇦🇱 Itinerary · Albania · 14 days

2-week Albania itinerary 2026: the whole country in a loop

14 days from Shkodër in the north to the Ionian coast: Tirana, Berat, Gjirokastër, the Albanian Riviera and Lake Ohrid. Road trip day by day, with costed budget and transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

8 places

Average budget

€1,200-2,000

Total distance

~1,400 km

Profile

Well-rounded

Season

May-Sept

Tirana 2d · Shkodër 2d · Berat 2d · Gjirokastër 1d · Saranda 2d · Himara 2d · Lake Ohrid 2d · return 1d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Albania 2-week itinerary map: Tirana, Shkodër, Berat, Gjirokastër, Saranda, Himara, Lake Ohrid

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€55/day

Tirana · Arrival & capital

  • Morning Arrival at the airport. Shuttle to the centre (25 min).
  • Afternoon Skanderbeg Square, Et'hem Bey Mosque, Dajti cable car.
  • Evening Blloku district. Local dinner, fërgesë and raki.
🛌 🛌 Centre · e.g. Hotel Mosaik Tirana (2 nights)·🚌 Shuttle + walking·Albania guide →
2

~€50/day

Tirana · Dictatorship history

  • Morning Bunk'Art 1, House of Leaves, redesigned Pyramid.
  • Afternoon Pick up the car. Day trip to Krujë, Skanderbeg's castle and the bazaar.
3

~€55/day

Tirana → Shkodër · The north

  • Morning Drive to Shkodër (1h30, 100 km). Rozafa castle, lake view.
  • Afternoon Old town by bike, cathedral, Venetian feel.
🛌 🛌 Centre · e.g. Hotel Tradita (2 nights)·🚗 Car
4

~€70/day

Shkodër · Lake Koman

  • Day Ferry on Lake Koman (2h45), one of the finest river journeys in Europe, Albanian fjords.
  • Evening Back to Shkodër. Option: head to the Alps (Theth) if you add time.
5

~€60/day

Shkodër → Berat · The southwest

  • Morning Drive to Berat (3h30, 220 km) bypassing Tirana.
  • Afternoon Mangalem quarter, the thousand-window houses (UNESCO).
🛌 🛌 Mangalem · e.g. Hotel Mangalemi (2 nights)·🚗 Car
6

~€55/day

Berat · Castle & vineyards

  • Morning Berat's inhabited castle, Byzantine churches, Onufri museum.
  • Afternoon Osum canyon (gentle rafting in season) or a tasting at the Çobo estate.
7

~€60/day

Berat → Gjirokastër · The stone city

  • Morning Drive to Gjirokastër (3 h, 160 km), Vjosa valley.
  • Afternoon Ottoman citadel (UNESCO), tower houses, old bazaar.
🛌 🛌 Old town · e.g. Stone City Hotel (1 night)·🚗 Car
8

~€65/day

Gjirokastër → Saranda · Ionian Sea

  • Morning Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër), turquoise spring.
  • Afternoon Arrival in Saranda. Beach and seafront facing Corfu.
🛌 🛌 Seafront · e.g. Hotel Brilant (2 nights)·🚗 Mountain road
9

~€60/day

Saranda · Butrint & Ksamil

  • Morning Ancient site of Butrint (UNESCO), Greek theatre.
  • Afternoon Ksamil beaches, swimming out to the islets.
10

~€60/day

Saranda → Himara · Scenic road

  • Morning Coastal road, Llogara pass (1,027 m), Borsh coves.
  • Afternoon Arrival in Himara. Livadhi and Llamani beaches, less crowded than Ksamil.
🛌 🛌 Himara (2 nights)·🚗 Llogara scenic road
11

~€55/day

Himara · Dhërmi & hidden beaches

  • Morning Gjipe beach (reached on foot through the canyon) or Dhërmi.
  • Afternoon Monastery of Saint Theodore, a sunset swim.
12

~€65/day

Himara → Lake Ohrid · East-bound

  • Day Long drive to Lake Ohrid via Pogradec (5 h, 300 km), one of the oldest lakes in the world.
  • Evening Pogradec lakefront, grilled koran fish.
🛌 🛌 Pogradec / Lin (2 nights)·🚗 Long transit stage
13

~€55/day

Lake Ohrid · Lin village & monasteries

  • Morning The peninsula village of Lin, early Christian mosaics.
  • Afternoon Swim in the lake, a waterside walk on the Albanian side.
14

Flight

Lake Ohrid → Tirana · Return

  • Morning Drive back to Tirana (2h30, 140 km).
  • Afternoon Return the car, airport, flight home.
🛌 🛌 night on the plane·🚗 Car + ✈️ flight

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,200

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €130
  • 🏨 Guesthouse: €22/night
  • 🍲 Local restaurants: €15/day
  • 🚗 Car + fuel: €450
  • 🎫 Sites + Koman + Butrint: €120
Recommended

Comfort

€1,650

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €170
  • 🏨 3★ hotel: €50/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €28/day
  • 🚗 2-week rental: €550
  • 🎫 Activities + ferries: €180

Premium

€3,200

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €400
  • 🏨 Boutique hotel: €120/night
  • 🍽️ Fine tables: €45/day
  • 🚗 Car + driver
  • 🎫 Private tours: €400

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Tirana, the UNESCO south and the Riviera. The essential format.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

The whole country, from Shkodër in the north to the Ionian coast.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour, Albanian Alps and Lake Ohrid included.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

Two weeks in a loop by car: the north (Shkodër, Lake Koman), the UNESCO southwest, the Ionian Riviera, then the east and Lake Ohrid. Slow mountain roads, so allow plenty of time.

🚗

Car for the whole trip

€35-45/day · essential · slow mountain roads

⛴️

Lake Koman ferry

€20-25 · 2h45 · book in summer · one of Europe's finest journeys

🚐

Furgon (shared minibus)

€5-10 · car-free alternative · pay in lek

🛣️

Llogara pass

1,027 m · scenic Saranda-Himara road · take care in fog

Adapt by season

Coast in the south, mountains in the north

This itinerary combines the Ionian Riviera (Himara, Dhërmi, Ksamil), ideal from June to September, with the cooler north around Shkodër and Lake Ohrid. In July-August the coast is saturated: hit the beaches early in the morning and favour Himara over Ksamil, which is less crowded. In spring and autumn the interior and the UNESCO towns are perfect, but swimming in the north stays cool before June.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In June 2024 I took the 9am Lake Koman ferry: 2h45 between vertical walls, in total silence, without a single other tourist. The afternoon departure was full of groups. Always aim for the morning.
  • • Choosing Himara over Ksamil to sleep: beaches just as good, half the crowds.
  • • The Llogara pass at sunset, on the Saranda-Himara road.
  • • Sleeping a night in Lin village, on its peninsula on Lake Ohrid.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Reversing the direction if you want to end with the beach rather than the lake.
  • • Adding 2 days in the Albanian Alps (Theth) if you like hiking: that is the 1-month format.
  • • Avoiding the long Himara-Ohrid leg in one go: break it at Berat or Korçë.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is two weeks the right format for Albania? +
Yes, it is the sweet spot: you cover the north (Shkodër, Koman), the two UNESCO towns, the whole Riviera and Lake Ohrid without rushing. A month adds the Albanian Alps and more hiking.
Is the Lake Koman ferry worth it? +
Yes, it is one of the finest river journeys in Europe: 2h45 between vertical cliffs, in emerald water. Book in summer and aim for the morning departure, which is quieter.
Do you need a car for this route? +
Yes, strongly recommended. The Riviera, Lake Ohrid and the north are not well connected by public transport. Budget €35-45/day, plus fuel.
What currency in Albania? +
The lek (ALL), about 100 lek to €1. Euros work in the tourist south, but paying in lek is cheaper. Withdraw at ATMs in the larger towns.
What is the best time to go? +
May-June and September: warm sea in the south, quiet sites, bearable interior. July-August for swimming but a saturated coast and 35°C in the towns.
How much does this 2-week route cost? +
Around €1,200 backpacking, €1,650 in comfort and €3,200 premium, flight from Paris included, per person. The car and fuel are the heaviest lines.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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