Travel Editor Ella Ruddle breaks down the ins and outs of travelling Albania in the hope that her favourite travel destination can soon be yours too.
After visiting 18 different countries in 2024, I was inundated with the same question: where was my favourite place I travelled to? You would think this question would be a challenge to answer; Granada in Spain, Lagos in Portugal, and Lake Bled in Slovenia hold incredible memories. Yet my immediate answer is always Albania.
I wish I had decided to go to Albania on my own accord, but unfortunately, like we all are these days, I was influenced. Happy Feet Run Club founder and dietitian Ciara McNulty posted about her weekend in Albania on Instagram, and it only took one video of the scenery for me to book.
So, yes I was influenced by Instagram and now it’s my turn to influence you. Albania has something for every young traveller: hiking adventures, affordable accommodation, unforgettable beaches, famous ‘blue eye’ swimming holes, a fun nightlife scene and the sunny skies we all long for during the long Irish winter. What was most notable for me, however, was the hospitality of the locals I had the privilege of staying with.
Now that you have your finger hovering over Sky Scanner’s search engine, let me give you a rundown on where to go and what to do.
Sarande and Himare:
Sarande is a bustling destination for travellers. ‘Sarande Backpackers’ is a great option for affordable accommodation at just 12 euros a night for a 4-bed dorm. The boat tours take you to Ksamili and Pasqyra beaches for 200 Albanian leke (about 2 euro), or to one of the many famous ‘blue eye’ swimming holes in Albania.
Himare is a standout for many people who have travelled to Albania as it is a little quieter than Sarande with equally good beaches. ‘Sunbaker's Hostel’ comes highly recommended. My friend described it as “one of the most social hostels I stayed in.” If hostels aren’t your thing, there is a stunning campsite right on the water called ‘Pine Side Camping’. Here you are tucked away from the main streets with an idyllic view of the beach. Himare has so much to offer, and I would definitely recommend spending a few days here.
Valbone and Theth:
If you are keen for some adventure after beach hopping for a few days, you can bus north to Shkoder for some unforgettable hiking. Albanian hostels are some of the best and ‘Wanderers Hostel’ in Shkoder is no different. Famously, ‘Wanderers’ facilitate the sought-after ‘Valbone to Theth’ hike - which is a non-negotiable in my opinion.
You are sardined onto a small bus with around 30 other strangers at 7am to travel to the national park. I usually dislike travel days, but I hope I never forget this one. The views distracted me from the questionable nausea-inducing roads and I didn't mind sitting in direct sunlight on a ferry for 3 hours when we were floating through a river that resembled scenes from Avatar.
At the end of our travel day, we found ourselves at a guest-house nestled in a valley. It was run by an Albanian family and it felt like your grandma's house when you walked in, with mismatched quilts and wooden floors. Outside, the skyline was bordered by mountains and a river that was crystal clear ran beside the house.
We spent the following day hiking from Valbone to Thethe. As a Kiwi who has supposedly done some of the best hiking in the world, seeing these mountains under the morning light easily became top on my list of ‘greatest views ever’. We kept reminding ourselves to look up from our feet to look at the view because even if we tripped, it was a view worth tripping for.
A day of hiking was followed by a night hosted by another Albanian family. We had pints of beer and plates of traditional food and suddenly the strangers I had met three days ago weren’t as strange anymore. I changed my plans that night so I could stay longer - that's when you know you’re onto something good.
I took that video on Instagram as a sign to book my Albanian adventure, and maybe this article will be a sign for you…