Albania: Road trip along hidden beaches and historic Berat

After completing the beautiful Peaks of the Balkan trail, we were ready for some relaxation. We decided to rent a car and search for the (hidden) beaches along the Albanian Riviera. Our road trip took us to picturesque Dhërmi, where we enjoyed the sun on the coast. We then drove to the historic UNESCO city of Berat, also known as “the city of a thousand windows”. Join us on our journey in this blog and be surprised by the diversity of Albania.

What do you need to know before you go?

• Calling and internet: Upon arrival at Tirana airport, it is useful to buy a local SIM card. Because not all hotels and restaurants have WiFi, it is nice to have access to the internet and to be able to make local calls. Provided there is coverage, of course. We bought a Vodafone SIM card with 15 GB and a few call minutes for 1500 Lekë (approximately €15).

  
  

• Currency and payment options: Although the official currency in Albania is the Lekë, you can also pay with euros in many places, which makes carrying large amounts of Lekë unnecessary. Withdrawing Lekë in Albania itself cost us quite a bit of money due to the transaction fees charged by the ATMs. In hindsight, this was unnecessary.

  
  

• Transport from the airport: In Albania, we used the UP's Taxi app. This is similar to Uber and a cheaper alternative to standard taxis. You can see the price you will pay and how long it will take for the taxi to arrive in advance. For comparison: a normal taxi ride to our hotel costs €25, but with UP's taxi it cost €16. A credit card is required to use the app.

  
  

• Car rental: We rented our car from Albania Airport Rent a Car. The car was fine and affordable, but the service provided by the staff could have been better. When we picked up the car, we paid for it, got the key, and suddenly everyone had disappeared. No explanation about whether it runs on petrol or diesel, or where we should return the car. Fortunately, everything else went well and we managed to return it without any problems.

When is the best time to visit Albania?

The best time to travel to Albania depends on the regions you want to visit. For coastal towns, such as the Albanian Riviera, the high season from June to September is ideal due to the warm, sunny weather and warm sea water. Tirana, the lively capital, and Berat, the historic UNESCO city, are at their best in spring (April to June) and autumn (September and October), when temperatures are mild and the cities are less crowded. We were there at the end of May, and this was the ideal time for us to discover Albania.

Day 1: From Tirana to Durrës

In Tirana, our first destination was the Bunk'Art 1 museum. This museum is located in a huge bunker complex, which Enver Hoxha had built during the Cold War. Not just for him and his wife, but for the entire party leadership. The many bunkers throughout Albania showed us that Enver was somewhat paranoid, but here it is abundantly clear. Upon entering the bunker, you have to pass through four locks: the first two are designed to stop explosions, the last two to stop toxic gases. The bunker is enormous. To give you an idea: it even has a cinema. In Bunk'Art, you can read stories and see photos of Albania's history from 1939 to its liberation in 1990.

After this impressive morning, we got in the car and headed for the coastal town of Durres, a large city on the coast. At the end of the afternoon, we arrived at our hotel, Olivia's Hill Resort, which has a swimming pool and a restaurant. We spent the afternoon swimming, eating fresh fish and relaxing. In the evening, we walked along the boulevard with its gigantic resorts. It seems that Durres is not necessarily well known among foreign tourists, but mainly among local tourists. The advantage is that it is therefore not very expensive yet.

Day 2: From Durres to Dhërmi

On this day, we drove to picturesque Dhërmi. It is also known as the Santorini of Albania, but much less touristy. The road there was certainly no punishment. It took us right through a national park and along the coast. It resembled the Amalfi Coast, but was much quieter.

On the way, we stopped for lunch in Llogara National Park. This park is known for its local culinary specialities. The restaurants serve grilled meat, such as lamb and goat. We ate at the restaurant of Hotel Sofo. Our lunch consisted of meatballs (Qofte) with ricotta, cornbread and yoghurt with honey and walnuts. After this tasty lunch, we stopped at a viewpoint in the same national park to enjoy the view of the sea and the mountains.

Before heading to Dhërmi, we parked the car in the coastal town of Himare. From the paid car park, it was about a 30-40 minute walk down the hill to Gjipe Beach. This beach is quite different from the one in Durres. Here, there are no miles of sunbeds and parasols, but rather a small beach surrounded by rocks. The water is clear blue and there were hardly any people there.

At the end of the day, we went to our hotel, Perivolos Apartments. We received a very warm welcome from the owner. We immediately felt at home. We ordered a local beer and sat by the pool for a while.

Then we walked onto the boulevard to find a restaurant. You can really see that tourism is on the rise along the coast. Trees are being cut down everywhere and large resorts are being built. It's really a double-edged sword, because on the one hand, the country benefits from tourism, but on the other hand, you also see what it does to nature, the smaller traditional guesthouses and the authentic villages. The owner of our guesthouse told us that he doesn't like tourism at all. Something that sounds quite strange coming from someone who earns a living from it. But he sees that the government is willing to do anything for tourism, and that as a small business owner, he suffers as a result. A few years ago, there was a large forest behind his guesthouse, but now there is a motorway. Where he used to catch frogs and pick blueberries as a child, there is now asphalt. He also told us that they are working on the “Santorini” project nearby. We walked past it; they are building exactly the same white and blue houses to recreate Santorini.

Finding a good restaurant here is not difficult. There is plenty of choice, and everything looks very modern. We chose “Azul by Havana”. A restaurant with a beautiful interior and plants everywhere. We had a delicious meal here. By Albanian standards, it was an expensive dinner (+/- €100 per person), but it is in proportion to the special flavours and dishes you get.

Day 3: From Dhërmi to Berat

The owner of our hotel gave us a tip for a route to a pebble beach where there is often no one else. It was about a 20-minute walk downhill. It took some searching, but then we found the beautiful beach. All to ourselves. The water here was also clear blue and a pleasant temperature.

In the afternoon, we got in the car and headed for Berat. Here we spent the night at the Kapllani Hotel. Berat has many traditional hotels, often housed in historic buildings with an authentic Ottoman style, which perfectly reflect the charm of the old town. Our hotel was also one such traditional hotel. In the evening, we enjoyed a delicious local meal at Eni Traditional Food. Albanian lasagne, Albanian moussaka and stuffed aubergine. For dessert, we had a crêpe at the neighbours', which is not so traditional but very tasty.

Day 4: From Berat to Tirana

This morning, we set the alarm clock early to watch the sunrise over Berat. Berat is quite touristy, so it's nice to walk around while the city is still asleep. After breakfast, we walked to a meeting point for the Free Walking Tour. The guide, Bruno, took us on a two-hour tour of Berat. Berat is a unique city with white houses and brown roofs. As part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is well protected from change. We were told that people are not even allowed to make changes inside buildings without permission, which means that much of it has remained in its original state.

We started the tour at a Greek Orthodox church, the Church of St. Spiridon. The church was built in the 18th century and still holds services today. Inside the church, you can see traces of communism: the heads of the priests in the frescoes have been destroyed. About eight years ago, the head of Jesus was repainted. It symbolises that communism has been defeated.

After this visit, we walked through the old town centre up to Berat Castle. This place is very special because, although it was built in the 13th century, people still live there today. It is a charming village within the castle walls with restaurants, shops and narrow streets. There are also Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques. Some of them are still in good condition. During the communist era, several churches were destroyed. Fortunately, a number of churches, including frescoes, have been preserved.

In the afternoon, we had lunch inside the castle walls at the Temi restaurant, which was recommended by friends. We ate traditional Albanian food again, this time stuffed peppers, Qofte and Ferges.

Then it was time to drive to Tirana. Towards the end of the afternoon, we returned the hire car. That was just as quick as picking it up. We called the company to let them know we had arrived. They told us to leave the car with the key in it. No check for damage or fuel level.

In conclusion

Our time in Albania showed us how diverse and hospitable this unique country is. It offers both adventurous experiences and moments of pure relaxation, inviting you to explore further. We hope our stories inspire you to set off and experience the real Albania for yourself.