Albania was one of the most isolated countries in the world until 1991, and the legacy of that isolation — combined with rapid post-communist development — makes it one of the most fascinating and undervisited destinations in Europe. With a rental car from Skopje, Albania is a natural road trip partner for anyone exploring North Macedonia. This guide goes beyond the Tirana city drive (covered separately) to give you the full picture.
Getting to Albania: Border Crossings from Skopje
Option 1: Sveti Naum / Tushemisht (Most Scenic) The most popular crossing. From Skopje, take the A2 motorway to Ohrid (2.5 hours), then continue south along Lake Ohrid's shore to Sveti Naum monastery. The border is 1 km past the monastery. You enter Albania at Tushemisht, on the southern shore of Lake Ohrid, and drive through Pogradec toward Elbasan and Tirana.
Option 2: Blato / Kjafasan (Faster to Tirana) From Gostivar, a mountain road leads west through Debar and the Debar Lake to the border at Kjafasan, entering Albania in the Dibra region. This is approximately 60 km shorter to Tirana than the Ohrid route but uses slower mountain roads.
Option 3: Qafe Thane (Southeast) Near the Greek border, this crossing is used primarily by Greek-Albanian traffic. Not recommended for travelers coming from Skopje.
Albania Country Overview
Albania is a small country (28,700 km²) with extraordinary geographic variety:
- The Albanian Alps in the north (highest peak: Maja e Korabit, 2,764 m — shared border with North Macedonia)
- The central lowland with Tirana and Durrës
- The Riviera: 420 km of Adriatic and Ionian coastline
- The highland interior: Berat, Gjirokastër, and the UNESCO-listed mountain culture
Currency: Albanian Lek (ALL). 1 EUR ≈ 103 ALL. EUR accepted in tourist areas. Language: Albanian. English increasingly spoken among younger Albanians in cities. Driving: Right-hand traffic. Road quality varies significantly — motorways are excellent, but secondary roads often have potholes.
Tirana: The Capital
Distance from Skopje via Ohrid: 290 km, 4.5–5 hours (For a detailed Tirana city guide, see our Skopje to Tirana driving guide.)
Quick Tirana highlights:
- Skanderbeg Square: The city center, surrounded by the National Museum (with its famous socialist-realist mosaic facade), the Et'hem Bey Mosque, and the Clock Tower.
- Blloku neighborhood: Former communist politburo residential enclave, now Tirana's most fashionable district with cafés, restaurants, and bars.
- Communist-era architecture tour: The Pyramid of Tirana (Enver Hoxha's former mausoleum), the "House of Leaves" (former secret police museum), and the various socialist-realist facades across the city tell the story of 45 years of communism.
- Dajti Mountain: Accessible by cable car (gondola) from the eastern edge of the city. Mountain air, hiking trails, restaurants.
Durrës: The Ancient Port City
Distance from Tirana: 38 km west, ~40 minutes on the A1 motorway.
Durrës is Albania's main port city and the site of ancient Epidamnus/Dyrrachium, a major Greek and later Roman colony on the Adriatic.
- Durrës Amphitheatre: One of the largest Roman amphitheaters in the Balkans (20,000 capacity). Unique because it's embedded in the modern city — buildings have grown around and over it. The partially excavated structure is extraordinary.
- Archaeological Museum: Roman and Byzantine artifacts from the site.
- Durrës Beach: The city has a long, busy beach — popular with Albanian families. Better beaches are further south on the Riviera.
Berat: The City of a Thousand Windows
Distance from Tirana: 120 km south, ~2 hours
Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage city built on a hillside above the Osum River. The town's trademark feature is its rows of white Ottoman houses, each with multiple large windows (giving the city its nickname). The castle (kala) above the town is still inhabited — families live inside the medieval fortress walls.
What to See
Kala (Castle): Drive up the steep road (or walk 20 minutes from the old town). Inside the walls: a small neighborhood of houses, several old Byzantine churches (now museums), and panoramic views. The Church of the Dormition (Kisha e Shën Mërisë) contains 17th-century icons by the master iconographer Onufri.
Mangalem quarter: Below the castle, the Ottoman old town with its signature stacked houses. Walk along the cobblestoned alleys and admire the architecture.
Gorica quarter: Across the river, connected by a stone bridge. The Christian quarter of old Berat, with churches and more traditional houses.
Onufri National Museum: Inside the castle. Collection of icons by Albania's most celebrated medieval painter. Extraordinary quality.
Berat Practical Info
- Parking: Available at the base of the castle road. Drive up only if the road is clear — it's very narrow.
- Accommodation: Several boutique hotels inside the old town, from €30–80/night. Hotel Mangalemi and Berati Backpacker's Hostel are reliable choices.
- Local food: Try fërgesë — a traditional Berat dish of cottage cheese, tomatoes, and liver cooked in a clay pot.
Gjirokastër: The Stone City
Distance from Tirana: 230 km south, ~3 hours
Gjirokastër is another UNESCO World Heritage site — possibly the most visually dramatic city in Albania. Built on a steep hillside with a massive Ottoman citadel above, the city is made almost entirely of grey stone: stone roofs, stone streets, stone walls.
What to See
Gjirokastër Castle: A massive fortress dominating the city. Inside: an arms museum (with a captured US spy plane), a concert theater with excellent acoustics, and panoramic views over the Drinos Valley and toward Greece (the border is 20 km south).
Old Bazaar: The Ottoman bazaar below the castle. One of the best-preserved in Albania. Stone-arched shops selling traditional crafts.
Zekate House: An 18th-century Ottoman mansion, the finest example of the local architectural tradition. Guided tours available.
Birthplace of Enver Hoxha: The communist dictator was born in Gjirokastër. The house is visible but not a museum — just a footnote for those interested in the history.
The Albanian Riviera
Distance from Tirana via SH4/SH8: 280–350 km, 4–5 hours
Albania's Ionian Riviera stretches from Vlorë to Sarandë near the Greek border. Until around 2010, it was largely inaccessible (concrete bunkers in fields, dirt tracks to the beaches). A combination of EU investment and private development has transformed it, but large sections retain a genuinely wild character.
Key beaches:
- Dhermi: One of the most popular beaches. White pebbles, clear water, beach clubs and bars. Can get crowded in August.
- Gjipe Canyon Beach: A beach accessible only by a 45-minute hike through a gorge. Worth every step — no vehicles, no development.
- Himara: A town midway down the coast. Good mix of beaches, restaurants, and accommodation. Less crowded than Dhermi.
- Sarandë: The riviera's southern city. Views of the Greek island of Corfu (visible 7 km offshore). Ferry to Corfu operates daily in season.
- Butrint: 20 km south of Sarandë. A UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site — a layered Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian city on a forested peninsula.
Northern Albania (Albanian Alps)
Shkodër and the Accursed Mountains:
If you travel through Shkodër en route to Montenegro (see Montenegro guide), consider an extension into the Albanian Alps (Bjeshkët e Namuna) — a range of extraordinary mountain scenery.
- Valbona Valley National Park: Accessible from Shkodër via the Komani Lake ferry (a spectacular 2.5-hour boat journey through a canyon) and Fierza. The valley itself is a trekkers' paradise.
- Theth: A mountain village accessible by a road that was only paved in 2023. Stone houses, a medieval "blood feud" tower, waterfalls, and some of the best hiking in the Balkans.
Note: The mountain roads in northern Albania require careful driving. A 4WD or high-clearance vehicle is strongly recommended for Theth.
Planning Your Albania Road Trip
Minimum recommended time:
- Tirana only: 2 days
- Tirana + Berat: 3 days
- Tirana + Berat + Gjirokastër: 4–5 days
- Full Albania (Tirana + Riviera + North): 7–10 days
Driving in Albania:
- Albanian drivers are notoriously aggressive — exercise caution, especially on mountain roads.
- Speed limit: 110 km/h on motorway, 90 km/h on national roads, 40 km/h in towns.
- Fuel: Albanian petrol prices are lower than most European countries.
Starting your Albania road trip from Skopje? Rent a car at Skopje Airport and head west on the A2 toward Ohrid and the Albanian border. For the specific Skopje–Tirana drive, see our Tirana driving guide.
