Holidays in Albania

• June and September

  The best balance: the sea is already (or still) warm, with fewer people and lower prices than at the peak.

• July and August

  Peak season: heat above 30 °C, crowded beaches, the highest accommodation prices. Book ahead.

• October — April

  Cities, mountains, Berat and Gjirokastër. In October you can still swim in the south; winter brings rain and cool weather.

• Durrës

  A long sandy beach with a gentle slope into the water — good with children. 35 minutes from Tirana and the airport, with a Roman amphitheatre. Map — Durrës on the map.

• Vlorë and the Albanian Riviera

  This is where the Adriatic meets the Ionian Sea. South of Vlorë, over the Llogara Pass, lie Dhërmi, Himarë and other bays with clear water and pebble beaches. Map — Vlorë on the map.

• Sarandë and Ksamil

  The southernmost coast: the warmest sea, but also the biggest crowds in July and August. Nearby are ancient Butrint (UNESCO since 1992) and the ferry to Corfu. Map — Sarandë on the map.

• Tirana

  The capital: museums, cafés, the cable car up Mount Dajti. A handy base for 1–2 days or for winter trips. Map — Tirana on the map.

• Berat and Gjirokastër

  The historic centres of both towns are a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2005, extended in 2008). Ottoman houses and castles; best in spring and autumn, as summer is hot.

• Mountains and lakes

  Lake Ohrid near Pogradec, the Albanian Alps (Theth, Valbonë) in the north. The mountain season runs from June to September; some roads are difficult.

List of World Heritage Sites in Albania — on the UNESCO website.

• By air

  The main airport is Tirana (Rinas, TIA). Low-cost airlines fly there from Poland (Kraków, Katowice, Warsaw), ≈2 hours. As of October 2026 Vlorë airport had no scheduled flights — check before booking.

• By car

  Via Hungary or Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, ≈2 days on the road. You need a «Green Card» with Albania (AL) not crossed out, plus your driving licence.

• By ferry from Italy

  Ferries from Bari, Ancona and Trieste arrive in Durrës, from Brindisi in Vlorë. Convenient if you drive through Italy. The Corfu — Sarandë ferry connects with Greece.

• Within Albania

  From the airport to Durrës — airport bus; between cities — intercity buses.

• You need a valid international passport; a child needs their own passport. The Ukrainian internal passport or ID card is not valid for entry.
• Travel medical insurance is usually not checked at the border, but without it you will have to pay for treatment at a private clinic yourself. Emergency care in state hospitals is free of charge.
• Visa-free conditions, time limits and what to do if you want to stay longer — visa to Albania. Check the visa regime before travelling on the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
• Planning to stay long-term — residence permit rules.

• For July and August book 2–3 months ahead, especially in Ksamil and Sarandë. In June and September you can find accommodation on the spot.
• Local municipalities may charge a hotel tourist tax; it is usually already included in the price. If you are asked for an extra charge on arrival, ask for an explanation and a receipt.
• An umbrella and two sunbeds on the beach cost roughly 300–900 LEK a day (700 LEK on Vlorë’s municipal beaches, up to 900 LEK or more on private ones; according to media reports, August 2026). In Ksamil and on trendy Riviera beaches it’s more expensive.
• Prices for cafés, groceries and transport — see cost of living in Albania.

• Under Council of Ministers Decision № 649 of 16.10.2024 public access to the beach may not be prohibited or restricted «in any form or at any time». A beach station must let you through to the water.
• For every 1 000 m of shoreline, 300 m must be set aside as public areas — there you can lie on your own towel and put up your own umbrella for free.
• On type A beaches (wide sandy ones) a free 2.5 m strip must be left in front of the first row of umbrellas for everyone. You may not sit on a beach station’s sunbeds without paying.
• Since 2026 municipalities may charge for umbrellas and sunbeds on some of the public beaches they manage themselves. Free areas without umbrellas still remain.
• If access to the sea is blocked by a fence or barrier, or you are asked to pay just to get in, that is a violation; you can complain to the municipal police or the National Coastline Agency.

Beach rules — CoM Decision № 649/2024 as amended in 2025–2026; administration — National Coastline Agency. On paid municipal beaches — Citizens.al report, August 2026.

• Ukrainian Visa and Mastercard cards work at ATMs, supermarkets, hotels and most restaurants. On beaches, in small cafés, at markets and on intercity buses people pay cash.
• Local bank ATMs charge a fee for withdrawals with a foreign card; check the amount on the screen before confirming. If the ATM offers to «convert to your currency», decline and choose to be charged in lek.
• Euros are often accepted in tourist areas, but change is given in lek at a poor rate. Exchange money at a bank or a licensed exchange office, not on the street.
• Hryvnias cannot be exchanged in Albania: bring euros or a card.
• Official exchange rate — Bank of Albania website.

• Single emergency number112
• Police129
• Ambulance127
• Fire service128
• Traffic police126
• Maritime police125