Albanian Riviera Road Trip: A 7-Day Itinerary by Car

Seven days, one rental car, and roughly 350 km of the most beautiful coastline in the Balkans. This itinerary starts and ends in Tirana, drives the entire Albanian Riviera, and gives you the best mix of famous sights and lesser-known coves. Book your car for the dates below and you can follow this plan as-is.

Overview

• Start / end: Tirana International Airport (TIA)
• Distance: ~620 km total
• Driving days: 5 of 7
• Best season: May, June, September (see our seasonal guide)
• Recommended car: compact or mid-size — see our fleet

Day 1 — Tirana arrival

Pick up your car at TIA airport, drive 30 minutes into Tirana and check into a hotel near Skanderbeg Square or in the trendy Blloku district. Spend the afternoon at Bunk'Art 2 (right in the centre — Cold War history in a former bunker) and the evening eating at Mullixhiu or Salt. Early night — tomorrow is a driving day.

Day 2 — Tirana → Berat (130 km, 2 h)

Drive south to Berat, Albania's UNESCO "City of a Thousand Windows". Park in the lower town and walk up to the still-inhabited castle for sunset. Sleep in a traditional Ottoman house in Mangalem or Gorica. Dinner at Antipatrea overlooking the river.

Day 3 — Berat → Vlorë → Dhërmi (200 km, 4 h)

The big driving day. From Berat head south-west to Vlorë for a coffee on the promenade, then climb the legendary Llogara Pass through pine forest to a 1,000-metre saddle. The descent into Dhërmi is the moment most travellers pull the car over and just stand there.

Check into a guesthouse in Old Dhërmi (the village uphill, not the beach strip). Swim at Dhërmi beach in the late afternoon when the light goes pink. Read more in our driving guide before tackling the pass.

Day 4 — Riviera coves day

No long drive today. Spend the morning at the hidden Gjipe beach — park on top of the cliff and walk down 20 minutes (or join one of the taxi-boats from Dhërmi). Lunch at Pasqyrat (Mirror beach). In the afternoon move on to Himarë or Borsh for a long lazy beach stop. Sleep in Qeparo — quiet, traditional, family-run guesthouses.

Day 5 — Qeparo → Saranda → Ksamil (70 km, 1.5 h)

Easy drive south. Stop at the Porto Palermo castle (built by Ali Pasha) for a 30-minute walk around the bay. Continue to Saranda for lunch on the promenade, then drive 15 km further to Ksamil. Spend the afternoon swimming and kayaking out to the small islands. Stay in Ksamil or back in Saranda.

Day 6 — Butrint & the Blue Eye

Morning: drive 15 minutes to Butrint National Park — one of the most underrated archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Greek theatre, Roman baths, Venetian fortress, all in a forest by a lagoon. Lunch back in Ksamil.

Afternoon: 40-minute drive inland to the Blue Eye spring (Syri i Kaltër), a freezing-cold karst spring that's an unreal cobalt blue. Continue 30 min to Gjirokastër for the night — the "Stone City" UNESCO town has stunning Ottoman architecture and a 13th-century castle.

Day 7 — Gjirokastër → Tirana (230 km, 3.5 h)

Take the SH4 north back to the capital. Optional stops: Tepelenë for the dramatic Vjosa river canyon, or detour west to Apollonia archaeological park (huge, near-empty Greek-Roman city). Drop the car at TIA airport.

What it costs (rough estimate)

Practical tips for this itinerary

• Book the rental car as early as you can. July and August fleets are tight — see live availability.
• Avoid driving the Llogara Pass after dark.
• Pack water shoes — most Riviera beaches are pebbles, not sand.
• Carry cash. Many small guesthouses, beach bars and parking attendants don't take cards.
• Don't skip Butrint. Even if you're not normally an "archaeology person", it's spectacular.

Want to extend it?

Add +2 days for Theth and the Albanian Alps from Tirana, or +1 day on Lake Ohrid via Pogradec on the way back. For more spots off this route, see our hidden gems guide.

Ready to lock it in? Check car availability and prices for your dates.