Albania (Shqipëria)

Cities, towns, and villages

• Tirana (Tiranë) — The capital. Trees and mountains surround the city. Mount Dajt is a popular tourist site with a great view of the city. The National Art Gallery has an interesting set of socialist realism works.

• Durrës - The second largest city at the coast, also one of the best known beach resort cities in the country. A home to the largest amphitheater in the Balkans and the longest beach front in the country.

• Berat — Thought to be one of the oldest towns in Albania, it is a member of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Berat has long been known as the "city of 1001 windows" because of its unique Ottoman/Albanian architecture. It has a well-preserved castle with residents still living inside its protective walls.

• Fier — Lively seaside city, and only about 8 km (5 mi) away from the ruins of the ancient Illyrian city of Apollonia.

• Gjirokastër — Another UNESCO World Heritage List, city located in the south and known for its unique Ottoman period architecture. The old bazaar is being restored (and developed for tourists). There is a large castle on the hill in the middle of the city which served as a jail for many generations. A military museum and art gallery are now located inside.

• Korce (Korça) — Located in southeast Albania, several miles from the Greek border, this city is full of life during the summer can find strolling through the city's main park, Parku Rinia. You can hike to the top of the beautiful mountain Moravia and view the city and its surrounding landscape. See the old houses and the Bazaar dating from the late 15th century which burned down 3 times. Most of the buildings were rebuilt in the 19th and 20th centuries. The medieval art museum is a cultural must.

• Kruje (Krujë) — is a place rich in history. Kruja has a long list of attractions to offer tourists from the ancient castle nestled in the craggy rocks, two museums, stunning views, a nearby national park, kruje also contains an old-style bazaar with shops selling traditional and vintage goods amid cobblestone streets.

• Pogradec — Although overshadowed by its glitzy neighbors on the Macedonian side of the lake, the town of Pogradec has been experiencing a revival recently.

• Shkodra — is the fourth largest city in Albania. Recently, it has experienced a face lift as streets and buildings were renovated, a promenade opened and a new swing bridge built over Buna River. The "Migjeni" theater is located here. The first cycling race and the first football match in Albania were held here, and the first photograph was developed here (by Marubi). The Rozafa Castle (Kalaja/Rozafa Fortress) is a major tourist attraction here, as is The Great Cathedral, the Ebu Beker Mosque, etc.

• Sarandë, also known as Saranda — is an ancient port and the main city in the Albanian Riviera. It’s home to several public and private pebble beaches, but the best sandy ones are outside Saranda. That said, I enjoyed the local feel of this city. It’s less commercial than Ksamil, and many tourists are domestic.

  Saranda is easy to get around on foot, with many sights, shops, hotels and restaurants within proximity. The town and the surrounding area have numerous ancient ruins of historical significance. One such place of interest is Lerkusi Castle, from where you can get a great view over Saranda.

  The Boulevard of Saranda is a scenic promenade that runs along the coast of the city, lined with pine trees, palm trees, cafes and traditional shops. It offers admiral views of the Ionian Sea and is a popular spot for locals and tourists to take a stroll, relax and enjoy the Mediterranean atmosphere.

• Vlorë — A lively seaside city with nice beaches in the southern part of the town. Passenger ferries to and from Italy dock here.

  Vlore has the only peninsula in Albania, which is named Karaburun. It is roughly 16 km by 4 km in size, and an area of 62 km². The peninsula of Karaburun is rich in natural resources (famous for marble), woodlands, and archeological remains. It is also home to a reserve for wild pigs.

  The only island in Albania, named Sazan, is 17 km from the port of Vlore and 9 km from Triport (Three Gates) in the Vlore region.

  Vlore, long known for its olive production, at last count had approximately 280,000 olive trees. The olive trademark "Vlonjak" is one of the oldest in Europe and is known for its great oil production.

  The territory around Vlore comes from thriving ancient cities such as Amantia-Ploce, Olympe-Mavrova, Orikos-Orikum, Himera-Himare, Kionina-Kanine, Nymfeum-Selenica and Aulona-Vlora.

• Albanian Riviera (Albanian: Bregu) — Featuring crystal clear waters, unspoiled beaches, lies along the southwestern coast of Albania, from the village of Palasë and ending in Lukovë.

  Himara — is the only city, but there are a lot of small, picturesque villages mostly located on the overlooking mountain passes: Palasë, Dhërmi, Ilias, Vuno, Potam, Llaman, Jal, Bunec, Borsh, Qeparo, Pilur, Spille, Sasaj, Piqeras, Nivice, Shen Vasil. Each of the towns have several excellent beach areas.

  Llogara Pass — is a picturesque mountain pass overlooking the Albanian Riviera. It serves as a panoramic venue to exploring the Riviera from above.

  Gjipe Canyon — at the start of Karaburun Peninsula near Palase is a coastal canyon ending into the sea.

  The area is a major nightlife, ecotourist, and elite retreat destination in Albania. It features traditional Mediterranean villages, ancient castles, churches, monasteries, secluded turquoise beaches, bays, mountain passes, seaside canyons, coves, rivers, underwater fauna, caves, and orange, lemon, and olive groves.