Albania Custom Tour Packages

Due to its mountains, the weather within Albania can vary. Tirana is one of the sunniest cities in Europe, but has very wet winters, especially in November and December. The coast is likewise very sunny, and dry in the summer. Highs in the upper 80s are common in summer, so unless you're looking to spend a lot of time on the beach we recommend visiting from the beginning of May to early July, or from the beginning of September to late October.

All our tours are customized to your dates tastes and preferences but you can get a rough idea of the cost of a private tour of Albania by using the Price Guide function on our suggested itineraries shown on this page. Choose which class of hotel you prefer, the size of your party and the month you wish to travel in and an estimated price will be generated for you.


To get a more accurate price, submit your details and after a brief phone consultation our expert travel advisors and trip planners will create a custom Albania vacation package for you, with accommodation options and excursions tailored to your budget and interests.

Albania is considered a safe country to travel to. In fact, according to various measures of global safety, the country ranks as safer than the US. In 2019's Global Peace Index Albania ranked 51st most peaceful out of all 163 countries in the world (the US ranked 128th). Albania's negative reputation is largely undeserved and owes more to the minority criminal element among its diaspora than to the people of Albania itself. Albanians are huge fans of the US so you'll find local people are typically very keen to greet American visitors because of the support the US gave to Kosovo.


Caution is advised when crossing the street due to occasionally reckless drivers and driving standards, in general, aren't great. For this reason, we don't recommend renting a car. People in the countryside can be more conservative, so less revealing clothing is recommended outside of cities and towns.

The country combines Italian and Balkan influences. The coast has excellent fresh seafood at good prices, while the cuisine inland is focused on grilled meat and vegetables like peppers, zucchini, and eggplant. Stuffed peppers and a salty white cheese akin to feta are common. Although Burek is common throughout the Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Albanians take this pastry seriously. Their "Byrek" is a baked pastry made with phyllo dough, often filled with a combination of salted curd cheese, meat, onions, spinach, and eggs. Lakror is similar, but generally filled with greens, although it may even feature pumpkin or nettles.

Tap water is not recommended, but there are plenty of good alternatives, especially Skenderbeu Cognac, which is aged in oak and made from various plants and fruits. Albania has good, inexpensive wines, and a shot of Rakia (a strong plum or grape brandy) is a popular digestif.

Although a priority of the government, Albania's public transportation remains underdeveloped. While Albania has modern new highways, its drivers have a reckless reputation. Albania has no rail links to its neighbors, and its trains are slow and unreliable. Tirana now has a basic main bus station, and is working on banning the informal minibuses, referred to as a "furgon," that are the most common way of getting around. Fortunately, private transfers are inexpensive and this is our preferred means of transport for our Albania travel packages. From Sarande in southern Albania there are ferries to the Greek island of Corfu.

The ferry from Corfu to Sarande in Albania take around an hour, though check-in and immigration formalities make things a little more tedious. Day trips from Corfu to see the ruins at Butrint a short drive from Sarande are certainly an option but there's so much more to see in Albania that we think it would be a shame to limit yourself to just a few hours.

Most places don't take cards, so we recommend having local cash on you. We recommend using bank ATMs, but can recommend currency exchange places, as can hotel staff.

Attractions, galleries, and museums tend to open at 10 AM on weekdays and 9 AM on Sundays. Museums are usually closed Mondays. Shops tend to be open from 9-10 AM to 7-10 PM, although Tirana has some grocery stores open 24/7.

Albania doesn't have many restaurants focused on vegetarians or vegans, but the cuisine is rich in fresh vegetables, and all restaurants are vegetarian friendly. Typical vegetarian dishes include stuffed eggplants, Qifqi (rice ball with eggs), Pllaqi (fava beans in tomato sauce), Fergese (feta and red peppers, tomato, butter, onion, salt and pepper, olive oil, chili flakes, and basil), Turli (a vegetable stew), Pastico (a quiche made with milk, butter, feta, and cooked spaghetti), byrek (a crispy flaky pastry stuffed with ingredients that can include spinach, onion, tomatoes, beans, and pumpkins), and Tarator (yoghurt, garlic, thyme and vinegar). We can recommend vegetarian restaurants, especially in Tirana.