Tales from TravelLocal: Johanna’s Albania trip

An underexplored gem on Europe’s Balkan Peninsula, Albania reveals a blend of ancient history and stunning coastline. On a trip to Albania you could be exploring UNESCO-listed ruins like Butrint one moment, and embracing the lively streets of Tirana the next. As the Adriatic Sea laps against pristine beaches, you’ll discover a destination still untouched by mass tourism, where vibrant culture meets warm hospitality. We catch up with Johanna, our Special Projects Executive, who shares all about her summertime family trip to Albania, planned and booked with one of our local experts.

Planning our TravelLocal trip to Albania

Finding common ground

My sister had accepted an internship in Tirana, Albania, and together with my mom, we decided we would pick her up in Tirana and spend three weeks exploring Albania. I’m usually a staunch self-booker, preferring to scour the internet for suitable accommodations and reading up on lesser-known spots, but none of us had the capacity to facilitate a three-week trip with as many stops as we were planning. After a very challenging year last year, my mom, my sister, and I decided we needed a trip to reset and recharge without being bogged down by logistics. Thus, we turned to TravelLocal to help us book the trip of a lifetime.

Finding common ground between the three of us while traveling is often difficult. My sister is very active and would love an entire trip dedicated to hiking across the highest mountains in the area. I love seeing ancient sites, and while I do love hiking, I prefer hiking close to the ground with as little elevation as possible. My mom loves being on the water and seeing natural sites.

So one afternoon, we sat down and each brought a list of what we wanted to see in Albania. The list quickly became unmanageable, and we were a bit worried about sending it to a local expert via the TravelLocal platform. But as it turns out, this is exactly what they love doing, so within a couple of days, we had a first itinerary that fit almost perfectly.

Crafting our dream itinerary with a local travel agent

After a few messages back and forth, we had our dream itinerary in hand and were excited about our upcoming trip: 18 days in Albania in early June. Looking back, I don’t think I could have compiled this itinerary, let alone booked it, even if I had all the time in the world – and I don’t.

Through TravelLocal, we were matched with Laert, who was an expert resource during the trip. Whenever we had a question leading up to the trip, he was readily available and open to answering our questions. Two weeks before we set off, we received a digital version of our roadbook and vouchers, which was a great way to prepare for our trip! We also received a printout of the roadbook and all of our vouchers when we arrived, which was incredibly helpful. We often referred back to the roadbook for restaurant recommendations and worthwhile stops along the road.

Arriving and meeting our local expert

Immediately upon our arrival, we got to experience the true reason the TravelLocal service is shouted about in reviews. As our plane landed, we were welcomed with a WhatsApp message which included valuable information like where to get cash and a SIM card for our trip, and where we would be picked up.

We got lucky, and Laert was the one to pick us up, which was great. He helped us with our luggage and answered a lot of our questions on the drive into Tirana, which was incredibly reassuring. We also got to talk about the history of Albania and the interesting buildings along the way. As we were embarking on a self-driving tour, getting to chat to a local about driving in Albania was invaluable.

From start to finish, we relished in knowing Laert was only a quick message away. We had two tire punctures during our time in Albania, and instead of spending hours finding an English-speaking garage, Laert found a suitable garage and spoke to them over the phone to explain exactly what was wrong. It’s intimidating to have car troubles in a country where you don’t speak the language. We counted ourselves lucky to have our TravelLocal guide.

Our trip ended up being a perfect blend of all of our interests, and we covered quite a bit of ground. It was expertly planned as we only had two very driving-intensive days, which is quite a feat as we covered 11 stops in 18 days, going from northern Albania, all the way down to the southern border with Greece.

Our Albania trip highlights

Experiencing northern Albania’s natural beauty

First, we drove towards Shkodra (or Shkodër) to fulfill my mom’s wish of taking a boat onto the Komani Lake and stopping at the Shala River. This was one thing we had trouble researching on our own, but our TravelLocal guide made it so easy. We received information on the journey there, where to park, and what to take into account. We had an incredible time both on the water and lounging by the Shala River. The water was crystal clear, and at times we felt like we were transported to Thailand. This is definitely a must-see on any Albania itinerary.

The next day, we went on to fulfill my sister’s dream of hiking in northern Albania. After a brief stop in Shiroka, we drove into Theth – a challenging but very rewarding drive. We couldn’t stop photographing and videoing the scenery. We were all reminded of the Alps. Once we arrived, we got to relax before our big hike the next day.

The next morning, we started our hike to the Blue Eye. Our guest house was perfectly chosen. The trail from Theth to the Blue Eye goes directly past the guest house, so we were almost immediately surrounded by nature. The hike was challenging but super rewarding. There is not much shade to be found, so be sure to take a head covering. We loved how multi-faceted this hike was. From ambling along on a forest trail, to scrambling down rocks and across rock fields, before climbing the stairs up into the mountain where the Blue Eye is found.

After all that excitement, it was time to head south to what I was most looking forward to: relaxing and spotting a pelican. Our guide recommended a canyon for us to stop at on the way. It happened to be a Sunday, so it was a popular destination, but we were the only non-Albanians. It truly was a local hidden gem and the perfect pit stop with a restaurant overlooking the water where we could change into our bathing suits and cool down after being in the car all morning.

After the quick dip, we drove straight into Divjaka National Park. I had researched Divjaka as I was keen to see a pelican in the wild. The entire area felt very reminiscent of Delia Owens’ novel Where the Crawdads Sing, which was a personal highlight for me. I couldn’t tell you if we were in the marshes of Louisiana or in Albania! The hotel we stayed in featured this amazing boardwalk to the beach, and although we didn’t book a boat tour, we spotted a pelican right outside the visitor center.

Heading south: ancient ruins and coastal relaxation

Towards the end of our trip, we made our way to the south of Albania to share some days of rest and relaxation before heading back to the real world. After a quick stop in Butrint, an ancient Roman site on the border with Greece, we headed to Himare on the Albanian coast. Himare was a perfect blend of all of our interests. We got to hike down to the gorgeous Gjipe Beach, which reminded me of a Pacific island vista.

On our last night in Himare, we wanted to enjoy a sunset boat ride. We didn’t have a boat ride booked, but I sent a message to Laert, who immediately got to work finding a suitable boat ride for us. The chosen provider was perfect. We went out with two other boats and were scheduled to go to the same spots, so our captain flipped the itinerary, which ensured that our small boat of seven was the only one docking at the small beaches only accessible by boat. We stopped at caves, swam on abandoned beaches, and at the end, we watched the sunset from the middle of the ocean. It felt like we were suddenly transported to Capri.

Finally, it was time to head home. As our flight was early in the morning, we needed to stay close to the airport on our last night. When we first planned this, the three of us expected to be staying in a modest hotel chosen due to its proximity to the airport. In the end, we stayed in the hotel with the best view in Krujë, which was just half an hour from the airport. We couldn’t believe the view from our balcony. It was such an unexpectedly memorable end to our trip, which left us in awe. From the first to the last stop, every little detail was chosen with care, which really shone through.

All in all, it felt like we got so many vacations in one. We hiked just like we would have in the Alps, we sailed through what felt like Thailand, we walked across a boardwalk straight out of a book, we took a boat ride that transported us to southern Italy, we visited an ancient Roman site, we hiked on a trail that reminded us of Pacific island vistas. All this, without ever leaving Albania.

Make it happen

Have Johanna’s tales about her Albania trip inspired you to want to plan your own? Our locally-based travel agents are here to help. Get in touch with them today and start planning your dream itinerary together…