The complete travel guide · 2026
Albania,
end to end
From buzzing Tirana to the Riviera beaches and the Albanian Alps — itineraries, real prices, and what is actually worth your time.
About Albania
Albania is a small country in the south-western Balkans, facing the Adriatic and Ionian seas, home to around 2.8 million people. Mountains cover roughly seventy percent of the land and climb past 2,700 metres in the northern Alps, while a coastline of about 450 km runs along the south and west. After decades of isolation it is one of Europe’s newest and cheapest destinations — turquoise beaches, well-preserved Ottoman towns, and prices that have vanished from most of the continent.
Sea, mountains and one city in between
Albania packs the turquoise coast of the Riviera, stone UNESCO towns, Alpine peaks with trails above the clouds, and a fast-changing capital — all into a small space. This guide is built so you know exactly what to see, when to come, and what it costs, with prices in lek and euro.
Three facts before you start
Israelis are visa-free for up to 90 days (in 180). Passport valid 6 months and an onward ticket.
There are direct flights from Tel Aviv to Tirana (El Al, Arkia, Israir), about three hours.
May–June and September–October. Avoid crowded, hot August on the coast.
Where to start
Each cluster is an in-depth guide of its own. Pick whatever you need right now.
Start with the destinations
Most trips open in one of these. Take a look and see where you lean.
Planning where to stay in Tirana?
Compare live prices across hundreds of hotels and apartments downtown, near Skanderbeg Square.