Albania

In the city of Berat, you can immerse yourself in the country's long history and experience the influences of the Middle Ages and the Ottoman period up close. The city, which is over 2,000 years old, is known as the "city of 1,000 windows" due to its well-preserved buildings and is nestled in picturesque mountain slopes. From the upper town, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the Osum river valley. The fortress of Berat Castle rises strikingly above the city.

The town of Gjirokaster in the south of the country is an important cultural centre in Albania and is characterised by traditional Albanian houses connected by narrow alleyways with numerous staircases. The roofs of the houses are covered with stones in the style of Balkan architecture. Gjirokastra was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Newcomers to Albania feel at home on the beaches in the west of the country. These can easily compete with their Italian and Croatian counterparts and are also far less crowded. One of the most beautiful stretches of coastline can be found in the seaside resort of Ksamil in the very south of the country. White sandy beaches, crystal blue sea - a beach straight out of a picture book. There are three small islands off the coast, which you can reach by swimming or by paddle boat. From here, you can see the Greek island of Corfu in the distance.

The special location in a gorge and the striking rocks and caves make the beach section of Gjipi a very special one. The bay can only be reached on foot, so you can enjoy the peace and quiet with a view of the Mediterranean, especially outside the main season. The stone town of Gjirokaster is just 50 kilometres away and is perfect for a day trip.

Albania is part of three major long-distance hiking trails that run through the Western Balkans. The Via Dinarica starts in Croatia and ends in Albania - with over 1,200 kilometres in between. The route follows the course of the highest peaks of the Dinaric Alps. The last two of the 45 stages cross Albanian territory.

The long-distance hiking trail "Peaks of the Balkans" is perhaps the best-known of the three trails, but still leads for the most part through lonely nature and unspoilt mountain regions. The trail runs in a large loop through Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo.

On the newest of the three trails, the High Scardus Trail, you cross the countries of North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania. Lonely mountain ranges in the heart of the western Balkan Mountains characterise the route. Opened in 2018, the trail consists of 20 stages and allows you to immerse yourself in the wilderness of the Western Balkans and experience the hospitality of the local people.

If you're looking for adventure, Albania is the place to be, with vast, unspoilt landscapes and mountainous plateaus awaiting new adventurers. Around Lake Skutari, one third of which is located in Albania, there are a variety of hiking trails and mountain bike trails. Or you can head directly to the largest lake on the Balkan Peninsula and travel by kayak or rowing boat to the Montenegrin side of the lake.

Much smaller, but also spectacular, is the "Blue Eye", a karst spring with an extremely low water temperature and a shimmering deep blue colour. It is still unclear how deep this magical and mysterious spring reaches. In the immediate vicinity is the Thethi River and two waterfalls, which you can see on a 20-kilometre hike.