What to Know Before You Go: Visa, Flights, Money, and SIM Cards
🛂 Visa: Citizens of Ukraine can enter Albania visa-free and stay for up to 90 days.
📄 Documents: international passport, travel insurance
💵 Money: local currency is the lek (ALL). It’s recommended to withdraw cash right at the airport. If you run out of leks — euros are accepted at most tourist spots.
📶 Connectivity: you can get an eSIM (coupon LHT0525 — 5% off) or a physical SIM card — we bought one right at the airport on arrival.
🚗 Getting around: we recommend renting a car via DiscoverCars — most attractions are scattered across the mountains and hard to reach without your own transport. Public transportation between sights is practically non-existent, and taxis can get expensive. With a car, you’re free to go wherever, whenever.
What to See in Albania: Berat, Dhërmι, the Blue Eye, and Gjirokastër
1. Berat
Berat is one of the most beautiful cities in the Balkans, often called the “city of a thousand windows.” Its whitewashed houses climbing the hillside with symmetrical rows of large windows are truly stunning. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and once you see it in person, you’ll understand why.
🏰 Berat Castle
The castle is the heart of the city. It’s a living one: people actually live inside the fortress walls, alongside churches and museums. You can wander the narrow streets for hours and keep discovering new corners.
🏛️ Old Town of Mangalem — a view that stays with you
This is where you get the best panorama of Berat with its iconic houses with oversized windows cascading down to the river. The perfect spot for photos — and just to stop and take it all in.
🍽️ Amalia Homemade Food — a lunch you’ll remember
Here you can order a tasting menu for just €14 per person and get a whole series of traditional Albanian dishes. It’s the perfect way to discover local cuisine: dishes arrive one after another, each better than the last.
Amalia Homemade Food on the map
2. Dhërmι
Dhërmι is a picturesque village on the Ionian coast, wedged between the mountains and the sea. Beyond the beaches, there are two places here worth the climb.
⛪ St. Mary Monastery
Make the trip up to the monastery — it’s a true reward for those willing to make the effort. The walk takes about 5 minutes from the parking area, but the views from up there are breathtaking: turquoise sea, mountains, olive groves. A perfect spot for photos.
⛪ Kisha e Shen Spiridhonit
Near the monastery stands a small church of St. Spyridon — old, slightly weathered, but full of atmosphere. Pause here for a few minutes and feel the stillness. This is also the best spot to photograph the church.
🍷 Aman — sunset with a glass of wine
End the day at Aman — the best spot in Dhërmι for watching the sunset with a glass of local wine and a sea view. The vibe is completely laid-back, and you’ll find it very hard to leave.
Aman on the map
3. Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) 💙
The Blue Eye is a natural spring with water of such an impossibly deep blue that it’s hard to look away. It’s an underwater spring where water surges upward with such force that it creates rippling circles on the surface. Swimming is not allowed, but just watching this beauty is worth the trip.
🅿️ Parking: 300 lek — park entry included; without parking — 50 lek entry fee
🌅 Tip: arrive as early as possible — it gets very crowded in summer
🚶 Walk to the spring: about 2 km from the parking area — an easy walk through the forest. Scooters are available to rent at the entrance.
After the walk, stop for coffee at Villa Rooms Blue Eye — a cozy spot tucked inside the park, very atmospheric: the gazebos sit right by the water, and you can enjoy the sound of the river. Villa Rooms Blue Eye on the map
4. Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is one of the most beautiful cities in Albania — an entire open-air museum. Stone streets, houses with characteristic stone rooftops, and a medieval castle looming over the whole city. Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
🛍️ Old Bazaar (Gjirokastër Bazaar)
Start your exploration of the city here. The old trading street with its shops, cafés, and workshops is the most lively and colourful part of Gjirokastër. Stroll without hurry, pop into the shops, and bargain!
🏰 Gjirokastër Castle and Museum
The castle is visible from everywhere in the city — it’s enormous and very impressive. Inside: a weapons museum, an American spy plane, a tower chronicling the city’s history. The views over the city and surrounding mountains are beyond words.
💶 Entrance: 400 ALL (about €4)
Gjirokastër Castle — official website
Albania reveals itself gradually — the more time you spend here, the deeper you fall in love. Go, while it’s still not overrun with tourists and nature hasn’t given way to infrastructure.
The Most Atmospheric Beaches of Albania: Wild Nature and Turquoise Water
Don't just read about it – go!
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