5-day road trip itinerary: Tirana → Berat → Gjirokastër → Sarandë
Tirana → Berat → Gjirokastër → Sarandë is the classic 5-day Albanian road trip. Two UNESCO towns, the Riviera beaches and a castle in between. Here is the proven itinerary.
Day 1: Tirana — city of contrasts
Land at Rinas airport and pick up the car right there (operators have 24/7 desks). The drive into the centre takes 25 minutes. Park at the hotel and explore Tirana on foot — the city is compact.
Must-sees: Skanderbeg Square with the Et'hem Bey Mosque, Bunk'Art 2 (museum inside a Communist-era bunker), the New Bazaar for dinner. The restaurant 'Mullixhiu' offers a high-end modern Albanian menu (book ahead).
Tirana is also the place to grab a SIM card, change money to Lek (better rate than euros) and pick up anything you forgot. Top up the tank in the evening — diesel averages €1.50/litre.
Day 2: Tirana → Berat (130 km, 2.5 hours)
Set off around 09:00. The Tirana–Lushnjë–Berat road is paved and fast. You can stop at Apollonia (ancient Greek archaeological park, €5 entry, 1 hour) and have lunch nearby.
Berat is the "City of a Thousand Windows" and a UNESCO site since 2008. Park at the castle lot and walk up — a small community still lives inside the walls in traditional houses next to Byzantine churches. Castle entry is 200 lek.
In the afternoon, walk down through the Mangalem and Gorica neighbourhoods — both lined with multi-storey houses with white windows climbing the hill. Dinner at "Onufri" with lake fish from the Osumi. Ideal accommodation: a boutique hotel inside the castle walls (€60–€90/night).
Day 3: Berat → Gjirokastër (115 km, 2 hours)
Leave around 10:00 after the Onufri Iconographic Museum at the castle (opens 10:00). The route via Tepelenë is brand-new motorway and very fast — only 2 hours now.
A short stop in Tepelenë at the Vidir spring or the town castle is worth it. Have lunch at "Bilim" in Tepelenë — homemade börek, yogurt and local wine (€15 for two).
Arrive in Gjirokastër around 14:00. Another UNESCO town, with a castle on top of the hill and stone-roofed houses. Walk up to the castle (park at the town hall, then 10 minutes on foot), visit the Ethnographic Museum and Enver Hoxha's birthplace. Dinner at "Restorant Kujtimi" with the local "qofte gjirokastrite" — a city pride.
Day 4: Gjirokastër → Sarandë (60 km, 1.5 hours)
Breakfast in Gjirokastër at "Riza" with börek and wine (yes, börek for breakfast — it is tradition). Then drive to Sarandë via the small Muzina pass. The road descends to the sea with a view of Corfu — stop at the panoramic bend.
Before reaching Sarandë, visit the Blue Eye — a natural spring with deep clear blue water 50 metres deep. Entry 200 lek + 100 lek parking. Swimming is not allowed (water is +10°C even in August), but it is a remarkable place for photos.
Arrive in Sarandë around 13:00. Beach in the afternoon at Ksamil or Pasqyrat. Dinner on the Sarandë promenade with fish and a chilled local white wine (try "Cobo Estate").
Day 5: Riviera return to Tirana (290 km, 5 hours)
The last day is the longest but the most beautiful. Leave Sarandë at 08:00. The Riviera road runs through Himarë, Dhërmi, the Llogara Pass and Vlorë.
Mandatory stops: Borsh beach (quick coffee, 30 min), Himarë beach (breakfast on the seafront, 45 min), Llogara Pass (15-min panoramic stop), Vlorë beach for lunch (1.5 hours).
From Vlorë to Tirana: 150 km and 2 hours. You will reach the airport around 18:00. Car drop-off takes 10–15 minutes. 5-day total: 600 km, around €100 fuel, €100 parking/entry fees, €25/day for the car (€125 total). Fuel + car: about €225 — much cheaper than taxis and buses combined.
Explore the destinations in this guide
Find a rental car or learn more about each destination.
- TiranëRental cars Learn more
- BeratRental cars Learn more
- GjirokastërRental cars Learn more
- SarandëRental cars Learn more
Ready to book your car?
Browse hundreds of cars across Albania — verified offers with transparent pricing.
Find a car