Albania

Albania
Albania🇦🇱

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Traveling to Albania? Land Connected.

Install your eSIM before you fly so you have data the moment you land at Tirana International Airport. That makes it easy to book a taxi, check bus and minibus times, and navigate straight to your hotel. Your home number stays live on your primary SIM while the eSIM handles local data.

Choose the Plan That Fits Your Trip

  • Pick a small plan for a long weekend in Tirana and Berat, focused on maps, messaging and photo uploads.
  • Choose a mid-size plan for a week on the Riviera, with navigation, translation and plenty of beach and restaurant searches.
  • Choose a larger plan for two weeks or more, including mountain day trips where you will use maps heavily.
  • Download offline maps before heading into the Albanian Alps or to the Komani Lake ferry, where signal comes and goes.
  • Keep your home SIM active for two-factor codes and calls, and use the eSIM for local data.

Travel Highlights

  • Tirana - Skanderbeg Square, the capital's main square, with the National History Museum and the Et'hem Bey Mosque nearby.
  • Berat - The city of a thousand windows, a UNESCO-listed old town of white Ottoman houses rising above the Osum River.
  • Gjirokaster - A UNESCO-listed stone town in the south, dominated by its hilltop castle above slate-roofed houses.
  • Ksamil - White-sand beaches and clear water near Saranda, with small islands just offshore that you can swim to.
  • Valbona Valley - A mountain valley in the Albanian Alps and the starting point for the popular Valbona to Theth trail.

Getting Around

  • Airport to city: Tirana International Airport is connected to the city by the Rinas Express shuttle bus and by taxis at the terminal.
  • City transport: City buses run in Tirana, Durres and Shkoder, and intercity travel is mainly by bus or furgon minibus, with no metro or tram system.
  • Ride-hailing: No Uber or Bolt; in Tirana use local taxi apps including Patoko, Clust and VrapOn, or a street taxi with the fare agreed first.
  • Driving: Traffic drives on the right; an international driving permit is recommended for non-EU visitors, and mountain roads need extra care.

Safety and Practical Tips

Albania is generally safe for visitors, with the usual precautions for petty theft in crowded places, tourist areas and on public transport. Keep valuables out of sight, use hotel safes for passports and extra cash, and be cautious in isolated areas at night.

Roads in the mountains can be narrow and winding, and bus and furgon schedules are best checked on the day of travel. In summer, use sun protection and drink bottled water if you are unsure about local supplies on remote routes.

Entry and Visa

Many visitors enter Albania without a visa for a short stay, generally up to 90 days in any 180-day period, while U.S. citizens may stay visa-free for up to one year. Nationals who do need a visa apply in advance through Albania's official e-Visa portal, and EU citizens can also enter with a national ID card except for Danish nationals, who must use a passport.

Official information: Albania e-Visa Portal.

Weather and Climate

  • Climate zones: Albania has a Mediterranean climate on the coast, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, and cooler, wetter conditions in the mountains.
  • Tirana normals: Tirana averages about 5 degrees Celsius in January and about 24 degrees Celsius in July, with summer days commonly reaching around 30 degrees Celsius.
  • Rainfall: Tirana receives roughly 1,100 millimeters of rain a year, mostly from autumn through spring, while July and August are the driest months.
  • Best months and packing: May, June, September and October are comfortable for sightseeing and the coast; pack light summer clothing plus a light jacket for evenings, and a rain jacket for autumn and winter.

Money and Payments

  • Currency: The Albanian lek (ALL) is the local currency; euros are sometimes accepted in tourist areas but usually at a worse rate, so pay in lek where you can.
  • Card acceptance: Cards work in Tirana and at larger hotels and restaurants, but cash is still the norm in small towns, markets, beach bars and on mountain trails.
  • Contactless: Contactless payment is increasingly familiar where a business already has a card terminal, but it is not universal, so keep lek for taxis and small purchases.
  • Tipping and multi-currency cards: Tipping is not mandatory, but around 10 percent at restaurants is appreciated, left in cash; a Wise card can be used for everyday spending in lek, converting from your home currency at the time of payment.