Shqipëria
Albania in 5 Days Without a Car: Bus Route
With five days and no car, the route that fits best is Tirana, Berat, Gjirokastra, Saranda and back to Tirana, all by bus. You see each of the first three cities on foot with a free walking tour. Before booking, settle the connection between Berat and Gjirokastra: confirm the departure, the arrival stop and a margin for the connection.
Day 1: arrival and a first walk in Tirana
Arrive in Tirana and drop your bags in the centre. If your flight leaves you time, join the Tirana Free Tour: it covers Skanderbeg Square, the Pyramid and Blloku and gives you a clear idea of what to revisit. Also note the address of the intercity bus terminal, which is a different place from the centre and where you will leave from tomorrow.
Tirana Free Tour
Guide in English
8,658 reviews 2 h 15 min
Departure · Tirana Opera House
Free booking · Tip at your discretion
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Check on CivitatisDay 2: Berat on foot
Take the bus from Tirana to Berat, according to the available times. There, the free walking tour starts on Rruga Mihal Komnena and, per the listing, covers Mangalem, Gorica and Kalaja before reaching the castle. Sleep in Berat only if you first confirm the departure for Gjirokastra the next day. If not, go back to Tirana in the afternoon and leave from there on day 3.
Berat Free Walking Tour
Guide in English
2,448 reviews 2 h
Departure · Rruga Mihal Komnena
Free booking · Tip at your discretion
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Check on CivitatisDay 3: Gjirokastra, the stone town
Travel to Gjirokastra from Berat or, if you went back to Tirana, from the capital. Check the departure for your date before you pay for the night. The free tour starts at Çerçiz Topulli Square and goes through the bazaar, past an Ottoman-era house and the ethnographic museum. Ask your accommodation how best to arrive with luggage.
Gjirokastër Free Tour
Guide in English
204 reviews 2 h
Departure · Çerçiz Topulli Square
Free booking · Tip at your discretion
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Check on CivitatisDay 4: Saranda and the coast on your own
Take the bus from Gjirokastra down to Saranda, according to the available times, and spend the afternoon on the coast. For Ksamil and Butrint, check the timetable and departure point with the bus company; the Blue Eye has its own page in this guide. There is no tour to book here: confirm at the stop which bus takes you and when it returns, and add Ksamil only if the way back to Saranda is sorted.
Day 5: back to Tirana
Keep this day for the journey from Saranda to Tirana, which runs on the coast bus route. Check the timetable for your date and leave slack before any connection. If your flight is the next day, sleep in Tirana. Avoid an early flight on the same day you return from the coast, and cut Saranda short if that is your case.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you do Albania in 5 days without a car?
Yes, by bus between Tirana, Berat, Gjirokastra and Saranda. The transfers are the tight part, so keep the last day for the return only.
Where should I sleep on night 2?
In Berat if the departure to Gjirokastra is confirmed for your date. If not, go back to Tirana and leave from there on day 3.
How do I get back from Saranda to Tirana?
By bus, on the route published by the coast bus company. Check the timetable for your date with the company.
Is there a free tour in every city?
On this route there is a free tour in Tirana, Berat and Gjirokastra. In Saranda and on the coast you plan the day yourself.
Can you travel around Albania without a car?
Yes. Combine intercity buses between bases with walking stretches in the cities. For a valley, a spring or a boat pier, also confirm how you will cover the last stretch and get back.
