Albania · 1-DAY TOURS
Good 1-day tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Hike Gamti Mountain above Bovilla Lake with hotel transfers from Tirana, mountain views, local stories, and a budget-friendly group tour.
“Such a beautiful trip. The lake is beautiful. The guide Altin was amazing. Had a really good time. A must to do if visiting Tirana”
Explore Saranda, Ksamil, and Albania’s Blue Eye on a long value-packed day trip from Tirana, Durres, or Golem.
“The tour was long but absolutely worth it. Our guide Aniled was very knowledgeable and shared the history in a clear and interesting way. friendly, and made everyone feel comfortable.”
Review of the Komani Lake and Shala River day trip from Tirana or Shkodra, with boat rides, swimming, hiking, lunch, and practical tips.
“The guides were amazing how they solved the issue with low water level. It was fun also. We have enjoyed the challenge were not worried at all. The main guide was also great. Personally I would have enjoyed more stories about Albania on the boat tour, than party music, but no bad feeling at all. It was a nice trip.”
Cross from Corfu to Albania for Butrint ruins, Saranda views, guided history, lunch, and practical tips for a busy 10-hour day.
“Excellent day trip and very interesting site at Butrint. The only thing that let it down slightly was that the meal was not very good, dry and tough chicken”
Review of Albania’s Komani Lake and Shala River day trip, with boat views, swimming, hiking, prices, timing, pickup tips, and honest drawbacks.
“You’ve absolutely got to do it—the view is breathtaking. Be sure to ask for Kelvi as your guide; he made the whole experience a blast!”
Review of the $58 Komani Lake and Shala River day trip from Shkoder, with boat views, swimming, practical tips, drawbacks, and who should book.
“The Komani Lake and Shala River as places were amazing BUT you can't call it a tour because we were given no information whatsoever. To us it was a boat ride on the lake and then a few hours relaxing by the river.”
Review of Tirana’s Durrës and Golem day trip, with royal history, Roman ruins, Adriatic views, beach time, tips, and value advice.
“Average across the board. Pickup location was changed last second (didn’t really care but just wanted to point it out). Description is also wrong it says 2 hours free time at the beach (3 hours June through August) but we ended up staying for 4 hours, which was way too much time. I personally did not have any commitment back in Tirana but some others did and had to take public transit instead of wait for the tour bus departure time at 5pm. Water was very dirty and not suitable for swimming at this port city due to the presence of so many cargo ships and the cargo port (not…”
Explore Gjirokastra Castle, its Cold War tunnel, Skenduli House, and the Blue Eye on a guided day trip from Saranda.
“We really enjoyed our trip with Marcia - we couldn't have asked for a more knowledgeable and passionate local guide. Marcia provided us with an overall history of Albania and answered all questions asked of her with ease. Particular highlights were the stories from the cold war tunnel, the beautiful Gjirokastra bazaar and, of course, the Blue Eye.”
Review of Tirana’s Bovilla Lake and Kruja day trip, with a short mountain hike, castle, bazaar, local food, practical tips, and honest drawbacks.
“When you choose a tour, your day will have everything to do with your host---their knowledge, attitude, interest in showing you the country---and the size of your group. Our guide, Gjenç, and driver Doni, were fabulous, and this is a true small-group tour. The day begins with a ride up to the reservoir, which is interesting in itself, a hike up to a viewing platform, then a truly spectacular lunch in Krujë, followed by the castle and the marketplace, which is a mix of beautiful handmade Albanian items (and then some other things you don't need). But the heart of the tour is what you'll learn about Albania, from a…”
Review of the Berat day trip from Tirana, with castle views, Ottoman streets, local culture, transport, costs, and practical walking advice.
“I appreciate all the effort you put into making our tour amazing. Thanks for being my favorite guide I've ever had. You've made me fall in love with this place through your tour. I'm grateful for a guide who knows how to make history come alive. And when your guide is perfect then tour gonna be the best. The guide Ilir the best 😊😊😊”
Explore the Blue Eye, Gjirokaster, two castles, and a Byzantine monastery on a small-group day tour from Saranda.
“Good value trip with friendly guide who gave a little information about each place we visited. Just the right balance of time allocated. Perhaps 30 minutes extra in Gjirokaster but still enough time to visit the castle, have some lunch and grab a souvenir.”
Ride Tirana’s Dajti cable car for mountain views, fresh air, free time, and easy return transport in this practical half-day trip.
“Toller Ausflug auf den Berg mit der Seilbahn. Schöne Aussicht vom Restaurant mit Unterhaltung für Jung und Alt. Geringe Wartezeit aufgrund guter Organisation.”
Hike Gamti Mountain above Bovilla Lake on a budget-friendly day trip from Tirana, with transport, guide commentary, photo stops, and canyon swimming.
“It was a bit cold and rainy but the hike and the view are worth it. The guide speaks excellent english and italian. He provided a lot of information about Albanian history”
Review of Krujë from Tirana: castle, Skanderbeg Museum, old bazaar, mountain views, transport, guides, price, and practical tips.
“Guide was knowledgeable and he definitely aided in helping to understand the history. he did get lost on the way back to tirana, but that's kinda on Google. good overall!”
Hike to Bovilla Lake, explore Gamti Mountain, and visit Kruja Castle and its old bazaar on a small-group day trip from Tirana.
“We had a very nice day trip with Genç! Such a nice man with a lot of knowledge. In one day we learned more about Albania than in an entire week. He had a nice, safe vehicle to get us around and knew which times were best to visit everything without being overcrowded by tourists. He even helped us calling some hospitals because we had a medical issue we needed to be sure about. Amazing experience and worth your time!”
Every kind of day out, and where it runs from.
