5-Day Albania Itinerary Under $400

Five days in Albania — Tirana, Berat, and the Riviera around Saranda and Ksamil — runs roughly $280–$350 on the ground: about €60 for four nights of hostel dorms, €20 in furgon (minibus) fares, €75 in food, and €50–60 on entry fees and a wine tour, once you land visa-free for up to 90 days as a UK, US, or EU passport holder. That leaves buffer room even after adding the Saranda–Corfu ferry if you're continuing into Greece.

• Day 1: Land in Tirana, settle into a hostel, walk Skanderbeg Square and Blloku.
• Day 2: Bunk'Art 2 bunker museum, then a furgon to Berat.
• Day 3: Berat's UNESCO old town, castle, and a riverside wine tasting.
• Day 4: Furgon to Saranda; day trip to Butrint and the beaches at Ksamil.
• Day 5: Ferry to Corfu or bus back to Tirana for your flight out.

Day 1: Tirana arrival

Dorm beds in Tirana run roughly €12–18 a night, so book central near Skanderbeg Square and spend the afternoon wandering the square, the Et'hem Bey Mosque, and the bars of the Blloku district.

Day 2: Bunker museum, then Berat

Tour Bunk'Art 2, the Cold War bunker museum near the square (about 900 ALL, roughly €9), then catch an afternoon furgon to Berat for around €4–5, a trip of about two and a half hours.

Day 3: Berat's old town and a wine tour

Berat's Mangalem and Gorica quarters make up the UNESCO-listed "Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra" site, and the hilltop Kala castle is free to wander into at street level. Book a tasting at Çobo Winery, a family cellar at the base of Mount Tomorr, in the afternoon before an early furgon south the next morning.

Day 4: Saranda, Butrint, and Ksamil

The furgon from Berat to Saranda takes about three to four hours and costs roughly €12–17. From Saranda, a short taxi or local bus reaches the Butrint archaeological site, an ancient Greek-then-Roman city on a peninsula; afterward, head to Ksamil's beaches for the rest of the day.

Day 5: Onward from Saranda

If you're continuing into Greece, the Saranda–Corfu ferry runs about €25–35 one-way and takes 30–90 minutes depending on the boat. Heading home via Tirana instead, budget a five-hour furgon ride back north for about €15–20.

People also ask

Is Albania cheap to travel right now?

Yes. A backpacker covering hostels, local food, and furgons typically spends €30–50 a day, among the lowest daily costs in coastal Europe.

Do I need a visa to visit Albania?

Most Western passport holders don't. US citizens can stay up to a year without a visa, while UK and EU travelers get 90 days visa-free within a 180-day period, per UK government travel advice.

What currency does Albania use?

The Albanian lek (ALL), trading around 94 lek to the euro. Euros are often accepted informally in tourist areas, but change comes back in lek, so carry some local cash for furgons and small vendors.

How do you get between Tirana, Berat, and Saranda without a car?

Furgons — shared minibuses that leave when full — connect all three; there's no fixed timetable, so arrive at the departure point 20–30 minutes early and pay in cash on board.

Prices and entry rules were checked against official and current sources as of July 22, 2026 — confirm furgon fares, ferry schedules, and visa rules directly before booking, as they shift seasonally.