Driving Albania End to End

The spine

The A1 from Durrës towards Kosovo and the SH2/A2 down the coastal plain are the fast roads. Everything interesting is off them. A realistic plan treats the plain as transit and spends the time in the mountains and on the coast.

A ten-day loop

• Days 1–2: Tirana — city, Bunk'Art, Dajti.
• Day 3: Krujë, then north to Shkodër.
• Days 4–6: Koman ferry, Valbonë, the pass, Theth (leave the car in Shkodër for this).
• Day 7: south to Berat via the plain.
• Day 8: Berat and the Osum canyon.
• Day 9: Gjirokastër.
• Day 10: Blue Eye, Butrint, Sarandë; then the Riviera north to Vlorë.

What slows you down

• The SH8 Riviera road in July and August — allow double.
• Livestock, tractors and parked cars on secondary roads.
• Unlit roads at night, and pedestrians walking on them.
• Village speed limits enforced by police with handheld radar.
• Fuel stations are frequent on main roads and sparse in the mountains.

Car hire practicalities

Confirm before booking whether the hire company permits taking the car into Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Greece, and whether a green card is included — cross-border restrictions are the single most common problem visitors hit. Rough mountain tracks are usually excluded from the insurance; the road to Theth is sealed but the tracks beyond it are not.