Tours to Albania from Chisinau — Last-Minute Deals

Albania is washed by two seas at once: the Adriatic in the north, with the wide sandy beaches of Durrës, and the Ionian in the south, with the turquoise coves of Saranda and Ksamil. In summer, tour operators run direct flights from Chisinau to Tirana, the flight takes under two hours, and Ukrainians need no visa. The country is still one of the cheapest in the Mediterranean: hotels, cafés and excursions cost far less than across the border.

The package already includes the flight, a group transfer, accommodation with your chosen meals and health insurance; the only part you handle yourself is getting to Chisinau airport. The tour search gathers offers from different operators, and a manager will suggest a resort: a family beach near Durrës, the Vlora promenade or the clear sea of the Ionian Riviera.

Flights from Chisinau and Resort Transfers

Charter flights land at Tirana's Mother Teresa Airport (TIA) during the summer season. The airport is 17 km from the capital, and from there everything depends on the resort: the Durrës coast is closest, while the southern coast is half a day away on mountain roads.

The long transfer south is the price of the country's most beautiful sea, so it makes sense to go there for at least a week. For reaching Chisinau by train or bus and parking during the holiday, see the Chisinau section of tours to Egypt from Chisinau.

Resorts in Albania

• Durrës and Golem. The country's second city, with a 2nd-century Roman amphitheatre, a Venetian tower and a seafront promenade, and south of it the Golem hotel zone with pools and entertainment. This is the most popular destination for package tours, especially for families: the sand is fine and the water near the shore is knee-deep.
• Vlora. The town where Albania's independence was proclaimed in 1912, with the long Lungomare promenade. Boats leave from here for Sazan Island and the Karaburun peninsula, and in the Narta lagoon the Zvërnec Monastery stands on an islet reached by a wooden bridge.
• The Ionian Riviera: Dhërmi and Himara. The road here crosses the Llogara Pass at about 1,000 m, with views over the whole coast. Below you will find white-pebble beaches, cliffs and water so clear that you can see the bottom several metres down.
• Saranda and Ksamil. The far south, opposite the island of Corfu. In Ksamil you can swim or kayak to tiny islets; ancient Butrint, a UNESCO site, is nearby, and half an hour away lies the Blue Eye spring with its icy turquoise water.

To judge distances between resorts and neighbouring countries, see our article Albania on the world map.

What to See

• Tirana: Skanderbeg Square, the Bunk'Art museums in former bunkers and the Dajti Express cable car, which climbs Mount Dajti above the city.
• Kruja: Skanderbeg's castle with its museum and a cobbled old bazaar, very close to the airport.
• Berat and Gjirokastra: Ottoman towns on the UNESCO list; Berat is called the town of a thousand windows, and Gjirokastra the stone city.
• Lake Ohrid near Pogradec, on the border with North Macedonia, one of the oldest lakes in Europe.

When to Go

The beach season in Albania is shorter than in Turkey: the sea warms up by mid-June and stays warm until the end of September. The Ionian coast in the south is usually a degree or two warmer than the Adriatic, and its water is clearer. The busiest weeks run from mid-July to the end of August, when holidaymakers from all over Europe arrive and prices rise.

Approximate figures for Durrës; in the south the water is 1–2 °C warmer.

Hotels and Prices

Large all-inclusive hotels are mostly in Durrës and Golem, while in the south, in Saranda, Ksamil and on the Riviera, small hotels and apartments offering B&B or half board are more common. Prices in Albania are lower than at most Mediterranean resorts, and early booking and last-minute tours to Albania help you save even more. Prices peak from mid-July through August; June and September cost the least.

Entry Documents and Rules

• Passport. Albania is in neither the EU nor Schengen, but Ukrainians may stay here without a visa for 90 days out of every 180. The passport should be valid for the whole trip, preferably with three months to spare.
• No EES. The new electronic registration works only at Schengen borders, so in Albania your passport is simply stamped. But if you take a day trip to Corfu, you will be entered into the EES at the Greek border.
• ID card: fine for Moldova, but Albania requires an international passport.
• Voucher and tickets reach your inbox, together with the insurance policy, shortly before you fly.
• Leaving the country. Wartime exit rules for conscription-age men and for children change from time to time, so check the border guard service's website.

Good to Know

• Money. The local currency is the lek, but euros are accepted almost everywhere on the coast; change is often given in lek.
• Roads. There are many mountain hairpins between resorts, so allow more time for trips than the distance suggests.
• Bunkers. Thousands of concrete bunkers from the Enver Hoxha era survive across the country; some have been turned into cafés and museums.

Other options: tours to Albania from Kyiv, or beach holidays from Chisinau in Greece and Turkey.