Holidays 2025


Noisy noise annoys said:
Anyone got any info on Albania? I don’t mean late night drop-offs, the actual gaff. We have ten days there in September and not even sure where to start (airport). I’ve just sat down with the Bradt guide but nothing beats actual experience from people you nearly know
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Been there twice and love it. Tirana, the capital, where we landed both times, I couldn’t wait to get away from though. A typically mad Balkan city, still a bit Soviet in terms of architecture, with chaotic traffic on steroids.

If you like visiting nuclear shelters, they’ve got loads.

Once away from Tirana, it’s a different place. Friendly people, chilled and cheap as chips.

We headed south. down to Sarande, which was ok, but on the way to being massively over developed very quickly. Building work was going on everywhere. There are many better and less commercialised resorts nearby. The Albanian riviera, where the Italians have been going for years has loads of great spots..

We took the ferry to Corfu town from Sarande. The trip down there from Tirana through the mountains was spectacular.

The second visit was en route to Macedonia. If you have time and transport, I’d recommend a trip just over the border from Albania, to Ohrid. Think Windermere, but with an old town, beside a lake the size of a small ocean, surrounded by mountains. Loads of places to stop off and stay round the lake. Again, eating out, drinks, hotels and stuff were a fraction of UK cost and even lower than in Albania. Particularly away from obvious tourist traps.

Suppose it depends what you are after ? If you want to get lost yomping in mountains and forests, you have plenty to choose from. Stick a dart in a map, anywhere away from Tirana.

If your priority is a beach holiday, again plenty to choose from. On the Albanian riviera, in either direction, away from Sarande, which I would totally swerve, unless for an overnight stop, or to get the ferry over to Corfu.

Ksamil, a bit further south from Sarande has some amazing beaches. They like to compare it to the Maldives, the beaches are that good.

One thing to remember about Albania is that they have a closed currency, the Lek. You can’t buy it at Sainsburys or down the post office before going. We always changed just enough quids at Tirana airport (arrivals hall) exchange, to cover the taxi fare into Tirana. The rate was fine for a small amount.

We then used Revolut cards everywhere, either to pay directly, or withdraw Leks. I don’t recall having a problem anywhere. Just don’t bring any Lek back with you.

The other one is not to use the airport cabs, as with many cities, they love a tourist lamb to slaughter. We used the Patoko App, same as Uber here, worked fine.

Have a great time, just learn the Albanian for “Broja is my hero” and you’ll be fine.
 
Ryanair fly from Manchester to Tirana. Alternatively fly to Corfu and ferry over to Saranda, part of the Albanian riviera. Likely to be very busy in September.
Facebook group ‘Visit Albania’ is useful tool for asking questions.
 
Just back from 2 weeks island hopping in Greece. We last did it 30 years ago 😂.

Flew to Athens and took an internal flight ( great fun ) to Milos. Stayed in Pollonia - lovely place . Visited Kimolos a beautiful, quiet island and then onto Sifnos staying in Kamares which turned out to be our favourite.

Then hopped to Folegandros and stayed in the gorgeous Chora and did a few hikes but very very hot.

Finished off in tacky Santorini but happily just the 1 night to get the plane home

All in all had a great time , highly recommend
 
Haydn said:
Been there twice and love it. Tirana, the capital, where we landed both times, I couldn’t wait to get away from though. A typically mad Balkan city, still a bit Soviet in terms of architecture, with chaotic traffic on steroids.

If you like visiting nuclear shelters, they’ve got loads.

Once away from Tirana, it’s a different place. Friendly people, chilled and cheap as chips.

We headed south. down to Sarande, which was ok, but on the way to being massively over developed very quickly. Building work was going on everywhere. There are many better and less commercialised resorts nearby. The Albanian riviera, where the Italians have been going for years has loads of great spots..

We took the ferry to Corfu town from Sarande. The trip down there from Tirana through the mountains was spectacular.

The second visit was en route to Macedonia. If you have time and transport, I’d recommend a trip just over the border from Albania, to Ohrid. Think Windermere, but with an old town, beside a lake the size of a small ocean, surrounded by mountains. Loads of places to stop off and stay round the lake. Again, eating out, drinks, hotels and stuff were a fraction of UK cost and even lower than in Albania. Particularly away from obvious tourist traps.

Suppose it depends what you are after ? If you want to get lost yomping in mountains and forests, you have plenty to choose from. Stick a dart in a map, anywhere away from Tirana.

If your priority is a beach holiday, again plenty to choose from. On the Albanian riviera, in either direction, away from Sarande, which I would totally swerve, unless for an overnight stop, or to get the ferry over to Corfu.

Ksamil, a bit further south from Sarande has some amazing beaches. They like to compare it to the Maldives, the beaches are that good.

One thing to remember about Albania is that they have a closed currency, the Lek. You can’t buy it at Sainsburys or down the post office before going. We always changed just enough quids at Tirana airport (arrivals hall) exchange, to cover the taxi fare into Tirana. The rate was fine for a small amount.

We then used Revolut cards everywhere, either to pay directly, or withdraw Leks. I don’t recall having a problem anywhere. Just don’t bring any Lek back with you.

The other one is not to use the airport cabs, as with many cities, they love a tourist lamb to slaughter. We used the Patoko App, same as Uber here, worked fine.

Have a great time, just learn the Albanian for “Broja is my hero” and you’ll be fine.
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That is a great heads up! My friends son is in Ksamil as we speak- it looks amazing. What about getting about? Did you hire a car? We will do both, yomps and beaches and, time permitting will take your advice and get to Ohrid. Is Corfu worth visiting? Is it a long ferry?

Thanks
 

jazzy said:
Just back from 2 weeks island hopping in Greece. We last did it 30 years ago 😂.

Flew to Athens and took an internal flight ( great fun ) to Milos. Stayed in Pollonia - lovely place . Visited Kimolos a beautiful, quiet island and then onto Sifnos staying in Kamares which turned out to be our favourite.

Then hopped to Folegandros and stayed in the gorgeous Chora and did a few hikes but very very hot.

Finished off in tacky Santorini but happily just the 1 night to get the plane home

All in all had a great time , highly recommend
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You cannot beat the Greek islands
 
Noisy noise annoys said:
That is a great heads up! My friends son is in Ksamil as we speak- it looks amazing. What about getting about? Did you hire a car? We will do both, yomps and beaches and, time permitting will take your advice and get to Ohrid. Is Corfu worth visiting? Is it a long ferry?

Thanks
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Corfu Town, where the Ferry docks is probably only worth a visit, if you were planning on being in Sarande anyway. The ferries take 45, or 90 mins depending on which you travel.

I probably wouldn’t give up a day, if I didn’t happen to be in Sarande. You also suddenly hit 21st Century costs again, once you arrive in Corfu. Kind of breaks the magic money spell.

We used long-distance buses to get around. There’s no rail system in Albania. Again super cheap. We used a combination of
https://busticket4.me/EN and https://www.flixbus.co.uk/coach/albania

If I was planning on exploring out in the sticks, I would defo hire a car. The bus system was really efficient, even though it seemed at first totally chaotic and disorganised. There are a number of different bus stations in Tirana, depending which direction you are heading. Tirana East Gate, for international buses, we used it for Ohrid. Tirana South and North, which we used for Sarande and the coast.

Both are way out of town, the South and North being closer to the airport, both cheap enough in a taxi. We stayed a couple of nights in central Tirana on arrival both times, to have a look around and make sure we didn’t complicate onward travel with delayed flights.

We booked the bus tickets online well in advance. You then usually have to exchange the vouchers for tickets at the bus station. There’s also commonly a couple of Lek bus station tax to pay, even if you’ve already printed off your ticket. Happens all over the Balkans.

The bus journeys were super and defo part of the Albanian experience, but I’m retired, so no holiday requests to submit. If I was still working and wanting to max out my time there, I’d probably get a car, totally swerve Tirana and head straight off from the airport.

I’m sure you’ll have a great time. We’re deffo planning on revisiting Albania and Macedonia again.
 
Haydn said:
Corfu Town, where the Ferry docks is probably only worth a visit, if you were planning on being in Sarande anyway. The ferries take 45, or 90 mins depending on which you travel.

I probably wouldn’t give up a day, if I didn’t happen to be in Sarande. You also suddenly hit 21st Century costs again, once you arrive in Corfu. Kind of breaks the magic money spell.

We used long-distance buses to get around. There’s no rail system in Albania. Again super cheap. We used a combination of
https://busticket4.me/EN and https://www.flixbus.co.uk/coach/albania

If I was planning on exploring out in the sticks, I would defo hire a car. The bus system was really efficient, even though it seemed at first totally chaotic and disorganised. There are a number of different bus stations in Tirana, depending which direction you are heading. Tirana East Gate, for international buses, we used it for Ohrid. Tirana South and North, which we used for Sarande and the coast.

Both are way out of town, the South and North being closer to the airport, both cheap enough in a taxi. We stayed a couple of nights in central Tirana on arrival both times, to have a look around and make sure we didn’t complicate onward travel with delayed flights.

We booked the bus tickets online well in advance. You then usually have to exchange the vouchers for tickets at the bus station. There’s also commonly a couple of Lek bus station tax to pay, even if you’ve already printed off your ticket. Happens all over the Balkans.

The bus journeys were super and defo part of the Albanian experience, but I’m retired, so no holiday requests to submit. If I was still working and wanting to max out my time there, I’d probably get a car, totally swerve Tirana and head straight off from the airport.

I’m sure you’ll have a great time. We’re deffo planning on revisiting Albania and Macedonia again.
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Amazing, thank you. I will probably hire a car - my life doesn't do travelling light! I hate driving out of airports though - straight into the fire so to speak - will probably get a taxi to a hotel for a couple of days like you suggest.
We have ten days so wil do our usual remote/walks type thing a a few days beach luxury before heading home. I am struggling to get my head around scale - smaller than Belgium I read yesterday - with huge mountains in the middle.

Thanks again
 

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