Albania is very safe and suitable for solo travel. Check out the following five tips to make the best out of your holiday!
1. Currency
The local currency is called LEK or ALL. You won’t find it anywhere outside of the country so bring plenty of cash in your own currency and exchange it at the airport. Surprisingly they have the best exchange rate! There is a booth at the terminal in the luggage pick up area or at arrivals near the exit.
Card payments are not widely accepted, but they are becoming more common in the main cities such as Tirana, Durres or Saranda. Often hotels and airbnbs prefer cash so make sure you have enough to cover for that. If you need to withdraw from a cash machine it will cost 700LEK even if you have a travel card such as Revolut.
2. Car Hire
There are plenty of great options right outside of Tirana’s airport. They have an interesting rule in Albania that you can’t drive a rental car on unmade roads. This usually isn’t a problem unless you want to explore some more remote beaches in the Riviera or the lakes in the mountains. It might be worth asking the company before you book and maybe hiring a 4×4 for that purpose.
3. Best Time To Visit
September/early October is the cheapest and quietest time to visit Albania. It’s still high 20Cs and most beaches offer free sun beds if you order a drink at their bar!
4. Only Drink Bottled Water
Tap water is not safe to drink apparently (It’s fine for showering though). Most supermarket sell big 5L bottles of water which are quite handy to leave in the car if you’re road tripping.
5. Print Your Return Boarding Pass
Tirana airport doesn’t accept mobile boarding passes. If you’re flying with Ryanair you can pay for your seats and print your return boarding pass before you arrive in the country. If you can visit the Tirana check in desk and ask them to print you a copy (there might be a fee for this).
