Albania in Autumn Colors (page 5 of 6)

some upgrades are definitely needed to preserve the places.

No, generally it's the complete opposite. Anything that's a bit "hard" to access is much better preserved.

It’s simple: as soon as you’re an hour’s drive from the sea, it’s super touristy!

Okay, late October is fine. In summer, I wouldn’t risk it...

The alarm goes off, I open the curtains.

The sky is barely dotted with clouds, just enough to highlight the brilliance of the blue.

The sea stretches endlessly, calm, soothing, inviting.



Why didn’t I bring my swimsuit?

Come on, Agnès, no regrets—your summer body isn’t ready yet!

And what’s waiting for you on that terrace two floors down won’t help...



After devouring breakfast, we head off to explore the local beaches.



A few steps in the sand, then we climb up a winding path to the charming village of Vuno.





A short distance later, we reach the parking lots that offer the easiest access to the secluded Gjipe beach.

The locals have seized the opportunity to make good money by turning their land into paid parking lots.

At this time of year, business is much slower, but the cashiers are still very much present...

We leave the car in the shade and start our walk.

The trail is a very bumpy track that quickly reveals enchanting panoramas.



It’s not even two kilometers to cover, but the summer sun puts bodies to the test on this path with no shade at all.

Especially on the way back...

Don’t forget to bring plenty of water!



With each step, the beautiful beach gets closer.







Off-season, it’s absolutely stunning! !

A handful of parasols, a few swimmers—I can tell it’s not the same in July...



Behind the beach, there’s a campsite that hasn’t yet been touched by glamping or water slides.

But rustic doesn’t seem to go hand in hand with cleanliness around here, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

Then the sand gives way to a canyon we hike up for a few hundred meters.



Hunger’s starting to gnaw at us now. We head back to the parking lot and drive to Vuno, where I’d spotted a little restaurant with a view.

Lunch was nice, but don’t expect speedy service.

The afternoon’s well underway by the time we set off for Porto Palermo Castle.

This fortress, built by Ali Pasha, later served as an annex barracks for a Soviet submarine base before being taken over by tourists.









The sun’s about to set, so we hurry back to Himarë to stroll through the alleys of its citadel in the last light of the day.









A good dinner on the terrace wrapped up this day with such a summery feel. Good night...

Hi Attila, thanks for this travel journal! Albania was actually on my mind... But it didn’t spark much enthusiasm with my husband. All that generosity on the plates and in the glasses will be a deciding factor—it reminds me of Greek tavernas.

Hi Fabienne,

Yes, Albania has a lot of great things going for it! I just think it's best to avoid going there from June to September.

How pleasant this terrace is under the morning sun’s rays!

We’re having a bit of trouble leaving...

One last doughnut for the road, and we’re off to discover new horizons.

Llogara National Park is only about twenty kilometers away, so we quickly find the turnoff.

The road now winds its way up the mountains, offering breathtaking views of the Albanian coast.



Unfortunately, clouds soon join us on our ascent, partially obscuring the horizon.



I decide to skip the hike we’d planned on the sea side.

The weather clears up on the forest side, so we opt for the loop leading to César Pass.



This walk is pretty short and not too difficult, but it leaves us wanting more...

Since the weather seems to be improving, we head back to the starting point of the hike we’d originally planned—the Maja e Thanasit.

It’s too late to do the whole thing, but we set off anyway, hoping to enjoy the first panoramic views.

The mist reappears just as suddenly as it had disappeared. We cut our walk short.





Too bad—this hike looked amazing! !

Back at sea level, the blue dominates the skies by a long shot.

How about a little detour to visit the Saint Mary Monastery near Vlora?

A charming wooden footbridge leads to the monument.





A cool breeze accompanies us on the bridge—Indian summer seems to be coming to an end.

The walk is lovely, and the monastery is beautifully showcased.





But we still have a 2-hour drive to Berat—we shouldn’t dawdle if we want to get there before nightfall!



Our lodging is in Gorica, on the other side of the Osum River.

It’s a quieter neighborhood, and the views of the fortress and Ottoman houses from its quays are unbeatable.

After dropping off our bags, we head out to quickly explore Berat, rightfully nicknamed the "city of a thousand windows."

Gjirokastër already had plenty of charm, but Berat captivates us.



Dinner, one last stroll, and off to bed!

Good night...

We’re off to digest our breakfast by wandering the steep alleys of Berat.

Our goal: the citadel perched atop the hill that’s currently facing us!



Just a little more effort and we reach the main gate of this fortress, mostly built in the 13th century.



The inside of the walls hasn’t been turned into a museum yet, and some homes are still resisting the Airbnb wave sweeping through historic centers.

It’s really nice to stroll between these walls, from churches to mosques, from viewpoints to scenes of daily life.















We decline an offer for a game of chess and leave the castle through a hidden gate.

I'm not sure if coming down here is such a great idea...



For the views of the city, yes, but for ease? Not so much!

The trail is, indeed, very steep and slippery, and we're not exactly dressed for it.

So we're taking it slow to avoid ending up at the bottom sooner than planned...





Halfway down, we stop to visit the Byzantine Church of Saint Michael, nestled between the rocks.

A man improvises as a guide and caretaker of the place, hustling us for a few coins in exchange for his gibberish.



The path now turns into a pleasant stroll, and we quickly reach the river level.





Saint Demetrius Cathedral is open, so we pop in for a quick look.



We’ll have to settle for just seeing the King’s Mosque from the outside, though—it was closed when we passed by.



There’s a wine festival happening these days, but apparently, it’s not quite time for tastings yet!





One last wander through the old town’s alleys, and then we’ll pick up our car to explore the surrounding countryside.

I get why the wine festival happens here now...



The sun sets as we head back to our lodging—though we don’t stick around long before heading out for dinner.

On the menu: grilled octopus and veggies! A little lightness for a change...



The street in front of the restaurant comes alive as the minutes pass.

We follow the crowd to see what’s drawing all the local youth—and their elders too. The wine festival, of course!





A local band sets the dance floor on fire, and the bottles all seem to find takers despite the pretty steep prices for the country.

It’s less of a tasting and more of a lively party...

I’ll let you all have fun—I’m off to bed! !

It's so beautiful!

I really loved Berat. I think it’s the city I liked the most in Albania.

It’s also the one that charmed me the most through your photos.

A wine festival—you can’t say no to that! What’s Albanian wine like, and how much does it cost? I’ve got some pretty funny memories of homemade Croatian wines! 😄

I didn’t order bottles at restaurants in Albania. Just wine by the glass. Not great, but not too bad either.

Prices are about the same as in France for mid-range options, even though everything else is much more affordable.

For an Albanian, it must feel like a luxury.

I really loved Berat. I think it’s the city I liked best in Albania.

Hi Attila, We also loved wandering through the streets of Berat! 😊

We’re taking it easy this morning before hitting the road for our last big leg—a stretch that’ll take us from Berat to Krujë, with a stop at Cape Rodon along the way.

We gobble up the kilometers to Durrës, then leave the secondary roads behind for increasingly narrow lanes.



The cape isn’t far when the pavement ends in a dead-end and a paid parking lot.

Just a few steps away, we find the charming Saint Anthony’s Church, beautifully restored.







Beyond the church, there’s a not-so-inviting beach. Communist-era bunkers double as restrooms and a bar...



We’ll spot more bunkers on the trail leading to the ruins of Skanderbeg’s Castle and then to Cape Rodon!



Thankfully, the rest of the site is spared from reinforced concrete, and we’re treated to some gorgeous viewpoints.





After this appetizer of a walk, we settle onto the terrace of a restaurant for one last lunch bathed in Albanian sunshine.

How lovely it is to be outside in a light jacket at the end of October! !

A good hour later, we arrive in sight of Krujë, a large, very touristy town located not far from the airport.

A perfect final stop for those with an early morning flight.

We leave our car in the parking lot of the hotel and then head out to explore the alleys of the old part of town.

So many souvenir shops! So many people!





All this kinda spoils the walk, but it still ends beautifully thanks to a gorgeous sunset!









A pretty forgettable dinner, and it's already time to hit the hay.

Tomorrow, we’ve got to get up early to fill up the tank, return the vehicle, and check in our luggage...

06:30, the alarm goes off.

07:00, we're in the car, all the luggage loaded.

07:01, we realize the garage exit is blocked by a multitude of vehicles...

A moment of panic and we rush to the reception.

The employee smiles, takes the keys to his old Mercedes, and moves it, freeing a narrow passage to the street.

We don’t waste a minute taking advantage of it.

Luckily, because a man is already trying to squeeze his old car into the freed space...

We quickly understand the reason for this wild parking. It’s market day, and the stalls are already set up, waiting for their first customers!

It takes us a long time to extract ourselves from this unexpected trap—our trip back is off to a great start...

Twenty kilometers later, we’re looking for the rental agency’s parking lot.

This must be it, I think.

But why is there such a long line spilling onto the road?

The parking lot is packed like a sardine can, with vehicles abandoned in the aisles.

The last arrivals can’t do the same—there’d be no room left on the public street...

What do we do?

No staff, no signs, nothing...

A regular explains that we just need to park at the airport and drop the keys in the agency’s box.

Okay, let’s try...

Three rental cars from the same agency do the same, and we park in the same area as them.

We have to leave the parking ticket on the dashboard along with the contract, the regular assures us.

Let’s do that...

We’re not very reassured, but we don’t really have a choice!

We drop off our luggage at the Wizz Air counter, then head back to the rental agency.

It should be open by now!

The employee isn’t surprised by our adventure story and confirms everything is in order.

No unexpected charges will be taken from the credit card deposit, either.

Ready to catch that plane now?



This trip to Albania wasn’t planned and turned out to be a delightful break before the first cold snaps.

I can only recommend following our lead! 😊