The best beaches in Albania near Tirana

If you are wondering what the best beaches are near Tirana, I will give you some great recommendations in this blog post. Albania has a long coastline, but in this blog I will specifically focus on the best beaches in Albania near Tirana. You can reach these beaches in a 45 minute – 3 hour drive, depending on how far you are willing to go.

What are the best beaches in Albania near Tirana? The best beaches in Albania near Tirana are:
– Durres beach (45 min drive)
– Golem beach (60 min drive)
– The Cape of Rodon (2-hour drive)
– The Bay of Lalzi (45 min drive)
– Rana e Hedhun or Thrown Sand beach (1 h and 20 min drive)
– General’s beach (1.5-hour drive)
– Spille beach (1.5-hour drive
– Vlore beach (3-hour drive)

Durres Beach

Durres beach is one of the most famous beaches in Albania. In essence, Durres is a big coastal city, which is famous because of its proximity to the capital city Tirana.

From the capital city Tirana it takes only about 45 minutes to drive to Durres. As a result, Durres is a buzzing place in the spring and summer months.

Durres beach is a large coastal city. This means that the beach area is surrounded by hotels, apartments, restaurants, shops and cafes. In the high season, the beach area is filled with sunbathing chairs and parasols. Basically, Durres is a vibrant and buzzing beach city.

If you are staying in Tirana, I would definitely recommend going on a 1-day trip to Durres beach or Golem beach (described below). Because Durres beach and Golem beach are the most conveniently located beaches near Tirana. So you will limit the travel time and have more time for relaxing, swimming, sunbathing and going to a restaurant.

Durres beach is well connected:

• You can take a direct bus from Tirana International Airport.
• By car, you can take the direct highway from Tirana’s Skanderbeg Square straight to Durres Beach.
• A taxi from Tirana to Durres Beach will cost you 21 euros and 29 euros for a one-way journey depending on the taxi company. Speed taxi and City taxi offer 21 euros for the ride to Durres.
• You can take a bus from the Regional Bus Terminal to Durres. But it is not as convenient, because you will need to take a taxi to the bus terminal first, as the bus terminal is located outside of the city centre.

Durres beach is not the most beautiful beach in Albania. Albania does have more stunning beaches in the South of the country, alongside the Albanian Riviera. Beaches, like Jale beach, Gjipe beach or Ksamil beach are prettier than Durres Beach.

However, Durres is a great 1-day trip destination if you are staying in Tirana. Because it will only take you 45 minutes to get to Durres, so you will have a lot of time to enjoy the beach.

Does Tirana Albania have a beach?

Tirana in Albania does not have a beach. Although Tirana in Albania does not have a beach, it is only a 45-minute drive or taxi ride to get to the nearest beach. The nearest beach is Durres beach.

How far is the beach from Tirana Albania?

The beach is a 45-minute drive from Tirana by car, taxi or by bus. The nearest beach is Durres beach.

Golem Beach

Golem beach is just to the south of Durres beach. So from the capital city Tirana, it will take you approximately 45 min to 1 hour to drive to Golem beach.

Many of the locals in Tirana, actually prefer Golem beach over Durres beach. Because Golem beach has some amazing sandy beaches.

There are some resorts and smaller hotels alongside the coastline at Golem beach. But the area is a bit less built up with skyscrapers than Durres beach.

The Cape of Rodon (Kepi i Rodonit)

The Cape of Rodon is the complete opposite of Durres beach and Golem beach. Because the Cape of Rodon is wild, untouched and natural.

The Cape of Rodon is a rocky peninsula. It is a natural pier that runs into the Adriatic Sea. The Cape of Rodon is a protected nature park. This means that building hotels, restaurants or bars is not allowed here. Therefore, the Cape of Rodon is completely wild and untouched.

If you like travelling off-the-beaten-path and you are always looking for those hidden gems, then you will absolutely love the Cape of Rodon.

Although, the Cape of Rodon is not too far from Tirana. It will most likely take you 2 hours to drive to the Cape of Rodon.

Because there is no highway to the Cape of Rodon, you must drive on the small local roads, which turn and twist through the landscape.

The driving route to the Cape of Rodon is beautiful though. At first, you take the highway from Tirana in the direction of Durres. But you must get off the highway at Maminas. From here on out, you drive through the pretty Maminas village with beautiful local houses and gardens along the road. You must keep following the road until the end, where you will reach the Cape of Rodon.

When you arrive at the Cape of Rodon, you will hike for about 30-45 minutes through the hills. But it is worth it! Because at the end of the hiking trail, you stand on a balcony and look down on the Cape of Rodon. And the view is stunning! You see the wild nature on the rocky cape and the rough waves of the sea, it is a gorgeous view.

From the end of the trail, you can descend to the Cape of Rodon to visit the ruins of Rodoni Castle. And on your way back, you wade through the sea along the coastline, where there are many untouched and wild beaches.

As I said, the Cape of Rodon is for adventurous and nature lovers. You won’t find the facilities, like restaurants and bars. But what you will find is beautiful nature and stunning views.

Insider tip: The road to the Cape of Rodon also leads to the Bay of Lalzi. So it makes sense to visit the Cape of Rodon in the morning and then drive back along the road for a stop at the Bay of Lazli. This is an excellent day tour from Tirana, for people who prefer to skip the touristic beach locations, like Durres, and like a more rugged and wild coastal area.

The Bay of Lalzi (Gjiri i Lalzit)

The Bay of Lalzi is a great alternative to Durres if you are looking for a quieter beach near Tirana. Just like Durres beach, the Bay of Lalzi is a 45-minute drive from Tirana.

However, the Bay of Lalzi is a much more natural beach area. The beach is surrounded by a pine tree forest and there is only a small wooden shack restaurant. Whereas Durres beach is a big coastal town with flats, apartments, hotels, restaurants and cafes everywhere.

The Bay of Lalzi is a nice sandy beach area. Although there are beach chairs and parasols on the beach, it is much quieter. This is a beach where some of the locals go and it is not so touristic.

There are some facilities, like showers, toilets and 1 x restaurant near the beach. But overall it is very quiet.

The Bay of Lalzi is also excellent in combination with the Cape of Rodon. Because they are located alongside the same road. So it makes sense to visit the Cape of Rodon in the morning and then relax at the Bay of Lalzi in the afternoon.

Rana e Hedhun or Thrown Sand beach

Rane e Hedhun or in English: Thrown Sand beach is a bit further to the North of Albania.

Basically, Rana e Hedhun is a beautiful beach near the town of Lezhe. From Tirana, you must drive to the town of Lezhe for approximately 1 hour and from there another 20 minutes or so to the beach.

The largest coastal town near Lezha is Shengjin beach. However, it is well worth driving along a bit further to Rana e Hedhun beach, because this is a hidden treasure beach in the North of Albania.

The beach is called Thrown Sand, because there is a large sand dune on the mountain, which leads into the sea. It literally looks like the sandy beach was thrown on the slope of the mountain.

Rana e Hedhun is a beautiful sandy beach with a sloping coastline. The waves of the sea are very calming. And there are some really pretty restaurants with lounge chairs alongside the beach.

I would definitely recommend Rana e Hedhun if you are spending your holiday in Tirana or the North of Albania. If you plan on visiting the Albanian Alps mountain range or the Lake Koman Ferry, you will drive by Lezha on your way there and back, so it makes sense to make a stop at Thrown Sand beach.

General’s Beach (Plazhi i Gjeneralit)

General’s beach is a quieter beach at about a 1.5 hours drive from Tirana. If you do not like big coastal cities, then it is better for you to avoid Durres and Golem beach. In that case, you will prefer quieter beaches like the Bay of Lazli and General’s beach. That said, General’s beach is further to the south than Durres, so it requires more driving time.

General’s beach is a beautiful natural bay with a combination of rocks and sand on the beach. The beach is surrounded by mountain cliffs with green trees, so no skyscrapers and apartment complexes here!

There are some facilities at Generals beach. There is a little promenade with some restaurants. And there are beach chairs and parasols on the beach. And there is a little restaurant on the water, that you can reach via a walking bridge. But of course, it is much quieter here than in big coastal cities like Durres, Golem or Vlore.

Spille Beach

Spille beach is a perfect beach for families near Tirana. From Tirana, it will take you approximately 1.5 hours to drive to Spille beach.

The reason why Spille beach is popular amongst families is that the beach has shallow water. There is a sandbank in the water, and therefore, it is not deep at all. Which makes it very suitable for families with small children, who love to play in the water whilst you lay on your sunbed!
Spille beach is also a very long and wide sandy beach. So it is a very spacious place, where you can easily find a corner to yourself!

The beach is nice and sandy and surrounded by a nice forest of pine trees. There are some restaurants along the coastline, where you can get simple food, like pizza and fresh local food.

Vlore beach

Vlore beach is not super close to Tirana, as it is roughly a 3-hour drive from the capital city.

Vlore beach is the starting point of the Albanian Riviera. In essence, the Albanian Riviera is the coastline in the South of Albania. The Albanian Riviera starts at Vlore beach. From Vlore beach, there is a coastal road that leads by all the beautiful beaches and ends in Saranda beach.

Of course, the prettiest beaches of Albania are all the way in the South, near the Greek border. The highlight is Ksamil beach and its islands, which are in the ultimate south of Albania near Corfu island and the border with Greece.

However, if you have limited time in Albania and you cannot travel all the way to the south. Then a 1-day trip to Vlore beach is a great alternative.

Vlore beach is a big coastal city. The city and beach are located in a large bay. And the beach has perfect white sand!

Vlore beach is beautiful. There is a lovely promenade alongside the water with restaurants and bars. And there is a variety of hotels and restaurants along the coastline.

If you have to choose between Durres and Vlore, I would say that Vlore is generally a bit prettier and it has that lovely Mediterranean sea vibe. That said, Vlore does require a 3-hour drive from Tirana, so it is up to you to decide if it is worth it or not.

Day tour to Vlore Beach, Zvernec island and Apollonia from Tirana

If you plan on visiting Vlore beach from Tirana, I would recommend combining three attractions in the same area:

1) Apollonia archaeological park
2) Zvernec island
3) Vlore beach

You can leave Tirana in the early morning around 7:30 AM and visit the archaeological park of Apollonia on your way to Vlore. This is an impressive park, which shows the ruins of ancient Greek and Roman city. It is well worth a 1-2 hour visit. Then in the afternoon, you visit Vlore beach.

It is also worth making a stop at the small Zvernec island near Vlore, which is a very picturesque location. The tiny island is connected to the mainland via a long wooden footbridge. You can take beautiful pictures and visit the little monastery on the island.

How to get from Tirana to the Albanian Riviera?

You can get from Tirana to the Albanian Riviera by taxi, by car or by bus. There are two big coastal towns in the Albanian Riviera: Vlore beach and Saranda beach.

Vlore beach is the starting point of the Albanian Riviera. From Tirana, it takes 3 hours to drive by taxi, by car or by bus to Vlore.

A taxi from Tirana to Vlore will cost you between 74 euros – 107 euros.
⦁ Merr Taxi charges 107 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore
⦁ UPs taxi charges 11867 Leke (98 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore
⦁ Speedtaxi charges 9500 Leke or 80 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore
⦁ City Taxi charges 9000 Leke (74 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore
⦁ Euro Taxi charges 90 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore

The bus from Tirana to Vlore departs from the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. This bus terminal is located outside the city centre of Tirana. So you must take a short taxi ride to the bus terminal. The bus from Tirana to Vlore departs every 30 minutes between 5:00 AM and 17:30 PM. You can check the up-to-date timetable on Gjirafa Autobus here -> https://gjirafa.com/autobus  A bus ticket from Tirana to Vlore costs 500 Leke (4.10 euros) for a one-way journey.

If you want to travel from Tirana to Saranda, it will take you 5-6 hours. Because Saranda is all the way in the South of Albania, near the Greek border. There are two routes from Tirana to Saranda, the inland road is slightly shorter at about 5 hours, but less pretty. And the coastal road from Vlore to Saranda is absolutely stunning, but it will certainly take you longer, estimate 6-7 hours with time for some stops along the route.

A taxi from Tirana to Saranda costs between 134 euros – 191 euros.
⦁ Merr Taxi charges 191 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Saranda
⦁ UPs taxi charges 21502 Leke (177 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Saranda
⦁ Speedtaxi charges 16000 Leke or 134 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Saranda
⦁ City Taxi charges 16000 Leke (134 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Saranda
⦁ Euro Taxi charges 130 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Saranda

The bus from Tirana to Saranda also departs from the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. Take a taxi from the city centre to get to the bus terminal. The bus departs at 6:15 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:45 AM, 12:30 PM and 16:00 PM. A bus ticket from Tirana to Saranda costs 12-14 euros for a one-way journey. You can check the up-to-date timetable on Gjirafa Autobus here -> https://gjirafa.com/autobus

Best beaches in the Albanian Riviera

Without a doubt, the Albanian Riviera in the South of Albania is the area with the best beaches in the country. However, the Albanian Riviera is not very close to Tirana.

You can drive to Saranda in the south in 5 hours via the inland road. But a 1-day return trip from Tirana is not really possible, as it won’t allow you time to swim or visit any sights.

Therefore, you will need at least 2 days and 1 night or more time to visit the Albanian Riviera if you are starting from Tirana.

The best beaches in the Albanian Riviera are:
1. Ksamil beach and islands
2. Gjipe Beach
3. Jale Beach
4. Drymades beach
5. Mirror and Monastry beach
6. Dhermi beach
7. Vlore beach
8. Himare beach
9. Borsh beach
10. Saranda coastal city

If you have limited time, the best way to visit the Albanian Riviera is a 1 day trip to Vlore beach, which is the closest Albanian Riviera beach to Tirana.

Ksamil beach, the most famous beach in Albania

Without a doubt, Ksamil beach is the most beautiful beach in Albania. Ksamil is a paradise-like beach in the ultimate south of Albania. The beach is set on a little peninsula and there are these lovely wooden shutters that lead into the sea.

But what truly sets Ksamil beach apart from other beaches are the 4 little islands in front of the beach. From the main beach, you can swim, rent a boat or kayak to the little Ksamil islands. These islands are uninhabited and all-natural. It is also beautiful to stay on the beach and watch the sunset over the little islands!

If you want to make a trip from Tirana to Ksamil beach, I would recommend making a 3-day trip or longer. On the first day, you drive along the coastline from Vlore to Saranda and you make stops along the coast to see the beautiful spots. On the second day, you relax and swim at Ksamil beach. And on the third day, you visit the Blue Eye of Saranda spring and the castle of Gjirokaster before driving back to Tirana in the afternoon.

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