Practical
Albania travel tips
Updated 1 November 2026
Money, airport, getting around, a SIM, safety, and the season, without made-up prices.
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Bring a way to pay in lek, land at Tirana’s airport, and do not trust a single “best week” on the calendar.
Euros are widely accepted in tourist areas. Cards work in cities. Carry cash for small places and the countryside.
Book Stay at Iona on a platform. This site is the guide, not the checkout.
Quick facts
| Money | Lek (ALL) is official. Euros are widely accepted in tourist areas. |
|---|---|
| Airport | TIA, Rinas, about 11 km northwest of Tirana |
| Season | Coast busiest in warm months. Alps easiest in summer. |
| Our email | stayationa@gmail.com |
Money
The official currency is the lek, code ALL. The Bank of Albania issues the notes and coins. Euros are widely accepted in many places, especially tourist areas, hotels and restaurants. US dollars are accepted in some places, usually at the shop’s own exchange rate, and change is often given in lek. Paying in lek usually gets the better price. This page does not publish an exchange rate.
Cards work in cities. Carry some cash for small places and the countryside. Do not assume every beach bar takes a card.
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Getting around
Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (IATA: TIA) is at Rinas, about 11 km northwest of Tirana, in Durrës County. Taxis and an airport bus serve the city. Check the timetable when you land.
Between cities, people use buses, furgons (shared minibuses) and rental cars. Driving is on the right. Mountain roads are slow. We do not list fares.
A SIM, and staying safe
You can buy a local SIM in Tirana and at the airport. Offers change, so compare them there. This page does not name a price or a “best” network.
Albania is a normal trip, not a special risk, if you use ordinary care. Watch your bag, agree the taxi before you ride if there is no meter, and read your own government’s travel advice. We do not publish crime figures.
When to come
The coast is busiest in the warmer months. Late spring and early autumn are easier if you dislike a full beach. The Theth and Valbona trails are a summer walk. Snow can close them.
Winter in Tirana is milder than in the Alps and wetter than high summer. There is no single best week. Book the dates the platform shows as free.
Questions
Should I bring euros or lek?
The lek is the official currency, and paying in lek usually gets the better price. Euros are widely accepted in tourist areas, hotels and restaurants. US dollars are accepted in some places, usually at the shop’s own rate, and change is often given in lek.
Cards work in cities. Carry cash for small places and the countryside. We do not publish an exchange rate.
Do I need a SIM?
A local SIM is useful if your own plan is expensive, and you can buy one in Tirana or at the airport.
Compare the current offers on the spot. This guide does not list prices.
Is it safe?
For a normal holiday, yes, with the same habits you use in any city.
Check your government’s advice before you travel. Take care on mountain roads.
When is the best time to visit?
For the beach, the warmer months. For the Alps, summer. For fewer people, the shoulders of the season.
We do not name one best week, and we do not publish temperatures.
Stay with us
Land, sleep on Bulevardi Zogu I, and walk the centre.
Boulevard ApartmentThen take the coast road to Tale if the beach is next. We do not publish that drive time.
Tale Apartment
Stay at Iona. stayationa@gmail.com
Photo credits
- Tirana International Airport, Rinas — Arianit, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Skanderbeg Square, Tirana — Pudelek, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Ndërlysaj, Theth — Liridon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Valbona Valley — Alexkom000, CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons