WHILE prices for the most popular Mediterranean resorts keep rising, you can get the same turquoise seas, mountain drives and warm hospitality in Albania – for a fraction of the cost.
Visit in the shoulder season and you’ll enjoy golden light and near-empty beaches at an unhurried pace.
Flying in to capital Tirana makes a good start for a road trip to explore the country.
Pick up a hire car at the airport and within minutes you’re twisting through mountain passes, gliding along coastal bays and pulling over in centuries-old towns.
Highways are good, but off the main roads expect to be swerving around goats and making stunning switchback turns. It’s all part of the adventure.
Your first major stop is the Unesco World Heritage town of Berat.
White Ottoman houses stack up the hillside like sugar cubes, their wooden shutters glinting in the sun, giving it the nickname “city of a thousand windows”.
You can stay inside the Berat castle walls, living among ancient ramparts while children play football in cobbled lanes and grandmothers sell olive oil at their doorsteps.
It feels like stepping into another century.
Just outside Berat lies Alpeta Winery, run by the Fiska family.
The vineyards grow local grape varieties and the owner, Peter, walks among the tables at dinner, greeting guests and sharing his stories of the vines.
The wine-tasting tour takes you through reds, whites and fruit brandy rakia, partnered with local cheeses and olive oil.
This is Albania’s farm-to-table story in full swing.
After this, most tourists seeking sun and sea will race to Saranda, but Vlora makes a brilliant, less crowded alternative.
From here, you’re just a short drive from the Green Coast, home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Albania.
Turquoise coves framed by pine-covered hills and crystal-clear shallows rival anywhere in the Med.
Back in the capital, Tirana surprises with its creative energy, street art and cafes.
Park in the vibrant Blloku district.
Once reserved for the elite, it’s now buzzing with nightlife, bars and restaurants.
The city is dotted with thousands of Cold War-era bunkers which have been cleverly repurposed into museums, cafes and art spaces.
Don’t miss Bunk’Art 1 and Bunk’Art 2, immersive museums that give a striking insight into Albania’s communist past.
And be sure to climb the Pyramid of Tirana, a former communist landmark now converted into a lookout offering panoramic city views.
After dark, the city comes alive.
I went to Albania Night, and it is hands down one of the maddest immersive cultural shows I’ve experienced.
Guests can dress up in traditional Albanian outfits, dance until their feet nearly give out and become part of the performance.
Albania is evolving fast.
Live music, laughter and street-side festivities turn Tirana into a playground of culture and energy.
There are new coastal roads, boutique hotels are appearing in heritage towns — and word is starting to spread.
But key to its appeal is that it still feels under the radar.
Albania isn’t the “new Croatia” or the “next Greece”.
It’s got its own story — rugged, authentic and full of surprises.
From fortress towns perched on hillsides to empty coves by the sea, and from vineyard dinners to city nights that refuse to quit, you can have the kind of road trip that really stays with you.
If you’re chasing adventure, authenticity and excellent value for money, Albania is waiting, keys in the ignition.
GO: ALBANIA
GETTTING THERE: Wizz Air flies from Gatwick and Luton to Tirana (under three hours).
Fares start from £19 each way.
See wizzair.com.
GETTING AROUND: Book your car rental through Wizz Air and receive up to ten per cent credit back.
STAYING THERE: The centrally-located 4H Hotel Elisa Tirana has rooms from £75 per night including breakfast.
See melia.com.