Get to Dhermi and Himara before they are discovered more widely – and spoiled! Every summer new hotels appear on this stretch of coast, and with patchy application of planning laws and insufficient infrastructure in these out-of-the-way spots there is the danger that expansion will wreck what currently makes these beaches such paradise. Nevertheless, you can find secluded coves, clear...

The calm of Lake Ohrid may come from the fact that it is the deepest lake in the Balkans, and one of the oldest lakes in the world (comparable to Lake Baikal and Lake Tanganyika). It lies between Albania and Macedonia and on the Albanian side the largest town is Pogradec where there are plenty of hotels, bars and cafes....

Saranda is the southernmost town in Albania and the nearest point to the Greek island of Corfu (just 45 minutes away by ferry), often now included as a day trip for those on cruises. The town has (stony) beaches and easy access to other beach destinations such as Ksamil, and the nightlife that would be expected from its location and...

In 1912 Albanian independence was declared in the port of Vlora and the city became the first capital of the new country. A small museum on independence and the work of the first government stands by the port and there’s a dramatic statue in town commemorating the struggle for independence. But Vlora has plenty going on in the present as...