Albania Collection: Tirana and the Ionian Riviera

We arrive in Tirana and the first thing that hits you is the color: back in the 2000s, the mayor decided to paint those drab socialist apartment blocks in shades of orange, purple, and acid green. The city’s stayed that way ever since—cheerfully cheeky. We’ll drop our bags at a boutique hotel in the city center and head straight out on foot to explore Blloku. This neighborhood was strictly off-limits to everyone except the elite during the regime, but today it’s buzzing with bars and restaurants. Time for our first authentic Albanian dinner: byrek, fërgesë, and tavë kosi. We’ll toast with some rakia—just take it easy, it’s strong stuff!

Today is the day we really get to understand Albania. Bunk'Art is the anti-atomic bunker built by Enver Hoxha for himself and his government—five floors deep under a mountain with 106 rooms. It’s a museum now, and walking through it feels genuinely surreal. Next up: Skanderbeg Square, the Et'hem Bey Mosque, and the Pazari i Ri market, where you can sample some local mountain cheese and honey. In the afternoon, we hop on the Dajti cable car: it’s a 15-minute ride up, and as Tirana shrinks below us, you'll see the plains stretching all the way to the sea.

Four hours in a private van heading south, and that last half-hour is the one you’ll remember. The road climbs to the Llogara Pass at 1,000 meters, winding through pine trees bent by the wind, and then—it turns: below lies the entire Ionian Riviera, a sea so blue it doesn't even look real, with the coast stretching out towards Greece. We’ll stop for photos, obviously—it’s mandatory. We’ll head down to Himara, a fishing village with a castle perched above, and settle in for five nights. First swim before dinner.

A boat all to ourselves, just us twelve and absolutely no one else. We’ll set sail from Himara in the morning to hunt down those hidden spots you just can't reach by land: Gjipe beach at the mouth of a canyon, sea caves with water so emerald it’s unreal, and white pebble coves where you can dive straight off the boat. Lunch on board is sorted—fresh fish, tomato salad, and feta—followed by an afternoon cruising between bays with plenty of swimming stops. This is our WOW experience, and honestly, we don't even need to explain why.

An hour and a half south, practically facing Corfu, lies Ksamil: three tiny islands just a few strokes from the shore with water so turquoise it looks photoshopped. We'll stop for a swim in the morning when it's less crowded. In the afternoon, we'll head to Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site: a city that’s been Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian, one on top of the other, featuring an ancient theater, a mosaic baptistery, and walls nestled in the greenery. We'll walk in the shade while our guide tells us three thousand years of history in just two hours.

Time to leave the sea behind for a day and head inland towards Gjirokastra. They call it the "City of Stone" for a reason: it’s built entirely from the same material—slate roofs included—and from above, it looks just like scales. This UNESCO gem is perched on a mountainside, with an Ottoman castle crowning the top and merchant tower houses cascading down the slope. We’ll explore a historic home, grab lunch at a local tavern for some qofte and sheep yogurt, and head back to the riviera just in time for sunset.

In the morning, we head to the Blue Eye, a karst spring where the water gushes from a depth that no one has fully measured yet. It's cobalt blue in the center, turquoise at the edges, and stays at 11 degrees all year round. You can jump in—though it’ll only last a few seconds! The afternoon is yours to do as you please: Livadhi is the long beach just a stone's throw from our hotel, while Dhërmi is the spot for beach clubs if you're in the mood for music. Or, if you prefer, just wander through the stone houses in town. In the evening, we’ll have our final group dinner in Himara, right by the sea.

Breakfast, one last look at the Ionian Sea, and a four-hour drive back to Tirana for our flight. In the van, we’re reminiscing: a bunker under a mountain, a mountain pass opening up to the sea, a boat day all to ourselves, and water at eleven degrees that we actually had the guts to dive into. Faleminderit — thank you — and see you soon!