With fertile valleys, fresh mountain springs and a Mediterranean climate, Albania still has a subsistence culture and shows very little signs of changing. In the countryside, expect your food to have been grown not too far from your plate.

Food in Albania is quite varied thanks to the many influences on the country, particularly Mediterranean, which combines Turkish and European tastes. Dairy products, especially milk and yoghurt, are present in almost every meal.

Meals are priced around 550-750 leks (€5-€7) per dish for traditional dishes such as baked rice, casseroles, stuffed aubergine and jani meat (beef or lamb sautéed with onions, garlic and spices). Fresh fish is also plentiful, from the sea or lakes, and is an important ingredient in many dishes.

Drinks are reasonably priced with a bottle of local beer costing around 250 leks (€2.40) yet traditional drinks need to be tried as well, raki and Skenderbeu cognac for example (noted for its unique flavour and aroma).

Your tour leader recommends restaurants for each evening.

Worth knowing

Vegetarian diets can generally be accommodated in Albania with advance notice. Please let us know about any dietary requirements before departure.

Vegan options may be more limited, as vegan diets are less common in the region. While hotels and restaurants will do their best to accommodate you, we cannot guarantee a wide variety of suitable meals.

If you have specific dietary requirements, we recommend bringing protein bars or other suitable snacks from home to supplement the food available during the trip.

Explore central Tirana with your tour leader, taking in Skanderbeg Square and lively Toptani Street. The walk introduces the Albanian capital through its public spaces, street life and changing architecture.

Hear how Ottoman, fascist and Communist periods shaped the city, and how Tirana has transformed since the 1990s. If the group wishes to walk further, the route may reach Blloku, once reserved for Communist Party leaders and now known for its cafés and evening bustle.

Explore Prizren’s old town in Kosovo, where cobbled streets lead past mosques, churches and Ottoman-era buildings. Spend around an hour discovering the compact historic centre, with its fortress rising above the city.

Prizren’s mix of religious landmarks reflects its layered Balkan history. Around Shadervan Square, cafés and pedestrian lanes give the town a sociable atmosphere and offer a glimpse of everyday life alongside its architectural heritage.

Walk a circular trail from Valbonë village through traditional settlements and the surrounding Alpine landscape. This approximately 90-minute hike rises to about 3,280ft (1,000m), opening views across the valley’s stone houses, farmsteads and steep mountain slopes.

Your tour leader shares insight into the region’s history and culture as you pass through a landscape shaped by mountain communities. Alpine meadows, forests and towering peaks make this an accessible introduction to the Valbona Valley’s wild scenery.

Hike through Valbona Valley National Park to Stani i Rames, following a trail through forests, open fields and Alpine meadows. The outward walk takes approximately three hours, with mountain views unfolding as the route gains height.

Pass old shepherd huts that speak to the area’s pastoral traditions, and pause for a packed lunch in a remote setting overlooking surrounding peaks and valleys. The return follows the same trail, offering another perspective on the Albanian Alps’ rugged terrain.

Trek from Cerem to remote Dobërdol on marked mountain paths that climb through woodland and meadows. The route passes an old military memorial and a border marker near Montenegro before continuing through quiet Alpine terrain.

Spend the night in simple shared huts surrounded by high peaks, experiencing the remoteness of this mountain village. Facilities are basic, with shared bathrooms and showers outside the huts; the stay brings you close to a landscape where walking routes remain part of everyday mountain life.

Hike from Dobërdol towards Sylbice, visiting Dashi Lake, a glacial lake set among the peaks. Pause beside its clear water before tackling a steady ascent to approximately 6,695ft (2,040m), the route’s high point.

From the pass, take in broad mountain views before descending into the Sylbice valley. The changing terrain—from lakeshore to exposed heights and valley paths—reveals the scale and solitude of the Albanian Alps on one of the trip’s more challenging walks.

Travel by boat across Koman Lake for approximately two hours, winding between high cliffs and mountain slopes. From the water, the narrow reaches and sheer-sided scenery offer a striking view of northern Albania’s rugged landscape.

The lake is also part of Albania’s hydroelectric system: three power plants on its waters produce a substantial share of the country’s electricity. This ferry journey combines dramatic mountain scenery with a closer look at a waterway important to life beyond the Alps.

Explore Berat with your tour leader, walking the cobbled lanes of Berat Castle among traditional homes and churches. Visit Dollani House, a 19th-century Albanian home that offers insight into local domestic architecture and cultural life.

Continue through the historic quarters of Mangalem and Gorica, which face each other across the Osum River. Mangalem’s tightly clustered Ottoman-era houses climb the hillside, while Gorica’s narrow streets reveal another side of Berat’s distinctive townscape.