Is Albania safe for families? Are the beaches kid-friendly? Here, we share some of our experiences and tips for a family vacation in Albania.
This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a small commission if you book through us, without it costing you any extra. This way you support our blog 🙂
Planning a trip to Albania with kids? We took the whole gang to Albania this year and gained some valuable insights. Here are some great tips for a family holiday in Albania – including some budget-friendly suggestions.
Is it Safe to Travel to Albania with Kids?
When traveling with children, safety is a top priority. Albania may have a tumultuous past with chaos, conflicts, and communist rule until 1991. The country also has a reputation for being controlled by mafia and bandits.
However, Albania is now politically stable and a very safe destination for families. There is no more crime here than in many other European destinations, and people greet you with warmth and hospitality.
We’ve visited Albania several times, both with and without children, and have never experienced anything unpleasant.
That said, Albania is not as developed a destination as, for example, Spain or Greece.
You might want to read more about what to prepare yourself and the kids for in this article.
How Is the Traffic in Albania?
We rented a car and drove from Tirana to Saranda, as well as on some day trips along the coast. It went very well, but the traffic is a bit more chaotic and noisy than in Norway.
Albanians honk a lot – when they’re passing you, coming around a corner, if you’re a bit slow at a traffic light, or just to say hello. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re angry.
Many drive fast, and some smaller roads can be winding and narrow. Watch out for children crossing the street, even if there are traffic lights and zebra crossings.
Between Saranda and Dhermi, we encountered cows, sheep, donkeys, and a large herd of goats that didn’t exactly follow traffic rules. It was very amusing for the kids, but a bit stressful for the driver!
Having a rental car is very useful when travelling with kids in Albania. Below you can compare prices on rental cars in Albania, and book your car for your next trip to Albania. Do not wait until the last minute to book a rental car, because the prices increase dramatically the closer you get to your vacation!
Are the Beaches Kid-Friendly?
The Albanian Riviera is full of wonderful and child-friendly beaches with a relaxed atmosphere. Some examples are Durres, Saranda, Himare, and Ksamil.
If your kids are comfortable in the water and enjoy some waves, we recommend Dhermi Beach and Mango Beach (Saranda).
Most of the beaches are pebble beaches, so we recommend bringing water shoes.
Budget Tip: Decide beforehand if you want to pay for sunbeds. Some beaches have mandatory sunbed rentals during the high season (like Ksamil). It’s usually enough to rent two sunbeds and an umbrella per family.
You can find free beaches in Saranda, Himare, and Dhermi. Additionally, there are plenty of lesser-known beaches along the coast that are both free and less crowded.
Check out our guide to the many beaches in Saranda.
Family-Friendly Activities in Albania
Amusement Parks
Albania doesn’t have any large amusement parks, but many places have small carnivals with Ferris wheels and bumper cars on the boardwalk.
Dajti Mountain
In Tirana, there’s an activity park with an obstacle course and mini-golf at the top of Dajti Mountain. The cable car ride up is an experience in itself.
Water parks
The only water park we know of in Albania is Aqua Blue Magic Water, located between Tirana and Durres. It has six larger slides, a pool with slides and toys for younger kids, and a couple of other pools. It’s a decent water park for cooling off for a few hours.
When we arrived around 12.30 PM, the big slides were closed. The only answer we got was that “they’re on a break and will open again in a while.” They did reopen around 2 PM. We’re not sure if this is a daily thing or not.
Budget Tip: The water park itself isn’t too expensive, but food and drinks are quite pricey. The quality isn’t great either. Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to bring anything other than water inside, so eat a good breakfast or lunch before you go.
Watersports
For us, splashing in the salty waves, some water guns, a float, and a net to try and catch the speedy little fish around our feet are more than enough.
But for those who enjoy more organized activities, most coastal towns offer options like SUP, snorkeling, and boat tours.
Driving along the coast
If you have a rental car, there are many beautiful places along the Albanian coast. We drove from Saranda to Himare and Dhermi, where we had a lot of fun experiences.
We saw donkeys and cows wandering by the roadside, ended up in the middle of a herd of goats, climbed ancient castles with a wishing well, enjoyed incredible views with the sound of mountain goats’ bells in the distance, and had lunch at a small café with three tables and an owner who greeted us with a toothless smile.
There are also plenty of beaches along this route where you can take a swimming break.
Be sure to read our guide to driving in Albania.
How Are Food Prices in Albania?
Like most countries in Europe, Albania has experienced inflation and price increases in recent years. However, it is still one of the cheapest holiday destinations in Europe.
Popular tourist spots have higher prices, and the restaurants along the beach are more expensive than those a few streets up.
We usually paid around 50 Euro for simple food and drinks for five people in Saranda (like pizza or gyros), and in Tirana, we paid about half of that. Naturally, you’ll need to pay a bit more at finer restaurants.
Tip if you have children with varying appetites: Portions in Albania are quite large. We were two adults, one teenager (14), and two children (10, 10), and often ordered three or four dishes to share at first – usually, that was enough to fill us up. You can always order more (or dessert) afterward.
Budget Tips:
- Affordable family-friendly options include pizzerias and Greek fast-food restaurants (gyros, shish kebab, etc.).
- Local seasonal food is cheap. Buy local cheese, olives, and seasonal fruit at markets or in stores.
- Seafood is a bit more expensive (but very good and much cheaper than back home).
- Sunscreen, shampoo, and cosmetics are surprisingly expensive – bring them from home.
Don’t forget to check out our guide to Albanian food.
Is There a Lot of Noise and a High Party Factor in Albania?
In southern Albania, the nightlife is most lively in Saranda and Vlore, while Durres and Tirana are the largest cities in the north.
In Saranda, where we were based, there are several bars and clubs near the promenade that play quite loud music until midnight. After midnight, however, it gets quiet. Some bars stay open longer, but they lower the volume after this time.
Himare and Dhermi are two beach towns with an even calmer vibe.
Travel Rules for “Modern Families”
I’ve read and heard that you might be asked for documentation if the whole nuclear family isn’t traveling together. This applies, for example, if the children are traveling with only one parent, alone with grandparents, or with a step-parent – simply if not everyone in the group has the same last name.
We are such a “modern” family, and I had obtained permission from the children’s father in advance.
We didn’t get any questions upon entry, but here is an example of such permission if you want to have one just in case:
—
Permission to travel
To whom it may concern
I, (name of mother/father), confirm that my children, (name of child), born (date), can travel to Albania with his/her mother/father/step father/grand parents, (name), in the period (date-date).
Signature and date
—
Are you curious about anything else? Leave a comment or send us a message, and we’ll try to answer.
Enjoy your trip to Albania! 🙂
