Cycling in Albania: Road Conditions, Safety & What to Expect

When we decided to ride our e-bikes from Central Europe to Greece, it was Albania that terrified us the most. The information about cycling in Albania and its road conditions was scary, and so were the ideas our friends and family had about the country.

We imagined bandits lurking around every corner and roads at least as bad as in Uganda. On top of that, we were riding e-bikes, so we worried about finding places to charge. And then there was the internet — during the entire month and a half we spent riding from Central Europe to Greece and back through Italy, we were also working remotely. So how did it actually turn out?

Cycling Through Albania: Route from Shkoder to Sarande

We chose the coastal route from the city of Shkoder all the way down to Sarande. We were hoping the roads would be in better condition than those in the interior. The entire crossing took 4 days, during which we covered 375 km.

Day 1: Shkoder – Durres

From Shkoder to Durres there’s almost no elevation gain, but also nothing to see, so we mostly rode at over 20 km/h. You ride along the main road, so expect heavy traffic.

The road was new in 2018, but as soon as we tried turning off the main route, we were met with endless dirt tracks or very poor roads (which usually ended up as dirt tracks anyway).

Route Info: Shkoder – Durres

• Distance: 135 km (detailed route)
• Terrain: Flat main road
• Elevation gain: 351 m
• Start: Camping Legjenda
• Finish: Hotel Camping Mali i Robit

Day 2: Durres – Kolonje

This stretch gave us a lot of trouble — not because of the elevation, as there’s almost none, but rather because of our own stupidity. First, we didn’t want to take any risks and rode on the motorway. Yes, cycling on the motorway isn’t allowed in Albania either, but the GPS showed no alternative route, and we didn’t feel like finding our own way through fields in 40°C heat.

From Durres we had planned to ride all the way to Vlore or Fier, but in the end we decided to stop after 72 km in Kolonje at a small hotel. We wanted to rest. It was a mistake. There was no proper road leading to the hotel, and we spent about 3 hours pushing our bikes through fields in relentless heat. Needless to say, we didn’t get any rest, and we would have been better off riding all the way to Vlore.

Route Info: Durres – Kolonje

• Distance: 135 km (detailed route)
• Terrain: Flat road, ending with a steep unpaved hill
• Elevation gain: 173 m
• Start: Hotel Camping Mali i Robit
• Finish: Hotel Nature

Day 3: Kolonje – Dhermi

From Kolonje we set off towards Dhermi — 107 km awaited us. We started in high spirits, forgetting that the most brutal climb of the entire trip lay ahead. At first we rode past beautiful beaches with turquoise water and felt the urge to stop constantly. At a petrol station we sat on plastic chairs, leisurely enjoying espressos and croissants, in no rush at all.

I don’t know how we got so carried away, but the mistake dawned on us after we’d been climbing non-stop for two hours. No matter how much we wished for a downhill stretch around every bend, all we got was an even steeper climb with a 10% gradient.

We had to charge our batteries before the summit and didn’t reach the top until after sunset. The temperature had dropped from 40°C to near freezing, and for the first time all summer we pulled out our jackets. A long descent awaited us, putting our brakes to the test — we were grateful our e-bikes had powerful lights.

Route Info: Kolonje – Dhermi

• Distance: 107 km
• Start: Hotel Nature
• Finish: The Sea Turtle Camp

Day 4: Dhermi – Sarande

This leg was no less challenging — we spent the entire day tackling hills with a 9% gradient — but the scenery was stunning and, most importantly, we set off on time this time. Although we had a few critical moments along the way, with locals even offering to drive us to our destination, we made it. We arrived in Sarande once again in the evening hours at sunset, looking forward to the Greek island of Corfu ahead.

Route Info: Dhermi – Sarande

• Distance: 70.5 km (detailed route)
• Terrain: Road, steep climbs
• Elevation gain: 1,256 m
• Start: The Sea Turtle Camp
• Finish: Soena’s Apartments

How We Navigated

We recommend mapy.cz over Google Maps or any cycling-specific apps. We tried literally everything, and mapy.cz was the most accurate. In Albania, you also need to rely on common sense — new roads are being built, but not as quickly as you’d need them to be.

We therefore don’t recommend inventing shortcuts unless you have bikes suitable for rough dirt tracks. A shortcut in Albania is always a bad idea.

Is Albania Safe for Cyclists?

No, it’s not dangerous — we were surprised by how considerate Albanian drivers are. While our friends who travelled Albania by car complained that Albanians drive “like maniacs,” towards us they behaved far better than drivers in Croatia.

What’s more, Albanians themselves cycle a lot — Shkoder itself is packed with cyclists! If we hadn’t been fair-haired and loaded with panniers, we would have blended right in. Overall, Albanians are very kind, friendly, and helpful — even though many don’t speak English, they’ll go out of their way to help you with hand gestures and whatever it takes.

When you ride through villages, people wave and greet you, curious children often come running, grinning at you, and if they’re learning English at school, they shout “How are you!” During our entire trip, not a single person was unfriendly towards us.

Internet and Charging in Albania

Charging was straightforward, just like elsewhere, and the internet wasn’t a problem either. In Shkoder we bought a local Albanian SIM card with data, and most hotels and campsites had Wi-Fi. As elsewhere in Europe, it was occasionally unstable, but nothing that couldn’t be solved with mobile data. If you’re planning to cycle in Albania and work remotely, consider getting an eSIM from Holafly for hassle-free connectivity throughout your trip.

Where We Slept in Albania

In Albania we camped twice, stayed once in an Airbnb, and once in a hotel. We highly recommend Camping Legjenda in Shkoder, where we arrived from Montenegro and decided to stay two nights.

It was the best campsite of our entire trip — a gorgeous pool, stable Wi-Fi, a cheap yet absolutely amazing restaurant and bar. Plus, it cost just €13 per night for both of us. In Dhermi we camped at The Sea Turtle Camp, which has mountain views and is just a short walk from the beach. It’s nothing luxurious, but it does the job. For other accommodation options, you can also browse Booking.com for deals along the Albanian coast.