Three rides in Albania, from the Ionian Sea to the Adriatic

Saranda

Saranda lies on the Ionian Sea in southern Albania, opposite the island of Corfu. The national tourism agency describes a mild Mediterranean climate and counts the town among the sunniest in the country, with beaches and the Blue Eye as a natural attraction. The offers lead from the Kantina farm near Saranda through the surroundings, from half an hour to two or three hours.

• Confirmed: location, climate, beaches, Blue Eye (Albanian tourism agency), climate of the country (FAO).
• From the provider: Kantina farm, rides from 30 minutes to 3 hours, course of the ride.
• Clarify before booking: which length suits you and at what time the ride starts.

Përmet and Vjosa National Park

The Vjosa was declared a national park by the government on 15 March 2023, according to the IUCN the first wild river national park in Europe, protection category II. The river comes from the Pindus mountains in Greece and flows to the Adriatic, with more than 400 kilometres in length, 190 kilometres of them in Albania. More than 1,100 animal species live in the area. The offer is a riding experience in Vjosa National Park near Përmet.

• Confirmed: declaration as national park, category, length, species (IUCN).
• From the provider: riding experience near Përmet, route, duration.
• Clarify before booking: whether the ride runs inside the national park itself and which rules apply there.

Durrës

Photo Valter Zhara, Pexels

In Durrës the amphitheatre lies in the centre of the coastal town, a few metres from the sea. It dates from the early 2nd century under Trajan, was discovered in 1966 and counts for the tourism agency as the largest Roman amphitheatre in the Balkans. The ancient name of the town was Dyrrachium. The offers are a one-hour ride for experienced riders, 50 minutes of riding and a ride of about two and a half hours.

• Confirmed: amphitheatre, location, period (Albanian tourism agency).
• From the provider: route, duration, level.
• Clarify before booking: whether the ride runs on the beach or inland, because we have no source for the coast.

And Gjirokastra?

Gjirokastra lies in the Drino valley and belongs with Berat to the UNESCO World Heritage, inscribed in 2005. The town on the slope above the valley has a castle with a view over the Drino valley. We currently offer no ride directly in the town, but it belongs to a trip in the south.

Season at a glance

According to the FAO, Albania has a Mediterranean climate with hot, clear, dry summers and cool, cloudy, wet winters. Rain falls mainly in autumn and winter and almost not at all in spring and summer. As a hint from that: if you want to avoid heat, ride in spring or early autumn, in high summer in the morning or evening. We do not give values for the individual places.

What to pack

Sun protection, plenty of water, sturdy shoes with a heel, a light jacket for evenings. Ask the provider what is supplied.

Questions for the provider

1. How much of the time are you in the saddle?
2. Which level and which weight limit apply?
3. How big is the group?
4. When does the ride start, and how is the heat taken into account?
5. Where is the meeting point, is there pick-up?
6. Does the ride run in the national park, and which rules apply there?