Southeast Europe · UN member
Albania: Travel Guide & Requirements
Republic of Albania · Republika e Shqipërisë
Albania is a country in Southeast Europe with its capital in Tirana. It has a population of 2.3 million (#146 in the world) and covers 28,748 km². The official language is Albanian. The currency is the Albanian lek (ALL, L).
Where is Albania? Map of Albania
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north.
- Region
- Southeast Europe
- Coordinates
- 41° N, 20° E
- Neighbours
- 4 — see list
- Coastline
- 362 km
- Albania
- Neighbours
- Capital
- Largest cities
Map of Albania showing Tirana (capital) and the largest cities: Vlorë, Shkodër, Berat, Korçë, Kukës and Gjirokastër.
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Albania
- Passport
If you do not need a visa, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your intended departure from Albania and must have been issued within the previous 10 years.
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 102 need no visa, 96 need an eVisa. Check yours or see Albania entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
No official requirement. Albania's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs says that during border checks the authorities may require a foreign national to present, as applicable, documents that include a return ticket or return travel reservat…
- Proof of funds
No official requirement. Albania's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs says that during border checks the authorities may require a foreign national to present, as applicable, a document demonstrating sufficient financial means for the stay…
- Travel insurance
No official requirement.
- Vaccinations
WHO lists Albania as requiring a yellow fever vaccination certificate from travellers aged one year and over arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.
- Customs allowance
Cash and other monetary instruments worth EUR 10,000 or more (or the equivalent in other currencies) must be declared to customs on entry and exit.
- Travel advice
Some caution needed — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
10 things to know before you travel to Albania
- Safety: Albania is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates Albania Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
- Best time to go: June and September — when daytime highs in Tirana are around 24–26°C.
- Money: the Albanian lek (ALL) — 1 US dollar is about 81.0153 ALL.
- Plugs: type C and F, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 129, Ambulance 127, Fire 128.
- Language: Albanian is official.
- Driving: on the right — speed limits are 40 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 110 km/h on motorways.
- Time zone: UTC+1 in Tirana.
- Capital: Tirana. About 2.3 million people live in Albania.
- Outdoors: 16 national parks and 1 ski area.
Key facts
Albania at a glance
Languages spoken: Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)
Geography & history
About Albania
After declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania experienced a period of political upheaval that led to a short-lived monarchy, which ended in 1939 when Italy conquered the country. Germany then occupied Albania in 1943, and communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960) and then with China (until 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. Government-endorsed pyramid schemes in 1997 led to economic collapse and civil disorder, which only ended when UN peacekeeping troops intervened. In 1999, some 450,000 ethnic Albanians fled from Kosovo to Albania to escape t…
Read the full history
After declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania experienced a period of political upheaval that led to a short-lived monarchy, which ended in 1939 when Italy conquered the country. Germany then occupied Albania in 1943, and communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960) and then with China (until 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. Government-endorsed pyramid schemes in 1997 led to economic collapse and civil disorder, which only ended when UN peacekeeping troops intervened. In 1999, some 450,000 ethnic Albanians fled from Kosovo to Albania to escape the war with the Serbs. Albania joined NATO in 2009 and became an official candidate for EU membership in 2014.
Location
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
Climate
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Terrain
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Highest point
Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
National symbols
black double-headed eagle
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in Albania
The default speed limits in Albania are 40 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 110 km/h on motorways. The legal alcohol limit for drivers is 0.5‰. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- 4040 km/hBuilt-up areasTowns and cities
- 8080 km/hOutside built-up areasCountry roads
- 110110 km/hMotorwaysMotorways / freeways
- International Driving PermitRecognised: 1968 Vienna, 1949 GenevaCarry the IDP together with your national licence
- Driving sideDrive on the rightOvertake on the left
- Alcohol limit0.5‰ blood alcohol (0.05% BAC)
- Seat beltsRequired by law
- Child seatsRequired by law
- Motorcycle helmetsRequired for riders
- Road deaths (2021)10.8 per 100,000 peopleClose to the world median (12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0). Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is Albania safe to visit?
Albania is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates Albania Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: New information about demonstrations in Tirana ('Warnings and insurance' page).
Updated 15 Oct 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Albania
The best time to visit Albania is June and September, when daytime highs in Tirana are around 24–26°C. July to August are also a good time to go. August is the warmest month (31°C by day), January the coldest (-2°C at night), and November the wettest with about 109 mm of rain.
- Jan6°C-2°C
- Feb7°C-1°C
- Mar11°C2°C
- Apr16°C6°C
- May20°C10°C
- Jun26°C14°C
- Jul30°C17°C
- Aug31°C17°C
- Sep24°C13°C
- Oct19°C8°C
- Nov13°C4°C
- Dec7°C-0°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Albania
Plugs & sockets
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Emergency numbers
Save the local numbers before you travel — 112 or 911 may not connect here. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Ski resorts
1 ski resort in Albania
- 1 km of slopes
- 2 lifts
- up to 1,677 m
Biggest: Ski Pista Bigëll – Dardhë
National parks
16 national parks in Albania
- 3,295 km² protected
- oldest from 1956
Largest: Albanian Alps National Park · National Park - Fir of Hotova · Shebenik National Park
Currency · 26 October 2026
Albanian lek exchange rates today
Albania uses the Albanian lek (ALL, L). One US dollar buys 81.0153 ALL; over the last 30 days the ALL has lost 0.4% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in ALL
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Albania ranks
How Albania compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Albania
12 airports and airfields — 1 large, 2 medium and 0 small, plus 9 heliports. 1 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
Neighbouring countries
Albania borders 4 countries along 691 km of land borders. Coastline: 362 km.
Military
Albanian armed forces
Albania ranks #91 of 145 in the Global Firepower military strength ranking, with a defence budget of $624 million (2025).
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Tirana (520,000)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
food; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Export partners
Italy 41%, Greece 10%, Germany 5%, Spain 5%, Serbia 4% (2023)
Top exports
garments, footwear, electricity, crude petroleum, iron alloys (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to Albania
Next public holiday
Independence Day — Monday, 30 November 2026. Then Liberation Day (30 Nov).
Albanian passport
Ranked #87: 74 countries visa-free, 31 with visa on arrival, 4 with an eTA and 38 with an eVisa.
Albanian passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for Albania's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling Albania
Dial +355 before the local number. Internet domain .al.
Climate footprint
4.4 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 1.59 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting Albania: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about Albania
Moroccans Won the Most Italian Residence Permits in 2025, Data Shows
Italy issued 44,549 first residence permits to Moroccan nationals in 2025, the highest of any non-EU nationality, according to ISTAT. Moroccans also …
Albania Halts Citizenship-by-Investment Passports Pending EU-Level Decision
Albania has suspended its planned "golden passport" scheme, Prime Minister Edi Rama said, until the issue is clarified at European level. The Europea…
City protests and strikes hit France, Spain, Italy and Albania
Weeks of protests over living costs, schools and housing have brought arrests, looting and fires to cities in France, Spain, Italy and Albania. Spain…
Frequently asked questions about Albania
What do I need to travel to Albania?
How long must my passport be valid for Albania?
Where is Albania?
What is Albania known for?
What is the capital of Albania?
What language is spoken in Albania?
What currency does Albania use?
What is the calling code of Albania?
Which countries border Albania?
How strong is the Albanian passport?
What is the speed limit in Albania?
Is Albania safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Albania?
What plug type does Albania use?
How many airports does Albania have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.