Tourism 
The 4 main hot-spots
Tirana
Tirana is the capital of Albania and also the most important political, economic and cultural centre of the country. It is located in a very favorable position, right in the centre of the country, at an altitude of 113 meters above the sea level.
To the west, the Adriatic Sea and the largest and most popular beach in Albania, the Durrës beach, are only 32 km away, while to the East, the Dajti Mountain, 1612 m high, is only 26 km away.
Tirana is a relatively young city. It was founded in 1614 by Suleyman Pasha Bargjini, a local feudal lord who built the first buildings that formed the nucleus of the new town: a mosque, a hammam, and a bakery, at the place where today is the monument of the Unknown Partisan (Partizani i Panjohur).
In 1816, the town was ruled by the Toptani family. The most important date in the history of Tirana is 11 February 1920, when the Congress of Lushnja proclaimed it the provisional capital of Albania, which was changed into a full status in 1925.
After this decision the city has known constant growth, which reached unprecedented rates in the 1990s. The Tirana downtown was designed by well-known Italian architects of the Mussolini period. The Big Tirana Boulevard "Dëshmorët e Kombit" (Martyrs to the Nation) was built in 1930, while the main square in the centre, Skanderbeg Square, was built during 1928-1929.
In commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the death of the Albanian National Hero, Skanderbeg, an equestrian monument was placed there in his honour. In 1988, a monument of the former communist dictator was also placed in the square, but it was toppled on 20 February 1991, by students and the people of Tirana.
Important buildings in Tirana include the Palace of Congresses, the International Centre of Culture, the Palace of Culture and the Theatre of Opera and Ballet, the Sky Tower etc., as well as government buildings of the Council of Ministers, Presidency and Parliament. In addition to the Great Park in the southern part of the city, Tirana has other parks such as Rinia (Youth Park), the Parliament Park, the park close to the Presidency building, etc.
Tirana is a major convention, conference and seminar centre in Albania. Also, owing to its young and student population, Tirana has an attractive night life offering a variety of restaurants, cuisines, bars, pubs and night clubs to visitors and locals alike.
Durres
It is the second largest city of Albania in terms of size, but also the largest most important port in the country.
Durres is one of the oldest towns in Albania with a long and turbulent history. According to ancient sources Durres was founded in year 627 B.C by colonists from Corcyra and Corinth and settled in the territories of the Illyrian tribe of Taulantii. Initially, it was known by the name of Epidamnus, while later, by the name of Dyrrhachium.
Later Durres became the seat of the Illyrian kings of Taulantii, first, King Glaukias, and later, his sons, Monounios and Mytiles. In 314 B.C. the city was occupied by the Cassander of Macedonia, while in 229 B.C. it was conquered by the Romans. During the Roman rule, the amphitheater, the aqueduct, and other objects were built there.
During the 7th to the 12th centuries, Durres developed into the most important port of eastern Adriatic. In 1368, the city fell under the influence of Albanian prince Karl Topia, who in 1386, was forced to surrender the city to Venice. The latter held the city under its domination for 108 years. In 1501, Durres was captured by the Ottomans.
After that, the city began to decline and lost its importance. On the eve of independence, Durres was occupied by the Serbs, who fled from it in May 1913. Unfortunately, during their withdrawal, the Serb forces plundered many rare archaeological exhibits which today are displayed in the Belgrade museums.
Today the city of Durres is the largest and most popular holiday resort in the country. It is a sandy and shallow beach, which makes it a favorite beach for families and their children. The city hosts very important sites, favorable for cultural tourism, such as the Amphitheater, the Byzantine forum, the archaeological museum which displays the Greek and Roman periods, the Venetian tower, the Fatih mosque, the Monument of Resistance, which is dedicated to the armed struggle against the fascist occupation of the country by fascist Italy on 7 April 1939, the Ethnographic museum. Through its harbor, the city has regular links with ferryboats to the Italian ports of Bari, Ancona, and Trieste.
Durres Beach
Perhaps the most famous Albanian beach, it lies to the south of the town of Durres, only 39 km away from the capital. This is the most popular beach in the country. It is 6 km long and the sand belt is wide. The waters are quite shallow close to the shore, which makes the beach very suitable for families and children. Its position in Durres Bay protects it from winds. Durres Beach has the largest concentration of tourist facilities, such as hotels, motels, villa compounds, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, bowling alleys, fitness halls and gyms, game parlors, etc.
In addition to day tourists from the capital, Durres beach is the number one destination for tourists from Kosova and Macedonia. To the north of Durres, at the foot of the hills, is the well-known Plazhi i Currilave, where the waters are deep and the rocky beach is well protected from the hot winds coming from the land.
Activities avialable include: sun and sea tourism, rowing, motorboat tours, water sports, etc.
Vlora
Vlora is the second major port of the country after Durres. The city is situated in the South-western part of the country, in a picturesque area along the sea coast. Opposite the town lie the Karaburun Peninsula and the Sazan Island. Vlora has regular maritime connections with the Italian port of Brindisi and seasonal connections with that of Bari.
The town has a rich history. In antique times, it was known by the name of Aulona, which was given to it by early Hellenic settlers. In the Middle Ages the Vlora region became an object of contention between various international powers that wanted to maintain a hold on Albania. During the Ottoman invasion it represented a centre of that power.
This is also evidenced by the extensive Ottoman buildings in the city, such as the Great Mosque in the town centre, built in 1542 by the famous Turkish architect Mimar Sinan.
A significant moment in the history of Vlora is the Declaration of Independence prior to the First World War, on 28th November 1912, by Ismail Qemali, a local bey. The event marked the end of five hundred years of Ottoman rule in Albania. The building that was the seat of the first government of an independent Albania is today a place of great interest for tourists.
In the centre of town one's attention is drawn by the Monument of Independence, erected in Sheshi i Flamurit (The Square of the Flag). Another very interesting religious location is also "Kuz Baba" building of the Bektashi sect, perched up on the hill towering upon the town centre. This spot offers a unique view not only of the town, but also of the entire Vlora Bay.
Saranda
Saranda is one of the finest gems of Albania’s coastline. Located on the country’s southernmost coastline, the town and its beaches create a half-moon on the Ionian only 5 nautical miles away from the Greek island of Corfu. Saranda enjoys a highly favorable position with easy access to other tourist centers in the hinterland such as Butrint and Gjirokastra, the Albanian Riviera as well as Greek beaches in Corfu, Igoumenitza and elsewhere.
Saranda is an old urban center known in ancient times by the name of Onkesmos. Its present name comes from Agia Saranda (Greek) and Santi Quaranta (Italian, meaning “forty saints”). The ruins of the Church of Forty Saints are found on the Qafa e Gjashtës (Pass of the Six) above the town. Although the town never reached the size of a large city, by the 1800s it played an important role in regional trade routes especially with Greece.
During the First World War, Saranda became an important base of the Italian Navy on the Entente side. Italy’s return to Albania in 1939 saw the town change its name to Porto Eda in honor of Mussolini’s daughter. After the Second World War, Saranda became an important industrial and tourist center of the Ionian coast. At this time it became a preferred destination of couples on their honeymoon. After the 1990s, the town has developed particularly rapidly, especially regarding its tourist infrastructure.
An impressive local attraction is the Lëkurës Castle which commands a great view of Saranda and its harbor. Moreover, the Archaeological Part of Butrint located 30 km away adds particular value to Saranda.