Tirana
Usage
Capital of Albania. Home to Blloku district, Skanderbeg Square, and colorful buildings
Grammar Note
In Albanian: "në Tiranë" (to Tirana, indefinite), "i Tiranës" (of Tirana, genitive)
Berati
Berat
Usage
UNESCO World Heritage "City of a Thousand Windows". Known for white Ottoman houses
Grammar Note
"Berati" is the definite nominative. It declines: "Beratin" (accusative), "Beratit" (genitive)
Gjirokastra
Gjirokastër
Usage
UNESCO World Heritage "City of Stone". An Ottoman hilltop town with a powerful castle
Grammar Note
Birthplace of both Enver Hoxha (dictator) and Ismail Kadare (novelist)
Liqeni i Ohrit
Lake Ohrid
Usage
UNESCO World Heritage lake shared with North Macedonia. Remarkably clear and ancient
Grammar Note
"i Ohrit" is the definite genitive of "Ohri". Together: "the lake of Ohrid"
Riviera Shqiptare
Albanian Riviera
Usage
Ionian coast in southern Albania with Himara, Drimades, and Ksamil beaches
Grammar Note
"Shqiptare" is the feminine of "Shqiptar" (Albanian). Agrees with feminine "Riviera"
Butrinti
Butrint
Usage
UNESCO World Heritage ancient ruins in southern Albania with Greek, Roman and Byzantine remains
Grammar Note
Ancient name: "Buthrotum". Legend says Trojan hero Helenus founded it
Shkodra
Shkodër
Usage
Largest city in northern Albania. Known for Rozafa Castle, Lake Shkodra, and bike culture
Grammar Note
Called the "city of bicycles". Has a history of Venetian rule and strong Catholic tradition
Ksamili
Ksamil
Usage
Crystal-clear beach village in southern Albania. Called the "Maldives of Albania"
Grammar Note
Located near Butrint National Park, with several small islands offshore
Alpet Shqiptare
Albanian Alps
Usage
Magnificent mountain range in northern Albania. Ideal for hiking and canyon adventures
Grammar Note
The Valbona Valley to Theth hike is the most famous. Locally called "Bjeshkët e Nëmuna"
Korça
Korçë
Usage
Cultural city in eastern Albania. Site of the first Albanian-language school. Called "Little Paris"
Grammar Note
Famous for Korça beer, Albania's most well-known beer brand
Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar i Tiranës Nënë Tereza
Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA)
Usage
Albania's main international airport, at Rinas about 17 km northwest of central Tirana; reached by airport coach or taxi
Rinas
Usage
The village where Tirana airport stands; locals call the airport itself "Rinas", so this word works better than the full name with taxi drivers
Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar i Prishtinës Adem Jashari
Prishtina International Airport Adem Jashari (PRN)
Usage
Kosovo's only international airport, about 15 km southwest of central Prishtina; the fastest road route into northern Albania runs from here via the A1
Porti i Durrësit
Port of Durrës
Usage
Albania's largest port, with ferries to Bari and Ancona in Italy; the passenger terminal is just north of the city centre
Porti i Vlorës
Port of Vlorë
Usage
The main port of southern Albania, with year-round ferries to Brindisi in Italy on the shortest Adriatic crossing
Porti i Sarandës
Port of Sarandë
Usage
The port for fast boats to Corfu in Greece, running several times a day in summer; the shortest link between southern Albania and Greece
Porti i Shëngjinit
Port of Shëngjin
Usage
Port in a small town in northern Lezhë County, one of Albania's official sea border points and also a sandy-beach resort
Porti i Himarës
Port of Himarë
Usage
Small harbour in the middle of the Albanian Riviera, designated a sea border point; boats to the nearby beaches also leave from here
Trageti Durrës–Bari
Durrës–Bari ferry
Usage
The busiest Albania–Italy sea route, taking around eight hours; it runs all year and increases to several sailings a day in summer
Trageti Durrës–Ankona
Durrës–Ancona ferry
Usage
Overnight ferry to Ancona in central Italy, about sixteen hours; it drops to a few sailings a week in winter and is popular with drivers
Trageti Vlorë–Brindizi
Vlorë–Brindisi ferry
Usage
Year-round crossing from southern Albania to southern Italy; it spans the narrowest part of the Adriatic in only five to seven hours
Trageti Sarandë–Korfuz
Sarandë–Corfu ferry
Usage
Fast boat between Sarandë and the Greek island of Corfu, thirty minutes to ninety minutes; several daily in summer and easy to combine with Butrint
Trageti i Komanit
Koman Lake ferry
Usage
The boat that crosses Lake Koman from Koman to Fierzë in about three hours; famous for its gorge scenery and the standard way into the Valbona valley
Koman
Usage
Dam settlement east of Shkodër and the southern landing of the Koman Lake ferry; morning minibuses run here from Shkodër
Fierzë
Usage
The northern landing of the Koman Lake ferry; minibuses continue from here through Bajram Curri into the Valbona valley
Rruga e Kombit
Rruga e Kombit (A1 motorway)
Usage
The 114 km toll motorway running from the Durrës side via Kukës to the Kosovo border at Morinë, signed A1; the main road link with Kosovo
Tuneli i Kalimashit
Kalimash Tunnel
Usage
Albania's longest tunnel, about 5.6 km, on the A1 just before Kukës; the motorway toll booths stand nearby
Autostrada A2
A2 motorway (Fier–Vlorë)
Usage
A 47 km motorway from Levan near Fier down to Vlorë; the gateway for driving south to the Riviera
Autostrada A3
A3 motorway (Tirana–Elbasan)
Usage
The 31 km motorway between Tirana and Elbasan, cutting through the mountains in a long tunnel; the short way towards Lake Ohrid and Korçë
Rruga SH1
SH1 national road
Usage
The 125 km trunk road north from Tirana through Lezhë and Shkodër to the Montenegrin border at Hani i Hotit
Rruga SH2
SH2 national road
Usage
The 33 km dual carriageway between Tirana and Durrës, the busiest stretch of road in Albania, tying together the capital, airport and port
Rruga SH3
SH3 national road
Usage
The 151 km east–west trunk road from Tirana via Elbasan, Librazhd, Pogradec and Korçë to the Greek border at Kapshticë
Rruga SH4
SH4 national road
Usage
The 215 km north–south trunk road from Durrës via Fier, Tepelenë and Gjirokastër to the Greek border at Kakavijë
Rruga SH7
SH7 national road
Usage
The 40 km road from Rrogozhinë via Peqin to Elbasan, linking the coastal north–south corridor with the inland east–west one
Rruga SH8
SH8 national road (Riviera coast road)
Usage
The 148 km coast road from Fier through Vlorë, the Llogara pass and Himarë to Sarandë; the spine of the Albanian Riviera
Qafa e Llogarasë
Llogara Pass
Usage
The roughly 1,027 m pass on the SH8, famous for its view over the Ionian Sea; it sits in Llogara National Park and can close in winter snow
Morinë
Morinë border crossing
Usage
The main crossing to Kosovo, in Kukës County at the eastern end of the A1; the Kosovo side is Vërmicë and Prizren is about 20 km on
Hani i Hotit
Hani i Hotit border crossing
Usage
The Montenegrin border north of Shkodër at the top of the SH1; the most-used route towards Podgorica
Muriqan
Muriqan border crossing
Usage
The Montenegrin border west of Shkodër; the shorter option if you are heading for the coast at Ulcinj
Qafë Thanë
Qafë Thanë border crossing
Usage
The main North Macedonian crossing, on the northern shore of Lake Ohrid, leading to Struga and the town of Ohrid
Tushemisht
Tushemisht border crossing
Usage
Crossing to North Macedonia east of Pogradec on the southern shore of Lake Ohrid, right next to the Sveti Naum monastery
Bllatë
Bllatë border crossing
Usage
Crossing to North Macedonia east of Peshkopi in Dibër County, a mountain route towards Debar
Kapshticë
Kapshticë border crossing
Usage
The Greek border east of Korçë in the Devoll area, at the eastern end of the SH3, leading towards Kastoria in northwestern Greece
Kakavijë
Kakavijë border crossing
Usage
The busiest Greek border crossing, south of Gjirokastër on the road to Ioannina; waits of several hours are common on summer weekends
Qafë Botë
Qafë Botë border crossing
Usage
The Greek border south of Sarandë near Konispol, running through Sagiada on the Greek side towards Igoumenitsa
Tre Urat
Tre Urat border crossing
Usage
Quiet Greek border crossing southeast of Përmet towards Leskovik, on the road along the Vjosa river
Qarku i Tiranës
Tirana County
Usage
The county containing the capital and the largest population; it also covers Krujë, Kavajë and Mount Dajti
Qarku i Durrësit
Durrës County
Usage
Coastal county on the Adriatic, covering the port city of Durrës and the long sandy resort strip to its south
Qarku i Shkodrës
Shkodër County
Usage
The far northwestern county bordering Montenegro, taking in Lake Shkodra, Theth in the Alps and the beach at Velipojë
Qarku i Lezhës
Lezhë County
Usage
Northern coastal county with Lezhë and Skanderbeg's tomb, the port town of Shëngjin, and the western half of the A1
Qarku i Kukësit
Kukës County
Usage
Mountainous northeastern county bordering Kosovo, holding the A1, the Morinë crossing and Bajram Curri, the gateway to Valbona
Qarku i Dibrës
Dibër County
Usage
Inland northeastern county with its seat at Peshkopi, Albania's highest summit Mount Korab, and the Bllatë crossing to North Macedonia
Qarku i Elbasanit
Elbasan County
Usage
Central inland county crossed by the A3 and SH3, covering Elbasan and Librazhd
Qarku i Fierit
Fier County
Usage
Central coastal farming county with the ancient site of Apollonia, the Karavasta lagoon, and the Levan junction where the A2 begins
Qarku i Beratit
Berat County
Usage
South-central inland county holding the UNESCO old town of Berat and the Osum canyon in the Skrapar area
Qarku i Korçës
Korçë County
Usage
Southeastern upland county with Korçë, Pogradec on Lake Ohrid, the Prespa lakes and Voskopoja
Qarku i Gjirokastrës
Gjirokastër County
Usage
Southern inland county with UNESCO-listed Gjirokastër, Përmet, Tepelenë and the Kakavijë crossing into Greece
Qarku i Vlorës
Vlorë County
Usage
Southwestern coastal county holding most of the Albanian Riviera plus Sarandë, Butrint and Ksamil; the heart of Albanian tourism
Durrës
Usage
Albania's second city and largest port on the Adriatic, 35 km from Tirana, with a Roman amphitheatre and a long sandy beach; in speech you hear the definite form Durrësi
Vlorë
Usage
Port city where the Adriatic meets the Ionian, site of the 1912 declaration of independence and the starting point for the Riviera; definite form Vlora
Elbasan
Usage
Industrial city in the central interior with an Ottoman walled old town, about 40 minutes from Tirana on the A3; definite form Elbasani
Fier
Usage
Commercial town on the central coast, the base for the ancient city of Apollonia and Ardenica monastery, where the SH4 and A2 divide
Sarandë
Usage
Ionian resort city at the southern tip, with boats to Corfu and the base for Butrint, Ksamil and the Blue Eye; definite form Saranda
Lezhë
Usage
Northern town holding the tomb of the national hero Skanderbeg, with a hilltop castle above it; on the SH1 near the Shëngjin coast
Kukës
Usage
Northeastern county seat on the shore of Lake Fierza, the usual stop on the A1 between Tirana and Kosovo; definite form Kukësi
Pogradec
Usage
Lakeside town on the Albanian shore of Lake Ohrid, busy with swimmers in summer and about 40 km from Korçë
Lushnjë
Usage
Farming town on the central plain along the SH4, the turn-off for Divjakë-Karavasta National Park
Kavajë
Usage
Town south of Durrës whose municipality covers the central sandy resorts of Golem and Qerret
Krujë
Usage
Hillside town about 20 km north of Tirana with Skanderbeg's castle and museum and a cobbled old bazaar; the classic day trip
Peshkopi
Usage
Seat of Dibër County, a mountain town known for its thermal baths and the base for Mount Korab and the Bllatë crossing
Përmet
Usage
Southern town on the Vjosa river, called the "city of roses", with thermal springs, gorges and rafting nearby
Tepelenë
Usage
Junction town on the SH4 where the roads to Përmet and to Gjirokastër split; the birthplace of Ali Pasha
Bajram Curri
Usage
Town in Tropojë in the far northeast, the transfer point for minibuses between the Fierzë ferry landing and the Valbona valley
Librazhd
Usage
Town on the SH3 along the Shkumbin river, the access point for Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park
Rrogozhinë
Usage
Central road junction where the SH4 and SH7 meet; almost every long-distance bus heading south passes through
Himarë
Usage
The main town of the central Albanian Riviera, with a small harbour and several beaches; SH8 buses stop here. Definite form Himara
Dhërmi
Usage
Riviera village just below the Llogara pass, with a stone old village on the slope and the beach down at the shore
Borsh
Usage
Southern Riviera village with one of Albania's longest beaches and wide olive groves, midway between Himarë and Sarandë
Velipojë
Usage
Sandy beach about 25 km west of Shkodër beside the Buna river mouth wetlands, popular mainly with Albanians
Golem
Usage
Hotel-lined beach strip south of Durrës in Kavajë municipality; the closest sandy resort to Tirana
Theth
Usage
Village deep in the Albanian Alps, known for its stone tower house and waterfall and as one end of the hike to Valbona; about three hours from Shkodër
Lugina e Valbonës
Valbona Valley
Usage
National park valley in the northeastern Alps, famous for the pass hike to and from Theth; reached by minibus from Bajram Curri
Maja e Jezercës
Usage
The highest summit of the Albanian Alps at about 2,694 m and the highest peak lying entirely inside Albania; climbable in summer only
Mali i Korabit
Mount Korab
Usage
Albania's highest mountain at about 2,764 m, on the North Macedonian border and usually climbed from the Peshkopi side in Dibër County
Mali i Dajtit
Mount Dajti
Usage
The roughly 1,613 m mountain east of Tirana, reached in about fifteen minutes by the Dajti Ekspres cable car from the edge of the city
Syri i Kaltër
Syri i Kaltër (the Blue Eye)
Usage
Karst spring near Muzinë between Sarandë and Gjirokastër, welling up in a deep blue pool; swimming is not allowed
Liqeni i Shkodrës
Lake Shkodra
Usage
The largest lake in the Balkans, shared with Montenegro; it spreads west of Shkodër and is best seen from the lakeside village of Shiroka
Liqenet e Prespës
Prespa Lakes
Usage
Lakes southeast of Korçë County shared by Albania, North Macedonia and Greece; the Great and Small Prespa form a national park
Lumi i Vjosës
Vjosa River
Usage
River running from Greece past Përmet and Tepelenë to the Adriatic; declared a national park in 2023 and known for rafting
Kanioni i Osumit
Osum Canyon
Usage
Deep canyon near Çorovodë in Berat County; rafted in spring and walked in summer
Gjipe
Usage
Canyon and small beach between Dhërmi and Himarë; the road stops short, so the last stretch is on foot or by boat
Karaburun-Sazan
Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park
Usage
Albania's only marine national park, made up of the Karaburun peninsula and Sazan island off Vlorë; visited by boat from Vlorë
Divjakë-Karavasta
Divjakë-Karavasta National Park
Usage
Coastal lagoon and pine forest park in central Albania, known as a breeding site for Dalmatian pelicans; entered by road from Lushnjë
Sheshi Skënderbej
Skanderbeg Square
Usage
Tirana's central square, faced by the National History Museum, the Et'hem Bey Mosque and the clock tower; the reference point for getting around
Xhamia e Et'hem Beut
Et'hem Bey Mosque
Usage
Early 19th-century mosque on Skanderbeg Square, unusual for the frescoes of trees and waterfalls inside
Kulla e Sahatit
Tirana Clock Tower
Usage
The 35 m tower just east of Skanderbeg Square, built in 1822; the stairs lead to a view over the old centre
Piramida e Tiranës
Pyramid of Tirana
Usage
Concrete landmark built as a museum to Enver Hoxha, reopened in 2023 as a cultural centre with steps up onto the roof
Bunk'Art
Usage
Museum inside a huge communist-era nuclear bunker; the main site is at the foot of Mount Dajti and Bunk'Art 2 is in the city centre
Muzeu Historik Kombëtar
National History Museum
Usage
Albania's largest museum, on Skanderbeg Square; the huge mosaic mural on its facade is the landmark
Blloku
Usage
Nightlife district just south of central Tirana; off-limits to ordinary citizens under communism, now full of cafes, restaurants and bars
Kalaja e Rozafës
Rozafa Castle
Usage
Hilltop fortress southwest of Shkodër with views over the Drin and Buna rivers and Lake Shkodra; famous for its walled-in-bride legend
Ura e Mesit
Mesi Bridge
Usage
18th-century Ottoman stone bridge over the Kir river about 8 km northeast of Shkodër, on the road towards Theth
Kalaja e Krujës
Krujë Castle
Usage
Hilltop castle at Krujë where Skanderbeg held off Ottoman sieges in the 15th century; it houses the national Skanderbeg museum
Kalaja e Gjirokastrës
Gjirokastër Castle
Usage
The large fortress above the old town, holding an arms museum and the wreck of a US aircraft that landed here during the Cold War
Kalaja e Beratit
Berat Castle
Usage
Hilltop citadel at Berat still inhabited inside its walls, containing the Onufri museum and several Byzantine churches
Kalaja e Porto Palermos
Porto Palermo Castle
Usage
Triangular castle on a headland in a bay south of Himarë, attributed to Ali Pasha and reachable on foot from the SH8
Amfiteatri i Durrësit
Durrës Amphitheatre
Usage
Second-century Roman amphitheatre in the centre of Durrës, among the largest in the Balkans and walkable from the port
Apolonia
Apollonia
Usage
Ruins of a Greek and Roman city at Pojan about 12 km west of Fier, with a colonnade, a theatre and a monastery beside it
Prishtinë
Usage
Capital of Kosovo; road signs read the indefinite Prishtinë while speech uses the definite Prishtina. About five hours by coach from Tirana
Prizren
Usage
Historic town in southern Kosovo with a stone bridge and Ottoman mosques, only about 20 km from the Albanian border at Morinë
Kalaja e Prizrenit
Prizren Fortress
Usage
Fortress on the hill above Prizren's old town, a twenty-minute walk up, known for the sunset view over the town and river
Pejë
Usage
City in western Kosovo, the gateway to the Rugova gorge and the Alps, with an old bazaar and the Patriarchate monastery
Gjakovë
Usage
Town in western Kosovo with a restored timber Grand Bazaar (Çarshia e Madhe); roads from here lead into northern Albania
Mitrovicë
Usage
City in northern Kosovo split by the Ibar river; signage south of the bridge is in Albanian and north of it in Serbian
Ferizaj
Usage
City on the main corridor between Prishtina and Skopje in North Macedonia, at a rail and motorway junction
Gjilan
Usage
The main city of eastern Kosovo, near the North Macedonian border and the commercial and bus hub for the region
Gryka e Rugovës
Rugova Gorge
Usage
Deep gorge cutting west from Pejë into the Alps, used for hiking and zip-lining; about fifteen minutes by car from Pejë
Mali i Sharrit
Sharr Mountains
Usage
Mountain range on the border of southern Kosovo and North Macedonia, protected as a national park and holding the Brezovica ski area
Ujëvara e Mirushës
Mirusha Waterfalls
Usage
Chain of waterfalls and pools between Klinë and Malishevë where people swim in summer; about an hour by car from Prishtina
Shpella e Gadimes
Gadime Cave
Usage
Limestone cave near Lipjan, known as the Marble Cave and visited on a guided tour; about 25 km south of Prishtina
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