What to Do in Durres, Albania for One or Two Days – Travelsewhere

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What makes Durres, a port city, such a popular place to go in Albania? Well, once you learn what to do in Durres on your travels, the appeal of this easy day trip from Tirana should make things clear.

Besides being found close to the country’s capital, Durres combines the opportunity to spend time at the beach with a few interesting and scenic attractions. Allow me to show you what kinds of things to do in Durres if you have a little time there, whether it’s a day trip or a little longer stay.

Is Durres worth visiting?

While it may not be my favourite place to visit in Albania, I do think Durres can be worth visiting.

I don’t think the seaside city will suit every type of trip or traveller, but for many, it will be a welcome stop. Based on my experience, you should visit Durres from Tirana if any of the below apply to you:

• you want to visit the nearest beaches to Tirana;
• you want to enjoy the coastal breeze and cooler climate;
• you want a coastal feel to your nightlife;
• you’re interested in history and seeing ancient ruins.

Getting to Durres from Tirana

There’s a reason why Durres is such a common day trip from Tirana. It’s one of the easiest places to get from Tirana, whether on your own or on a tour.

Durres is just a 30-minute drive from Tirana. So, if you have a rental car, it won’t take long to visit.

But you can also get there really easily by bus, as they leave every 10 minutes from Tirana’s main bus station — the South and North Albania Bus Terminal. Buy your ticket onboard – it will cost roughly 150-200 lek (€1.5-2).

Of course, the downside to taking the bus is you then need to get from the bus station. If that matters to you, pay more and book a door-to-door transfer instead.

Where to stay in Durres

While a lot of tourists visit Durres as a day trip, you can choose to stay here too.

I spent a few days in Durres, purely because it was about 4°C cooler than Tirana during one of Europe’s summer heatwaves. I didn’t need that much time for sightseeing, but I enjoyed how relaxed the city is compared to Tirana.

Hotel Lido was where I stayed, a nice little hotel just off the main square. It’s cheap and comfortable, with a nice staff, so I’d definitely recommend it for budget travellers. Plus, the Danubi cafe next door is great for breakfast/lunch/coffee.

If you like options, here are some other highly-rated hotels in Durres include:

Things to do in Durres

Let’s finally get to what to do in Durres with your visit.

We’ll start with the city’s attractions before turning to its beaches, just because there are many beach destinations in Albania and it’s worth looking at what Durres is like beyond them.

While I think Durres is an easy place to explore on your own, some might find a walking tour of the city a welcome option.

Wander the city centre

A good way to start your time in Durres is just to take a walk through the city’s heart.

This way you can get a sense of the city and see some of its architecture and main landmarks.

I suggest starting with a walk down Dyrrah Boulevard until you reach the modern Town Square.

Rows of palm trees cover this main square in Durres, which is a very modern-looking square compared to so many in Albania.

As the city’s main square, it’s home to important landmarks such as the City Hall and the “Aleksandër Moisiu” Theatre. Neither is as interesting though as the Great Mosque of Durrës, which overlooks the square.

Visit the Durres Amphitheatre

One of the big landmarks in Durres is the Durres Amphitheatre.

Sitting on a hill behind just off the main square, it occupies a large area relative to the size of the city. While it’s neat to see, the Durres Amphitheatre is in a much more rough state than the ones I’ve seen in places like Catania and Plovdiv.

Maybe that undermines its importance, as Emperor Trajan built the Durres Amphitheatre in the 2nd century and made it the largest of its kind in the Balkans.

To learn more about the Durres Amphitheatre and the city’s ancient history, you should visit the Durres Archaeology Museum. Unfortunately, the museum was closed and going through a renovation when I was in Durres. As of 2024, they still seem to be happening.

One other ancient site to be aware of is the Old Byzantine Forum. It’s quite simple but it adds to the city’s heritage.

Explore the city walls

The other flavour of historical sites in the city is the Ancient Walls of Durres.

It’s impressive that these walls that date back to the city’s Byzantine days are still standing. But that’s because they were needed and reinforced for centuries. You can see this in the well-preserved Venetian Tower of Durrës down near the harbour.

Now, I should say that these historical remains aren’t quite as impressive as places like Berat and Gjirokaster.

But it’s still nice to walk up from the Venetian Tower and follow the walls. While the lower sections of the walls are easy to reach they do climb up the hill behind the Durres Amphitheatre. From there you can find a bunch of viewpoints, including one at the ruins of the Durres Castle Watchtower.

Also on this hill is the Royal Villa of Durres, once used by King Zog I, which seems to have reopened to the public in 2024. That just gives you another reason to climb the hill.

Walk along the promenade

Durres is a coastal city, so let’s talk about that coast.

Now, the city’s port takes up a large part of the shore near the city centre. That’s not very enticing. But fortunately, the rest of the Durres waterfront is much more interesting.

Stretching from the western side of the port is the Vollga Promenade. A park follows this waterfront promenade, with sculptures, war memorials, and playgrounds lending it a bit of character.

Go for a walk or cycle along the promenade and you’ll soon reach a rather strange waterfront landmark. A bridge spans from the promenade to the over-water Ventus Harbor Hotel, a structure that looks dated from the outside, but (based on its reviews) is still quite nice to stay at.

The waterfront ends at Sfinksi point, a concrete space sculpted into tiers, popular with sunbathers.

Go to the beaches in Durres

Image by Linda Saitos from Pixabay

But, where are the beaches in Durres?

Well, if you walk just past the Sfinksi you’ll find one, and from there, beaches dot the entire west coast of Durres.

And yet, the main beach in Durres is on the far side of the city. Go to the far side of the Durres Port and you reach the start of Durres Beach, a long 10-kilometre arc of sand.

The other beaches in Durres are small, compact, and likely to be pretty full. But Durres Beach is enormous, so you should generally be able to find some space.

From what I saw, the beaches of Durres aren’t quite as scenic as the Albanian Riviera. But I think they instead offer a less intense experience, which sounds way more relaxing to me.