Durres, located on the Adriatic coast, is the most popular beach destination in Albania. The 10-kilometer-long stretch of beach combined with affordable prices attract holidaymakers to the city’s waterfront from early spring to late August.
Durres is not only about worshipping the sun, as its rich history dates back to 627 BC., to an era it when belonged to ancient Illyria. The Roman amphitheater in the city center still reminds of the cultural heritage.
The influence of the communist era still lingers in Durres, although the area around the central square, with its Italian-style cafes, hints at increasing prosperity. Durres is worth discovering while it still retains some of its old charm!
Where to stay in Durres
Durres can roughly be divided into two parts. The first part is the city center, and the second part is a 10-kilometer stretch of beach that begins after the port and extends beyond the city limits. There is nothing but the port between these two areas, and since there’s nothing of interest in the port area, it’s worth deciding between the port and the main beach where you want to stay when booking accommodation.
The city center offers a slightly higher-quality selection of restaurants, historic sites, and better shopping opportunities, providing a bit more variety for your holiday. The beach area mainly offers hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets, allowing you to fully focus on a beach holiday in that area.
Things to do in Durres
Amphitheater
The city center is small but historically fascinating. The most famous attraction is the largest amphitheater in the Balkans, built during the Roman Empire under Emperor Trajan around the 2nd century AD. The amphitheater is an enormous structure that originally had the capacity to hold 15,000–20,000 spectators. It served as a venue for gladiator fights and public performances. A small admission fee is required to enter the amphitheater, but the area can be seen quite well from the outside as well.
Archaelogical Museum
The museum exhibits a vast collection of artifacts from Dyrrhachium, the ancient name of Durres. These artifacts are from Greek, Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Website: Archaelogical Museum
Great Mosque
The Great Mosque of Durres, or the New Mosque, was built in 1931 during the reign of King Ahmed Zogu, on the site of an old Ottoman mosque. It was designed by Italian architects as part of a collaboration between Italy and Albania. The mosque was closed in 1967 during Enver Hoxha's dictatorship, and its minaret was destroyed. In 1993, the mosque was reopened with the support of the International Islamic Relief Organization.
Venetian Tower
The Venetian Tower dates back to the 15th century, during the time when the Republic of Venice controlled the area. The Venetians built the tower for defensive purposes to protect the important port city. The tower is part of a larger fortress constructed to strengthen the city’s defense against pirates and other enemies.
Inside the tower, visitors can explore the history of ancient Durres through VR glasses. The entrance fee is 600 lek.
Byzantine Forum
About 500 meters north of the central square, behind the Alexandër Moisiu Theater, lie the ruins of the Byzantine forum, dating back to around 500 AD. As the name suggests, it originates from the Byzantine era, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, when the forum served as a commercial and social center in Durres. The ruins can be freely viewed from outside the fence, but access to the area itself is not permitted.
Shopping - Durres
Although Durres may not be a shopper's paradise, the selection of clothing stores is quite decent. International brands in Albania are priced similarly to the rest of Europe, but local brands can be found at affordable prices. The best shopping options are located on Bulevardi Epidamn and Bulevardi Dyrrah streets. In addition to clothing, the city center offers a good selection of cosmetics and electronics stores.
Both the city center and the main beach area have plenty of supermarkets, which stay open every day until 10:00 PM during the summer. In general, prices in supermarkets are relatively high, especially for imported products. In larger grocery stores, you can pay with a credit card, though the minimum card payment is often around 500 lekes.
For fresh vegetables and fruits, it’s worth visiting the market located between Prokop Sorra and Rruga Abaz Çelkupa streets.
Beaches in Durres
Durres Beach (Plazhi i Durrësit)
Durres’ main beach, Plazhi i Durrësit, begins just south of the city center, right after the port, and stretches all the way to the neighboring municipalities. The approximately 10-kilometer-long sandy beach is the most popular in all of Albania, so despite its length, the beach is bustling with activity during the summer.
Along the main beach, there is a wide range of hotels of various levels, with some being resort-style hotels featuring their own swimming pools and private beach areas. The main beach is lined with restaurants side by side, making it easy to grab a meal during a beach day.
The main beach is mostly occupied by dense rows of sunbeds and umbrellas, which can be rented for a day at a price of about 300-500 lek. There are also free areas along the beach where you can lay down your own beach towel.
The sea at the main beach has a shallow seabed with fine sand, making it an ideal spot for families with children. Sitting in the shallow water and relaxing on the sandy seabed is a popular pastime at Durres’ main beach.
Water sports activities in Durres are mainly concentrated along the main beach.
Beaches in Durres City Center
On the city center side, the first beach is located along the Vollga promenade. The beach is relatively narrow, and there are no sunbeds or umbrellas for rent.
At the base of the stair monument known as the "Sphinx," there is a beach where sunbeds and umbrellas are available for rent. Along the stretch north of the Sphinx, you’ll find small private beach areas where sunbeds and umbrellas can also be rented. The seabed at the city center beaches is slightly deeper than at Durres' main beach, and the condition of these beaches is not quite as good as that of the main beach.
How to get from Tirana Airport to Durres
The nearest international airport to Durres is Tirana Nënë Tereza (TIA), Durres is located approximately 30 kilometers from Tirana Airport.
Taxi: The travel time by taxi from Tirana Airport to Durres is 30 minutes without traffic. On average, a taxi costs 3000-3500 lekes Although taxis use meters, it’s a good idea to agree on the price beforehand to avoid surprises.
Bus: There are a few bus connections daily from Tirana Airport to Durres. The price is 600 lek per direction, and the journey takes 40 minutes without traffic. The bus drops passengers off at the bus station on Rruga Adria Street. Timetables can be found on the Getbybus website.
From Tirana City to Durres
Bus: Buses to Durres depart from the bus station located about 5 kilometers northwest of the city center. You can find the location on Google Maps by the name Terminali i Autobusave të Jugut dhe Veriut or South and North Albania Bus Terminal. You can find the location on Google Maps here.
Get on any bus with "Durres" written on the windshield. Buses to places like Gjirokaster, Fier, Berat, Vlore, Permet, Lushnje, Rrogozhine or Tepelene also pass through Durres. Make sure to confirm with the driver that the bus goes through Durres.
Inside the bus/van, you pay directly for the ticket in cash in lek. The trip costs about 150 lek and the travel time is 35-45 minutes. The bus will drop you off at the main bus station on Rruga Adria Street.
Taxi: Travel time by taxi is 35 minutes without traffic. The average cost by taxi is 3000-4000 lekes. Even though the taxis run by meter, agree the fare with the driver in advance to avoid big surprises.
Weather in Durres
Winter: From December to February, it's cloudy and rainy. The daily high temperatures vary between 5-15°C. At night, the temperatures can drop below zero frequently.
Spring: From March to May, the rains are reduced, and the sun is out. The daily high temperature in March climbs up to 10-15°C, but in May it's already at 20°C.
Summer: From June to August, the sunshine is pretty much guaranteed. The temperature climbs constantly up to 30°C and above.
Autumn: September is still a warm month, and the temperature stays clearly above 20 °C. In mid-October, the weather cools down to 20°C, and it starts to rain more often. In November, the temperature is already at around 15°C.
Durres Pros and Cons
- Beautiful beaches
- Affordable price level
- English is widely spoken
- Swarms of mosquitoes in the evenings
- Stray dogs might be a nuisance, although they are calm
- Streets are rugged in some areas
Photos: Jussi Ryynänen
