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Is Albania Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Albania is generally safe for solo female travelers. The crime rate is relatively low and people are friendly and hospitable. Albanians are known to go out of their way to help foreigners, especially women. There is a high level of English among the younger generation, making communication easier. However, like any other place, be vigilant about personal possessions and avoid deserted areas during the night.

Albania is currently ranked #23 safest country for solo female travellers. Check the full ranking.

Safety rating

4.7 /5

Based on 55 travel experiences

3.5 /5

Based on our research and crime data

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How safe is Albania?

Safety at night:Moderate

Albania generally boasts a favorable safety record and the locals are quite friendly and hospitable. Still, like in any country, some caution is advised, particularly at night. While the central parts of major cities like Tirana are relatively secure, unlit streets and desolate areas can present some risks. Walking alone at night might not be especially dangerous, but it is sensible to be vigilant, avoid less populated areas, and use common sense to avoid potential hazards. It's always beneficial to stay in well-lit areas and preferably to travel in a group, especially during the night.

Public transportation:Moderate

Most of the public transportation in Albania, which mostly include buses and minibuses called 'furgons', is generally considered safe for travel. However, they can be crowded and may not run on fixed schedules. Taxis are plentiful in cities, and it's ideal to ensure they're licensed ones. At times, drivers may not adhere to safety regulations closely. It's always a good start to familiarize yourself with the usual routes and fares. Most travelers have not reported any instances of harassment or other concerns while using public transportation.

Street harassment:Moderate

In Albania, you might face occasional instances of street harassment, including catcalling and persistent stares, particularly in the bigger cities like Tirana. However, many women have also reported that locals are generally friendly, helpful and highly respectful to women. It truly depends on the exact location and time. Traveling during the day and sticking to populated areas can often help reduce such instances. Always trust your instincts and stay aware of your surroundings.

Petty crimes:Low

Albania has a relatively low level of petty crime, especially targeted towards tourists. The majority of Albanians are equally respectful towards both locals and tourists. However, it is always crucial to be vigilant of your belongings and surroundings, particularly in busier urban areas. Incidences such as pickpocketing or bag snatching are not common, but can occur. Using common precautions can help ward off such incidents.

Tap water:Unsafe

While the tap water in Albania's major cities may be treated, it's generally not recommended to consume it directly due to potential bacterial contamination. Locals often use bottled water, suggesting it's safer. Boiling or purifying tap water before drinking is advisable, especially for more sensitive individuals.

Is Albania safe to travel?

4.7 /5

Based on 55 experiences

Guljahon (29)

United Arab Emirates

Family travel experience

Amazing and safe country. We fell in love with nature and beauty of the country, the peacefulness of people of different religions living together. We used public transport around the country , and felt totally safe as a single mom traveling with 4 year old boy.

Posted: July 17, 2024Experienced: July, 2024

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Ece

Turkey

Group travel experience

Tirana, Berat, Gjirokaster, Sarande Lili’s restaurant in Berat is a must! Sweetest person serving home cooked meals in a tiny garden. We had the best eggplant dishes ever. We felt safe but again we were 3 women traveling together. People were very helpful, multiple times people went out of their ways to help us out. Also it helps a lot to learn some basic Albanian words, people were very welcoming.

Posted: June 25, 2024

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Remy (24)

Belgium

Solo travel experience

Hitchhiking around, felt very safe. The Albanian people are amazing, super generous and the hostels were very homy, looking like your grandma house haha I would definitely recommend travelling there and tasting the Albanian cuisine.

Posted: June 14, 2024Experienced: June, 2024

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Family travel experience

Me and my mom were traveling Albania for one week, we came by a plane to Tirana, rented a car and traveled along the coastline down all the way to Greece and then came back up to Tirana inland. During the whole week here we didn't feel unsafe or threatened, people were very friendly and helpful. The only negative experience was with the person in the rental company kiosk, who we believe ripped us off, but that's a story for another day. In the cities in the evening mostly men were outside, but they didn't seem dangerous. Overall experience was very good and we felt safe.

Posted: June 3, 2024Experienced: April, 2024

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Solo travel experience

I absolutely loved Albania!! The country is beautiful and the people there are all so kind and lovely and more than willing to help you with anything. It is a very cheap country (I paid like €12/15 for a night in a hostel on average). Also the food is cheap, although I must say it was a bit difficult finding vegetarian food while eating out. I travelled solo and there is no country where I felt more safe than Albania while traveling as a solo woman!!

Posted: May 31, 2024

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Solo travel experience

I felt very safe in Albania. Everywhere I went. I even hitchhiked, which was something I had never done alone in any other countries before! I recommend Tirana, Gjirokastër, Blue Eye, Ksamil, Butrint National Park. I would love to go back and visit more of the country. I found locals to be very nice, helpful and welcoming.

Posted: April 22, 2024Experienced: February, 2024

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Solo travel experience

Hi everyone. Visiting Tirana has been a nice experience. It took only three days to visit it all and I felt quite safe, but I didn't go out during the night though. This is a feeling visiting around during the day time. There is a lot of history and it is a city worth if you like modern history.

Posted: March 30, 2024Experienced: February, 2024

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Phoebe

United Kingdom

Solo travel experience

- felt safe throughout my time - 3 week trip during September of mid and South Albania - the coast in Albania is beautiful - of course it is a very poor country with lack of certain infrastructure I.e. no trains - Albanian people were very friendly and all the Albanian men I met were respectful and I always felt safe - highlight of my trip was Himare - recommend hiring a car and driving through the country rather than using the public bus system which is unreliable - made wonderful friends in each hostel - super cheap/affordable and access to lots of healthy foods such as juices and smoothies which I loved Probably wouldn’t return to Albania but definitely glad I went!

Posted: February 20, 2024

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Solo travel experience

I went to Albania for 5 days and visited Sarande, Ksamil, and Durres. Took the usual precautions and felt very safe and comfortable. Albania is such a fascinating country to visit but transportation is a slight challenge. Very limited/no public transport and taxis are quite expensive so I recommend to rent a car.

Posted: February 9, 2024

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Solo travel experience

I went last year and took a ferry from Corfu to Saranda. Charming promenades, lots of restaurants, and families walking around. Then I took a bus to Ksamil, beautiful beaches and Butrint. After that I took a bus from Saranda to Gjirokaster. I felt very safe everywhere.

Posted: February 9, 2024

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Is Albania safe right now?

Before your visit to Albania, it's essential to check travel advisories for Albania, including your home country's official travel advisory. These advisories can provide up-to-date information on safety, health, and any specific considerations for travelers.

🇺🇸

United States Travel AdvisoryExercise a high degree of caution

The United States Government advises exercising increased caution in Albania due to crime. Check the full travel advisory.

Last updated: July 26, 2023

🇨🇦

Canada's Travel AdvisoryTake normal security precautions

**The Canadian Government advises its citizens to take normal security precautions in Albania.** Check the full travel advisory.

Last updated: July 15, 2024

🇦🇺

Australia's Travel AdvisoryExercise a high degree of caution

The Australian Government advises exercising a high degree of caution in Albania due to limited healthcare options. Check the full travel advisory.

Last updated: February 27, 2024

Is Albania worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 55 experiences

Solo travel experience

Albania is such a fantastic destination for backpackers. It has the Northern Alps which offers hiking routes such as Valbone to Theth. The blue eye is also located near Theth. Such a wonderful place offering crystal clear and freezing water. Down south there is the beach town on Himare (my favourite). Sarande also offers beaches but it is a port city good for partying. Berat in the centre is a fantastic old town lots of history and a great fort to hike up to

Posted: July 19, 2024Experienced: May, 2024

Things to do: 4/5Food: 3/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 4/5

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Group travel experience

It's a beautiful country but the public transportation is quite difficult to figure out. The language barrier is quite difficult to overcome as there are rarely any English speaking people around and not many tourists. But there's a lot to see here from UNESCO world heritage cites to castles and wonders of the world.

Posted: May 17, 2024

Things to do: 5/5Food: 2/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 3/5

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Meet locals in Albania

Meet local women in Albania who are open to meet up for a coffee or a drink, show you around, give local advice or practice a language with.

Katie

About Me

Hey, I'm Katie! I'm from England, but I'm currently travelling across Europe in my van! I'm staying in Albania for the next 3 months, renting Air BnB's, and I would love to make some friends!

Speaking

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Jamila

About Me

I'm Jamila (they) and I'll be in the Balkans and mostly in Albania throughout the summer. I've been living abroad for a while now and I'm excited to be in the region for the first time. My main interests are social awareness, decolonial studies, poetry, contemporary psychoanalysis, conscious travel, cooking new dishes and connecting through food. I speak Portuguese, English and Spanish and I'm learning Arabic (Palestinian-Levantine). I'm open to meet people likeminded, other queer people, and to hear any recommendations you might have. Don't be shy to get in touch ☀️ #FreePalestine 🇵🇸

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Stay with locals in Albania

Stay with local women in Albania who offer free accommodation as part of cultural exchange. Couch surfing is a great way to meet new people, learn more about new cultures and experience destinations like a local.

Katie

Albania

Can host for:

3 days

About me

Hey, I'm Katie! I'm from England, but I'm currently travelling across Europe in my van! I'm staying in Albania for the next 3 months, renting Air BnB's, and I would love to make some friends!

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Haris

Albania

Can host for:

1 day

About me

Hey!, My name is Haris and I'm interested in art, architecture, business, books, dancing, education, solo travel, shopping, nature, technology, photography and live music

Speaking

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Danela

Tirana

Can host for:

3 days

About me

Hi all. I do like getting to know new people and exchange culture and good vibes. I also have a cute big dog, which is with me wherever I am.

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Beslinda

Tirana

Can host for:

7 days

About me

Hi, I'm Beslinda and I'm interested in art, books, business, cinema, culture, fashion, food & cuisine, health, languages, sightseeing, swimming, sunbathing, live music and photography

Speaking

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Emma

Tirana

Can host for:

7 days

About me

Hello, My name is Emma and I live in Tirana

Speaking

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Deena

Tirana

Can host for:

2 days

About me

Canadian traveller who’s making my way through Europe..currently nested in Tirana, Albania 🫶 looking for friends who enjoy the finer things in life (food, good laughs, exploring & the outdoors!)

Speaking

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Upcoming visitors to Albania

Connect with upcoming visitors to Albania who are looking for travel buddies or meet ups.

Silvia

About Me

Hello, I am silvia 34 years old, I am nice girl i want to discover the World i really love to travel and meet New people and culture.

Speaking

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Sharan

About Me

I’m Sharan, a 36 year of female from the UK. I travel solo often as I love travelling and getting people to commit can be hard. I work in PR and love all things wellness.

Speaking

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Safety in Albania

Tirana

Gjirokaster

Saranda

Shkodër

Vlorë

Pogradec

Elbasan

Berat

Permet

Himare

Borsh

Ksamil

Shengjin

Durrës

Golem

Fier

Check the safest places in Albania