Roman Amphitheatre of Durres
A large Roman amphitheatre set among apartment blocks in the middle of town. Visitors can see the stone seating, underground passages and a small Byzantine chapel with old wall mosaics.
Durrës
Easy to reach from Tirana and the airport, this busy port city has a Roman amphitheatre and long sandy beaches.
Attractive locations
Durres Archaeological Museum
A museum on the seafront that displays finds from ancient Dyrrachium, including statues, pottery, coins and jewellery from the Greek, Roman and later periods. It is a good introduction to the city's long history.
Durres Castle and City Walls
Stretches of the old city walls and towers survive in the centre, some dating to Byzantine times and later strengthened. They show how the port was defended and are an easy short walk.
Beach of Durres
A long sandy beach curving along the bay beside the port, backed by a promenade of cafes and hotels. It is popular with Albanian families in summer.
Venetian Tower
A round stone tower near the harbour, part of the old fortifications and linked to the period of Venetian influence on this coast. It is a brief stop beside the surviving city walls.
Airports
Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa TIA
It is about 26 km in a straight line from Durrës.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Albania page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan9.6 °C117 mm
- Feb10.0 °C106 mm
- Mar12.1 °C97 mm
- Apr14.8 °C77 mm
- May18.7 °C66 mm
- Jun23.0 °C47 mm
- Jul25.7 °C27 mm
- Aug26.0 °C28 mm
- Sep22.6 °C88 mm
- Oct18.9 °C110 mm
- Nov15.3 °C138 mm
- Dec11.2 °C136 mm
Driest months: Jun, Jul, Aug. Wettest months: Jan, Nov, Dec.
Costs
Prices here are about 46% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
112. Police 129. Ambulance 127. Fire 128.
local government
State Police (Policia e Shtetit)
Helps with: Albania's national police. Its website lists 129 and 112 as the numbers to call, and an email address. The pages found show no separate tourist police unit.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Albania who needs the police, including visitors.
Phone: 129
Email: [email protected]
local government
National Tourism Agency (AKT)
Helps with: Albania's national tourism agency, based in Tirana. Contact it by email or at its office for tourism information. Its contact page shows no usable phone number.
Who qualifies: Anyone visiting Albania or planning a trip there.
Email: [email protected]
Address: Gjergj Fishta Boulevard, Shallvaret Palace A12, 1010 Tirana
ngo
Albanian Red Cross (Kryqi i Kuq Shqiptar)
Helps with: Albania's national Red Cross society. Its programmes include disaster response, first aid training, psychosocial support, blood donation and help for vulnerable people. Contact its Tirana headquarters.
Who qualifies: People in Albania who need its disaster, first aid, social or health support.
Phone: +355 4 22 22 037
Email: [email protected]
Address: Rruga Pjeter Budi, Building 19, Entrance 10, Tirana
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Albania
Helps with: The UN migration agency. Its Albania office works on migration management, crisis response and migration policy, and has worked in the country since 1992.
Who qualifies: Migrants and authorities working on migration in Albania. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Email: [email protected]
Address: Rr. Brigada VIII, P. LID, Kati III, Ap. 303, Tirana
embassy
Foreign embassies in Albania (official diplomatic list)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Albanian foreign ministry's State Protocol diplomatic list (January 2026) lists the missions in Tirana with contact details.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.
local government
National Civil Protection Agency (AKMC)
Helps with: Albania's civil defence agency, which leads disaster risk reduction and emergency response. Its page gives 112 as the emergency number, plus an office address and email in Tirana.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Albania affected by an emergency or disaster.
Phone: 112
Email: [email protected]
Address: Ministria e Mbrojtjes, Rruga e Dibres, Garnizoni Skenderbej, Building 36, Tirana