Wellness Vacations in Albania
Albania is a country with plenty of fresh air and wilderness. Soaring mountains, free flowing rivers and peaceful valleys make wellness vacations in Albania a fabulous way to unwind. As many of the worlds famous tourist locations struggle with over tourism and crowding, Albania is still relatively quiet on the tourist front. This means there are plenty of beautiful locations to explore, relax and rejuvenate in.
In this post, we highlight the best places for wellness vacations in Albania. We have included some amazing retreats that organise everything for you, as well as highlighting some wellness locations in Albania that you can visit yourself. As a little bonus, we look at some of the amazing spa hotels Albania has to offer!
Wellness Vacations in Albania – All Inclusive Retreats
Let’s start with some of the all inclusive wellness vacations in Albania. These typically included transfers to and from the airport (Tirana), food, accommodation and most of the activities provided over the course of your stay. If you don’t want to have to organise much yourself, this is a nice easy option for a relaxing wellness vacation in Albania.
Ascension Detox Retreat in the Albanian Riviera
Escape for a week and recharge your body and mind in the Albanian countryside. This 7 day retreat near Orikum, on the stunning Albanian Riviera, starts your days with spectacular sunrises. Days activities include, yoga, hiking, juicing and evening stargazing. You will also be offered a guided detox with all meals provided. What an amazing way to unplug and get back in touch with yourself! You can book your trip HERE.
Creative Writing Retreat in Albania
If you feel like diving into your creative side, this retreat in Albania might be for you. To get your creative juices flowing, you will stay in a beautiful villa that you will share with a few rescued farm animals. As well as the inspirational setting near the town of Finiq, you will attend regular workshops and group sessions to support your writing – at whatever stage you may be at. You can book your trip HERE.
Yoga Retreat in Përmet, Albania
This is definitely one of the most popular yoga retreats in Albania, and its easy to see why. Yoga sessions include Restorative, Nidra, Iyengar and Vinyasa Flow yoga sessions as well as an alignment workshop, Pranayama, and regular meditation. The best thing is that any level of yogi can benefit from this amazing wellness vacation in Albania.
One of the most special aspects of this retreat is the Location. Përmet, Albania, is surrounded by nature, you will have a stunning view of the mountains, or towards the valley, without a hint of the hustle and bustle of civilisation. More than 120 years old, the traditional guesthouse in Përmet is declared cultural monument, and is situated about 5 kilometres from the town.
Përmet is also home to thermal springs, mud baths, natural pools and healing baths that you can enjoy. You can book your trip HERE.
Create Your Own Wellness Vacation in Albania
If you prefer working to your specific timeframe, planning your own wellness vacation in Albania is very doable. Here, we give you some ideas for amazing wellness locations in Albania that you will want to visit.
Elbasan Baths
Elbasan is a small city with developed health tourism amenities. The Elbasan sands are well-known and used springs from the Roman period. The water from the thermal springs is believed to treat numerous diseases of the respiratory tract, nervous system, skin and stomach.
Elbasan can be easily accessed via bus from Tirana and Saranda.
The Baths of Benja near Përmet
These open baths are located 14 kilometres from the southern town of Përmet, just near where the Vjosa River joins the stream of Lengarica. The temperature of these waters ranges from 26 – 32 ° C. Four of the sources are used for chronic rheumatoid arthritis, gastric disease and skin diseases. One of the sources is also used to treat stomach ailments and the other for skin treatments. Other treatments are thought to be beneficial for chronic rheumatism diseases. There is also some fabulous hiking and beautiful nature in the area, making it a fantastic wellness location in Albania.
Wellness Vacations in Albania – Leskovik Thermal Waters
Located 10 kilometres south of the small town of Leskovik, these thermal sources are rich in various salts, which treat several types of diseases. The water temperature is a toasty 29 – 40 ° C. This amazing natural area even has a centre that offers accommodation, medical assistance and hotel services.
Bilaj Thermal Resources
Bilaj is the closest thermal spring to Tirana, meaning you can visit on a day trip from the city. The water is rich in minerals such as calcium, salts, potassium, iron, magnesium and can reach a temperature of up to 55 degrees Celsius. Due to the hot temperatures, summer is perhaps not the best time to visit, but spring or autumn would be perfect!
Hiking Vacations in Albania
For us, the freedom, nature and exercise we get from hiking is one of the very best ways to decompress and reset. Albania is a fantastic place for hiking vacations! You can walk for days and still be in awe of the extraordinary landscapes. From inland peaks and valleys to coastal mountains, hiking vacations in Albania are set to become pretty popular. Here are some of our favourites.
Theth and the Albanian Alps
The tiny village of Theth is situated in the Accursed Mountains – aka the Albanian Alps. There are many hiking trails in this area. However, the easiest to access is the Theth to Valbone Pass. This can be done in either direction and there is accommodation at each end. The trail is around 17km (10.5 miles) and can be done in 6 – 8 hours. It is worth staying in the area to experience the fresh air and nature for a little longer. If you feel up for it, you can take one of the other hikes nearby – the shorter hike to the Blue Eye is also amazing!
The Albanian Alps are becoming a more popular hiking spot for tourists. It is now possible to book an organised hike for a few days or a week. You can see a few examples HERE. Most people access Theth from the northern town of Shkoder. During the winter, there is heavy snow and the roads are often closed. The best time to hike here is spring and autumn as the summer can be very hot.
Wellness Vacations in Albania – Llogara National Park and Coastal Mountains
This trail is fantastic for exploring Albania’s little-known trails and shepherd’s paths. You will pass stunning coastal views as well as ancient stone villages. Most hikers start at the Llogara National Park, near Vlore, before heading into the Ceraunian Mountains. There are mountain huts where you can refuel with some good food and rest before carrying on the trail. It is possible to continue your hike all the way to Borsh Beach along the Albanian Riviera. You can get to Vlore by bus from Tirana airport. From Vlore, it is easy to get to Llogara National Park by taxi. If you would prefer to have the trip organised for you, check out these options HERE.
The Best Spa Hotels in Albania
If your idea of relaxing and rejuvenating requires a spa hotel, we have you covered. Here are some of the best hotels for wellness vacations in Albania.
Hotel Villa Pascucci is based in the coastal city of Durres and within easy reach of Tirana. The hotel has two pools and a spa and wellness centre as well as a hammam and tennis courts.
Prado Luxury Hotel is based in beautiful Himare and overlooks the beach. There is a swimming pool, gym and private beach available here, making it a great place to relax and have your every need taken care of.
Mak Albania Hotel sits in the middle of Tirana Park in the capital city of Albania. The park is huge so you definitely don’t feel like you are in a city. But, of course, you have all the amenities available within a 10 minute walk. There are two pools, a gym and a spa on location here. There is also a restaurant that provides a really great breakfast.
How to Get There
Most of the organised retreats will include transfers from Tirana airport. There are plenty of flight options from most European cities, so Tirana is an easy place to get to. If you are making your own way, you can either fly into Tirana or the nearby Island of Corfu. There is no airport in the Albanian Riviera. So, there are two options to get there.
Option 1 is to fly to the Greek Island of Corfu. From there, you can take a 30 minute ferry to Saranda.
Option 2 is to fly to Albania’s capital city, Tirana, and travel south from there. This can be done by bus or by hiring a car. You can get to most places in Albania from Tirana airport if you travel by bus or furgon (minibus). It might take a bit of planning, but it is doable. For a guide on Albanian public transport, click HERE.
If you are short on time, a taxi will take you anywhere, as long as you negotiate a good price. Hiring a car is the easiest option. However, make sure you take out full insurance and plan your route well.
The Albanian Language
Many Albanians in the cities speak a little English but it is useful to learn a few phrases in Albanian. Like all Balkan languages, it is certainly not an easy language for English speakers. However, any attempt is greatly appreciated by the locals. Here are a few words to try out:
Hello Tungjatjeta (toon-jah-TYEH-tah)
Please Ju lutem (yoo LOO-tehm)
Thank you Faleminderit (fah-lehm-meen-DEH-reet)
Yes Po (poh)No Jo (yoh)
Goodbye Mirupafshim (meer-oo-PAHF-sheem)
The Albanian Currency
The local currency is Albanian Lek and 100Lek equates to around €1.00. Not many currency exchange centres will hold Albanian Lek so you may have to order it in advance. Most larger shops and restaurants in the cities will accept cards and there are ATMs around. However, it is still mainly a cash based society.
Where to go next
Fancy some beach time after your wellness vacation? Why not try some more of Albania’s incredible beaches?
Final note: Things change in the Balkans all the time and there is not much information online in English. We would definitely advise checking with a local where possible. We found people to be really friendly and super helpful.
Have you visited Albania already? Are you planning a trip and need more information? Drop us a message below, we would love to hear from you!
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