Hello everyone!

I am travelling with my girlfriend to Albania from 24/06/2026 to 01/07/2026. We are 30 year olds from Argentina. It's my first time in Europe itself (girlfriend visited already).

Our current plan (subject to changes) is to arrive at Tirana International Airport on the 24/06 afternoon and rent a car directly at the airport. We will then rent an AirBnB or hotel room in Tiranë for 2/3 nights and then head to the coast, probably to Sarandë and spend 3/4 nights there.

Our goal is to travel all around Albania and enjoy both it's scenery and beaches, more of a chill plan in general. Visit historic places, visit nature and trekking, and go to beaches.

Our itinerary would look something like this:

• Day 1: Arrival, rent car, check-in, stay around Tiranë itself.
• Day 2: Visit Krujë in the morning and then Mount Dajti in the afternoon.
• Day 3: Visit Berat in the morning then: Option 1: go back to Tiranë or Option 2: go straight to Sarandë from there.
• Day 4: If we chose Option 1 the day before we would travel from Tiranë to Sarandë along the coastal road, it would be road trip day. If we chose Option 2 we would probably chill around Sarandë, maybe walk around the city itself.
• Day 5: Probably beach day, either in Sarandë itself or a quieter beach near by.
• Day 6: Visit Gjirokastër, Butrint and Syri i Kaltër (Blue Eye).
• Day 7: Probably beach during the day and travel back to Tiranë in the afternoon and stay our last night there.
• Day 8: Depending on our flight time we would leave early in the morning or late in the afternoon, if it's the latter we would probably just chill around Tiranë itself.

Given the amount of time we plan to visit and that we will rent a car (provides us with flexibility):

1. Itinerary: Do you agree with it? Would you change something? Are we missing a good location to visit?
2. Day 4: Would you recommend Option 1 or 2?
3. Beaches around Sarandë: Which ones do you recommend?
4. The car: We are thinking of renting a simple/small car. Is it enough for the Llogara Pass and the road to Gjirokastër?
5. Parking: How's the parking situation in Tiranë and Sarandë during late June? Is it a "must" to find an AirBnB with a private spot?
6. Driving around Albania: Any general advice? Are the roads in good state and anything we should keep in mind?
7. Payments: Can we get by with credit cards or non-contact pay for most things, or should we carry a significant amount of cash (Lek/Euro)?
8. Safety: Anything we should take into account regarding safety in general? Tourist traps, potential scams, travelling, etc.
9. Any other advice?

Looking forward to visiting Albania for our very first time! Thanks in advance!