Useful addresses to prepare your trip Albania

Located on the shores of Lake Shkodra, this border post (Vendkalimi Kufitar Hani i Hotit, Granični Prijelaz Božaj) is the main crossing point between Albania and Montenegro. From here, you can quickly reach Podgorica, the Montenegrin capital, 23 km to the northwest. But waiting at customs can take 1h30 in summer. Less busy, the Muriqan-Sukobin border post (16 km south-west of Shkodra) provides access to the coastal towns of Ulcinj and Bar.

This border crossing (Vendkalimi Kufitar Qafë Thanë, Граничен Премин Ќафасан/Graničen Premin Kafasan) is the main crossing point between Albania and Northern Macedonia. It is not recommended to use it because Albanian customs officers here are overzealous. Some cases of theft and corruption were reported to us. To reach Ohrid, go through the border post near Pogradec, which is safer and allows you to visit the Saint-Naum monastery.

This border post (Vendkalimi kufitar Tre Urat-Melissopetra, Τελωνείο Μέρτζανης/Telonio Mertzanis) connects Leskovik with the pleasant Greek town of Konitsa (population approx. 6,000, mostly Aromanians), at the entrance to the Vikos-Aoos National Park. The border is marked by the Sarantaporos, a tributary of the Vjosa (Aoos in Greek). We're 62 km northeast of Ioannina, where the Egnatia freeway crosses Greece from east to west.

Open to vehicles since 2021, this border crossing (Pika Kufitare Krushevë-Shishtavec, Granični Prelaz Kruševo-Šištavec) provides direct access from Shishtavec to the superb Gora region at the southern tip of Kosovo. Previously, you had to make a 68 km detour via the Vermica-Morina post (between Kukës and Prizren), then Dragaš. Alternatively, there is a pedestrian border crossing between Borja and Globočica/Glloboçica.

This border post (Vendkalimi Kufitar Vërmicë-Morinë, Granični Prelaz Vrbnica-Morina) is the most important crossing point between Albania and Kosovo, at the junction of the A 1 (Albania) and R 7 (Kosovo) freeways. It provides quick access to the beautiful town of Prizren (17 km to the northeast), the remote Gora region (27 km to the southeast) and the Šar Mountains National Park. Pristina lies 95 km to the northeast. Controls are generally rapid.

Reopened in 2003, this crossing point with Montenegro (Vendkalimi kufitar Vermosh-Guci in Albanian, Granični Prijelaz Grnčar in Montenegrin) has enabled the Vermosh valley to develop thanks to hikers and tourists coming from the Prokletije National Park (166 ^km2), just across the border. The valley is 12 km from the Montenegrin village of Vusanje, from where Theth can be reached via a well-marked trail in the Peaks of the Balkans network.

This border post (Vendkalimi Kufitar Kapshticë-Krystallopigi, Τελωνείο Κρυσταλλοπηγής/Telonio Krystallopigis) is an important crossing point with Greece. Greek police officers mainly check tobacco and alcohol authorized in very small quantities. The crossing time is usually 15 to 20 minutes, but can sometimes take up to 3 hours. You can then reach Kastoria (31 km), Kozani (96 km), Meteora (152 km), Ioannina (186 km) or Thessalonica (213 km).

This border post with Greece (Kalimi Kufitar i Qafë Botës, Τελωνειο Μαυρομάτι/Telonio Mavromati) is Albania's southernmost crossing, and controls are generally swift. It is located at the Bota pass, at the foot of the Kllogjer/Kalogeros hill (810 m above sea level). It leads to the village of Sagiada, the Kalamas delta nature reserve (85 ^km2), and the port town of Igoumenitsa (29 km to the south), where you can embark for Italy.

This border post (Pika kufitare e Kakavijës, Τελωνείο Κακαβιάς/Telonio Kakavias) is the main crossing point with Greece, 30 km southeast of Gjirokastra and 60 km northwest of Ioannia (Ιωάννινα in Greek, Janina in Albanian). On the Greek side, you'll find the deep Vikos Gorge and the superb Zagoria region (Pinde and Vikos-Aoos national parks), the tomb of Ali Pasha (in Ioannina), a major bus station and an airport (in Ioannina).

This border post (Vendkalimi Kufitar Goricë-Stenjë, Граничен Премин Стење-Горица/Graničen Premin Stenje-Gorica) lets you discover Lake Prespa on the North Macedonian side. It's located near Стење/Stenje (population 300), at the entrance to Galičica National Park and close to the road to Lake Ohrid. To the southeast of the lake, we're waiting for the opening of the Markova-Noga-Lemos border post with Greece so we can make the full tour of the Prespa Lakes.

Many other small post offices are scattered across the city, signaled by yellow and blue signs «Posta Shqiptare». As elsewhere in the country, they are usually open Monday to Friday from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. and Saturday from 8 a. m. to 1 p. m.

The consulate also has a dedicated telephone number, +355 4 227 49 60. In the event of a consular emergency, an emergency number is available on 0692 071 961.

This border crossing (Vendkalimi Kufitar Tushemisht-Shën Naum, Граничен Премин Свети Наум/Graničen Premin Sveti Naum) is located between the village of Tushemisht (population 300), in Albania, and the Orthodox monastery of St. Naum, in Northern Macedonia. The latter, founded between 893 and 905 by St. Naum of Ohrid, is one of the most important places of pilgrimage in the Balkans. The border crossing also allows you to reach the city of Ohrid, 31 km to the north, by following the lake (minibus).