Eleven days is enough to see Albania whole: the energy of Tirana, the Marubi archive and Rozafa in Shkodra, Lake Ohrid and the serenade city of Korçë, the stone quarters of Berat and Gjirokastër, the ruins of Apollonia and Butrint, and the turquoise run of the Riviera. This is the trip to take if it's your first time and you want all of it.
Land in the capital and feel its pace — Skanderbeg Square, the Et'hem Bey Mosque, the colour-blocked boulevards, Bunk'Art and the Blloku cafés. An easy first day to find your feet.
North to Shkodra for the Marubi photographic archive and Rozafa Castle over the rivers, then the hilltop bazaar and Skanderbeg's fortress at Krujë.
Cross to the east: the walled core of Elbasan, ancient Lake Ohrid at Pogradec, and on to Korçë — the 'Little Paris', with its old bazaar and Medieval Art museum.
A day in the highlands above Korçë — the frescoed Byzantine churches of Voskopojë and the stone mountain village of Dardhë.
The UNESCO 'City of a Thousand Windows' — the Mangalem and Gorica quarters, the castle still lived-in, and Onufri's icons in the cathedral museum.
The Greek-Roman ruins of Apollonia, then down to Vlorë — cradle of independence — for the Lungomare, Zvërnec monastery and the Narta lagoon.
A full day on the water around the Karaburun-Sazan marine park — sea caves, hidden bays and the cleanest water on the coast.
Over the Llogara Pass and down into the Riviera — Dhërmi, Ali Pasha's sea castle at Porto Palermo — ending the day in Sarandë.
Morning on the turquoise islets of Ksamil, afternoon among the layered Greek-Roman-Venetian ruins of UNESCO Butrint.
The bottomless blue of Syri i Kaltër, then up to the UNESCO 'City of Stone' — its great hilltop castle and Ottoman bazaar.
The frescoed monastery of Ardenica on the way north, a last look at the Roman amphitheatre of Durrës, then the airport.
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