Hotels in Durrës

Durrës: Albania's Adriatic Port City

Durrës sits on the Adriatic coast, 38 km west of Tirana, making it Albania's busiest seaport and second-largest city. Founded by Greek colonists in 627 BC as Epidamnus, it later became the Roman city of Dyrrachium — a key terminus of the Via Egnatia, the ancient road linking Rome to Constantinople. The Amphitheatre of Durrës, built in the 2nd century AD and seating up to 20,000, remains one of the largest Roman amphitheatres in the Balkans and sits partly beneath the old city quarter.

Where to Stay and Getting Around

Hotels concentrate along the Plazhi i Durrësit beachfront strip, a 5 km arc of Adriatic sand that draws Albanian and Kosovar summer visitors from June through August. The old city (Lagjja e Vjetër) holds most historic monuments, including Byzantine-era city walls and the Archaeological Museum on Taulantia Boulevard. Budget and mid-range properties dominate; ferry connections run year-round to Bari and Ancona in Italy.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Direct trains link Durrës to Tirana in about 40 minutes; the station is central.
• Beach crowds: July and August draw peak domestic tourism — book hotels at least three weeks ahead.
• Currency: Albanian lek (ALL); card acceptance is limited outside larger hotels.
• Ferries: The Durrës–Bari crossing takes roughly 8–9 hours overnight.