Self-Launched Essential Southern Balkans: Dubrovnik to Corfu in 9 Days

Arrive into Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) and take the Atlas airport bus (around £4) to the main bus station near the port, then connect to your hostel. Spend the day exploring the UNESCO-listed Old City at your own pace — enter through the iconic Pile Gate and walk the full circuit of the city walls (self-entry ~£27, book online in advance to save queuing). Cool off with a swim at Banje Beach or Suluci Cove just outside the walls. In the evening, grab fresh seafood at one of the many konobas (traditional taverns) in the Old Town — budget around £12–15 for a meal with a drink.

🚌Atlas airport bus from Dubrovnik Airport to the port/bus station, ~£4. Walk or take local bus No. 7 to hostel.

🛏Hostel Academia or similar central hostel in Dubrovnik Old Town area — dorm bed ~£25–30/night. Book via Hostelworld or Booking.com.

• →Walk the Dubrovnik City Walls (self-entry, ~£27 — book online in advance)
• →Swim at Banje Beach or Suluci Cove (free)
• →Explore the Old City on foot via Pile Gate (free)
• →Optional: War Photography Museum (~£8)
• →Optional: Mt Srđ Cable Car (~£25 — book on GetYourGuide)
• →Optional: Sunset boat tour from the Old Harbour (~£50, bookable via GetYourGuide)

Take an early public bus from Dubrovnik bus station to Kotor, Montenegro (~£10, roughly 2.5 hours — check Flixbus or local operator GetByBus for schedules). Spend 2–3 hours exploring Kotor's walled Old Town: climb to the Fortress of St John for sweeping views over the Bay of Kotor (entry ~£6), visit St Tryphon's Cathedral (free entry), and wander the cobblestone lanes. Continue by local bus or shared taxi to Ulcinj (~£5, 1.5 hours). Check into your guesthouse and explore the atmospheric Old Town and Ulcinj Castle before watching the sunset from the beach.

🚌Public bus Dubrovnik → Kotor (~£10, ~2.5hrs). Local bus or shared taxi Kotor → Ulcinj (~£5, ~1.5hrs). Total travel ~4.5 hours.

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Ulcinj Old Town — private room ~£25–35/night. Search Booking.com for central options.

• →Kotor Old Town self-guided walk (free)
• →Kotor Fortress of St John climb (~£6)
• →St Tryphon's Cathedral (free)
• →Kotor Maritime Museum (~£4)
• →Ulcinj Old Town and Castle walk (free)
• →Sunset at Ulcinj's Long Beach (free)

Catch a morning bus from Ulcinj toward Shkodër, Albania, then onward to Tirana (~£8–10 total, approximately 3.5 hours with the border crossing). Once in Tirana, check into your hotel and head straight to Bunk'Art 2 — the extraordinary underground bunker museum in the city centre (entry ~£4, bookable at the door). This Soviet-era bunker-turned-contemporary-art-museum is one of the region's most unique attractions. Afterwards, do your own orientation walk: stroll Skanderbeg Square, admire the colourful government buildings and Et'hem Bey Mosque (free entry), and make your way to the Blloku neighbourhood for dinner and drinks.

🚌Bus Ulcinj → Shkodër (~£3, ~1.5hrs), then Shkodër → Tirana (~£5, ~2hrs). Alternatively, a direct shared minibus Ulcinj → Tirana may be available from guesthouse tips or local bus station.

🛏Budget hotel or well-rated hostel in central Tirana (near Blloku or Skanderbeg Square) — private room ~£25–35/night or dorm ~£12–15. Try Trip Advisor or Booking.com.

• →Bunk'Art 2 underground bunker museum (~£4 entry — pay at door)
• →Skanderbeg Square self-guided walk (free)
• →Et'hem Bey Mosque (free)
• →Blloku neighbourhood for food and drinks (free to explore)
• →Optional: National History Museum (~£5)
• →Optional: Sky Tower observation deck (~£3)

A free day to explore Tirana at your own pace. Head to the colourful bazaar area for local street food and fresh produce. Consider a half-day trip to Kruja — just 32 km north of Tirana and easily reached by furgon (shared minibus) from the Zogu i Zi bus junction (~£2 each way, 45 mins). In Kruja, visit the National Skanderbeg Museum and browse the traditional craft bazaar. Back in Tirana, the National Art Gallery is well worth the small entry fee (~£1.50). Wind up the evening with pre-dinner drinks in the Blloku district and dinner at Tirana Castle — a Byzantine-era castle converted into an open-air dining and shopping complex.

🚌Shared furgon from Zogu i Zi to Kruja and back (~£4 return). Local walking and city buses for Tirana exploration.

🛏Same budget hotel/hostel as Day 3 in central Tirana.

• →Day trip to Kruja by shared furgon (~£4 return)
• →Kruja Skanderbeg Museum (~£2)
• →Kruja traditional bazaar (free to browse)
• →Tirana National Art Gallery (~£1.50)
• →Tirana National History Museum (~£5)
• →Dinner at Tirana Castle restaurant area

Catch an early morning furgon or bus from Tirana's South Bus Terminal toward the Albanian Riviera, heading to Himare (~£8–10, approximately 4 hours via the scenic SH8 coastal road). Himare is a hidden gem: less touristy, backed by the Ceraunian Mountains, and blessed with crystal-clear coves. On arrival, check into your guesthouse and spend the afternoon exploring the ancient hilltop Old Town (Kalaja), with ruins of Himare Castle and sweeping sea views. Then head down to one of the secluded beach coves for a swim. Grab dinner at a local seafood tavern — the fresh catch here is excellent and very affordable (~£8–12).

🚌Bus or furgon from Tirana South Bus Terminal → Himare (~£8–10, ~4 hours). Ask your Tirana hotel for the latest departure times and pick-up points.

🛏Family-run guesthouse in Himare — private room ~£20–30/night. Search Booking.com for 'Himare guesthouse' — many include breakfast.

• →Himare Old Town (Kalaja) and castle ruins (free)
• →Swimming in the beach coves below the Old Town (free)
• →Sunset from the hilltop Old Town (free)
• →Local seafood dinner at a harbour-side tavern (~£8–12)

This is the highlight of the Albanian Riviera section. Book a local speedboat tour directly from the harbour (avoid the group tour markup — local operators charge around £20–30 per person for a half-day tour). The route typically visits Pigeon's Cave, Crystal Bay, Gjipe Beach, and the spectacular Pirate's Cave — accessible only by boat. You'll stop for swims in the caves and at beaches near Gjipe Canyon. In the afternoon, relax on the beach or explore the town. For dinner, ask your guesthouse host to recommend a sea-view restaurant for sunset — this is an unmissable evening.

🚌No long-distance transport today. Speedboat departs from Himare harbour.

🛏Same guesthouse as Day 5 in Himare.

• →Speedboat tour: Pigeon's Cave, Crystal Bay, Gjipe Beach, Pirate's Cave (~£20–30 — book directly at the harbour)
• →Swimming at Gjipe Canyon beach (included with boat tour)
• →Afternoon beach relaxation (free)
• →Sunset dinner at a sea-view local restaurant (~£10–15)

Take a morning bus or shared furgon from Himare to Gjirokaster (~£5–7, approximately 2–3 hours). This UNESCO-listed Ottoman town is one of Albania's crown jewels, with its distinctive slate-roofed tower houses cascading down a hillside. On arrival, visit the imposing Gjirokaster Fortress (entry ~£3) for panoramic views over the valley. Then, seek out one of the traditional tower houses — the Zekate House is the finest example (entry ~£2). Hire a local guide for a walking tour including Turkish coffee 'on the stone' — roasted on a fire before your eyes — for around £15–20 (ask your hotel to help arrange, or find guides at the bazaar). For dinner, look for local restaurants serving speca me gjize (stuffed peppers with cheese).

🚌Bus or furgon from Himare → Gjirokaster (~£5–7, ~2–3 hours). Departures typically in the morning — confirm with your Himare guesthouse the evening before.

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Gjirokaster Old Town — private room ~£20–30/night. Stay inside the old city for the best atmosphere. Search Booking.com.

• →Gjirokaster Fortress (~£3 entry)
• →Zekate Tower House visit (~£2 entry)
• →Local guided walk with Turkish coffee 'on the stone' (~£15–20, arranged locally at the bazaar)
• →Gjirokaster Old Bazaar self-guided walk (free)
• →Optional: Ethnographic Museum (~£1.50)
• →Optional: Ismail Kadare's House (~£1.50)

Take an early bus or shared taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda on the Albanian coast (~£5, approximately 1 hour). Saranda is a lively border town with good cafes for a pre-ferry coffee. From Saranda port, take the Finikas Lines or Ionian Seaways hydrofoil ferry to Corfu Town — the crossing takes just 30–35 minutes and costs around £15–20 each way (book online in advance at finikas-lines.com or at the port). On arrival in Corfu, check into your hotel and do your own orientation walk around the charming Venetian Old Town — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the Old Fortress (entry ~£6) and wander the narrow kantounia (alleyways). In the evening, find a spot for sunset drinks at one of the clifftop bars.

🚌Bus or shared taxi Gjirokaster → Saranda (~£5, ~1hr). Hydrofoil ferry Saranda → Corfu (~£15–20, ~35 mins). Book ferry in advance at finikas-lines.com.

🛏Budget hotel or well-rated guesthouse in or near Corfu Old Town — private room ~£35–50/night. Book via Booking.com well in advance in summer.

• →Hydrofoil ferry Saranda → Corfu Town (Finikas Lines / Ionian Seaways, ~£15–20 — book online in advance)
• →Corfu Old Town self-guided walk (free — UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• →Corfu Old Fortress (~£6 entry)
• →Optional: Corfu Archaeological Museum (~£5)
• →Optional: Mon Repos Summer Palace (~£4)
• →Sunset drinks at a clifftop bar in Corfu Town

A free final morning in Corfu — no planned activities, depart whenever suits you. If you have time before your onward journey, grab a Greek breakfast of tiropita (cheese pie) and coffee at a local kafeneion. Consider visiting the Achilleion Palace (~£8) or taking a local bus to one of Corfu's beautiful northern beaches like Paleokastritsa (~£3 each way). Corfu International Airport (CFU) is well connected to major European cities. Alternatively, ferries run from Corfu Town port to Patras on the Greek mainland for those continuing overland.

🚌Local bus to airport or port as needed. Bus from Corfu Town to airport ~£1.50. Corfu → Patras ferry available from Corfu Port if continuing to mainland Greece.

🛏Check out from hotel (or extend if desired — Corfu is very much worth extra days).

• →Greek breakfast at a local kafeneion (~£5)
• →Optional: Achilleion Palace (~£8)
• →Optional: Local bus to Paleokastritsa Beach (~£3 each way)
• →Optional: Palaiopoli Archaeological Site (~£4)
• →Departure from Corfu Airport (CFU) or Corfu Port