Best places to run in Albania

The Benja thermal baths sit beside an old Ottoman bridge at the mouth of Lengarica Canyon, a short walk and a relaxing soak.

The Karaburun Peninsula has Albania's wildest, most remote cliff-coast hiking, with hidden bays reachable only on foot or by boat.

Berat's inhabited hilltop castle is reached by a steep cobbled climb above the white Ottoman 'town of a thousand windows'.

Gjirokastra's vast hilltop fortress is one of the largest in the Balkans, with long ramparts and valley views above the stone city.

Lëkurësi Castle crowns a hill above Saranda, a short uphill walk for sunset views over the bay, Ksamil and Corfu.

Rozafa Castle sits on a hill above Shkodra with a short uphill walk and sweeping views over the lake and converging rivers.

Cape of Rodon is a low coastal headland with walks to Skanderbeg's seaside castle and a chapel above quiet Adriatic beaches.

Karavasta Lagoon is a vast coastal wetland with level birdwatching trails and beach access, ideal for easy flat walking.

Koman Lake's fjord-like reservoir is flanked by walking trails and ferry landings, often called the Norwegian fjords of the Balkans.

The quiet Prespa lakes sit in a high tranquil basin with peaceful shoreline and wetland walks far from the crowds.

The largest lake in Southern Europe offers flat lakeshore paths near Shkodra with views to the surrounding mountains.

Mount Çika (2,044m), highest of the Ceraunian range, is a strenuous climb above Llogara with 360-degree Ionian views.

Mount Dejë (2,245m) rises above the Lurë lakes, a rugged ascent rewarding hikers with sweeping views over the lake district.

Albania's highest peak in the Dinaric Alps (2,694m), a tough multi-day climb into the wild heart of the Accursed Mountains.

Rosi Peak is an out-and-back ridge hike to a Montenegrin-border saddle, a quieter strenuous alternative to the Valbona Pass.

Sacred Mount Tomorr (2,416m) is a challenging ascent with vast central-Albania views and deep cultural significance.

Tirana's Grand Park wraps shaded walking and jogging paths around a large artificial lake, the city's main green run.

This Adriatic park rings Albania's largest lagoon with flat pine-forest and shoreline paths, home to rare Dalmatian pelicans.

Butrint National Park combines a walkable UNESCO archaeological site with lagoon and wetland paths among ancient ruins.

Llogara National Park is where black pine forest meets the Ionian Sea at a 1,000m pass with sea-and-mountain panoramas.

Theth National Park is Albania's top alpine hiking base, with stone villages, rivers, waterfalls and high passes radiating from the valley.

Lurë-Dejë National Park holds a string of glacial lakes amid pine forest, including the famed Lake of Flowers with summer water lilies.

Shebenik-Jabllanicë is a wild alpine park on the Macedonian border with glacial lakes, meadow trails and brown bears.

The 'roof of Albania' is a vast park of high ridges and grassy meadows on the eastern border, ideal for big mountain days.

The legendary Valbona Pass (1,811m) is a steep climb to one of the most photographed panoramas in the Balkans, linking the Valbona and Theth valleys.

The Blue Eye is a deep sapphire karst spring reached on an easy forest trail through a protected nature park.

Grunas Waterfall is a 30m cascade reached on a moderate forest trail from Theth, the crown jewel of the Alps' waterfalls.

Sotira Waterfall plunges about 100m down forested cliffs, reached on a scenic trail through meadows below Mount Tomorr.