2023 Albania and Corfu Cycling Tour

October 14 - 22, 2023

Love Albania in partnership with Love Spain are pleased to present our 2023 Albania and Corfu Tour itinerary from October 14-22, 2023 below.   The full route in Albania and on Corfu over six cycling days totals approximately 420 kilometers and 7,000 meters of net climbing, which averages out to 70 kilometers and nearly 1,200 meters net climbing per cycling day. The trip will be strenuous at times requiring a moderate overall level of fitness to be able to complete the trip. For an additional fee, e-bikes may be available for those who wish to rent one. All daily routes are carefully chosen for their exceptional and unique beauty and overall interest. Three cycling days are in Albania and three on Corfu. One rest day is interspersed after the third cycling day so everyone has a chance to enjoy the many splendid beaches and sights on Corfu.  Road bicycles are strongly recommended.  We are staying at nice hotels along the way, and at a centrally located nice hotel on Corfu. Come join us for the adventure of a lifetime!

Itinerary

Saturday, October 14

All participants should arrive into Vlore, Albania by late afternoon. We will be staying for the night at the Ames Hotel & Spa which is where we will put together bicycles and begin cycling the following day. There are two options for flying in - either arrive into Tirana, Albania airport (we can help you find transport from there to Vlore) or fly into Corfu, Greece. If there are enough people flying into either location at similar times, we can arrange group transportation for your transfer from either airport to Vlore. If you fly into Corfu you will also have to make the short ferry crossing from Corfu across to Albania.  

Sunday, october 15

After breakfast, cyclists will depart for a 70-kilometer ride from Vlore south along the Albanian coast until you climb up and over the Logara Pass (1,000 meters) which is the mountain in the background in the photo to the right, before descending into the coastal resort town of Himare, where we will stay at the Himara Royal Hotel. The Strava route for the day is here.

monday, october 16

After breakfast we will continue riding south along the Albanian coast for 53 kilometers until we reach the ferry crossing for Corfu in the town of Sarande. The ferry takes less than an hour, and once we arrive in the island of Corfu, we will cycle a few kilometers south to our destination, the stunning, luxurious Corfu Holiday Palace Hotel where we will stay for the subsequent four nights. It has a beautiful location with a great view of the beach just south of the Old City of Corfu. The Strava route for the day from Himare to the ferry port in Sarande is here.

tuesday, october 17

We will base all three of our rides on Corfu from the Corfu Holiday Palace Hotel - making a northern loop, a western loop, and a southern loop on our respective three cycling days on the island. Today, we will take the northern loop, stopping for lunch in the beautiful little harbor of Kassiopi (pictured right) before returning southward to our hotel. The Strava route for the day is here.

wednesday, October 18

Free day on Corfu to go exploring - our hotel is close to the historic Old Town of Corfu (left). You can do whatever you want, even lay around at the hotel with cucumber slices on your eyes! Time to relax and recharge and enjoy beautiful Corfu!

thursday, october 19

After breakfast, we will take the 102-kilometer western loop from our hotel, stopping at the caves and natural beaches and harbors at Palaiokastritsa (right) before heading north and circling back to our hotel. The Strava route for the day is here.

friday, october 20

On our longest day distance-wise, we will cycle 104 kilometers to Kavos Beach on the southern tip of the island before returning along the coast back to our hotel from where we will head into and through the Old Town of Corfu and finishing the ride at the ferry port where we will catch the ferry back to Sarande, Albania (left). The last ferry departs at 6:30 P.M. which should give us a chance to catch the beautiful sunsets over Sarande where we will stay overnight at the Demi Hotel. The Strava route for our last day on Corfu is here.

saturday, october 21

After breakfast, we will depart on our last ride, a 53-kilometer jaunt to the ancient stone town of Gjirokaster, Albania where we will be spending the night at the unique, Albanian Hotel Kodra - an old stone mansion at the base of a castle, fixed up to be a hotel. Participants may choose to ride part of the way to Gjirokaster to a famous stop called the Blue Hole, a bubbling stream (ice cold) that comes out of the rocks, and then return to Sarande to take the ferry back to Corfu if they have an early departure from Corfu the following morning. We hope you can stay a little longer, however, to enjoy a last evening in Gjirokaster. It is a can’t miss town. The Strava route for the day is here.

sunday, october 22

Time to say goodbye to all the wonderful people and beautiful scenery in Albania and head home! We will help you gain transport to either Tirana airport or Corfu depending on which airport you will depart from on your return home. (We can even arrange very early departure from the hotel if your flight departs early from Tirana.) We hope you have a fantastic time on this adventure of a lifetime, and make many new friends on the trip!

Registration and Payment

In order to become an official participant in the 2023 Albania and Corfu Tour, everyone must register and pay below.  Scroll down on the registration filling in all items as you go.  Once you have completed the registration, proceed to make your payment. Final registration and payment deadline is September 15, 2023.  

The total cost of the 2023 Albania and Corfu Tour beginning on October 14, 2023 and ending on October 22, 2023 is 595 euros.   This payment does not include a credit card processing fee (additional 6%), which is also required if paying by credit card.  Payment covers all internal travel during the trip (with the small exceptions noted below), vehicle backup, lodging, and breakfasts during the entirety of the trip starting from lodging on the night of October 14, 2023 and ending with breakfast on October 22, 2023.  Lodging will normally be very high quality hotels (double occupancy and occasionally triple occupancy unless noted otherwise). 

Payment does not cover international travel, lunches, dinners, tips, snacks, drinks, entrance fees, and incidentals.  Payment will cover one ferry round trip between Sarande, Albania and Corfu. It will not cover your transport from the arrival airport at the start of your trip to Vlore, Albania or transport to your departure airport at the end of the trip. In all cases, we will work with you to help ensure you choose ideal flights for both arrival and departure at the beginning and end of your trip to ensure your transitions are as smooth and easy, and upon request, advise you so that your international travel is as cheap and comfortable as possible.

Please note that you may also pay by wire transfer, which could save you some money as the fees, especially on Wise.com are less than the credit card transaction fee. Please read instructions below in the payment section to see which option (wire transfer or credit card payment) you feel most comfortable with.

Thank you for your interest in the 2023 Albania and Corfu Tour.  If you have any questions or we can help you in any way, please do not hesitate to get in touch via the Contact Us page.  Please note that you will not be considered fully registered for the Albania and Corfu Tour until you have fully completed and submitted your registration below, emailed your passport, and made your trip payment.  In the past, places have filled up quickly so the earlier you register and pay the better.