Albania's tourism industry representatives claim that their country has potential to become a popular tourist destination. If you travel to Albania, be sure to visit these beautiful and breathtaking places.

With its mountains, sand and pebble beaches, the coastline of Ionian Sea in Himara, southern Albania, is definitely one of the best places to visit. There are two four-star hotels now, but their number is seen to increase amid sustainable tourism development.

Standing for centuries, the city of Shkodra is located on the shore of Lake Shkoder, close to the border with Montenegro. Its main tourist attraction is the castle of Rozafa built in the 3rd century BC.

The Albanian city of Berat has one major attraction which makes it a very popular among the tourists, the 14th century Church of the Holy Trinity. It is listed on UNESCO's inventory of world heritage sites. The church's walls are decorated with magnificent Byzantine frescoes that have survived to the present day.

The city of Berat is essentially an open-air museum. Its historic centre also made the UNESCO World Heritage list as its interesting architecture shows influences from the Ottoman period.

A small town of Ksamil is a great beach vacation idea with its white sand beaches and unbelievable blue color of the sea. It is an idyllic swim and sunbathing spot with affordable cafes nearby.

Situated in southern Albania, Butrint is arguably the most interesting archaeological site of the Adriatic Sea region. It was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1992. Travelers can look at ruins of the medieval Venetian castle, the Lion Gate with an impressive carving of a lion, the sanctuary of Asclepius and the Greek theater.

Albania has typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and generally mild winters. It is quite comfortable during hot summer months, especially on the coast, where the sea breeze helps you breathe easily. The April to October period is the best time to visit Albania.