Top 6 Skiing Centres In And Near Albania You Should Absolutely Visit

With a Mediterranean climate, you can expect Albania to get chilly during the winter season from November to March, especially in its inland area. So, to make good use of those months, it’s best to harness your inner enthusiasm and go skiing where the snow’s thickest!

While skiing is not super popular in Albania, there are a few skiing centres in and near Albania you can visit. We’ve shared them all in this blog post, along with their availability and prices to keep into consideration.

Key Takeaways:

• There are six main skiing resorts to consider visiting, with slopes that can go up to 1.6 km.
• Skiing in the country is generally limited from October to February, but some can stay open for longer depending on the annual snowfall.
• Some of the most popular resorts, specifically in Albania, include Ski-Pista Bigëll, Natyral Razma Resort, and Voskopoja Ski Resort.

Ski-Pista Bigëll

When it comes to cosy settings that take your breath away, I don’t think one beat Ski-Pista Bigëll. With three slopes up to almost 1.6 km, this is undoubtedly the place for daring tourists. However, its biggest draw, for me at least, was the family-oriented ambience and setting.

Wooden furniture, simplistic yet relaxing music, and traditional Albanian cuisine are all a must! While I somewhat found the experience “too” rustic due to the limited on-site technology, I appreciate the setting and atmosphere in which they were going. There are also enough accommodations for beginners and intermediate skiers so they don’t feel left out.

• Location: Dardhë
• Availability: December–February
• Average Price: €136 per night.

Natyral Razma Resort

The Natyral Razma Resort’s facilities and accommodations make it one of the best modern-style skiing centres in Albania. While the ski area near the resort is similar to what I shared in the Boga Alpine Resort, the main attraction is definitely the built-in infrastructure and hospitality of the resort.

It has clean reception, free Wi-Fi, a spa and wellness centre, and a superb swimming pool. If you’re someone who wants to keep in touch with their devices and the rest of the world while enjoying nature’s beauty, the Natyral Razma Resort has the best of both worlds—even their food blew my socks off!

• Location: Razëm
• Availability: All year
• Price: €90 per night

Brezovica ski resort

For resorts near Albania, the Brezovica Ski Resort in Kosova is arguably my top recommendation. Talking about the resort, they offer activities like snowshoeing, ice skating, sledging, dog sledging, and snowmobile tours. If you’re a thrill-seeker, Brezovica having Kosovo’s only ski jump with night skiing and après-ski activities will interest you.

For the skiing experience, you can choose any place on 15.6 km of slopes, with the longest one stretching up to 800 m. You will also find three ski-lift transports to take you anywhere on Sar Mountain.

There’s a lot of variety for veteran, intermediate, and beginner skiers, and it’s the longest-active ski resort since the snow remains for almost 300 days. Furthermore, with the resort’s official website quoting actual championships being held at this location, there’s merit to its reliability and quality over the years.

However, keep in mind that this area can get very crowded during wintertime.

• Location: Kosovo
• Availability: December–March
• Price: €22 per day

Boga Alpine Resort

Located within 29 km of Theth National Park in Bogë, the Boga Alpine Resort is an exceptional tourist destination ripe with tons of activities, including a skiing centre you can visit during the winter season. Since it offers skiing in the majestic Albanian Alps, you can imagine how lovely the scenery is when you slide down its 3 km of slopes.

There’s a reliable cable car that lets you scale the mountains easily, and if you want to explore additional activities, the hiking experience is also remarkable. Aside from skiing, the resort has great cuisine coupled with clean rooms, campgrounds, and friendly staff to top it all off.

There’s a hint of cosiness here since the resort is technically a Guest House, and with an accommodation of up to 60 people, most of whom have had great things to say about the resort, you’ll likely find positive company.

• Location: Bogë
• Availability: December–March
• Price: €30 per night

Voskopoja Ski Resort

One of my biggest challenges while visiting ski centres in Albania, or even travelling around the country in general, was the language barrier. Finding locals or receptionists who spoke fluent English was often difficult, which confused me during basic communication.

Fortunately, the ski resort in Voskopoja stood out in this regard. Its welcoming and friendly staff not only understood English well but went out of their way to assist foreign visitors, including me.

Compared to other resorts, this was one of the most affordable skiing centres in and near Albania, but it didn’t sacrifice quality to achieve that. Overall, the attention to detail and their effort to accommodate international tourists set Voskopoja apart as a destination worth considering for both novice and experienced skiers alike.

• Location: Korçë
• Availability: All year
• Price: €10-15 per day

Dajti Ekspres

The moment you set foot in Albania, you’ll hear about the famous Mount Dajti, located east of the capital city, Tirana. The skiing experience here is mainly self-organized since there’s no established resort to provide equipment and other facilities.

That said, however, when I did bring my gear to the mountain and ski, the experience was leagues apart, with incredible wildlife, scenic beauty, and, of course, massive slopes that stretch almost as long as the mountain.

My go-to service for getting atop Mount Dajti was Dajti Ekspres, which provided a solid cable car to take me and my friend to the top. We stayed at the hotel (right when you land), which has a great reception, food selection, and other facilities like a mini-golf course. While this is not directly related to skiing, it’s a fun sport to try when in the area.

• Location: Tirana
• Availability: All year except Tuesdays
• Price: €7 for a Cable Car roundtrip

Conclusion

The skiing centres in and near Albania have their own merits and reasons for visiting them. They offer a thrilling and memorable experience to all types of skiers, and not only!  You can get a taste of Albanian cuisine, adventure, apres-ski activities, and much more, as well as experience the country in the winter season.

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