Corfu or Albania?

[joepyeweed]

I am taking my first cruise to the Eastern Med. this summer. One of our ports is Corfu with the option of a day trip to Albania. Having never been to either place, can people offer any recommendations as to which would be the better choice...stay and see the sites of Corfu, or venture into Albania?

[KT32]

I've never been to Albania, but Corfu is a lovely island.

 

I'd suggest Paleokastritsa if you want a beach, Achilleion if you like to tour grand old palaces and Corfu town for their forts, archaeological museum, shopping, cafe's...

[joepyeweed]

Thank you. I just now booked my excursion for Corfu. I may change my mind at some point the more research that I do. Albania sounds so interesting, maybe because it's an emerging destination. But everyone does tell me that Corfu is beautiful.

[MsWanderer]

How was Albania? Our ship doesnt offer Sarande Albania as an Excursion but we are thinking of doing it ourself as a day trip as we have been to Greece many times.

[cruisemom42]

I'm not the original poster but have been to Sarande. The city is not very lovely -- lots of communist-era buildings and new construction that doesn't have much character. It's lively though.

 

However, if the trip that you're planning would include the ruins at Butrint (outside Sarande by maybe an hour's drive), then I would recommend it. The archaeological ruins are very picturesque, set in a nice park and well worth visiting.