Good Time to Visit
Weather
Albania has a Mediterranean-type climate: hot and dry on the plains in summer (average July temperature 24-25°C), with frequent thunderstorms, whilst winters are mild, damp and cyclonic (average January temperature 8-9°C). Winters in the mountains are often severe, with annual mountain precipitation exceeding 100 cm; snow cover can last for several months. April to June and September to October are the best times to visit.
Visitors are advised to bring lightweight clothing for summer, with warmer clothing and rainwear recommended for winter.
More information on Albanian weather may be found in Climate in Albania.
Festivals
The Tirana International Film Festival takes place each December as a showplace for artists and students alike. Independence and Liberation Day is celebrated on 28 November. Other celebrations follow religious calendars.
Public Holidays
The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Albania:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| March/April (variable) | Good Friday |
| March/April (variable) | Easter Monday |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 28 November | Independence and Liberation Day |
| 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Variable* | Lesser Bairam (End of Ramadan) |
| Variable* | Greater Bairam (Feast of the Sacrifice) |
* Although Muslim holidays always fall on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date they are celebrated on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, due to the fact that the Islamic calendar is lunar whilst the Gregorian calendar is solar. Because this lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Islamic holy days usually shift 11 days earlier each successive solar year. The method used to determine when each Islamic month begins also varies from country to country.
