Balkan Adriatic by Camper: From Dubrovnik to Southern Albania

This is where your trip begins. With a full tank and vignettes for Austria, you head south via the Tauern motorway.

A quietly located lakeside campsite in Carinthia with turquoise water and mountain views, ideal as a first stop before heading to the Adriatic. In the evening, Faaker See invites you for a swim, taking the edge off the long drive.

After breakfast by the lake, you continue through Slovenia towards the Croatian coast.

A modern campsite on a wooded headland north of Zadar, with direct access to the sea and good sanitary facilities. Perfect for catching your breath after the long drive, with swimming right by your pitch.

Zadar's peninsula old town combines Roman ruins, Venetian gates and modern art: the Sea Organ turns waves into music, and the Sun Salutation installation lights up in the evening. It's well worth staying for sunset along the waterfront promenade.

Diocletian's Palace is a lived-in Roman imperial residence, with cafés, flats and the cathedral tucked inside its ancient walls. A walk through the substructure and across the Peristyle takes in a great deal of history in around two hours.

A wooded coastal campsite on the Makarska Riviera, right on the pebble beach with the Biokovo massif as a backdrop. Shaded pitches under pine trees, in a quieter, less crowded stretch of coastline.

The only campsite near Dubrovnik, well placed on the Lapad peninsula with a bus route into the old town. A practical base for leaving the vehicle behind and exploring the centre on foot and by bus at a relaxed pace.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

The fully preserved city walls enclose a marble street, monasteries and palaces, offering views over red rooftops and the sea from the ramparts. A full circuit of the walls takes around two hours; it's most pleasant early in the morning or towards evening.

Perched on a 37-metre-high rock outside the walls, this fortress offers the best view over the old town. The climb is best done in the morning; a combined ticket with the city walls saves money.

A small, family-run campsite right on the Bay of Kotor near Morinj, quiet and away from the bustle of Kotor itself. Clear water on your doorstep, with views across the fjord to the surrounding mountains.

This baroque town of stone palaces sits at the narrowest point of the bay, facing the two islands of Gospa od Škrpjela and Sveti Đorđe. A boat trip to the church island only takes a few minutes and is a real highlight.

The old town, enclosed by Venetian walls, sits at the foot of a steep mountain, up which a fortified path leads to the San Giovanni fortress. The climb of around 1,350 steps rewards you with a magnificent view over the fjord; it's more pleasant early or late in the day because of the heat.

The old serpentine road winds steeply up out of the bay in 25 hairpin bends, offering ever-changing views down into the fjord. At the top, in Lovćen National Park, lies the mausoleum of the great poet Njegoš, with sweeping views across Montenegro.

This island town of pink stone houses, connected to the mainland by a causeway, is one of the most photographed places on the Adriatic. The island itself is a private resort, but the viewpoint on the road and the neighbouring beach give you the perfect view.

A quiet, olive-shaded campsite in Buljarica Bay south of Sveti Stefan, away from the bustle of the coastal towns. The long, unspoilt pebble beach is within walking distance and perfect for a swim.

From this viewpoint you can see the famous river bend of the Rijeka Crnojevića, where the water winds in an S-curve through green hills. A short stop here gives you one of the finest panoramas in Lake Skadar National Park.

Lake Skadar is a paradise for pelicans, herons and cormorants; a boat trip glides you through lily pads and past hidden monastery islands. Several operators run tours from the village of Virpazar, best enjoyed in the late afternoon light.

A small site on the edge of Virpazar right by the water, run by a local family with their own restaurant. A quiet spot on the lake, with boat trips easy to organise right on site.

Overlooking Shkodra, this extensive fortress ruin bears Illyrian, Venetian and Ottoman layers and looks out over three rivers and Lake Skadar. The legend of Rozafa, walled into the fortress, is one of Albania's best-known myths.

A popular campsite on the banks of the Buna River on the edge of Shkodra, a good base for trips into the mountains. Shaded pitches, a pool and a restaurant make it a pleasant stop before the drive to Theth.

The small white stone church with its shingle roof is the landmark of the mountain village of Theth, surrounded by the rugged peaks of the Albanian Alps. A peaceful spot amid one of the most striking mountain backdrops in the Balkans.

A waterfall around 30 metres high, reached via a well-marked trail in about 45 minutes each way. The short walk leads through meadows and woodland, giving a good feel for the landscape around Theth.

A simple, nature-close campsite in the Theth valley, ideal for an overnight stay in the mountains before a morning hike. The facilities are basic, but the setting amid the Prokletije mountains is unbeatable.

This turquoise pool in the Kaprea river is reached via a beautiful but fairly long walk through the Nderlysa valley. The intense blue of the water and the rock cascades make the effort worthwhile; sturdy footwear is essential.

Back by the river near Shkodra, to enjoy some comfort again with a shower and restaurant after the mountain hike. A quiet evening before heading towards the coast the next day.

Berat is known as the City of a Thousand Windows, as the white Ottoman houses cling to the hillside in stacked rows. The UNESCO old town quarters of Mangalem and Gorica are linked by the old stone bridge, inviting you to wander through narrow lanes.

Berat Castle is still inhabited today: within its walls you'll find houses, Byzantine churches and the Onufri Icon Museum. From the hilltop fortress, you get a sweeping view over the town and the Osum valley.

A charming guesthouse in a restored Ottoman house in the Gorica quarter, with views of the famous Mangalem house-fronts. As there's no campsite right by the old town, a central guesthouse is the best choice here; the camper stays in level parking on the edge of town.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

About an hour southeast of Berat, the Osum river has carved a deep, narrow canyon with waterfalls and rock walls. Viewpoints along the road offer spectacular drops, and canyoning is also possible in summer.

The mighty fortress above the stone town houses a weapons collection, an amphitheatre and an American reconnaissance aircraft from the Cold War. The walls offer wide views over the Drino valley, and the complex is one of the largest castles in the Balkans.

The UNESCO old town of grey stone houses with slate roofs climbs steeply up the hillside, and in the old bazaar, craft shops and cafés line up side by side. The birthplace of writer Ismail Kadare still preserves its Ottoman architecture today.

A simple, quiet campsite on the edge of Gjirokastra with views of the castle and easy access to the old town. From here you can leave the vehicle and explore the stone town on foot.

This karst spring bubbles up from great depths, forming a brilliant blue eye surrounded by shady woodland. A short walk from the car park leads to a viewing platform above the deep-blue spring pool.

A quiet site near Ksamil, away from the busy beach bars, and a good base for the final days on the coast. From here you can reach the turquoise bays and offshore islands within minutes.

Ksamil is famous for its Caribbean-like waters and small offshore islands, some of which you can wade to or reach by pedalo. In the low season, the bays are noticeably quieter; early in the morning, you'll have the best spots almost to yourself.

The sprawling ancient city of Butrint lies between lagoon and forest, combining Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian ruins along a circular walking route. The amphitheatre, baptistery and city walls can be explored in around two hours; this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a highlight of southern Albania.

A nature-close site on Livadhi beach near Himara, right in the heart of the Albanian Riviera with pebble beaches and clear water. A good stopover on the panoramic coastal road, with swimming right on site.

The pass road climbs in hairpin bends to over 1,000 metres, opening up spectacular views down from the mountains to the Ionian Sea. At the top, in the national park, pine forests and viewing platforms invite you to stop for a break.

A quiet, olive-shaded site on the coast at Orikum below the Llogara Pass, ideal as a stage on the way back north. Swim in the calm waters of the Bay of Vlora, with the mountains at your back.

From the coast near Vlora, the longer return journey begins, heading towards the Adriatic and across the border into Montenegro.

A quiet coastal campsite in Utjeha south of Bar, shaded by olive trees and away from the busy towns. A good stopover on the way back, with a short walk to a peaceful swimming bay.

The ruined town of Stari Bar sits on a hillside above the coast, a sprawling, half-abandoned fortress town with towers, an aqueduct and old churches. A peaceful, atmospheric finale to the trip, with views over olive groves and mountains.