In Albania the climate is Mediterranean on the coast (with mild, rainy winters and hot, sunny summers), while it becomes slightly more continental in the interior, though it becomes really cold only in mountain areas.
In the capital Tirana, which is located about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the coast, the climate is similar to that of Rome, Italy, even though the rains are more abundant in the period from October to June. Winter is mild and rainy, but sometimes at night it can get cold, while summer is hot and sunny, with some very hot days. The average daily temperature in January is 6.5 °C (44 °F), while in July and August it is about 24.5 °C (76 °F).
Here are the average temperatures of Tirana.
Average temperatures - Tirana

Tirana	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tirana	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	2	2	3	7	12	15	17	17	14	10	7	3
Max (°C)	11	12	13	18	22	27	31	32	27	22	16	13
Min (°F)	36	36	37	45	54	59	63	63	57	50	45	37
Max (°F)	52	54	55	64	72	81	88	90	81	72	61	55

Along the coast, the climate is milder, with less chance of cold nights in winter, and more effective afternoon breezes in summer.
In the cities located in the plains, but further from the sea, or those sheltered by mountain ranges (such as Shkodër), the climate becomes slightly more continental, that is, a bit colder in winter, with January averages around 5 °C (41 °F), and hotter in summer, with highs often around 35 °C (95 °F).
Moving inland, and with increasing altitude, the climate becomes much harsher, with cold and snowy winters, and progressively cooler summers. For instance, in Korçë, located in the east, 900 metres (2,950 feet) above sea level, the average temperature goes from 0.5 °C (33 °F) in January, to 21 °C (70 °F) in August.
Average temperatures - Korçë

Korçë	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Korçë	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	-3	-3	1	4	8	12	14	14	11	7	4	0
Max (°C)	4	5	9	14	19	23	27	28	24	17	12	7
Min (°F)	27	27	34	39	46	54	57	57	52	45	39	32
Max (°F)	39	41	48	57	66	73	81	82	75	63	54	45

The rainfall is plentiful along the coast, and even heavier in hilly and mountainous slopes facing west and south, so that it often exceeds 2,000 millimetres (78 inches) per year. Along the coast and in the plain, the rainfall regime is Mediterranean-like, with a maximum amount between autumn and winter, and a minimum in summer, when it seldom rains, while in mountainous areas during summer there can be some thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Here is the average precipitation in Tirana.
Average precipitation - Tirana

Tirana	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Tirana	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	135	150	130	115	120	85	30	30	60	105	210	175	1345
Prec.(in)	5.3	5.9	5.1	4.5	4.7	3.3	1.2	1.2	2.4	4.1	8.3	6.9	53
Days	10	10	11	10	9	5	4	3	5	7	12	12	98

The only sheltered areas, where it does not rain that much, are the inland valleys, such as that of Korçë, where 805 millimetres (32 inches) of rain fall each year on average. Here is the average precipitation in Korçë.
Average precipitation - Korçë

Korçë	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Korçë	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	70	80	55	60	80	45	25	25	40	80	145	100	805
Prec.(in)	2.8	3.1	2.2	2.4	3.1	1.8	1	1	1.6	3.1	5.7	3.9	31.7
Days	9	8	9	9	10	7	4	3	5	7	11	10	92

In Albania, the sun shines regularly in summer, especially in the plain and along the coast, while in the other seasons there may be sunny days, but also cloudy and rainy days.
Sunshine - Tirana

Tirana	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tirana	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Sun (hours)	4	4	5	6	8	10	11	11	9	7	4	3

The temperature of the sea is still a little cool for swimming in June, while it becomes acceptable or pleasant from July to September.
Here is the average water temperature in Durrës.
Sea temperature - Durrës

Durrës	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Durrës	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Sea (°C)	14	14	14	15	18	21	23	25	23	20	18	15
Sea (°F)	57	57	57	59	64	70	73	77	73	68	64	59

When to go

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The best time to visit the Albanian coast, for swimming and sunbathing, is summer: in July and August the sun always shines and the Adriatic sea is warm.
To visit the cities in the plains, such as Tirana or Shkodër, considering that they can be hot in summer, you can choose the months of May, June and September. October has pleasant temperatures too, but it can be quite rainy, especially in the second part.
September, a month in which the sea is slightly warmer than in June, may therefore be an interesting choice, to visit all of the country and at the same time take some rest at the beach.

What to pack in the suitcase

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In winter: warm clothes, coat, raincoat or umbrella. In mountainous areas: warm clothes, down jacket, hat, gloves, scarf.
In summer: light clothes, a sweatshirt or sweater for the evening or for the mountains.