Travel guide Albania
This Mediterranean destination, within the Balkans, is not well known. Yet what a gem! In northern Greece, facing the heel of the Italian boot, between the West and the East, Albania was marked by the wealth of great riverside civilizations: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans and, of course, by the Illyrians, direct ancestors of the Albanians. The destination is therefore distinguished by its archaeological treasures. Albania, recently opened to Western tourism, has in recent years attracted a new clientele fond of sunny coasts, mountains (70% of the country), lakes and wild forests. Turquoise water creeks or mountain hikes, you have the choice.
Facing Corfu, there is the seaside resort of Saranda, you can also visit Tirana, the capital, a bustling city, a university town and the symbol of an overthrown dictatorship. To the south-east, Korça stretches over the slopes of Moravia, a small town with a rich heritage, mosques and churches with Byzantine influences. Here is brewed a beer that is appreciated throughout the country. The coastline extends over 362 km, along the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea. From natural and archaeological sites to historic villages, from museums to historic monuments, Albania's tourist guide will help you discover all these attractions. The most popular sites are Lake Ohrid, the village of Berat and its castle or the National Historical Museum of Tirana. In summer, tourism is concentrated on the shores of the Adriatic Sea where the southern coast offers huge sandy beaches. Your Albanian tour guide will help you make the right choices.
What to see, what to do Albania?
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When to go Albania ?
When to go to Albania? This destination remains affordable even at the height of the tourist season. Be aware that some restaurants in the seaside resorts close in winter. If it is the sea and the high temperatures that attract you, the climate is favorable from the beginning of June to the end of September. In the off-seasons, it remains pleasant. In winter, snow can be a handicap in high altitudes. To travel in a different time frame and discover the local cultural life, plan your visit during the religious holidays of Easter, Catholic or Orthodox version, the Muslim holidays of Eid-el-Kebir or Eid-el-Fitr, or during Mother Teresa's Day (October 19). Since several religions coexist in Albania, even during Ramadan you will find bars, restaurants and stores open during the day. The majority of tourists are locals or neighbors of Albania, the number of foreigners from the West is still anecdotal. So throughout the year, you will never be in the crowds associated with mass tourism.
In winter, snowfalls are quite frequent at high altitudes, winters are milder and rainy on the coastal plains. In summer, average temperatures are lower in the mountainous regions than in the coastal areas, but with greater daily variations. Thus, central and western Albania experience high temperatures (40 °C), caused by hot winds from the sea. The inland basins and river valleys have the highest temperatures, but the nights are almost always cool. Average precipitation is high especially in the central highlands. Hot vertical currents from the Mediterranean cause frequent thunderstorms in summer, with strong winds. Finally, in the west of the country, the Boga Valley is one of the wettest areas in Europe.
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Although Albania is a relatively small country in terms of geography - the size of Brittany - you should not forget that it is also an extremely mountainous country where any journey takes time, especially if you are dependent on public transport. In addition to its rugged relief, you have to add the state of the roads, which often do not allow you to drive very fast, and certainly not at night, if you are motorised. In short, you can't expect to cover the whole country in a single week. On the other hand, a trip of two to three weeks will allow you to discover the main regions of the country in depth. But in one week you will also be able to choose from its rich and varied heritage: Butrint the ancient city, Berat the Ottoman wonder, Gjirokastra the fascinating stone city of Ismail Kadaré, or of course the "big blue" of the "Albanian Riviera".
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How to go Albania
How to go alone
Local tourists are in the majority and there are many accommodations, especially in rural and coastal areas. It is easy to organize a stay alone in Albania. Hiking is possible by following the paths of Via Dinarica through the Balkans, marked out. Local service providers. It is possible to book a hotel or a room in a private home from France. You can also stay on site directly. In town, your credit card is accepted, otherwise bring cash.
How to go on a tour
Tourism has been developing in Albania since the early 2000s. More and more tourist companies are putting it in their catalog, at affordable prices. You can choose between seaside stays, trekking and tours to discover archaeological sites and heritage.
How to get around
Gasoline and car rentals are similar in price to those in France. Same price for a 4 x 4 rental with driver. The cities are connected by buses at very affordable prices. Large buses are generally a little more expensive than minibuses, but are also more comfortable. As for the train, whose network is limited, it costs almost nothing, but is extremely slow.
Featured articles Albania
Discover Albania
What comes to mind when you hear its name? The "land of eagles" often fascinates as much as it worries. Between the illustrious writer Ismaïl Kadaré and the infamous Communist dictator Enver Hoxha, who closed the country in on itself for thirty years, today images of beautiful beaches, picturesque mountains and sublime landscapes emerge. Long inward-looking, Albania is finally opening up and revealing itself, despite a still difficult economic situation. Yet the country has many other little-known treasures. Situated on one of the routes linking the West and the East, the country has attracted the covetousness of the various Mediterranean powers since Antiquity. It's an ancient nation, with its own language, culture and more than 2,000 years of history. With its heritage, its landscapes and its hospitality, this country will never cease to surprise you.
The 12 keywords Albania
1. #Eagle
You won't be able to miss it: the Albanian national flag is red with a black double-headed eagle spreading its wings in the center. This double-headed bird of prey is a legacy of the banner of the Byzantine Empire, which is also found on the Serbian and Russian flags... In Albania, the double-headed eagle was the symbol of the hero Skanderbeg in the 15th century.
2. #Bektashism
Founded in the 15th century, this Muslim brotherhood, renowned for its great tolerance of other religions, is recognized as a religion in its own right in Albania. It was instrumental in the creation of the Albanian state in 1912, and continues to influence a large part of the population.
3. #Bunkers
Estimated at more than 700,000 in the 1980s, they are scattered throughout the country, mainly on the coasts and borders. Most of these remnants of the communist era were built in the 1970s, after Albania withdrew from the Warsaw Pact, to protect the country from possible invasion.
4. #Burek
It's a delicious minced meat or vegetable pie with phyllo dough eaten on the go. Restaurants serve it practically non-stop, and it's generally possible to eat it at any time of day. All towns and villages abound in stalls where you can eat it at ridiculously low prices.
5. #Gëzuar
It literally means "here's to your happiness". This expression, which is very common in everyday life, is often used during a raki break or any other consumption of beverages, alcoholic or otherwise. In short, it's a word to remember if you're invited to share a moment of conviviality with locals.
6. #Illyria
The propaganda of the Zog and Hoxha dictatorships has left its mark: many Albanians are convinced that they are the direct descendants of the Illyrians. In fact, this little-known civilization, present in the western Balkans until the Roman conquest, is a bit like the Gauls to the French, i.e. very old cousins ..
7. #Kadaré
Born in 1936 in Gjirokastra, the poet, short-story writer and novelist Ismaïl Kadaré is considered one of the greatest contemporary writers. He is, without doubt, the most widely read Albanian author abroad. In recent decades, it is mainly through his works that Westerners have discovered - or not completely forgotten - Albania.
8. #Kanun
For centuries, much of Albania has been governed by this customary law. According to the Kanun, the loss of life can only be redeemed by another life: this is the vendetta, in Albanian gjakmarrja, literally the "taking of blood". It has become something of a custom, and is still followed in the northern regions of the Albanian-speaking area.
9. #Mercedes
From the 1990s to 2010, the Mercedes was the Albanian car par excellence. They come in all shapes and sizes, from antique 200Ds to the latest 4 x 4s, as well as numerous vans converted into minibuses and sedans used as driving schools. The old 200Ds, simple and robust, are particularly popular.
10. #Mountains
Albania is a mountainous country. The average altitude here is 708 m and the highest point in the country, Mount Korab, is 2,751 m. The Albanian mountains are relatively young and are part of the Dinaric Alps, an extension of the great chain of the Alps. Compact and often difficult to access, they delight all hikers.
11. #Raki
Rakia is one of the country's most widely consumed spirits, along with wine and beer. Generally distilled from grape juice, this brandy is drunk as an aperitif, digestif or sometimes even in the morning, with coffee. The Albanians also make it from blackberries or plums. Raki is on sale in most stores.
12. #Skanderbeg
He is THE national hero of the Albanians. After being trained by the Ottomans, he fought them for almost twenty-five years, with such heroism that his fame spread beyond their borders. Antonio Vivaldi composed an opera in his honor, Scanderbeg, and Pierre de Ronsard dedicated a poem to him, as did the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
You are from here, if...
You say no ... with a shake of the head, sometimes leading to misunderstandings!
You're proud of your country and its riches, and can talk for hours about the differences between the Tosques and the Guègues, the two Albanian ethnic groups in the majority.
Ofcourse, you've already read a book by Ismaïl Kadaré, but you also appreciate other national writers such as Fatos Kongoli.
You're always pleasantly surprised and welcoming when a foreigner takes an interest in your country. You'll tell them, for example, how the dordolec and kukull, scarecrows, dolls and teddy bears hanging outside houses, ward off the "evil eye".
You have a cousin who most likely lives in Greece, Italy or the USA.
You're not too fond of the film Taken, starring Liam Neeson, which still portrays your compatriots as kidnappers and traffickers.
On the whole, if you're from here, you're not too fond of certain clichés..