Albania

Albania is in South-Eastern Europe.  Its neighbours are Greece to the south, Montenegro to the north and Kosovo and Macedonia to the east. This Balkan country is wild with beautiful mountains and unspoiled beaches along its coastline. Albania also has some castles and archaeological sites. Compared to Europe Albania is extremely cheap to travel; You can grab a meal for as little as £3, A hostel with breakfast can cost as low as £5 and a hotel room for around £20. In the high season this price can vary. There are options for all budgets, I stayed in a hostel and hotel for my trip. On the downside Albania is not as developed as the rest of Europe, some of the roads and buildings are not in good condition, public transportation is limited to buses and taxies. There is little tourism infrastructure which means the country is not yet commercialised for now it still remains unspoiled by mass tourism,

Best Time to Visit

Between April – June, and September – October, the weather in Albania is between 20/28 degree Celsius, perfect for visiting the mountains and beaches.

July – August the weather is extremely hot with temperatures over 32 degree Celsius and the peak season for tourists. The summer can be terribly busy and expensive time to travel.

November – March is winter and is the low season in Albania. the weather is still good with temperatures between 15/17 degree Celsius, if you are working on a budget, this is a great time to travel as accommodation will be cheaper.

Things to do and see

The Blue Eye Albanian: Is a water spring and natural phenomenon occurring near the village of Muzinë in southern Albania. A popular tourist attraction.

The Skanderbeg Square: is in the centre of Tirana, the capital of Albania. The square is named after the Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu. The 40.000 square metres square is a very popular spot to visit while in Tirana.

The Albanian Riviera: has a growing reputation as an important music location, with many international music festivals – including Turtle Fest and Soundwave Albania – having taken place here. The seaside town of Himara is one of the Riviera’s best places to visit, while Porto Palermo Beach, Llamani Beach and Filikuri Beach are some of the area’s finest sandy stretches,

Albanian Cooking Classes: While I was in Tirana, I booked a private cooking class for less than £15 for over three hours. I met my host at a local market to gather ingredients, then we prepared three traditional Albanian dishes. Tasted several appetizers and homemade wine. For those of you that are foodies this is a great way to spend an evening or afternoon. There are similar classes all over Albania, you can book private or group classes, I made my booking through viator.

Transportation

Air: There are direct flights from London to Albania for as little as £40 return to the capital Tirana.

Roads: Many roads in Albania are in poor condition. Especially in the countryside where you may come across potholes and bumps. However, most of the roads connecting to the cities, have modern four-lane motorways and highways. Drivers drive on the right-hand side of the road.

Rail: The rail network connection is not used by passenger’s so there is no useable rail system in Albania.

Taxi: There are metered taxis all over the capital and tourist parts of Albania taxis are very cheap. However Uber does not work in Albania.

Ferry: There are two main ferry ports in Albania port Durres and Port Vlora. Port Durres is the second largest port in Albania and the most popular.

Bus: There is a Bus system that connects all of Albania, and several bus companies that do international travel connecting Albania to Montenegro and other border countries.

Food:

Albanian cuisine is mostly a Mediterranean diet. I have listed three dishes worth tasting while visiting this Balkan country.

Byrek: Is an extremely popular salty pie, eaten through out the country. The pie is made with cheese or meat and sometimes spinach.

Fish: Albania is famous for its sea food; you can eat fresh excellent fish for less then £5. The grilled fish in Albania is amazing and often severed with grilled vegetables.

Tave Kosi: is a popular dish throughout Albania made with lamb, eggs and yogurt.

Visa

Visas are not required for all EU, U.S, Canadian and Australian nationals for stays of up to 90days over a 6month period. for any other passports check before booking your flight.

Language

The official language spoken in Albania is Albanian,

Money

The official currency in Albania is the Albanian Lek. There are many ATMs in large tourist cities. Foreign credit cards are accepted in most hotels and restaurants. don’t Exchange your currency at the airport the rate is better in the city, most places will exchange commission free.

Tipping

In restaurants 10% is standard.

Social etiquette/Religion

60% of Albanians are Muslim, with Christians and other religions making up the rest. Albania is a secular country its government is not influenced by religion. many of the Muslims are also non -practicing

Adaptor

These are the two plugs associated with Albania

WIFI:

Wifi is available throughout Albania, there are also many Cafes and free hotspots around Tirana.