Albania is the hidden gem of the Mediterranean. Albania is a country located in southeastern Europe. Its capital is Tirana, the large city in the country, with more than half a million inhabitants. It borders Greece to the south, Montenegro to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and the Republic of Macedonia to the east.
Albania is a mountainous country, with average heights of over a thousand meters. In the northern part of the country are the foothills of the Dinaric Alps, where limestone and sandstone predominate. Its maximum height is Mount Korab with about 2,764 m and borders with Serbia. It has few lowlands and represents only 15% of the country’s territory: these lowlands are located on the littoral plain and with narrow valleys.
It has approximately 450 km of coastline. The Adriatic coast located to the north is low and swampy, it has few natural harbours except the exception of Vlore. The coast of the Ionian Sea is jagged and dotted by gulfs and headlands due to the proximity of the mountains. This coastal area is known as the Albanian Riviera.
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COUNTRY NAME: Albania
LOCATION: Southeastern Europe
CAPITAL: Tirana
LOCATION: 27 miles east of the Adriatic Sea Coast
COORDINATES: 41.15330 N, 20.16830 E
AREA: 28,748 km2
ELEVATION: Average Elevation: 708 meters (2323 ft.)
NATIONALITY: Albanian
CURRENCY: Albanian lek
CALLING CODE: +355
TIME ZONE: GMT +2
NEAREST AIRPORT: Tirana International Airport (TIA)
LANGUAGE: Albanian, Greek, Macedonian, Romani, Italian, English
RELIGION: Islam, Christianity
CLIMATE: Mediterranean climate: Hot & dry summer, mild & wet winter
SEASONS: 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter
Where is Albania?
Albania is a country in the Southeastern part of Europe. The capital is Tirana. And The state language is Albanian. Currency – Albanian Lek. Located in the south-east of Europe on the coast of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. The Strait of Otranto separates Albania from Italy. In the northeast, it borders on Serbia, partially recognized by the Republic of Kosovo, in the northwest – with Montenegro, in the east – with North Macedonia, in the southeast – with Greece.
Albania is a naturally beautiful nation between Greece and Italy. It is only 638 km away from Italy. The borders of Albania are the Adriatic Sea on the west, Montenegro on the northwest, the Republic of North Macedonia on the east, Kosovo on the northeast and Greece on the south. The latitude and longitude of Albania is 41.15330 N, 20.16830 E.
What is Albania known for?
The Nobel Prize winner, Mother Teresa was from Albania, she helped the poor and needy people in Kolkata. She remains the only Nobel Prize winner from Albania till today’s date. Even though Albania is small in area, it brags over 3,250 species of plants, which is that 30 per cent of all vegetation in Europe. You will enjoy the finest places of Albania through the fifteen National Parks. Among all the Parks, the famous is Llogara, which is the best for dynamic greenery and fauna. Next to famous and exquisite one is Butrint, also registered under UNESCO World Heritage.
Albania has been a free nation for over 108 years ago. It draws beachcombers, foodies interested by unique traditional cuisine and history buffs trying to seek out a wealthy social legacy. One among the prettiest city of Europe is Berat, which once was a wilderness town of the Byzantine Realm. Per a survey by the Japanese visitor board, Bizarrely, Berat brags a UNESCO prescribed ancient town and was evaluated as one of the foremost wonderful places in Europe.
What is the history of Albania?
The Albanians are descended from the ancient Illyrians, who were an Indo-European people who migrated from Central Europe to the south, arriving in northern Greece in the early Iron Age. The southern Illyrians maintained very frequent contact with the Greek colonies, while the Albanian tribes were attached to the ancient structures of the local monarchs. Of them, it is worth highlighting King Agron of the second half of the s. III BC and whose reign extended from Dalmatia to the Vijose River.
It was in 168 BC that the Romans arrived and conquered all of Illyria and the Albanians were part of the prosperous Roman province of Illyricum. With the fall of the Roman Empire after AD 295. c, this region was attached to Constantinople. In the 5th and 6th centuries, there were three Byzantine emperors of Illyrian origin Anastasius I, Justin I and the better-known Justinian.
From the 3rd to the 5th centuries the invasion of the Huns took place and later in the 6th and 7th centuries the Slavic invasions. Despite these events, the Illyrians kept their language and customs. Over the centuries and under the influence of Roman, Byzantine and Slavic cultures, the Illyrian population ended up being Albanian.
From the 8th century, the name of Iliria gave way to the name of Albania. When the Christian church split in 1054, southern Albania maintained its ties with Constantinople, while the north came under Roman rule, the first significant religious fragmentation in the country.
In 1431 the invasion of the Ottomans took place. The Albanians resist for forty-seven years but finally, the Ottomans conquered it. It was from the 16th century when the Ottomans applied a strong Islamization of the territory. As early as the 18th century, two-thirds of Albanians were already Muslim. It is worth mentioning that twenty-five Ottoman viziers were of Albanian origin.
When the independence sentiment spread in the 19th century, to save the religious division of their people they adopted the slogan “the religion of the Albanians is Albania. The Albanian League was founded in Pritzen in 1878 and its purpose was to convert the four Albanian provinces into a single state within the Ottoman Empire. He was very active in promoting language, literature, and proposed an educational system that fostered nationalism.
The Ottoman Empire declared the Albanian League illegal in 1881. In 1908, Albanian leaders met the Monastir where they decided to create a national alphabet based on Latin, which supplanted Greek and Muslim, With the Young, Ottomans come to the power in Istanbul, they forgot the previous agreements of democratic reforms and of guaranteeing Albanian autonomy. This sparked a war that lasted three years. Turkey ended up accepting the demands of the Albanians and in 1912 independence was proclaimed.
Due to international pressure, a map of Albania was drawn that had nothing to do with reality. Thus the Albanian region of Kosovo was integrated into Serbia and Greece received part of Samaria and a proportion of Epirus. All of this is at the root of the ethnic problems currently facing the Balkans.
The European powers appointed the German prince of Wilhelmzu Wield as King of Albania, but he quickly left the country because he did not understand the Albanians and because of the start of World War I. Albania was occupied during the Great War by the armies of Austria, France, Italy, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia.
At the end of the Great War, both the French, the British and the Italians intended to distribute the Albanian territory among neighbouring countries. But it was US President Woodrow Wilson who vetoed this plan. In 1920, the National Congress laid the foundations for a new government and Albania was admitted to the League of Nations. In 1927, Albanian President Ahmed Zogu signed a Treaty with Mussolini that made the country an Italian protectorate and Zogu proclaimed the monarchy in 1928. Italy occupies Albania in 1939.
The Albanian communists led by Enver Hoxha raise a resistance based on guerrillas. This anti-fascist movement succeeded in getting Italian troops to leave the country on November 29, 1944. On January 11, 1945, the People’s Republic was proclaimed.
Albania was an extraordinary case within the communist bloc. It broke with Tito’s Yugoslavia and Stalin’s USSR. It allied with the People’s Republic of China of Mao Tse Tung but ended up breaking with it in 1981 after the fall of the Maoists of the Cultural Revolution.
Albanian communism consolidated its isolation when the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party proclaimed a line of doctrinal purity against North American imperialism, Soviet social-imperialism, Chinese and Yugoslav revisionism, Eurocommunism and Social Democracy.
After the death of Enver Hoxha, Ramiz Alia came to power, who a year later authorized the activity of political parties and there was an ostensible relaxation of the regime, leading to the first democratic elections. Diplomatic relations with Russia and the United States resume.
What is Culture in Albania?
Albania incorporates a very unique and diverse culture. Although Albania and its people lived for quite a long time in the atmosphere of the totalitarian regime of Khoja, the majority of Albanians have preserved their cultural traditions and national characteristics, which today is especially interesting for those who visit this country as a tourist.
Particularly striking for many travellers is the fact that in a small territory of such a country like Albania, the cultural traditions of the same wedding ceremony are quite significantly different in one Albanian village, from the same ceremony located almost nearby. This, perhaps, is the main feature of the fact that the customs and traditions of Albania are rather closely studied by European ethnographers.
What is the weather, Climate and season in Albania?
Average January temperatures: + 8-9 ° C, July: + 24-25 ° C. Precipitation: 800 – 2000 mm per year. The climate of the coastal (western) part of the country is the Mediterranean, moving to the east into continental. The average temperature in July on the coast is from +28 to + 32 ° C, in January – from +8 to + 10 ° C. High summer temperatures on the coast are easily tolerated due to the constantly blowing Mediterranean breeze.
The tourism season runs between May and September but in April and October, it is also convenient to be outside. There are about 300 sunny days a year. It rains in early spring and late autumn. In the mountains of Albania, the climate is much colder – in winter the temperature can drop to -20 ° C.
Winter: December- February The coldest month in Albania is January; here the temperature ranges from 5 to 10o C. At the identical time, the temperature administration emphatically depends on the peak of ocean level, within the same manner some precipitous locales the temperature can drop to -12 to -20o C. The winter season is from December to February and therefore the winters are solidifying and muggy. Even snow and downpours are often experienced during the winter.
Spring endures from mid-February until mid-April. Most of February is rainy. In early March, the climate changes to warm and sunny. Albania celebrates “The Day of Summer” on 14th of March; this can be the conclusion on winter and start of summer. The climate during March is ordinarily exceptionally sunny and dry, with normal temperature 22oC.
Autumn in Albania is from September to November. Autumn is very brief and starts in October and keeps going fair a small more than a month. Amid this period, the normal temperature is 18 degree Celsius, and a regular downpour is seen but it is too cold for visiting beaches. Rainfalls in Albania are very tall but unevenly conveyed over the region and seasons.
How to get my visa for Albania?
Visitors to Albania are required to obtain a visa from one of the diplomatic missions in Albania unless they come from one of the countries that do not need a visa to enter Albania. One can apply for a visa through online services. The further process requires the person to be present at the Albanian Embassy. One must hold a passport with validity of at least 3 to 4 months from the date of arrival to the country. If the Albanian Embassy is not available at your place, then you need to contact to any nearest country with the Embassy.
Is the country politically safe and stable?
The democratic constitution of the Republic of Albania was promulgated in 1998. Political turmoil has continued since 1997, and even today a little sign of consensus or cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties avail. Albania continues to be a very backward state with serious ethnic problems and where violent groups of mafias roam freely. It is to be expected that the situation will improve little by little and where democratic values are consolidated but above all, there is an economic development that will save the serious social inequalities that the country has.
When’s the best time to visit Albania?
If you want to avoid the coastal summer, the best time would be between April to June and September to October. The weather is so perfect for hiking, or chilling at the beach. During July and August, the heat is too much to travel outside and you might not be able to explore the places.
What is the perfect way to spend less money in Albania?
Do not depend on your credit cards or ATM while you are visiting the local places. As the citizens of Albania prefer cash, better carry enough cash for each day transaction. Make a proper plan for your expenditure.
What is the perfect way to spend less money in Albania?
Do not depend on your credit cards or ATM while you are visiting the local places. As the citizens of Albania prefer cash, better carry enough cash for each day transaction. Make a proper plan for your expenditure.
The best places to Travel in Albania?
Albania may be a small nation but gradually it is getting more numbers of visitors and many parts remain undiscovered. Albania boasts a few of the most excellent illustrations of Hassock engineering within the world. Best places to visit in Albania are:
Albanian Rivera, Tirana, Himara beach, Llogara Pass, Sarande, Berat, Lake Skadar, Dhermi, Durres, Skhodra, Gjirokaster, Kruje, Butrint National Park, Apollonia, Palasa beach, Gjipe Bay, Borsh, Kakome Gulf, Pema e thate, Lake Ohrid, Theth National Park, Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park, Valbona River Valley,
Are credit cards accepted in Albania?
Credit cards are not commonly regarded as the mode of payment. You can use credit cards in big hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls. The society is still more comfortable with a cash transaction. While travelling to Albania, do not rely on your credit cards, it is always convenient to carry cash. You can always plan your daily expenses and estimate a budget, exchange your currency to the local currency accordingly.
How many days should I spend in Albania?
If you are planning to visit Albania, two weeks of vacation would be perfect to visit all the vibrant places here. One week might not be enough to enjoy the beauty of Albania, it can be a rush trip. You can spare a week to visit the places around the country and the second week can be spent on the beaches; the beaches in south Albania is very beautiful with crystal clear waters. Some major historic places like Berat, Saranda, Gjirokaster, Korce. Vlore, etc. will require two days for each and places like Apollonia, Durres, Pogradec, Shkoder, Tirana, etc can be visited in one day each. So you can plan accordingly with these very famous and most visit places.
How much should I budget per day for a holiday in Albania?
An estimated budget per day per individual in Albania can cost around Albanian Lek 5000, which is about USD 49. This budget is to be considered as an average expenditure of a day, and this is based on expenses hold by previous travellers. You can spend Lek 1500 for meals, Lek 1000 on transportations, Lek 2000-3000 is average hotel prices. An excursion for one week ordinarily will cost around 36,000 Albanian Lek per person. Two individuals travelling to Albania together can lower their expenses and have a better trip if the trip is for more than a week, such way the expenses can be divided and more time spent there, you will know the cheaper places to spend wisely. Similarly, the prices for tickets of kids are cheaper; hotel rooms can be shared, so if you are travelling with your family including kids, the budget altogether ultimately goes low.
What is the mode of transportation in Albania?
Albania contains a fairly comfortable and broad framework of transport associations because it is centred on accepting visitors. Street signs are greatly few and due to the truth that Albania is overwhelmed by a hilly landscape, there are parcels of complex and perilous mountain winding thruways here. It is for the reason that cares rental administrations are not exceptionally prevalent within the country. The fundamental types of open transport, which runs inside cities and between districts, are buses, vans and taxis. In case there’s the place you need to rush quickly, you can enjoy the taxi service. Lake Tirana, Albania Railway transport here plays a colossal part in terms of traveller traffic. It is worth considering the railway transport moves or maybe gradually with a normal speed of 40 kilometres per hour. One thing you should know that trains are not exceptionally comfortable and clean. As a tourist, you are not allowed to move around the country by air transport. Typically due to the truth that Albania incorporates a decently little zone, most of which is secured by mountains, not planning for takeoff or landing of aircraft. On the other hand, water transport is very well created. Water transport to travels along the Buyana Stream. There are indeed several voyages of universal ferries. Most of the domain of Albania is secured with mountains and is not reasonable for building the aeroplane terminals. Until now fie airports have been built all through the country and only one of them is of international standard. He rest of the airport terminals are utilized for cargo transportation. Later you can easily get out to the city using any means of public transport either is transfer or taxi.
Do I need travel insurance for Albania?
Travel insurance is not compulsory but you must travel with caution, and it becomes your responsibility to protect yourself with any emergencies. Get your travel insurance as a part of your travel plan. Travel insurances such as Snowbirds, Families, and Students studying abroad, single trip travel, short stay frequent travellers and frequent travellers are easily available.
Do people speak English?
English is broadly instructed in schools over Albania. English is the foremost prevalently talked remote dialect among the Albanian youths. Some other international languages spoken here are Chinese, French, Russian and Italian. Around 69% of the children can speak English in Albania as the curriculum includes the English language.
What food do I get to eat? What should I avoid (if any)?
Tave Kosi is a national food item in Albania. It is baked lamb with rice. Some famous meat dishes here are Veal Stew (ferges), roast beef in fermented milk sauce, cabbage rolls (sarma), and sheep pluck stuffed with meat and vegetables, and so on. All these items will be served with bread, rice, or greens. Sweets and desserts are the must-try in Albania, give a try to Ashure, Sultash (rice puddings), tollumba, and the most satisfying desserts are made of fresh fruits.
Is Albania safe for female travellers?
As a female traveller, Albania could be a secure nation and you can feel safe here. You might be asked several questions by locals about your travelling alone to such a country but you no need to worry or be scared of it. The locals are always curious to hear from solo travellers. Female travellers can enjoy bars and café in the evening in Tirana but once you are outside Tirana, basically it is men who go out and sits in bars and cafes. Besides, there are crimes and robberies like any other place in the world so as a traveller you need to take precautions and stay alert as you do in your home country.
Tourism in Albania
Albania has recently begun to actively develop international tourism. The advantages of staying here are a good selection of varied beaches, pleasant food prices, and unspoiled nature. It’s too early to talk about the service in this country :). Albanians have not yet learned to provide services like Greeks or Turks. But this is a certain charm of relaxation – everything is quite simple and straightforward.
How to avoid problems in Albania
Albania is a very calm place, and there are no special security precautions required to stay there. Personal precaution should be taken in busy areas and your purse and wallet should be taken care with caution. In general, Albanian culture is very conservative: it is important to respect the opinions of the elderly, especially men, and do not debate about religion or politics. It’s even wiser to stop controversial subjects like same-sex marriage and polygamy.
In Albania, credit card theft is common, but it is not worth paying over the Internet for the facilities of local leasing offices and hotels – there is a high chance that the data will reach third parties. It is also best not to forget vigilance in shops: having retreated for a few seconds to the back room with a card in hand, the trader can quickly delete a copy from it and then the cash from the account. Don’t be shocked that kisses are shared on the cheeks hereby even unfamiliar people – these are local rituals. You should not purchase valuable items from street sellers – watches, computers, laptops, etc.: they are most likely stolen. Running water is safe for your wellbeing, but drinking bottled water is also advised. Before the journey, it is best to be vaccinated against typhoid (outbreaks are possibly in autumn and summer) and polio, as well as against tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B and encephalitis, for full peace of mind. You must bring insurance with you: only first aid is provided free of charge to visitors.
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