On the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the small republic of Albania offers visitors historical and cultural sights as well as beautiful unspoiled beaches, lakes and snowy mountains. Albania is still an undeveloped tourism destination, but thanks to wide variety of attractions, tourism in Albania is expected to develop fast, making Albania an excellent getaway that has remained unspoiled by globalization.
Less visited Mediterranean. Located in Southeastern Europe between Greece, Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro, Albania has thousands of years of history behind it, and there are numerous historical sites to help you get to know it. There are also sandy beaches by the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, and traditional mountain villages. As most foreign visitors come to Albania for business, the hotels in Albania are often oriented towards their needs, but many new seaside hotels have also been opened.
Undiscovered Europe. Albania is filled with small treasures that can be found by intrepid independent visitors. The biggest lakes in Albania, Ohrid and Prespa are major tourism destinations in Macedonian and Greek sides of the border, but in the Albanian side they are still very quiet, but just as scenic. The most famous of the many historical sites in Albania is Butrint – an ancient ruined town and a UNESCO World Heritage site in Southern Albania.
Traveling to Albania can be done by air via the international airport in Tirana, by bus from many neighboring countries, by car, by sailboat or by ferry to Albania from Italy and Montenegro. Public transport inside Albania comes in form of buses and trains. Taxis are also available in Albanian towns.
Less visited Mediterranean. Located in Southeastern Europe between Greece, Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro, Albania has thousands of years of history behind it, and there are numerous historical sites to help you get to know it. There are also sandy beaches by the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, and traditional mountain villages. As most foreign visitors come to Albania for business, the hotels in Albania are often oriented towards their needs, but many new seaside hotels have also been opened.
Tourism attractions in Albania: beaches, mountains and historical sights
Many seaside towns and scenic mountain villages offer a glimpse of the local life in Albania, and its capital city Tirana is a compact, modern and colorful city. The nearby port city of Durres is not only a destination of ferries to Albania, but also hosts nice beaches and historical attractions. The beaches along the Ionian Sea coast of Albania are as good as in Greece, and a lot less crowded. The Albanian Alps and Lura National Park offer good possibilities for hiking.Undiscovered Europe. Albania is filled with small treasures that can be found by intrepid independent visitors. The biggest lakes in Albania, Ohrid and Prespa are major tourism destinations in Macedonian and Greek sides of the border, but in the Albanian side they are still very quiet, but just as scenic. The most famous of the many historical sites in Albania is Butrint – an ancient ruined town and a UNESCO World Heritage site in Southern Albania.
Albania travel tips and practical information
Albania has a mild temperate Mediterranean climate with cool and cloudy winters and warm and dry summers perfect for beach holidays. The mountainous interior of Albania is cooler than the coast and receives more rainfall.Traveling to Albania can be done by air via the international airport in Tirana, by bus from many neighboring countries, by car, by sailboat or by ferry to Albania from Italy and Montenegro. Public transport inside Albania comes in form of buses and trains. Taxis are also available in Albanian towns.
Photo: em_diesus, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
Improving services. Hotels in Albania can be found in the main cities and along the coastline. They are now developing their standards fast to fit Western European tourists' expectations. Local restaurants are commonly found in Albanian towns, serving mainly local and Italian cuisine. English is spoken in hotels, but not widely understood outside tourism destinations.
Safety. As Albania is a relatively poor country that has some problems with crime, you need to exercise some caution when visiting there. Most parts of the country are quite safe for traveling, but Northeastern Albania with a border to Kosovo is considered dangerous due to landmines and armed smugglers.
Short history of Albania
Albania has been inhabited for millenia, from the Prehistoric times through the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman periods. Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939. Communist partisans liberated the country in 1944, followed by 40 decades of communist rule. The xenophobic Communist rule ended in 1990 and now Albania is a multi-party democracy. Despite the recent economic growth, Albania remains one of the poorest countries in Europe with high unemployment and problems with corruption and organized crime. Today, it is interesting mixture of different cultures and civilizations.hint See also these nearby destinations: Tirana, Durres, Ohrid, Corfu
