Albania travel guide

Hot, Mediterranean culture in southern Europe.

With craggy mountains on one side and white sandy beaches on the other the Ionian Coast of Albania stretches for mile upon unspoiled mile. Until communism fell in 1991, Albania almost totally closed itself to outsiders. Visitors could only enter in groups and stood in line at the border in order of importance of their jobs as determined by the Albanian authorities. Only a dozen cars and one set of traffic lights existed in the whole country. On the positive side, this isolation saved the pristine Mediterranean beaches and coastline and prevented Albania’s culture from being influenced by outside influences – but this is changing fast. Nowadays, foreign tourists increase in numbers, but are still regarded with curiosity in some parts. International hotel chains are established in the capital Tirana. Day trips run from Corfu to Butrint and Saranda on what is now referred to as the Albanian Riviera by tourism companies. The archaeological site at Butrint is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as are the towns of Berat and Gjirokastër. Berat was preserved as a museum city by the communist government and seeing the city’s white Ottoman houses on a hill will make you appreciate why it’s called ‘town of a thousand windows’. Gjirokastër sits in a beautiful setting beneath the Gjere mountains that stretch as far as the eye can see. Albania is around two-thirds mountains – the major chains are the Albanian Alps and the Korab range in the north and the Pindus Mountains in the south giving many hiking and mountain biking opportunities. There’s also skiing in the area around Korca. The towns of Vlore and Saranda are similar in style to those on the Dalmatian Coast further north. There are miles of nearly empty beaches for the visitor to luxuriate on and temperatures soar in the summer.

Albania travel guide last edited by LeicesterTiger is this text outdated?

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