Albania
Ismail Kadare’s book Broken April put Albania on the map for me in 2019. I somehow came across his work in a list and was fascinated by the portrayal of life in the Albanian mountains. The scenery depictions were incredible. Wilhelm and I both read the book and have been hoping to go ever since.
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A little History about Albania
Albania has a rich and complex history. The region that is now Albania has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with Illyrian tribes being the earliest known inhabitants. Over the centuries, Albania came under the influence of various empires, including the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. In 1912, Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire, and subsequent decades saw political turmoil, including periods of monarchy, communism, and a transition to democracy in the early 1990s. Today, Albania is a vibrant country that embraces its cultural heritage while striving for economic development and integration into the European Union.
When to visit Albania
Albania has incredible beaches in the “Albanian Riviera” and gorgeous mountains. To be able to enjoy both, visit in late summer or early fall. We visited in July/August 2023 while the whole of Europe was experiencing a heatwave. We managed but perhaps May or September could have been more pleasant.
May through September is Albania’s tourist season, but the beginning and end months will likely have fewer tourists. That said, Albania is just getting on the map and you won’t get the same crowds as in a country like Italy.
Money
The official currency is the Albanian Lek (ALL). The symbol for the ALL is “L.” I suggest you carry local currency for daily expenses, although some tourist areas and larger hotels will accept major foreign currencies or credit cards.
How to get around Albania
Car
I rented a car for the first 5 days of my Albania trip as I was traveling to the beaches with my sister. To be able to get around easily (as we only stayed in one location), we rented a car from Discover Cars. The roads are small and narrow outside of the capital.
I was told that the police love to give out parking tickets in Tirana so don’t double park, park illegally, or take chances. After the man from the rental company told me this, literally within 5 minutes I saw a policeman writing a ticket for a double parked car.
Although most of the highways to the beach areas are fine (there are some potholes), the roads that lead to the beaches are all gravel and dirt. Our tiny car made it up most of the time, but we had to turn around for one beach because I was scared the car would get stuck. Our car company charged us 100 euros for “scratching the car against bushes” so beware of that with the rentals. I’m sure those scratches were not from us but it really wasn’t worth the time to argue because we had to continue to our next destination after dropping off the car. In any case, just be extra careful with the rocks and the bushes.
Parking
I read many comments on Google Maps with people complaining about the parking costs during our beach adventures. If you’re not willing to walk then you should be prepared to pay. Just be aware that parking is generally not free and ranges from 300 ALL to 800 ALL for payment in cash only.
Public Transport
We used a mix of buses and organized transport between cities. Don’t expect AC on the public buses. Many are still rustic. Here are the taxi rates from the airport in 2023 (plz excuse the angle).
Hiking
I suggest downloading the hiking app MAPY. A lovely couple we met in Valbone suggested we download it and it was very helpful during our hikes. You can download the entire hiking map of Albania!
Sim Cards
There are two strong competitors in Albania: Vodacom and One1. Both offer tourist packages at the same price. I chose Vodacom simply because I’m more familiar with the name. The 40gb package is 23 ALL (around 23 euros) and comes with 1000 national minutes for 15 days. The 100 GB package is 29 ALL, has unlimited national minutes, and is valid for 21 days. I was told the data works in the other Balkan countries too. I opted for the 100 GB package so that I could use my laptop for work and also share my data with family.
Flying to Tirana
The Tirana Airport is small. With an electronically enabled passport (US, UK, EU, and Canada), you can self-scan into the country—no stamp required! There are some coffee shops after you exit as well as a KFC. The city itself is so manageable that people literally walk out of the airport with their luggage. I did the same because the rental car company I used was across the street.
An Up-and-Coming Destination
Albania is on its way to becoming a hot spot for tourists. Already in mid-2023, we could tell that the mountain towns of Valbona and Theth were getting ready for a boom. There was plenty of construction ongoing for new hotels with a ski-lodge-type vibe. In the interim, there is a mix of old-school local guesthouses with traditional food and guesthouses that are tourist traps. We tried to avoid the tourist traps by reading up on all the guesthouses we stayed at in advance. Although I usually take reviews with a grain of salt, lodges that have 3 stars or less should probably be avoided.
The price of drinks and food at small rest stops will also be more expensive than at a grocery store in Tirana. Albanians are realizing the significance of their natural and historical sites so sites may begin to charge for entry. I think the locals are still trying to figure out the balance of what exactly to charge people for. In the mountain towns we visited, groceries are expensive, and beer can cost 300 ALL or more depending on how long it had to be trekked up the mountain to get to you.
