Albania is a small country in the west of the Balkan Peninsula with a rich history. For tourists, it is still a mystery, not fully explored and hiding its secrets. Holidays in Albania will be no worse than in Montenegro or Greece, but will cost much less.
Why go?
Lie in the sun, which shines here 300 days a year. Swim in the sea and lakes. Go on an excursion to the mountains and try the most delicious brine cheeses. Look at ancient temples and the remains of past civilizations. Just have a good rest and get quality relaxation.
The main thing about the country
- A trip in winter will cost about 60 thousand per person*, including flights and excursions, in season – from 80-100 thousand, depending on the intensity of the holiday.
- A round trip flight with one transfer will cost approximately 20 thousand rubles.
- The difference with Moscow is minus 2 hours. Summer/winter time is practiced.
- The official name is the Republic of Albania, the capital is Tirana.
- Territorially located in the south-east of Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. It borders Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, the Republic of Macedonia. It is separated from Italy by the Strait of Otranto.
- 100% of the population speaks Albanian, which has virtually no dialects or vernaculars. Almost all young people and service personnel in hotels, shops, and restaurants speak English and Italian, and some also speak German and French.
- The country’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Albania is the only country in Europe where Muslims account for 63% of the population. Christians account for 30%, and the rest are non-religious or belong to other faiths.
- Business climate – active development of market relations, development of small businesses.
- Relief. Only the central part of the coast is plain, the rest of the territory is occupied by mountains.
- The climate is Mediterranean. It is characterized by hot, dry summers with temperatures up to 40 °C in July and mild winters, up to 7 °C in January.
* all prices are valid for January 2022
Visa and entry
Entry into Albania is possible with a Schengen visa category C or a national visa category D issued by one of the Schengen countries.
Documents are submitted to the consular section of the Albanian Embassy in Moscow. In some cases (upon entry to study, when applying for a residence permit, when marrying an Albanian citizen) additional documents may be required.
Border guards have the right to demand that you show a return ticket or prove that you have the equivalent of 300 euros.
When entering by car, you must have the car documents, international insurance, and a driver’s license (Russian is acceptable).
Customs
When entering/leaving Albania, currency, precious metals, stones, and antiques must be declared if their total value exceeds the equivalent of 10,000 US dollars.
The national currency can be exported in an amount not exceeding 3,000 Albanian lek.
The transportation of weapons, explosives and narcotic substances, extremist literature and pornographic materials is prohibited.
When to go
The best time for a holiday is not in winter. According to temperature and solar activity, there are 2 seasons:
Warm season – from March to November. March in Albania is almost summer, but the resort season here is from May to September. In the central part of the country, the temperature reaches 40 °C, on the coast the temperature is more comfortable, within 28-30 °C. November is warm, but swimming in the sea is no longer comfortable. March, October and November are conducive to walks and excursions. Prices for hotels and entertainment fall, you can have a quite decent and budget-friendly vacation in these months.
Winter time – from December to February. Temperatures on the coast can drop to 5 °C, in the mountains sometimes to – 20 °C. Frequent rains, it can snow. Unlike Greece, Cyprus and other Mediterranean countries, there is nothing to do in Albania in winter. The weather is not conducive to walking, and winter tourism is in its infancy here.
Holidays
National public holidays and non-working days are:
- November 28 – Independence Day;
- November 29 – Day of Liberation of Albania from the Nazi Invaders;
- November 19 is the day of Mother Teresa’s canonization.
- Official holidays and non-working days are:
- January 1 – New Year;
- May 1 – Labor Day;
- Great Bayram, Little Bayram;
- Great Easter, Little Easter, Catholic Easter;
- March 14th – Spring Day.
Currency
Albanian lek. ATMs are everywhere. In 90% of cases you will have to pay in cash, but in large supermarkets, hotels and restaurants you can use a card. Of the foreign banks, Raiffeisen and ProCredit are present.
Prices
Albania is considered to be a less expensive country than Italy and Spain, but you can’t call a vacation cheap. Food costs about the same as in Moscow. A visit to a restaurant or cafe also meets our standards. You will pay relatively little for a car rental, but you will spend money on gasoline. But even taking this into account, car rental will cost almost 3 times less than in Croatia.
Accommodation during high season will be quite expensive.
In particular. A room in a middle-class hotel. A room in a capital hotel costs from 60 to 100 euros*. At the peak of the tourist season, prices in hotels on the Albanian coast fluctuate from 30 to 130 euros, depending on the season. The cheapest accommodation is in hostels, from 10 euros per day.
The average bill in a restaurant for one person (hot dish, salad, glass of wine or beer) will be about 8-10 euros. Excursions – from 40 dollars.
* all prices are valid for January 2022
Beaches
The beaches of Albania are no worse than those of Greece or Montenegro – light, almost faded sand, and the sea, quite clean, of an amazing “Mediterranean” color. Moreover, this is typical for all beaches – both on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.
All beaches in Albania are municipal and free, but you will have to pay for sun loungers and umbrellas. On average, a set of 2 sun loungers, a table and an umbrella will cost 10 euros per day.
Interesting fact: The water temperature on the northern beaches is 1 – 2 °C higher than on the southern ones.
Beaches of the Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic coast is almost entirely sandy, the bottom is soft, the water warms up well
Velipoje. Situated on the border with Montenegro. An ideal place for a quiet holiday with children. The entrance to the water is gentle, shallow, the sea is calm, without waves. The beach is almost 20 km long. The beach infrastructure consists of bars and restaurants.
Durres. The beach is sandy, shallow, with a gentle entrance to the water, also good for families with children. It is located 40 km from Tirana, on weekends there are a lot of people and not only tourists. The infrastructure is developed, vacationers will always find entertainment. Of the minuses – there is a cargo port nearby.
Shenzhen. If you are ready to devote the whole day to a beach holiday, this is the place for you. It is located near Velipoje, the beach is about 7 km long. Clean. The city is actively being built up, the first line already resembles a real resort town.
Golem. The beach is about 8 km long, territorially smoothly flows from the beaches of Durres. The sand is finer and whiter than in Durres. It is considered the best beach not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Albania.
Beaches of the Ionian Sea
Almost all the beaches are pebbly with very clean water of a very beautiful color. Small in length. We clearly hear the sound of the surf. All the beaches of the Ionian Sea can be considered the best in Albania without a twinge of conscience.
Vlora, city beach. It is located practically at the junction of two seas. The beach is sandy, but the sand is darker and denser. There is all the necessary infrastructure for tourists, a beautiful embankment. Outside the city you can find small pebble and rocky beaches.
Saranda, a favorite place for many tourists. It is located in the center of the most beautiful resort town of Albania. The beach is small, only 300 meters. All beach infrastructure is available, there is a diving tower. From here you can take a high-speed ferry to Greece.
Bora Bora beach, consisting of several pieces near the village of Ksamil. Unlike other beaches of the Ionian Sea – sandy. This place is called “Albanian Maldives”. Unbelievably beautiful – snow-white sand, perfectly clear water and islands with pine trees. The main beach is protected from the wind.
Dhermi. A place that seems to have been specially created for a beach holiday. Quite quiet, not crowded. Refers to the elite.
Jeep. For some reason, many call it wild, which is not entirely true. It is located between the towns of Himara and Dhermi, you can easily walk from there and from there. There are a couple of restaurants, you can rent sun loungers, or you can not rent them. There is a road to the beach, but not every car can drive on it. Therefore – on foot. Not always clean, but you can not call it dirty either.
Livadi. Belongs to the Albanian Riviera, very beautiful. Length is about 1 km. In the center, as a rule, there are more people, near the rocks – less. All beach infrastructure is available.
Resorts
Durres . A large city with a developed infrastructure. Famous for its beaches and infrastructure, completely focused on tourism.
Shengjin . A modern seaside resort, which until recently was a small village. Every year, more than a million tourists vacation in Shengjin hotels.
Velipoje . A resort in northern Albania, bordering Montenegro. It has well-maintained beach areas.
Vlora . One of the most popular resorts in Albania, loved by tourists for its abundance of beautiful beaches, restaurants and cafes with local cuisine.
Saranda . Famous for its pebble beaches and exceptionally clear water.
Ksamil , Albanian Maldives. There are no special club entertainments here, people come here to admire the beautiful views and take no less beautiful photos.
Dhermi . An elite resort. Those who are used to living in luxury come here to relax, including world celebrities.
Attractions
There are quite a lot of them and they are enough to avoid sitting in the hotel or on the beach all the time. The price range for excursions is from 40 to 150 US dollars. For those who like walking, we recommend installing Google Maps to know exactly where and in which direction to turn.
Tirana, the capital . The center of business and economic activity. If you are traveling independently, try to plan your route in such a way that after arrival or before departure you can set aside a day to walk around the city. Be sure to visit Skanderbeg Square and the Great Park, at least this.
Amphitheater, Durres . One of the iconic landmarks. One day is enough to get to know the city. Durres is the second largest city in Albania. The main resort and favorite vacation spot for Albanians.
Lake Ohrid . The oldest and deepest in the Balkans.
Karaburun-Sazan (Vlora region). National marine park with rich flora and fauna. Interesting for diving.
Lekursi Fortress . In the 16th century it was considered an important strategic object. On the territory of the fortress there is a restaurant stylized as an old one with a beautiful view of the surroundings of Saranda and the Ionian Sea.
Karst spring Syri I Kalter (blue eye) . Estimated depth – 45 m. The stream bursting out of the ground has an oval shape, a blue border and a dark spot in the middle, resembling a pupil. It is under the protection of UNESCO.
Also on the list are the Church of Saints Paul and Astius, Korca Mosque, Kruja Castle, Gjirokastra Castle, Drilon National Park, Grunas, Sotira and Bogove waterfalls.
Entertainment
For evening and night entertainment, traditionally for Europe, there are bars and pubs with music. You can book an excursion with a visit to clubs, bars and pubs.
Kitchen
The real food of Albanians is a salad and a plate of hot food. Moreover, the hot food can be just a piece of meat without any frills. Very tasty and filling. Moussaka is often served, a layered vegetable pie with meat and eggplant. Peppers, tomatoes, brine cheeses – all this is always present in the menu and is generously added during the cooking process. The portions are large, but not huge. In any case, it is difficult to remain hungry.
Albanian cuisine is a mixture of Balkan, Greek and Italian cuisines. The national dish is burek (or byurek) with meat, although this pie is sold with different fillings. But with meat it is considered tastier. It is prepared from thin stretched dough, in shape it resembles a snail. It is inexpensive.
Albania has many meat and poultry dishes, but fish and fish dishes are expensive. If you want shrimp, you can buy them at the market and cook them yourself, it will be much cheaper.
Is it possible to eat on the street? Yes. But there is one paradox here. In everything that concerns the preparation of any dishes, Albanians are extremely scrupulous and clean. But do not be surprised that the seller takes the burek and counts out the change with the same hands. If this does not scare you, be sure to try it.
Souvenirs
In Albania you can buy many things that are sold in all the Balkan countries – tapestries, similar souvenirs. As for clothes, you can bring mass-market, but you will definitely not find luxury brand clothes here.
List of things you can bring from Albania:
- T-shirts, caps, bags with Albanian colors – a black eagle on a red background.
- Mountain Albanian tea Mali. Don’t be surprised, it is dried in branches.
- Skanderbeg cognac. Sold in different bottles with different labels, which is normal in Albania.
- Albanian wine. Most of the wineries are in the vicinity of Berat.
- Olive oil, brine sheep cheeses, honey, fig and grape jams.
Transport
The most developed public transport in Albania is automobile transport.
The cost of travel from Tirana to the most remote city on a regular bus will cost about 1500 lek. Within Tirana – 40 lek.
A taxi ride around the city costs about 700 lek. Bus stations are located 15 minutes walk from the center of Tirana (Skanderbeg Square).
If possible, we recommend renting a car, as many attractions are simply not accessible by bus.
Safety
When visiting the country, we recommend choosing hotels in the south of the country, located in the coastal tourist area. The safest places for recreation are the areas around Vlora, Himara, Saranda.
Considering that the crime rate in the capital and central Albania is quite low, it is still recommended to follow basic safety rules – do not show the contents of your wallet, put your documents away. As in all countries, petty thieves who want to borrow your hard-earned money are also not asleep here.
There are rare cases of car thefts, so it makes sense to take care of a good alarm system before leaving for the country.
The northern regions of the country, bordering Kosovo, are defined as crime-ridden and undesirable to visit.
Medicine
The level of medical care in Albania leaves much to be desired. The majority of medical institutions are state-owned, and the technical and medical equipment is at a very low level. Qualified medical care can be obtained in private clinics. Prices are quite reasonable, a visit to a specialist will cost about 40 US dollars.
Just in case. The highest quality medical care is provided by Mother Teresa University Hospital (Tirana, Rruga e Dibres, 372 (Dibres Street 372), tel. +355 4 234-92-33), Hygeia Hospital (Tirana, 1 km of the Tirana-Durres highway, +355 4 232-30-00; +355 4 239- 00-00), the Spitali Amerikan network of clinics (Tirana, general tel. +355 4 235-75-35), the Emergency Clinic (Vlora, tel. +033 22-43-36), and the Municipal Hospital (Durres, tel. +355 5 222-22-22).
The duty (24-hour) pharmacy in Tirana (Farmaci DITE e NATE nr.1) is located at the address: Rruga Luigi Gurakuqi, 1 (Luigi Gurakuqi street) tel.: +355 4 431-31-31.
In summer, tap water poses a particular danger due to the deterioration of the networks.
Medical insurance is standard for EEC countries. No vaccinations are required to visit the country.
Traditions
In Tirana and other cities located in the central and southern part of Albania, the norms of behavior typical of Greece and Italy are accepted. Albanians are mostly quite sociable and friendly towards foreigners. A noteworthy fact is the reverent and respectful attitude towards the elderly.
In the northern part of the country, the population is more aggressive, and the laws of blood feud are still in effect here. If you want to visit these places, we recommend remembering this fact.
Internet
Digital telephony in Albania is at the development stage.
There are three mobile operators on the market: ALBTelecom, One, Vodafone (represented in more than 20 European countries).
Maximum network speed is 4G.
All three operators have package deals for tourists. You can buy a SIM card only in communication shops with the obligatory presentation of a passport. Communication from Vodafone is a little more expensive, but better quality. You can buy SIM cards at the Tirana airport in any of the offices.
Free internet is available in 90% of rented accommodations. If internet availability is critical, we recommend finding out about it in advance. Free Wi-Fi is not offered everywhere in cafes and restaurants.
Useful facts
- The mains voltage is 220 V.
- Traffic is on the right side of the road, traffic rules comply with European standards. Due to the fact that personal vehicles were banned in the country until 1990, local residents are very superficially familiar with the rules, and traffic in cities can be called chaotic.
- In case of an accident, rule number 1 is to call the police and ignore the impulsive behavior of Albanians.
- It’s easier to call a taxi via WhatsApp.
- The airport is located 20 minutes from Tirana and 30 minutes from the coastal city of Durres. You can get there by bus (costs about 150 lek) or by taxi (costs about 20 euros).
- There is no ban on smoking in public places.