Albania is a country almost unknown to tourists. At the same time, there are excellent beaches, diverse architecture, and numerous natural beauties. The heat is already subsiding, and a visa is not needed until the end of October.
To reach Albania the best choice is via Istanbul or Ankara to Tirana or Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. If you have a Schengen visa, you can take a direct ticket from Vilnius or Helsinki. During your flight to remove your boredom try gambling online and win your first jackpot.
In almost any major city, you will certainly meet three architectural pillars, without which Albania would not be Albania: a medieval fortress, an Ottoman old trade and craft center, and bunkers and pillboxes from the times of socialist Albania. In general, fortresses and bunkers are found at every turn. The concrete bunkers look especially photogenic against the backdrop of the blue waters of Lake Ohrid.
In Albania, you can find monuments of antiquity, Byzantium, the Ottoman Empire, and Italian and Austro-Hungarian architecture. Fans of modernism will not get bored either. Amazing nature, the neighborhood of mountains and the sea, forests, and lakes, and the lack of developed tourism make this country unique. And to take a breath and taste carp and trout.
Tirana
Tirana is one of the youngest capitals in Europe. Among the old huge bunkers in the city, there is a Cold War monument from the time of Enver Hoxha. The eclectic central square of Skanderbeg, designed by Italian architects, also deserves attention. In the center, of course, a monument to the national hero.
You can visit the Hadji Ethem Bey Mosque which is adjacent to the Opera and Ballet Theater and the imposing Orthodox Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ.
North Of Albania
Tirana is a convenient starting point for exploring the north of the country. Inspection of the harsh fortress in the city of Shkodra can be combined with a boat trip on Lake Skadar – the largest in the Balkans. The lake is surrounded by high green hills and is famous for its water lilies, pelicans, and carp, as well as monasteries and fortresses on numerous islets. In summer, Skadar is full of unbearable heat, there is a humid haze over the lake, but in autumn it is comfortable, quiet, and calm, under a clear sky and a soft warm sun, small picturesque villages doze.
The majestic fortified city of Kruja flaunts on an impregnable cliff. It is called the “balcony of the Adriatic ”. Here you can visit the Skanderbeg Museum and get acquainted with the Albanian history and legends associated with the name of the national hero. Nearby is the Ethnographic Museum, which presents the life of a wealthy Albanian family of the New Age, as well as a market with souvenirs, some of which the masters make right before your eyes.
South And East Of Albania
Then you can go to explore the south and east of Albania, not forgetting swimsuits and sun cream, as well as a scarf and modest clothes for visiting churches and monasteries.
Swimmers in southern Albania will delight not only with the turquoise waves of the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea but with the fine white sand of Dhermi, Himara, and Ksamil, where the view of Greek Corfu is especially good. For example, in the vicinity of Saranda, you can swim on the deserted beach of Lukovo with pink rocks and caves. And in the town of Shuri-i-Kalter, the strong-willed will be able to swim in an ice-cold karst spring gushing right out of the ground, while the less determined enjoy river trout in a nearby cafe.
Open Albania for yourself. You will return every year!
