🦅 Albania

What Makes It Worth It

🏛 Gjirokastër Old Bazaar

Albania is the travel story of the decade in Europe. Long overlooked and undervisited, this small Adriatic nation has opened up rapidly over the past few years and now offers one of the continent's most exciting and genuinely affordable travel experiences. The Albanian Riviera stretches south from Vlorë to the Greek border, its turquoise bays and isolated beaches rivalling anything in Croatia or Greece — at a fraction of the cost.

The country's interior is equally compelling. Gjirokastër and Berat are both UNESCO World Heritage-listed cities, their Ottoman-era architecture remarkably intact. Gjirokastër in particular, built on a hillside above the Drino Valley with its cobbled bazaar and imposing castle, is one of the most atmospheric old towns in the Balkans. Berat's distinctive Ottoman houses, stacked above the Osum River with their distinctive rows of windows, earned it the nickname 'City of a Thousand Windows'.

For outdoor adventurers, the Accursed Mountains (Bjeshkët e Namuna) in northern Albania offer multi-day hiking through some of the most dramatic and remote landscapes in Europe. The Peaks of the Balkans trail crosses into Montenegro and Kosovo and is increasingly recognised as one of the continent's great long-distance routes.

Practically, Albania uses the lek (ALL) and is cash-heavy — ATMs are available in cities but carry some cash in rural areas. A daily budget of €40–60 covers accommodation, meals, and transport comfortably. Tirana, the capital, has a surprisingly vibrant café and restaurant scene well worth a day or two before heading south.

Sample week-long route: Tirana (1 night) → Berat (1) → Gjirokastër (1) → Albanian Riviera via Himarë and Dhërmi (3) → return via Llogara Pass. Buses are cheap and frequent along the coast; furgons (shared minibuses) reach mountain towns. Cash is still common outside Tirana — withdraw lek locally. Albania is one of Europe's safest budget destinations for independent travel.

Visas: most Western passports enter visa-free for 90 days. Currency is Albanian lek — euros accepted in tourist areas but poor exchange rates. English is growing among younger Albanians; Italian widely understood on the coast. Albania is genuinely safe for solo travellers and families. Road quality improving but mountain routes need cautious driving.

Getting there: Tirana International Airport (TIA) has growing European connections. Overland from Greece via Kakavija or from North Macedonia via Qafë Thana border is straightforward for regional trips. Albania rewards slow travel — rushing the Riviera in two days misses the mountain towns and lake districts that define the country's character.

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