.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:100%25/rs=w:1280 "More than half of the buildings in the picture were not standing 5 years ago")
It had been five years since I last set foot in Albania. When I left, the farewell was an emotional one. Saying goodbye to a beautiful country, an inspiring city and the most humble and helpful people was tough. I had spent a year volunteering, my first time away from home for more than a few months, and had come closer to my purpose while making some of my best friends. However, I always knew I would come back.
And so, I did. Five years later, with my partner and two friends, we started in Tirana and traveled down south. The changes were immediately noticeable, with new buildings and improved roads and sidewalks. However, the warmth and hospitality of the Albanian people remained unchanged.
Albania is slowly emerging as one of Europe's most popular summer destinations, with its unique history, pristine beaches, and affordability being the top three reasons to visit. The capital city of Tirana is also making progress in modern architecture. However, Albania still has a long way to go in providing a fantastic holiday experience and hospitality, as seen in countries such as Greece, Italy, and France.
My experiences abroad taught me that being a tourist, an ex-pat, or a friend from another country means showing your best to others. You are an ambassador of your country and culture, and hosts try to show their best - hospitality, exciting foods, drinks, music, dances, places, history, nature, and nightlife.
Imagine your friend from abroad visiting you at your home. You would host them with the best you can get - the best drinks and foods, show them around, introduce them to your friends, be positive, share your happiness, and make sure they have everything they need and more.
And in most cases, that's how we felt visiting Albania.
What remains unchanged?
1. Beaches
Albania's beaches are still top-notch, but after spending time in Chalkidiki, Greece, they now rank in 2nd place for mainland Europe.
.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:100%25/rs=w:1280 "Beach Shpella E Pëllumbave")
The above beach is offroad, and you have two options for getting there: park your car in the parking close to the beach and walk down for around 15 minutes, or start at the beginning of the road and walk for approximately 45-60 minutes depending on your physical condition. We parked our car in the furthest parking lot, and it took us around 20 minutes to get down to the beach and 30 minutes back to the car.
If you have a rental car, avoid parking close to the beach as the road is not paved, and your rental company may track your car.
2. Cuisine
This is one of the things you don't have to be afraid of.
Albania offers many options for local and international cuisine, including Italian, Turkish, Asian, American, and Greek. The ingredients used are mostly local and organic, but be prepared for smaller portions than in other countries and with fewer meat options, as most restaurant meals are vegetarian.
3. Craziest traffic in Europe
Here is a video of traffic in Tirana, the capital city. Tirana's traffic lacks rules and respectful drivers. You will often see 4 cars sharing 3 lanes, you will hear never-ending honking, and you cannot expect other drivers to let you pass even if you are with priority. Luckily a tourist guide reminded us of crucial rules about traffic: "Drive and walk with confidence."
This applies in the cities, and if you go to some of the smaller or hidden beaches, such as Dhërmi, Himare, or Shpella e Pëllumbave.
Llogara Pass is one of the most exciting roads in Europe. We must agree with people online who say it is "terrifying but worth it." It's 31.5 km (19.57 miles) long, with an elevation of 1,027 meters (3,369 ft). If you rent a car, we recommend taking one with automatic transmission so you can entirely focus on driving. With a manual car, this road is only for experienced drivers.
Tip: Travel sickness medicine is available in Albanian pharmacies for around 15 leke per pill ($0.13/€0.13), which should be taken 30-60 minutes before traveling.
4. Randomness
Unpredictable situations are common in Albania, regardless of your open-mindedness or where you're from. See some random photos below.
What has changed in the last 5 years?
1. Modern architecture and urban development
5 years ago, our Albanian friends told us that this building (below on the left) would probably never be built. I could not believe the colorful modern building was the same as the structure standing there before, with no one working on it for years.
The Tirana International Hotel, built in 1979, was the tallest building in Albania and now stands alongside new, colorful modern buildings. It even has an elevator, which for Albania in 1979 was an innovation. However, Albanians were not allowed to enter the building back in the day.
The Pyramid of Tirana is one of the most famous symbols of Albania. Currently under construction.
.jpg/:/rs=w:1280 "New project for the Pyramid. Source: www.mvrdv.nl")
In Tirana, Albania, new modern buildings and creative projects are being developed, attracting investment primarily from Germany, Italy, and the wealthy Albanian elite, expecting the property prices to skyrocket in the following years.
2. Prices
Albania used to be a cheap summer destination, but the prices for accommodation, dining out, groceries, and car rental have increased significantly in the last five years. The prices for some meals and products have gone up by more than 200%, and beer prices have increased from €1 to €3-4. The increase in prices has raised concerns about whether Albania is still a cheap holiday destination.
According to our travels to Albania and Greece in 2022, we believe you get more for your bucks in Greece. For the car rental, we paid the same price as in Portugal during the peak of the summer season, and we had full insurance and unlimited drivers (in Albania, the same price covered only 70% insurance coverage and 1 driver). The fuel prices are also one of the highest in Europe.
A positive surprise was that we could pay with euros, including coins, in much more places. Years ago, we could only pay with paper euros and receive the change in Albanian Leke.
3. The hospitability, and sometimes the lack of it.
Albanians were once known for their hospitality, but there have been some unpleasant situations with taxi drivers honking aggressively, shouting, and charging tourists up to three times more than locals. Some hosts have been rude making us uncomfortable. However, most people still go out of their way to help.
5 years ago, Albanians constantly went out of their way to help.
- Did you get to the wrong bus in Tirana? Someone would have suggested what to do, even left the bus with you, and shown you the right direction.
- Were you supposed to meet a friend but cannot find the meeting point? People on the street would hand you their phones so you could search for the place.
- Did you need to get to someplace urgently, and you did not have enough cash? Then, a taxi driver would take you there almost for free, just to help you.
According to some hosts, this is an entrance to a "luxury apartment."
Fun fact: The apartment had a toilet and shower on a balcony.
Tip: When booking an apartment or hotel room, try to find the building on google street view.
4. New roads
With 70% of Albania's terrain being mountainous, getting around the country by car or bus used to be a bit of a challenge. But things are changing fast! In recent years, the government has invested heavily in new roads, highways, and tunnels, making travel a breeze. Take the drive from Saranda to Tirana, for example. It used to be a -knuckle experience, but now the roads are smooth and the journey is surprisingly comfortable, even if it's still a little steep.
It's been two weeks since we left Albania, and we can't wait to return. This time, for longer. To explore more of this fantastic country and to see how it continues to change. Who knows, maybe in another five years, we'll write another blog post about all the new changes we've seen.
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