Albania is a European country that every year attracts more and more tourists from all over the world, but so far the infrastructure of this country is under development. On the one hand, this can cause certain inconveniences on vacation, but they are fully compensated by affordable prices for vacations.
The popularity of this country is due not only to good opportunities for a beach holiday, but also to beautiful nature combined with a large number of different attractions. An important role is also played by the fact that to visit the country for a period of 90 days there is no need to obtain a visa. Directly in the country, you will be pleasantly surprised by the low (even low) prices for food, accommodation and transport, although the public transport system itself between cities is not very well developed (there are few bus stations, the quality of roads and buses leaves much to be desired). You can safely travel around the country on your own without overpaying for excursions.
If we look at each item separately, then first of all you should pay attention to housing. Every year the number of housing offers increases, and therefore now you can find the option that suits you on various sites that provide online booking services. Yes, this will take a little time, but personally I don’t see much of a problem with this. On average, renting a room in Albanian cities will cost you from 12 to 20 euros per day, including a hearty breakfast.
You can have a hearty meal (with meat, potatoes and salad) in a decent cafe for around five euros or even less, and if we are talking about regular snacks, it will cost only 1-2 euros. For one person per day, 15 euros will be enough for food.
Despite the fact that Albania is a small European state in size, but in terms of the number of attractions it can give odds to many European countries. You can travel around the country for several weeks and still not see all the interesting things.
In your travel program around the country, you should definitely include the largest city in the north of the country – Shkodra, whose tourist attractiveness is primarily due to the Rozafa fortress located here, the history of which dates back to the third century BC. The fortress is of impressive size and you will have to pay about one euro to enter its territory.
As for the city itself, it makes a double impression on tourists. Along with various interesting places, the city is not clean, and spontaneous markets spoil the picture, but this in no way applies to the Old Town and the embankment of Lake Skadar.
A visit to Albania is impossible without getting to know the country’s capital, the city of Tirana. This is the largest city in the country, where the country’s socialist past is most striking. Many buildings, government institutions and squares are reminiscent of that recent past. At the same time, changes for the better are constantly taking place in the city, the public transport system is well developed, there are many mosques, churches, etc. The city is surrounded by areas for outdoor activities, picnics and mountains. The best way to get around Tirana and the surrounding area is by rented bicycle.
The city of Gjirokastra is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and this fact alone makes it a must-see in this European country. People come here to see the fortress built in the 12th century and a number of interesting military and historical museums. From time to time, the fortress becomes a venue for various festivals.
Albanians are very proud of their mountains, which they call the Albanian Alps. In reality, we are talking about a mountain range called Prokletije, which passes not only through the territory of Albania, but also through neighboring Kosovo and Montenegro. If this area interests you, then pay attention to the mountain village of Ses, which is located just 70 kilometers from the city of Shkoder mentioned above. The problem is that there is no full-fledged road to this village, and this distance will have to be covered along a dirt mountain serpentine, which in itself is an adventure. In winter it is generally impossible to get here for several months due to bad weather conditions. And tourists come here to see in all their glory the beauty of the local mountains, crystal clear rivers, breathe clean air and meet the local residents, whose way of life has undergone virtually no changes over the past few decades. Conventionally, this place is also called one of the most beautiful and cheapest in Europe.
Contrary to the fears of many tourists, the vast majority of local residents do not show any aggression towards foreign tourists, but, on the contrary, treat them very positively and kindly. The only problem that may arise is with knowledge of English, which a small percentage of the population in the country speaks and often tourists literally have to explain on their fingers.
One of the important components of a budget trip to Albania is travel expenses. As far as I know, there are no direct flights from Russian cities to Albania and you will have to make transfers to get there. Perhaps there are some offers regarding charter flights from travel companies, but these issues need to be discussed individually with representatives of these companies. The fastest way to get to Albania is through the Montenegrin city of Tivat; many domestic and foreign airlines operate flights there. The distance between these cities is about 200 kilometers and can be covered in about 5-7 hours by regular bus. There are also options for renting a car, but it is much more expensive and not very convenient.