We
have been thinking for some time now to visit Albania, and this year was the
one for us. My husband meticulously planned the visit ahead so we had a list of
the places we wanted to visit.
We
traveled by car, it’s the choice we made, but one can easily go to Tirana by
plane and hire a car from there.
Getting to
Albania
There
were a couple of options that Waze and Google maps suggested, but we exited
Romania at Giurgiu – Ruse (Bulgaria). Bulgaria’s state of roads is very good
and we had absolutely no trouble driving there. Then, we entered Greece and passed
by Thessaloniki.
When
we entered Albania, at the customs, besides having our documents checked we
were greeted by a group of young people. They represented ‘Smile, Albania’, a
tourism organization that is involved in promoting the country. We received
flyers containing a map of Albania with places to visit that the organization
recommended.
After
leaving the customs, we went down the hill, and the sunset made it all look
absolutely beautiful. Which leads me to nature (and I will come back to this
topic throughout this post), which is quite impressing. Looking out of the
window, my imagination threaded a lot of ideas, especially after seeing an
oval-shaped construction that looked either like an UFO or a giant pizza oven.
I learned afterwards from my husband that throughout the country there are such
constructions, but they are no ovens or UFOs, just bunkers that the former
dictator had built for the Albanian people.
Pogradec
Our
first stop was Pogradec. After almost 11 hours of driving, we were quite happy
to have arrived. We checked in at the hotel and we were very glad to see that
we had a room with a view towards the Ohrid Lake. Ohrid Lake is on the border
between Albania and North Macedonia.
Pogradec
is a lovely small place where you can stay for a couple of days, bathing in the
sun and in the waters of the lake, eating Koran (the local fish) and just
chilling. It’s easier and cheaper if you buy a sim card from Albania, in case
you need to make a phone call or you need it in order to check directions. Be
sure to carry cash with you for there are only few places where you can pay by
card. We made an exchange in Albanian LEK and we were amazed to find somebody
who worked in a bank that also spoke Romanian (Romania is a leit-motif for our trip in Albania). What
we especially loved about Pogradec was the Drilon Park. You can go for a boat
ride or simply sit and enjoy the sounds of nature.
Korçë
This small town is really a treat. After having parked our car, we
went for a stroll. In the city center, there is a museum of the First Albanian
School and one very special museum in the honor of the photographer Gjon Mili.
The museum is in a former Romanian house. Gjon Mili was an Albanian-American
famous photographer known for his work published in Life magazine. Mili and his
family fled Albania and moved to Bucharest, and in 1923 he moved to the United
States. He is known for his love of light and movement and for photographing celebrities
and famous artists, such as Pablo Picasso.
Tirana
Like I mentioned before, nature is really amazing and during our
driving from Korçë to Tirana (and not only then) we were accompanied by the lovely
sounds coming from flying grasshoppers. They
were so loud that we actually heard them while driving, even though the radio
was on. They’re everywhere and they sing during night and day. I don’t know if
it was because of the heatwave that struck Europe or this is how temperatures are usually here, but Albania, and especially Tirana, was very hot.
The National Museum of History is highly recommended should you
want to get to know more about the Albanian people.
Grand Park of Tirana is another place you should definitely visit.
You can take a walk, rent a bike, have a run, play sports, go to the Zoo and to the
Botanical Garden, enjoy the view of the lake while sitting on a bench, see the
Presidential Palace, or just enjoy a coffee at one of the terraces there.
Oh, and one thing about coffee. Albania is famous for having the same number
of bars, coffee places and restaurants as inhabitants. Albanians love to drink
coffee and you will find a lot of them at the ground floor of blocks of flats.
Generally, they are very modern, seriously contrasting with the architecture of
the building they are placed in.
Radio Bar was quite a gem to discover. You will absolutely love
it. See for yourself below.
Albania has a taste for Italy; you will eat great Italian food
here. We absolutely adored the food at the Pasta da Pucci. The place is so
beautiful that you cannot stop from staring and the food is extraordinary.
Walking around the city center, we found out about two streets
named after two Romanian important people, Victor Eftimiu and Nicolae Iorga.
But the truly amazing thing was to find on one side of a block of flats the picture of the face of Nicolae Iorga and a couple of famous sayings written in Romanian. I
told you, Albania is really surprising.
Berat
Berat city is quite an impressive one. We drove almost 2 hours
from Tirana to get there. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the castle
here is still inhabited. Marks of the Ottoman rule can still be seen in the
architecture. The city is divided into two parts, one old and one new separated
by the Osum River. There is also an old bridge that beautifully unites the two
parts.
People are very friendly and you can ask for directions, they will
be very glad to make sure that you don’t miss any of the things to be seen
there.
Krujë
This small town played quite a role in the history of the Albanian
people. The Krujë castle withstood
three massive sieges from the Turks and contains a museum of the legendary
Albanian leader, Skanderbeg. Erected on a mountainside, a great panoramic view
of the sea and Tirana can be enjoyed from this castle.
Apollonia
At almost one hour drive from Tirana is Apollonia, an ancient
Greek city, founded in 588 BC. Native Illyrian tribes lived here and this is
quite a trip for those who enjoy learning about history. Since the site is on a
hill, the view is really nice and you can enjoy special moments of peace while
sitting on a stone bench under an olive tree.
Vlora
Our choice for the seaside was Vlora, but there are also other
destinations in Albania just as nice. What I particularly loved about Vlora was
being able to go to the beach, have a swim in the Adriatic Sea and also enjoy
the view of bosky hills. Like everywhere else in Albania, there are a lot of pretty
coffee shops, restaurants and bars to go to. It’s nice if you stay for a couple
of days and devote your time to reading, sunbathing and swimming in the sea.
And the sunsets are breathtaking!
Driving in
Albania
Well, like they say, nothing is perfect. And surely the way of
Albanians’ driving could be improved. They tend either to go very fast or very
slow, some overtake you on the left and then slow down or they don’t signal if
they want to change the lane. Anyway, for your safety and comfort, keep
yourself alert.
Cleanliness and
state of roads
Albania is clean with very few exceptions. Still, there are
stray dogs; rather big but not aggressive. The state of the roads is very good.
There are of course, some exceptions, but then again, exceptions make the rule!
What I particularly loved during our drive from Pogradec to Korçë was the
highroad along the lake Ohrid. There is also a dedicated bike lane that I would
really recommend for you to take. The scenery is breathtaking.
A think to consider is that in some small towns the manholes are
missing so you’d better watch out when you’re driving.
The people
The people are very nice, curious about the tourists coming to see
their country. We had some people questioning in Albanian about where do we
come from, and what places we have on our list to see. They are also eager to help
should you need directions or information.
