20 destinations for 2015: Albania

With long stretches by the Adriatic, a fascinating history, and only a few inquisitive travellers, Albania is ripe for exploring in 2015, writes Caroline Shearing

Why?
This former Communist country, off-limits for much of the 20th century to all but the most inquisitive travellers, remains among the least discovered and, some would argue, most misunderstood of the Balkan states.

More than 20 years after the fall of the country’s Communist regime, tourism here is still relatively low key, with Greeks, Italians and expat Albanians comprising most of the visitors to its cosmopolitan seaside resorts. Away from the coast Albania’s many delights include Ottoman-era villages, soaring landscapes, archaeological treasures, abundant wildlife and in rural areas an agricultural way of life seemingly unchanged for centuries.
On a recent visit to Saranda in the south of the country, I was struck by the sense that this proud nation is at a tourism crossroads. There’s a voracious appetite for construction, which in just 20 years has seen Saranda go from a small coastal town dotted with traditional terracotta-topped stone houses to a sprawl of high-rise hotels and apartments.

Given Albania’s enviable location on the Adriatic, sandwiched between Greece and Montenegro, one wonders how much longer the country’s coastline will remain unspoilt. So, with a clutch of new tours for 2015, now is the time to go.

You should be guaranteed a warm welcome as well. When a waiter at a restaurant in Saranda overheard my English accent, my table was soon receiving the sort of VIP treatment that had other diners staring curiously my way.

During a road trip to the mountains I pulled up by the dusty roadside; women in brightly coloured headscarves immediately popped their heads out of windows to smile encouragingly.
“English?” I was directed to what would have once been the grandest house in the village, now a tumbledown ruin, to be met by the sight of an elderly woman tending a lovingly kept vegetable garden. On seeing me she surveyed her crop and selected a grapefruit-sized tomato that on tasting turned out to be perfectly sweet, ripe and distinctly Albanian.

How to go: A six-day escorted tour staying at hotels in Saranda, Berat, Tirana and Vlora costs from £1,478 per person, through Sunvil Holidays (020 8758 4758; sunvil.co.uk). The price includes return flights from Gatwick, breakfasts, lunches, entrance fees, private guide and driver.

Recent news

  • Albania completes 9.3 mln euro investment in water supply network upgrade

    TIRANA (Albania), March 22 (SeeNews) - The upgrade works of the water supply network in…

    11 April 2017More…
  • Albania Aims To Build on Boom in Tourism

    Albania earned a record 1.5 billion euros from tourism in 2016, well up from the figures…

    11 April 2017More…
  • Albania drafts new law on tourism to increase revenues

    TIRANA, July 20 (Xinhua) -- A draft law on tourism was scrutinized by the Albanian…

    22 July 2015More…
  • Balkans tourism has potential for foreign investment

    TIRANA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Balkan region has high potential for foreign investment,…

    11 June 2015More…
  • 20 destinations for 2015: Albania

    With long stretches by the Adriatic, a fascinating history, and only a few inquisitive…

    11 June 2015More…
  • Albania invites Saudi tourists to enjoy its pristine beauty

    Albania has relaxed its visa procedures for Saudi tourists during the summer period, from…

    11 June 2015More…
  • Albania approves 2015 budget targeting strong growth, deficit cuts

    (Reuters) - Albanian lawmakers backed a 2015 budget on Tuesday that projects economic…

    06 December 2014More…

Albania Property Guide

Provide your personal details in the form below in order to download Albania Property Guidebook free of charge.

Free Download