A European Country I’m Glad I Didn’t Miss Out On
6 Things I Learned While Spending Time in Albania
When people think of taking a vacation in Europe, Albania might not be on their list of choices.
As someone who enjoys traveling, it’s certainly never crossed my mind. This is probably because it gets overshadowed by more popular destinations. But last month I and my fiancée visited Albania for the first time and now can’t wait to return. If you’ve been thinking of vacationing but are still undecided on where you’re next travel destination will be, this article will give you another country worth considering.
Here are 6 things worth knowing before you visit.
1. This Country has Beautiful Views
Albania is located in the Balkan Peninsula. It’s a mountainous region in southeastern Europe surrounded by the Adriatic Sea to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.
Due to its great location, we saw beautiful views of mountains and hills the moment we touched down at Tirana Airport. Because of the country's climate, it also has a decent amount of subtropical rural land which we had the pleasure of seeing anytime we traveled out of the city.
The South of Albania has many beaches which often attract tourists.
It’s worth looking into places like Vlorë, Sarandë, and Ksamil for clear blue waters and sandy beaches.
2. Euros are optional
They have a national currency known as the Albanian Lek.
You can use Euros, but the exchange rate is much nicer if you convert pounds or dollars to Lek.
Any business will accept the Albanian currency. If someone tries charging you Euros, think twice. They might have good reasons, but they might not. When I and my fiancée visited, we were only charged Euros on 4 occasions.
- When we first arrived at Tirana Airport (we arrived in the evening so the exchange desk was closed.)
- We paid €50 for a return taxi from Tirana to Durrës. Our driver also waited 2 hours while we explored this other city before driving us back to our hotel in Tirana.
- €5 tip for our hotel room cleaner to do our laundry.
- We also paid in Euros when we went ziplining. It was €25 per head.
3. Goods and Services are Priced Well
Some things are cheap, others are priced at a level you’ll be familiar with.
Here’s a list of random things we paid for and how much they cost:
- Shot of tequila — 100–150 LEK (< $2)
- Bottle of water — 30 to 60 LEK ($0.33 — $0.60)
- Burger King Meal — 1,200 LEK ($13)
- 20 to 25-minute taxi rides — 2,000 to 2,500 LEK ($21 — $25)
- Ziplining— 2,500 LEK ($27)
- High-end restaurant for two — 8,000 to 9,000 LEK ($85-$100)
- 5 nights Hotel and flight package — $700
4. People are kind and have good hospitality
The most pleasant part of the experience was how welcoming people were.
If you’ve visited London or Paris before, you know strangers are not always friendly. The difference in Tirana was night and day.
Taxi drivers, hotel attendants, and everyday people we met around the city showed love. We got the occasional stares and questions asking where we were from, but it was always in good faith. When I visited Paris, the experience was similar to London. Everyone is in a hurry and strangers don’t help each other. In Paris, it also seemed to annoy some locals when only speaking English.
Albania didn’t give that vibe. Everyone tried their best to communicate with us in English. For those that didn’t speak or understand it, they smiled and shrugged their shoulders. However, it’s always in the tourists' best interest to learn some phrases in the local language.
It’s not only polite, it also makes your life easier.
5. Activities to do and Getting the Best Deal
There are plenty of activities to do when vacationing in Albania.
But plan carefully if you don’t want to get ripped off. Many third-party apps for booking activities will charge you considerably more than if you paid in person. Waiting until you’re in the country before booking activities will allow you to get better rates.
For example, while we were still in the UK we checked how much it would cost to book a zipline activity. Some of these apps were charging €30-€40. We checked local prices once we arrived in Albania, and the same activity was as low as €20.
Here are some other activities we found:
- Quad biking across the coastal scenery in the south.
- Cable cars in the cities.
- Museums and historical landmarks.
- Climbing the clocktower in Skanderbeg Square (a plaza in Tirana).
- Guided tours through cities and hiking in the mountains.
6. Experiencing the Capital
Tirana is a city with plenty of character.
From the moment we arrived until we left, the city felt alive. Pedestrians filled the sidewalks and cars flooded the streets throughout the nights and days. Even past midnight, we weren’t too far from shops that were still open and serving customers.
Like any city, you can expect a range of restaurants and bars, points of interest, and activities to engage with.
Also, It was clear this was a developing country. Exploring the different streets revealed modern, new buildings next to dilapidated ones. Others were still under construction. This was especially evident in how the city buildings contrasted with the ones in rural areas. It gives the country a lot of natural beauty and character and I’m excited to revisit in the years to come to see how things have changed.
Takeaways
Albania is a country worth the visit.
If you like experiencing countries with natural beauty, a rich history, and perfect summer weather, this is the place for you.
Additionally, If you’re from a G7 country, naturally you will have higher purchasing power. So things you purchase in Albania will seem relatively inexpensive, most of the time. The flexibility with currencies is another benefit as it might save you from frequenting the exchange more than you like. But using their national money is always in your best interest if you want the best deal.
People will treat you well. Albania is a country that is very tolerant of different people, cultures, and religions. We barely had any problems during our visit and most people especially employees and business owners were friendly and provided good service.
Plan out your activities before arriving. But wait until you’re in the country before booking anything. This way you will get better deals.
Most importantly, make the most of your time in Albania. This place has a lot to offer.
