Travel Tips to European Countries: Albania
Albania is a mountainous country and the one of the smallest countries of Europe. The inhabitants supposedly descended from ancient Illyrians.
Culture
The civilization of Albania is majorly influenced by the of the mainland Greeks especially in the metropolitan area; nodding the head means’no more’ where shaking the head means’yes’. To greet someone, handshaking is preferred, however Shoku (Comrade) was used previously, which has been long forgotten now. Swim suits are meant for the shores, differently girls are expected to not dress in a revealing outfit. When addressing somebody prefix Zoti(Mr) or Zonja(Mrs) prior to the title and always make sure you carry some gifts when visiting someone, although flowers are not much okay. The guests can be served with coffee, raki or sweets. Smokers do not have to worry far, however they need to avoid it where they see that a sign of either Ndalohet Duhani or Ndalohet pirja e duhanit.
Travelling within the Nation
Buses with comparatively cheap fares operate in the main towns of the country or taxis are another choice which supplied service for several main resorts.
Visit Dajti Mountain and adventure Dajti Ekspres Cable car for a memorable 15 minute ride passing via Dajt Oark to reach Tirana. The route is all about 4.2 km long and the ride prices $6.5. Alpha Yachting offers crewed yacht which is a luxury in itself. Tirana Bank is your best location for withdrawing money as it permits entry to Visa cards.
Eating Out
Restaurants are not always adequately heated, so always wear hot clothes in case out in the night during winters. Foreigners are billed over the locals. Both the entry fees as well as any merchandise will be on a higher scale, therefore it is better not to reveal the simple fact that you’re a foreigner when out on the streets.
Site Seeing
If you love canoeing, this is the right spot to be. There are places right out Tirana that’s an amazing site for not only canoeing, but also rock climbing, hiking, and camping.
Accommodation
If you want a 5-Star ambiance, then try out the Sheraton Tirana Hotel and Towers, that can be located in the midst of a shopping and entertainment center. So, together with the relaxation, one can shop at once advantage . Another hotel which offers all modern facilities is Hotel Mondial. It is situated 1000 m away from the city and it’s also a good example of traditional architecture.
Getting There
One of the best and the easiest means is to move by air. Albanian Airlines is the national airline that works in cooperation with Tyrolean Airways, and offers service to almost all the large European cities. The airport, Mother Teresa, is 16 miles or 26 km away from the capital. A tourist bus can be obtained every 3 hrs to get into the city centre and takes about 30 minutes to arrive. Taxis are available round the clock. While waiting for any transportation service, tourists can have a look at the duty free shops, bank, eateries and car hire at the airport.
If trying to get there by sea, try out the ferry services which are provided by Adriatic Line and Agoudimos. The main ports are Durres (has ferry link to Italy, Bari, Brindisi, Trieste, and Ancona), Vlora (has ferry link to Bari, and Brindisi), Saranda (includes link to Corfu),’’ Shen Gjini (has post link to Bari).
Bus is another alternative. Internal passengers have plenty of options with bus services supplied. If traveling in a personal car, there is street network to the Kosovo area, but they’re too dangerous to use due to the political tensions within the area. If tired you can take halts at hotels or other specified areas. There is a network of 18,000 kmout of which only 7450 km are main streets, for travelers. About 2138km stretch of those roads is in bad condition and has pot holes, and extreme security precautions must be taken when driving such roads. Speed limit must be rigorously followed on highways as well as within cities. Driving at night must be avoided because of the absence of street lights on the street except for urban locations. Traffic should push the right-hand. There is a lack of gas channels in the town, therefore filling the petrol tank completely if passing through metropolitan region is recommended and since there’s deficiency of national recovery system; travellers should be prepared for a crisis or breakdown before hand. One needs to carry essential documents such as International Driving Permit and federal driving permit.
Duty Free Items
Following are the items that can be carried without customs duty being levied upon them:
1. 1liter of spirits or 2liter of wine
2. 250ml of eau de toilette
3. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
4. 50ml of perfume.
Prohibited Items
Things that are prohibited to transport are guns, narcotics and ammunitions. Particular export permission ought to be taken for precious metals, antiques, books, work of art, or substance of national or historic price.
