Dear guests, we are happy to announce once again this year that Albania is open to tourists every time of the year. Despite the corona restrictions meaning, a vaccine pass or an antigen test that needs to be shown at the borders before entering the country, everything else is as free as it could be. This makes Albania your TO GO COUNTRY once again. We take care of the people, but we also take care of our guests by applying all the safety measures to each one of our tours.
This year will be the best year to visit Albania, in this travel guide we will provide you with information about what you need to know before traveling to Albania. All the musts you have to do while in Albania, all the places, the food, and the drinks you need to try.
The ultimate Albania travel guide for 2022.
P.S you’ve heard it here first.
Information about Albania
Where is Albania, where it is located and what countries border Albania?
Albania, the land of eagles and hospitable people is located on the shores of the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea. It is located in the western part of the Balkans in the southern part of Europe. And is a country blessed by the miracles of nature. The countries that border Albania are: To the northwest, it is bordered by Montenegro, to the northeast, it is bordered by Kosovo, to the east by Macedonia and to the southeast and south it is bordered by Greece.
What language do Albanian’s speak?
The Albanian language is not the same as that of these countries, it has its own branch on the family of the European Language Tree. So it is an old language that was only spoken during the ancient times and was later on written later on with Latin letters and it was official when Konstantin Kristoforidhi made it the official alphabet of the Albanian language.
How do Albanians call their land and themselves and what race are Albanians?
Albanians call themselves Shqipetar and their country Shqiperia, which in detail it is said that it derives from the word Shqipoj/Shqiptoj which means pronounce/understand. But there is another theory that says that the word Shqiperi/Shqipetar derives from the word Shqiponja meaning Eagle, which explains the Albanian Flag. The eagle in the Albanian language symbolizes victory, bravery, courage, and hero. But the name Albania is said that comes from the Illyrian tribe Albanoi, which was one of the best Albanian Tribes during the Ancient Times.
The race of the Albanian people is Albanian. Meaning, the people of this country are 96 percent homogenous. The Albanian people are descendants of the Illyrian Tribes which called their country Illyria.
What religion do Albanian people believe in?
The religion Albanian people believe is complex. Many are Muslims, while others are catholic and orthodox, however many people do take part in religious rituals. So this is difficult to answer, but in the old days before the Turkish invasion, Albanian’s were Catholic in the North and Orthodox in the South. After the Turkish invasion for 500 years, many were converted to Islam. And During the communist years after WWII under the rule of Hoxha Religion was prohibited. Every religious act was banned, and many religious sites were closed and destroyed, the ones that remain to this day are the ones that were declared historical monuments.
Is Albania a communist country?
No, Albania is not a communist state since 1991. From then until this day Albania has been once a democratic state once a socialist state. This resulted in major changes in the country. Nowadays Albania’s prime minister is Edi Rama since 2013.
The Albania travel guide for what to know before you go
Currency of Albania: Lek
Capital: Tirana
Population: 2,872,933
Highest summit: 2764 m
Time Zone: CST/CEST +1 HOUR AHEAD OF THE UK.
I guess you learned as much as you can about Albania by now.
Some Albanian words you need to know.
Hello – Pershendetje
Goodbye – Mirupafshim
How are you – Si je?
Thank you – Faleminderit
Where? – Ku?
Here – Ketu
There – Atje
I love you – Te dua
Cheers – Gezuar
Is Albania Safe?
Of course, Albania is safe. It is like any other European country. You have to take care of course because you never know. But Albania is on the list of safe countries to visit.
In terms of health care, there are hospitals and doctors in the main towns and there are also pharmacies in each town.
Reasons to visit Albania in 2022
My favorite part of writing is when I have to give people reasons to visit my country. Albania is a land that has a diversity of landscapes that your satisfaction is met when you look at those landscapes. You can see everywhere, mountains, hills, and rivers. If you’re up in the north the most beautiful Alps of Europe are presented to you in a magnificent landscape as you raise your head. Meanwhile, in the south, the beauty of the blue to turquoise waters meets the sky.
I recommend you visit as much as you can in Albania or book one of our tours that has it all. Sea, Sand, Mountains, and Springs.
The beauty of the Albanian Alps is matchless. We have the high peaks, the trails, the waterfalls, the canyons, and the sea.
What is celebrated in Albania?
Albanian people celebrate the usual holidays every other country celebrates such as Christmas, Easter, or Eid. However, there are two different ones which are the summer day and the Independence and Flag Day.
14th March Summer’s Day
This is a pagan celebration that was firstly celebrated in Elbasan and it signifies the first day of the beginning of warm weather and the end of the winter. It is celebrated through traditional dances, concerts, picnics, and moreover through its signature pastry: Ballokume
28-29th November: The flag and independence day
These two days are very important for the Albanian people because these mark the independence of the country from the Ottomans and the first time the Albanian flag was raised.
What to eat in Albania?
The Albanian cuisine is very Mediterranean, Albanian’s use a lot of olive oil and vegetables meaning it is a garden-based cuisine. However, you can find all kinds of foods in Albania.
So I recommend you try the
Tave Kosi
It is a dish of lamb and rice baked with a mixture of yogurt and eggs.
Byrek
The most famous food in Albania (and in the rest of the Balkans too) is byrek, a tasty salty pie made with filo pastry and filled with spinach, cottage cheese, or tomato and onion.
Fergese
Fergese is a dish that is made with paprika and cottage cheese on the pan. It is such a delight during the summer days served with watermelon as a side dish.
There are more dishes waiting for you to try. If you need help with the suggestions comment us.
What to do in Albania?
Here are some of our recommendations on what to do in Albania.
3-days Tour to Komani Lake, Valbona Valley, and Thethi National Park
What’s better than visiting the Albanian Alps while sailing through magnificent mountain peaks and green to emerald waters?
What are you gonna do on this tour?
- Ferry trip on Komani lake;
- Visit in Valbona valley;
- Moderate hike to Thethi valley within Thethi National Park,
- Visit Thethi’s waterfall and canyon.
This thing is a must to do in Albania. But what else could be done in Albania?
8 days on the Peaks of Balkan and Accursed Mountains
Albania is 70% covered in mountains so I’ll stick to mountains for a while. You can hike, climb, trek, and walk on the most beautiful green pastures you have ever seen. We love mountains and greenery, and I think you would too. We come from the mountains and we have a great sense of responsibility and adoration for them.
On this trip/tour, you will visit the most beautiful places we have chosen for you.
Mount Korab, a two days tour from Tirana or Shkodra
I swear this is the last time I mention mountains cause this Albania travel guide for 2022 is not only about them.
Mount Korab is the highest peak in the country, and the easiest to hike, with some great views on the way, and when you reach the top, you can sing the song “On Top of The World – Imagine Dragons”.
Gjirokastra Day Tour from Tirana
One says that you cannot have favorite cities from your country. And I try not to be judgemental to other cities because they are all equally beautiful in their way with their history and castles. But I WILL SPILL THE TEA and say Gjirokastra is one of my favorites. In Gjirokastra you can see it all, from valleys and mountains to houses that are full of history and streets full of life. Gjirokasta, the stone city named so because of the limestone paved streets deserves to be one of the most beautiful towns in the world.
A castle with a beautiful history that awaits you to hear, but also it silently sits on top of the town spying on the secrets of each house. And each house spies away its stories. An archaeological gem but also a cultural treasure. This tour will open your eyes to the hidden beauty of Albanian towns.
Visit Korca and Voskopoja in a 2 Days Tour
I know I mentioned Gjirokastra as one of the most beautiful towns and one of my favorites, but I cannot help and say that Korca is also one of my favorites. The little Paris, where people truly think that they are “Parisians” they spy from their windows and are very polite with their distinctive dialect.
Korca with its beautiful Cathedral of Resurrection, the old bazaar, the beer factory and the beautiful farms closeby deserves to be on each one’s bucket list when visting Albania.
Voskopoja on the other side is a historical gem, this small village not very far from Korca once used to be one of the biggest Albanian trading points, a city with a lot of libraries and monasteries, once the streets of which roared with life and music, today seems too quiet but it hasn’t lost its glory, it still shines on the cobble-stone streets silently waiting once again to win its glory back.
Explore and Feel Tirana in a Walking Tour
What’s best than seeing what the Capital of Albania that everyone talks about has to offer? Skyscrapers? Yes, that too but history, luxury, and culture are mixed in a way you would be amazed. This city has it all. Beautiful old buildings, but also modern new ones. Tirana is home to so many beautiful places. The bunk’arts are a gem to see how bad communism was in Albania, but not to forget to mention Shtepija e Gjetheve which has a really fascinating story.
Dental Tours
You may have heard about the cheap prices of Dental Implants in Turkey but you haven’t heard about the ones in Albania. Albania has some of the best dental clinics that can fix your smile in a short time. We as a tour operator have done some research and will provide you with the best clinics and the best things to do in Albania while you are waiting for your perfect smile.
Write to us and we will do the best we can.
Food and Wine Tour in Albania
We talked about Albanian drinks and food, but here we are saying our last word, what you need to do in Albania is totally a food and wine tour. On this tour, we can mix culture and history with good food and good drinks.
Hit us up for more information and hit us up if this Albania travel guide is lacking something.
