This is our story
about going to Albania. On our 7-day road trip we explored the Albanian
heartland, Riviera and the mountains. We discovered great places like Berat, Vlora,
Himara, Gjirokastra, Shkodra and more! And we learned a lot about
how Albania is behind the scenes. Our road trip starts from Tirana – where
we have spent a couple of weeks. Be sure to check out our separate video
about Tirana, if you plan to go there. We are on the way to Berat – the first
destination on our itinerary. It lies 100 kilometers south of Tirana in
the mountainous region of central Albania. Berat is also called the
"City of a Thousand Windows" and is considered one of the
most important sights in Albania! It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is under special protection: In three
districts with the historic white Ottoman houses, new buildings are prohibited. Albania is a safe country to travel. The greatest risks do not come from
criminals, but lie in everyday life. We spend the night in our next destination
Vlora, which is a 1.5 hour drive from Berat. Vlora has a vibrant nightlife
you can definitely enjoy. – Let's see what we get for
35 Euros in Albania … I'm curious … ooh wow …
it's a very big room … let's see … oh my god … 35 Euros including breakfast …
and parking … bathroom … wow … very cool bathroom …
and a big balcony … with sea view! – Good morning! – This is the sea view …
by daylight. For the price of 35 Euros you obviously don’t
get the best sea view in Vlora which is in summer a popular
tourist destination. Although Albania has vibrant cities and shiny
new hotels, it’s still has a long way to go to achieve a healthy economy. In 2022 Albania ranks among the
poorest countries in Europe. Many are unemployed or unable to make
a living from their regular occupation. One third of Albania's population
lives below the poverty line. An Albanian saying goes:
„Poverty and wealth are twins“. And in fact, we do also see the
wealthy sides of Albania – as the country is characterized
by sharp contrasts. The promenade in Vlora is a 5 kilometer long
paved street and stretches along the coast. We can very well imagine what’s
going on here in the summer time. We leave Vlora and continue our road trip
towards the Albanian Riviera. The Riviera is located
on the Ionian Sea and starts south of Vlora,
where the Adriatic Sea ends. We drive up to the
mountain pass Llogara. It’s a high mountain pass – more than
1,000 meters above sea level – within the Ceraunian Mountains
along the Albanian Riviera. From here we start to discover the whole
Albanian Riviera up to Saranda, the southernmost coastal
town on the Riviera. In spring, we have this beautiful
area all to ourselves like this picturesque
mountain village Dhërmi. In summer, it’s
crowded with tourists. The majority of tourists come from Albania
and the neighboring countries. Himara is one of the most
preferred tourist villages. We stay one night and have dinner
in a Greek Albanian restaurant. By the way, Greeks make up the largest
ethnic minority in Albania and a number of them
live in this region. – Buonissimo! – Grandmother's zucchini balls …
with Tsatsiki. – Very good. – Enjoy … The next morning
we fall in love with Himara and this incredible coast of the
Ionian Sea, with its turquoise waters. The castle ruins of Old Himara
are also worth a visit. We walk up the
cobblestone streets. From the top
we will have a great view. Sweet sheep everywhere. No wonder, because sheep are one of the
most important livestock in Albania. Yes! Himara Castle offers
a stunning view in all directions with the Greek island Corfu and
other islands on the horizon. The castle is beautifully set with the
Ceraunian Mountains in the background. One thing must be said: Albania's scenic beauty is not at all second
to that of neighboring Greece or Croatia. We continue our road trip
towards Saranda. Before we continue: Please don’t forget
to let us know in the comments what's your opinion
about Albania. We feel that Albania is
an underrated country, a secret tip if you don’t know
where to go in Europe. We reach Saranda, a famous
seaside resort on the Albanian Riviera in the south of the country. In recent years, the development of tourism
has triggered a construction boom. Numerous hotels and vacation
apartments have been built. Saranda is visited annually
by about 500,000 tourists. We move on in the
direction of Gjirokastra. It’s located land inwards. We have to drive through
mountainous regions to get there. Can you imagine? Half of the Albanian
country is covered by mountains with altitudes above
600 meters above sea level. A small part of them are
high alpine regions. We arrive in the evening and go for a
quick dinner, tomorrow we’ll see more. Coming out of our hotel we were
impressed by a huge soccer field right in the center
of the new town. Albanians love soccer! And here we finally see the full beauty
of the old town of Gjirokastra with its fortress and stone houses
that climb up the mountain range. Gjirokastra’s old town is a Unesco World Heritage Site
and impresses with its beautiful location … its charming old bazaar surrounded
by historic Ottoman houses … and its majestic fortress. We don’t want to leave this place,
it’s beautiful. But on our onward journey the next
highlight is already waiting for us – the Ottoman stone bridge
Ura e Kordhocës. Our road trip continues to Erseke
located high up in the mountains. On our way we pass little villages
and diverse landscapes. If you dream of a unique road trip,
you should come to Albania. The country is certainly a bit adventurous,
but safe and most roads are well drivable, except for some obstacles. The Vjosa River is Europe’s last
wild river outside of Russia. It flows untamed and free on the
entire course of over 270 kilometers. In rare cases and in rather remote mountainous
areas, an off-road car could be recommended. After a 4-hour drive we reach Erseke, one
of the highest alpine towns in Albania at an altitude of 1050 meters! It’s almost 10 pm and we are lucky
to find a nice Albanian woman who prepares food for us even though
the restaurant is already closed. Thank you!
[in Albanian] – Good morning! – It's a new day in Albania …
in the mountains. Let’s go shopping … The days when there was a
shortage of goods are over, and Albania is developing into
a modern market economy. In rural towns, most purchases
are made at the market. Larger cities of course have
nice department stores. As usual, we meet Albanians
who are very welcoming. – Our new Albanian friend … speaks all
languages: Italian, English, Albanian … So there is plenty to buy in Albania.
But the problem lies in the finances. Many Albanians do not earn more than a
couple of beers and cafés cost in a bar. In 2022, the minimum wage is 32,000 Albanian leks,
which corresponds to about 280 U.S. dollars. We leave Erseke
and travel on to Korca. The urban population of Albania today amounts
to about 63%, while the countryside and some small towns are literally becoming deserted –
especially in the mountains and in the south. We reach Korca. It’s famous for „Birra Korca“, a popular
and delicious Albanian beer. The city center of Korca
has beautiful wide streets and the Orthodox Cathedral
"Resurrection of Christ" is stunning. While the rural surroundings of Korca are inhabited
by a majority of Sunni Muslims and Bektashis, Orthodox Christians are strongly
represented in the city itself. However, a large percentage of Albanians
say that religion is "not important“, they lead a secular life and reject religious
considerations to shape their way of life. Our road trip leads us
further to Pogradec. By the way, the speed limit should always
be respected because the police is very present throughout the country and strictly
controls the speed of the vehicles. We arrive in Pogradec. It’s one of the most important tourist
destinations in the country and beautifully located
on the shore of Lake Ohrid. The lake is one of the deepest and oldest lakes
on earth and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We enjoy the peaceful atmosphere that
can be felt here during the off-season. The lake promenade offers
a nice view of the lake. In summer, many Albanians spend their
vacations here and go swimming in the lake. Thanks to its location at an altitude of over
700 meters, Pogradec is a well-liked place to escape the heat of the Albanian
lowlands during the summer months. – Good morning … from Elbasan! The former industrial city of Elbasan
is often left behind by travelers. [speaking Albanian] But in our opinion it is an
interesting and authentic city. [speaking Albanian] The city has become a place
for health tourism. Especially dental tourism. Many international guests come here
to have their teeth done cheaply and enjoy a vacation
at the same time. The transformation following the collapse of the
communist system is still ongoing in Albania. Albania hopes to become a member
of the European Union. It has been promised a place in the EU
when it fulfills the required economic, political,
social and legal reforms. Right now poor infrastructure, nepotism,
corruption and unclear laws stand in the way. Inside the fortress of the city is one of
the oldest preserved mosques in Albania. The King’s Mosque. Aqif Pasha Elbasani was an Ottoman
Albanian politician and an activist for the Albanian national cause
after the Young Turk revolution. Our road trip goes on to Shkodra –
we pass Tirana and Kruja. For both cities we have a separate
YouTube video that you should not miss. We are in Shkodra, the weather is bad, but
you can still spot Rozafa Castle. – Let's see what we get for
45 Euros in Shkodra … – This is a great room … – I'm impressed by the view! The center of the city is like a „Little Italy“,
it has a beautiful boulevard with many cafés, going there is a perfect
bad-weather activity. At this point we would just like to
say what we love about Albania. Albania is warm and hospitable, it's mysterious
and not yet conquered by masses of tourists, it’s a perfect blend – Western
modernity mixes with traditions. Shkodra is the so-called
„bicycle capital“ of Albania. This is partly because of the communist
past, when few people owned a car, and partly because
the city is flat. We wish we had more time
to explore Albania. But our journey is slowly
coming to an end. If you ask yourself the question:
Should we travel to Albania? The answer is YES! Our last highlight – the famous Ura e Mesit
Bridge is located north of Shkodra. It is the largest bridge in Albania
from the Ottoman period. Near the city is the wonderful Lake Shkodra
and we sadly say good-bye to Albania, but we will be back one day. Please comment what
you think about Albania. And if you enjoyed this video
please like and subscribe. Our road trip ends in Tirana
where it began.
