It’s a travel cliche; you can read all you like, but until you touch the ground and meet the people, you’ll never get a true sense of a place. And some places feel particularly dynamic with extreme drama in their recent history or a promising future dawning. Albania is smack dab in the middle of a multi generational transformation. And we are here now.
A greener future for Albania and new opportunities to join the EU.This was NOT how I pictured “chaotic and congested” Tirana.Bikeways now connect a lot of central Tirana. Some double as walkways…We were lucky to enjoy the recent renovation of the Pyramid of Tirana by MVRDV Architects and Arup. You can now climb the stairs on all sides and enjoy a variety of public spaces and views of central Tirana. It’s cool.It’s become quite a hang out space. Took some waiting to get a photo without young people climbing the stairs.The stunning renovation of the Pyramid includes TUMO, an educational organization focused on teaching youth innovation skills such as software, robotics, and animation.
Albania’s history gives it a very unique character. It came out of the gates slowly from the years of a repressive and isolationist government with continued troubles in the 90’s and modest economic growth until recently. But now it’s now on a faster rise and you can sense the optimism here. But it still has a GDP per capita about 1/3 that of Croatia and Greece, and challenges remain.
A delicious first dinner at Era restaurant in Tirana, which does creative takes of Albanian classics like this meatballs with pistachio Of course I had to try one of the signature micro brews of Albania, Birra e Gjyshit, in the name of global research. It’s good.
But why are people so chill? Why is car ownership so low and why are the drivers surprisingly considerate of pedestrians and bikes? We started observing the character of the people in line for our flight from Geneva. Pretty chill. The Tirana customs and immigration was chill. Getting a SIM card? Chill. Taxi? Fixed fare and you guessed it, chill! In fact, adapting to just how chill people can be here takes some adjustment. (Especially my Type A personality!) It’s clearly a legacy of the past, but defines the present here. The young people do have a more energetic and engaged vibe.
Many things are a work in progress, especially in the coastal areas; the view from a cafe where we stopped briefly for lunch and a swim after Buntrint.Tirana’s underground BunkArt2 Museum was a good overview of Albania’s communist era. Bike culture had been here a lot longer than the recent car culture, and Albania still has one of the lowest car ownership rates in Europe.
One thing travellers often refer to when describing a country is the “hassle factor”. How difficult is it to get around, complete transactions, order food, get money, etc? Albania scores well on this front as interactions tend to be straightforward and prices are generally clear. (Exception: some taxis…which really is a global problem!) It can also be little things like making change for large bills spit out by ATMs. No problem in Albania. Credit cards are also taken at some places, especially in bigger cities and everywhere in trendy neighborhoods of Tirana (like Blokku).
Heading to the “North-South Bus Station” in Tirana. Cracking the code for the bus and minibus system is one of the bigger challenges for travelers in Albania.That look says; ok, where the heck is the bus to Vlorë?! But no worries as we just walked around a bit and were quickly pointed to the right bus. Take a seat and pay on board. Generally.
I would recommend bringing a healthy supply of Euros as this can make it easier and cheaper to pay at places priced in Euros (most lodging). And note that all ATMs charge $5-$8 per withdrawal, so withdraw as many Lek as you can per transaction to minimize fees.
The minibuses or “Furgón” also transport packages such as these giant boxes taking 6 seats on our run. We were worried for the guys in front of the boxes in case of a sudden stop 😬.Vlorë comes alive in the evening with pleasant sidewalk dining and great people watching. We had a good chat with the nice guys at the next table who were from the UAE.
Our strategy for a mid October visit was to head to the coast first as many places do start to shut down, and by early November only the bigger coastal destinations (such as Sarandë) still have a lot of life. We’d then explore the inland cities and villages in the mountains and high interior.
Our hotel had a fleet of free bikes which was great for getting around cycle friendly Vlorë and to our favorite swimming spot.The promenade and small Azar Beach about 4 km south of central Vlorë offered turquoise water and better swimming than the main stretches of Lungomare.Swimming near a Barrel Jellyfish (?) which just look beautiful and don’t have nasty stings (right?).
The strategy paid off as we still had nice weather, the beaches were still swimable, and enough was open to have a rewarding experience. We loved the chilled vibe of late season, and still met some nice fellow travelers, but if you want more of a scene, come earlier. If you want a full on party, packed nightclubs, and crazy beach scene, come in late July and August!
First course of seafood and perfect linguini at the wonderful little Skerdi Restaurant in Vlorë. The friendly owner/chef cooks amazing seafood and pastas.Nothing but bones. A clean removal.And this is what we call “Raki face”. We don’t seek out Raki in Albania, but with so many friendly restauranteurs, the Raki finds us.
We decided to stop in the small coastal city of Vlorë on the way to the more popular parts of the coast and were really glad we did. Vlorë is extremely pleasant and has a wonderful primary shopping and restaurant street as well as a long beach promenade, all with heavily used bikeways.
The public buses in Vlorë are easy and clean. You can board any door and just pay the fare collector who comes around, and makes change. (40 lek)Vlorë’s bus station is a long curb lined with shady cafes. Waiting for our 10am minibus to Himarë…until we were told it actually leaves at 11:30. Another coffee, please.The minibus station…finding out schedules can be tough. Ask around or stop by the day before about the time you want to leave. Hotels and guest houses can also help a lot.Our Transbus to Hiramë left Vlorë at 11:30 and arrived at 2:20 with one 20 minute bathroom and cafe stop. The trip is spectacular/slightly scary over the coastal mountains.Sunset view from our apartment along Potami Beach in Himarë
The trip south from Vlorë heads over the Llogora Pass, with a stunning 3,000 foot decent towards the ocean. Traffic is still remarkably light and little towns dot the coast; some a bit charming and others more scruffy and modern. Himarë (or Himara) was very pleasant but it’s vibe was much more beach town than the real city scene of Vlorë. But it’s a spectacular setting and the 3 beaches around the bay of the City are pretty nice.
Sheep herder on the beachfront of Himarë.Local markets abound with the ubiquitous cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, and spices which make up most dishes. Some longer trails such as the Albanian coastal trail have been established recently but in general, hiking is an adventure using partially mapped roads, fire roads, and foot paths.Grapes and vines adorn many house; on the way to Livadi beach from HimarëPomegranates and citrus.Olive trees were often mixed with ferns, which felt a bit out of place in the arid environment. Olives and olive oil are a base of life in the region. And delicious.Livadhi Beach…our favorite and a short hike from Himarë with some nice shade (at the undeveloped southern end).Ionian Sea paradise at Livadhi.By mid October many of the beach restaurants in our neighborhood had closed, so we made this friendly Taverna PiroΣia our home in Himarë as we preferred its vibe (and the walk) to main town.And then the power went out during a rain storm, making for a romantic IPhone candlelight setting. Power can still be a bit spotty in Albania.Zucchini pie, a Greek village salad, and Lamb “Juvetsi”. There are many Greek or Albanian-Greek restaurants in this coastal region.Did I mention the restaurant cats?How can you say no?
Our next bus leg to Sarandë went well as the nice host of our apartment confirmed the minibus time and walked us to board (south of the main stop in Himara) where we found the driver had reserved two upfront seats for us based on her call to him. So nice. The Albanians we have met have been kind to a fault; but sometimes it takes a bit to draw them out from their extremely low-key nature. But it is really nice to travel here.
Central produce market in SarandëCafé culture is strong here. Chilling in Sarandë
Since we were out of the main part of town in Himare, we decided to go for a centrally located family hotel in Sarandë. It was nice to enjoy the main pedestrian beachfront promenade in low season, and have access to more of the city’s less touristy restaurants. Yet we still could swim in the main beach with just a 5-10 minute walk. Just a few people still “beaching” at this time, but the water was still nice, with just a slight chill. (~20-22 deg C)
My dog buddy followed us to the bus stop in Sarandë and was determined to go to Butrint with us.The forum at Butrint. Although not as intact as Pompei, Herculaneum, or Ephesus, we were able to fill in the structural and decorative gaps from our experiences there.Exploring Butrint Archeological Park just before the big crowds. Sea level rise is a problem for the site.Layers of history at Butrint include the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantine empires.Much of the original city defensive walls are intact.This is one of the few mosaics visible in Butrint as most are kept covered by sand to protect them from the elements.
Our central location in Sarandë also meant easy access to the municipal buses that run every 30 to 60 minutes right to Butrint National Park. (200 lek) However, the bus stops at 3 or 4 places along the main road out of Sarandë, so you can still catch the city bus a few km or more south of the city center, which is now an endless line of new boutique hotels, apartment buildings, and mostly seasonal businesses.
The springs and wells of Butrint were a reason for its early success.The Butrint museum has some interesting artifacts and info but could use a refresh. Apparently a vastly expanded visitors center is in the works as visitation has grown quickly.We loved the natural setting of Butrint.This cat was opting for back door boarding on the bus back to Sarandë.But then changed their mind.We stopped briefly for a swim at the main beach in Ksamil (pronounced “Sam-ill”) but it was not our scene. In summer, no part of the beach is free and you have to pay for a sunbed.Nicely painted utility substation.There are many unfinished/abandoned buildings on the fringes of Sarandë, and unfortunately a pretty serious garbage and sanitation problem.
It’s been an enlightening time so far in Albania, and we have been charmed by the pace of life here and optimism we are seeing for the future. We will be rooting for a positive trajectory in this complex world and region, and hopeful that more of their talented and educated youth stay to build a stronger future. But for now, we all get to enjoy this snapshot in time.
Cat curious why these tourists are wandering in his hill neighborhood above Sarandë.A memorable visit to the Albanian Riviera, but ready to explore inland.
Embarking on the next phase of my life after working as a full-time Civil and Transportation Engineer in the San Francisco for 30 years. My wife and I will be following our shared passions for world travel, culture, and sustainable transport.
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One thought on “Albania – A Snapshot in Time”
Wonderful getting a little flavor of what you are experiencing. Wish we could really taste all the food! Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Less Car, More Life 
Wonderful getting a little flavor of what you are experiencing. Wish we could really taste all the food! Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Annie and Erika