Albania in 5 days - Tirana, historic towns and the coast

Albania has a beautiful coastline, wild mountains and historic towns. The roads could be better, but the hotels are very decent, the people are helpful and the food is interesting and tasty. Not so long ago we were wary of Montenegro, which many Poles have since grown very fond of. Now it is time to "break the spell" on Albania!

I started my journey in the north, by crossing the border from Montenegro. The border crossing is only 30 km from Podgorica airport, so until more convenient flight connections to Albania appear, flying to Podgorica and continuing in a rental car is an option well worth recommending.

My route took in, in this order: Kruja, known as "Albania's Kraków", the capital Tirana, Berat, known as the "city of a thousand windows", the Osum river valley, historic Gjirokastra with its Ottoman old town, Saranda, the queen of Albanian resorts, and the Albanian Alps in the north of the country. On top of that came smaller attractions, such as the disused submarine base near Porto Palermo, with a dock carved into the rock and huge iron gates, and the wild Gjipe beach, which most people reach on foot through a beautiful canyon. I managed to fit all this into less than 5 days, starting and ending my journey in Podgorica, Montenegro.

Kruja

Albania's tourist attractions are mainly in the south of the country, but Kruja in the centre is certainly worth seeing. Kruja, called - with a good deal of exaggeration - "Albania's Kraków", has a very picturesque setting. On top of the hill stands a reconstructed castle with an original watchtower. The castle is a rather inauthentic, free interpretation of what the medieval architects built.

Still, there is no denying its charm, especially in the evening, when it towers over the town, lit up. Below the castle are a few cobbled lanes that once formed a traditional Turkish bazaar. Today they sell souvenirs, local spirits and handicrafts, but it is still very charming. All the stalls have heavy wooden shutters, and the cobbles on the street reflect the sunlight picturesquely. Behind the hill, fragments of the medieval town have survived. There is a hammam, a mosque and stone buildings: hardly anyone goes there, but it is worth it.

Tirana

I'm ashamed to admit it, but at first I wanted to skip the Albanian capital altogether. On the one hand, I was afraid I wouldn't have enough time for other places, and on the other, I didn't expect anything good of the city. Well, I imagined acres of poorly maintained tower blocks, dirty streets and people rushing about. Fortunately, I changed my plans and called in at the capital, which surprised me very pleasantly. This is not Podgorica , which is off-putting and provincial. The city's ambitious and consistent redevelopment is paying off. The capital, with 300,000 inhabitants in a country of 3 million, is gaining squares, parks, boulevards and pedestrian zones. I expected monumentality, but it is cosy.

Café life is flourishing, and the New Bazaar is the best place to feel the city's vibe. Albanian café life had already surprised me 2 years earlier, when I gave up a day on the beach in Montenegro to spend a few hours in Shkodra in Albania (you can read about Shkodra and my other impressions here ). Be prepared, though, for 80% of the tables to be occupied by men. Even so, the capital does better in this respect than the rest of the country, where you hardly ever see a woman.

Berat

Berat was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2008, which is a strong recommendation. On both banks of the Osum river, houses built in a uniform style rise in terraces. Between them run narrow cobbled lanes not yet trampled by tourists. On top of the hill are the ruins of a castle and the so-called "old town". That part, as it happens, charmed me least. The new part of town is a long promenade leading away from the river, with a park stretching along one side and café and restaurant terraces on the other.

Gjirokastra

Gjirokastra is another town (after Berat) protected by UNESCO. When I got there, I could feel the morning's rafting and a 4-hour drive across the mountains in my bones (I write about the rafting here ). Maybe for that reason, or maybe because the historic centre was completely dug up, the town did not knock me off my feet.

In a few months, both the centre and the historic mosque, closed for renovation, will look different. Then the Ottoman architecture will regain its splendour, and you will be able to enjoy the sight of beautiful cobbled lanes, wooden balconies, bay windows and little restaurants. All of it set into the slopes of the three hills on which the town lies.

Saranda

Albania's largest seaside resort is Saranda. Seen from a distance, it looks like a huge, cramped housing estate. Up close it has its charm: a promenade lined with tall palm trees, a port and nice little restaurants. It offers various activities, including day trips to the Greek island of Corfu. The town has two faces. One is when the tourists pour out onto the promenades and beaches, and the whole town runs to suit them. The other is when they are still asleep and the locals have the town to themselves. I went for a walk at dawn and looked into the port, where fishermen were selling freshly caught fish.

The most beautiful stretch of the Albanian coast lies between the city of Vlora and Saranda. The sizeable Vlora seems to be drawing inspiration from Barcelona as it expands. A wide seafront boulevard, palm-lined streets and lots of colour. Other places on the coast are more intimate.

Porto Palermo is home to a castle on a peninsula and a beautiful little bay. Unfortunately, the infrastructure is in poor condition. Nearby is a disused naval port. Huge rusty gates close off a cave where warships once moored. It is a wonder that no 007 adventure has been filmed here yet.

Gjipe beach is hard to reach. You can walk through the canyon from the main road (3 km/1 hour), or you can drive part of the way and reach it on a path traversing the slope. For the lazy, there is a car park at the end of the road, from where it is a 20-minute walk along the coast to the beach. The beach is wild and beautiful, with a few seasonal beach bars. You can spend a very pleasant few hours here, renting a sunlounger and parasol.

Albanian impressions

In many places in Albania you will come across the name of Skanderbeg. He is Albania's national hero. Abducted and brought up by the Turks, once he had grown into a brave commander he began to fight them for Albania's liberation. Many squares and streets bear his name, and there are museums dedicated to him. Even the best-known Albanian brandy is named after him.

What is shocking in Albania are the colour combinations used to paint buildings, concrete fences and even pedestrian crossings. At times it is veeeery colourful. But you can get used to it, and even come to like it. Perhaps it is a reaction to the sad, grey times of the communist dictatorship?

Another observation concerns Albanian men. Those who are neither too young nor too old form a homogeneous group. Tight T-shirts, two-day stubble, dark glasses. They certainly command respect. Add to that a little extra weight. They follow the principle of bulk first, sculpt later.

In culinary terms, Albania is the Balkans with Turkish and Greek influences. By the roadside you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, and at markets olives and honey. There are also tobacco stalls there, although in other countries the sale of tobacco is heavily restricted. Local moonshine is bought in an ordinary shop, except that....from under the counter. It is worth having your own bottle; the shop assistant will pour you a measure from a huge demijohn in the back room. Albania also means lamb, delicious cheeses and fresh fish.

Only after leaving Albania did I realise that I hadn't managed to go inside a single mosque. The most important ones were under renovation: the one in the old town of Gjirokastra (with a big banner thanking a Turkish foundation), the Et'hem Bey Mosque on Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, and the one right by the river in Berat. In the centre of Tirana, right next to the main square, a huge complex for the followers of Muhammad is under construction. It will consist of a mosque and a park around it. Although it is enormous, it has been well integrated into its surroundings. It will certainly become another of the capital's attractions.

In this story I have left out activities such as rafting, mountain hiking and off-roading. What I experienced myself, and what I observed and heard about, I have put in a separate post. Read about active Albania here

Albania is an interesting Balkan country. It has many pluses: beautiful landscapes, historic towns, good food, accommodation and friendly, helpful people. What it lacks are low-cost airlines that would bring the country closer to the world, and good roads that would make travelling easier. But thanks to these minuses, the country is not yet overrun, and in many places you may feel that it is showing its treasures to you alone.