55 million tourists visited Croatia in 2015, and I was one of them, and I found it to be beautiful and charming. It can get crowded like many places that are easy to access. I recommend Croatia as a travel destination, but I have always wondered why more people don't go to Albania. Albania is one of the most overlooked destinations in Europe, and if you are one of the many who have never considered it, I would like to speak to you about it.
Albania has something for everyone and for a fraction of the price. You can find the Sarande and Ksamil section of the post. You will want to read about it if you like mountain hikes. Berat, Gjirokaster, and Butrint are cute castle towns that are reminiscent of fairytales. Each Albanian destination will be given a summary by me.
It is a journey to get to Theth National Park, but I think it is the crown jewel of Albania. It was necessary for us to reach our home in Theth National Park after renting a vehicle that felt like a big SUV.
The village-life in Theth is a big part of what makes this a great travel destination. Because of its extreme remote location in the far North of Albania, the locals operate in a self-sufficient way that a stranger might mistake as primitive, but which is actually quite inventive and fascinating. Many of the properties had a system of aqueducts.
The village life is only one of the things to see in Theth. Since there weren't real restaurants in the area, we stayed in anAirbnb which provided all meals for three nights. Some of the main attractions in the Theth region are outlined below.
The Albanian Alps: We spent the entirety of one day hiking along the Theth-Valbones trail until we reached a peak with incredible views of the alps. Almost as amazing was the cafe made of sticks we stopped at along the way.
The Blue Eye: Just South of Theth National Park is a bright blue water hole and waterfall called the Blue Eye. We visited this on our way out of Theth and found a little tree-house cafe – a sort of deluxe version of the stick-cafe along the Theth trail. (Instagram wasn’t ubiquitous back in 2016 yet, but if it had been, this adorable spot would have gone viral for sure.)
Near the Blue Eye is a series of pools that run through strange rock formations. On our way out of Theth, we stopped at this.
Berat is located along the Osum River. It feels like a classic European city with an ancient fort and an old town feel, but also has that interesting blend of mosques and churches common to this part of the world. I didn't take many good pictures here.
The old-town of Gjirokaster is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it is a great place to visit. An old American plane from the Cold War and a quirky clock tower at the fort could make Gjirokaster more popular. You can't make it up. It is part of Albania's appeal. The old-town is a wonderful place to visit and the castle has a wonderful view.
Sarande is one of Albania’s popular beach destinations, but I thought it was most memorable for the city-view from Lekursi Castle (a once-castle-now-restaurant). Not to mention, this is also the region where you’ll likely see the weird abandoned army bunkers which have made their way around the internet lately.
Ksamil is another great, scenic beach spot with beautiful clear water. I thought it was a little more happening than Sarande and would probably prioritize it more highly, (though Sarande may have caught up since my visit in 2016.) This also gives me the chance to mention how cheap and delicious the seafood is in this region. (Albanian food is otherwise very meat-and-cheese focused, and may be the one thing I wouldn’t rave about.)
The site of an ancient city which passed through Greek and Roman hands is now a national park. The city is thought to have been inhabited as early as 10th century BC, despite the fact that the ruins are older than 4th century BC. The page on the internet is fascinating and definitely worth a visit. It feels a bit funny just looking at old structures. The site was easy to explore and quiet.
Albania has all the ingredients that I like in a destination. It is a culturally and geographically interesting place. It is often beautiful, but also has a lot of guts and strangeness. It is a glimpse of history in the present day.
It's very affordable. The stone guest-house we stayed at in Theth is no longer available, but the prices are still good. The beach towns seem to have less expensive options than the more expensive ones.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
