Below is a list of Travel Destinations in Albania. Feel free to leave your comments or additions to any of the sites.
Language: Albanian
Currency: Lek (ALL)
Calling Code: 355
Much of the current Berat Castle you see today was constructed by Despot of Epirus, Michael Angelus Comnenus, cousin of the Byzantine Emperor.
Balibardha Castle is a medieval citadel in Berat County of Albania. Modern location is fairly remote. Little remains from the original structure today.
Mbjeshovë Castle
Durrës is one of the largest cities in Albania with rich history and plenty of historic sites that date as early as the Antiquity to magnificent, but abandoned palace of the Albanian monarchs of the early 20th century.
Ishëm Castle
Kruje Castle became famous as the last resort of Christian resistance against invading Ottoman Turks. A small garrison of Albanians was headed by an Albanian lord George Kastrioti Skanderbeg.
Rodoni Castle
Elbasan Castle is a Turkish citadel constructed by the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century. It controls Ancient Roman road Via Egnatia that was in use centuries after its construction.
Mengel Castle
Peqin Castle
Qafë Castle
Shebenik- Jabllanice National Park is a fairly new national park established in 2008. It covers 33,927 hectares of pristine virgin forests full of wild life.
Apollonia is an ancient city in Illyria was found in 588 BC by the Greek colonists from Corinth and Corfu. Although much of the city buried, its ruins are impressive.
Ardenica Monastery was found in 1282 on the orders of Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos after he defeated Capetian House of Anjou that ruled Sicily.
Margëlliç Castle
Rozafa Castle is a medieval citadel near a town of Shkodër in Albania. It is most famous for its gruesome legend of its construction.
Shkoder in the North Albania is one of the most unique and interesting places not only in Albania, but in Adriatic basin.
Mount Dajti National Park overlooking the capital of Albania is deemed as "balcony of Tirana" and offers a beautiful view of the capital.
Petrelë Castle is located on top of the mountain overlooking Erzen valley in Tirana County. It was constructed as guard post in the fifth century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.
Tirana, capital of Albania, is also the largest city in the country. It was found by the Ottoman Turks in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini. In 1920, shortly after gaining its independence in 1912, Albanian capital was moved here.
Ali Pasha Castle was constructed on the orders of Ali Pasha of Tepelenë in 1819. It was found on the base of the 17th century citadel that belonged to Corfiote family.
Butrint is famous for its ruins of the ancient Greek and Roman city that are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Llogara Pass is a protected National Park that is situated between Vlora and Dhermiu nearby.
Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park is located in the South- West part of Albania in a Vlore Region. It covers a total area of 12,428 hectares with an offshore section of Karaburun peninsula equal to 9849 hectares.
Saranda is a large Albanian port that is often called "the Southern gateway to Albania". It stands on shores of the Ionian coast opposite the Greek Island of Corfu.
The Blue Eye Spring is a natural geologic formation in karst origin near Saranda, capital of the District of Saranda in Albania.
Vlorë is situated on the Albanian coast of the beautiful Adriatic sea. The city officially was found in the 6th century BC by the Greek colonists.
The toponym "Albania" comes from the medieval Latin name of the
country. It may have come from the name of the Illyrian tribe Albans
(Alb. Albanët), noted by Ptolemy, a geographer and astronomer from
Alexandria, who compiled a map in 150 AD, which showed the city of
Albanopolis, located northeast of the city of Durrës. The name of the
medieval settlement called Albanon or Arbanon probably came from it,
although there is no certainty that it was located on the site of the
former Albanopolis. In his history, written in the 11th century, the
Byzantine historian Michael Attaliates first mentions the Albanians who
participated in the uprising against Constantinople in 1043, and the
Arbanites as subjects of Duke Dyrrachius. In the Middle Ages, the
Albanians called their country Arberi (Alb. Arbëri) or Arbeni (Alb.
Arbëni), and themselves - Arberes (Alb. Arbëreshë) or Arbenes (Alb.
Arbëneshë).
Albanians now call their country Shqipëri or
Shqipëria. As early as the 17th century, the toponym Shqipëria and the
ethnic katoikonym Shqiptarë gradually replaced Arbëria and Arbëresh,
respectively. Shqipëria and Shqiptarë are often explained as "Land of
eagles" and "children of eagles"; according to one version, Shqipëria
comes from the Albanian word shqip - "to express a thought." Slavist A.
M. Selishchev argued that the source of this root is the word shqe,
meaning "Slavs" (Shqerí - from the Albanian shqa < *skla, pl. - shqe)
and is a consequence of the Slavic colonization of the Balkans in the
6th-7th centuries.
Albania is located on the Balkan Peninsula in Southern Europe
and covers an area of 28,748 km². From the northwest it is
washed by the waters of the Adriatic Sea, and from the southwest
by the waters of the Ionian Sea. Both are part of the
Mediterranean Sea. In the western part there is a lowland area,
the rest (about 70%) are mountainous and wooded areas.
The territory of the country lies between the 42nd and 39th
parallels of northern latitude, as well as between the 21st and
19th meridian of eastern longitude. The northernmost point of
Albania is the village of Vermosh (42°35'N), the southernmost
point is the town of Konispol (39°40'N). The extreme western
point of the country is the uninhabited island of Sazani (19°16'
E), the extreme eastern point is the village of Vernik (21°1'
E). The highest peak in Albania is Mount Korab (2764 m). The
length from east to west is only 148 km, from north to south -
340 km.
Most of Albania is occupied by mountains and
hills that run in different directions along the entire length
and breadth of the country. The largest mountain ranges are the
North Albanian Alps in the north, the Korab Mountains in the
east, the Pindus Mountains in the southeast, the Akrokeraun
Mountains in the southwest, and the Skanderbeg Mountains in the
center.
One of the most important features of the
geography of Albania is the presence of numerous and large
lakes. Located in the north-west of the country, on the border
with Montenegro, Lake Shkoder is the largest lake in Southern
Europe. Its third part and 57 km of coast belongs to Albania. To
the southeast, on high ground, is Lake Ohrid (shared with North
Macedonia), one of the oldest continuously existing lakes in the
world. It has a depth of 289 m and unique flora and fauna, which
is why it is under the protection of UNESCO. Further south are
the Large and Small Lakes Prespa, which are among the highest
lakes in the Balkans.
The rivers of Albania originate
mainly in the east of the country and flow into the Adriatic Sea
in the west. The longest river in Albania, measured from mouth
to source, is probably the Drin, which begins at the confluence
of its two upper reaches: the Black and White Drin, and flows in
the north of the state. Vjosa is one of the last intact large
river systems in Europe. Other important rivers in Albania
include the Mati, Shkumbini and Semani.
Flora and fauna
Due to its geographic location in the middle of the
Mediterranean Sea and its wide variety of climatic, geological
and hydrological conditions, Albania has an exceptionally rich
and contrasting biodiversity. It is protected by the presence in
the country of 14 national parks, 1 marine park, 4 Ramsar sites,
1 biosphere reserve and 786 protected natural areas of various
categories.
Due to its remoteness, the mountains and
hills of Albania are covered with forests, trees and grasses
necessary for the habitat of a wide variety of animals:
including the country's two most important endangered species
(lynx and brown bear), as well as wild cat, gray wolf, red fox,
common jackal , the vulture and the golden eagle, the national
animal of the country.
The estuaries, swamps and lakes of
Albania provide habitat for the pink flamingo, the lesser
cormorant and the extremely rare and perhaps the country's most
iconic bird, the Dalmatian pelican. Of particular importance for
the animal world of the country are the Mediterranean monk seal,
loggerhead turtle and green turtle, which use its coastal waters
and shores to breed their offspring.
In plant geography,
the territory of Albania is part of the Holarctic kingdom, being
in its Circumboreal and Mediterranean regions. It is
conventionally subdivided into four terrestrial ecoregions of
the Palearctic ecozone: Illyrian deciduous forests, Balkan mixed
forests, Pindian mixed forests, and Dinaric mixed forests.
In Albania, you can find about 3500 different plant species,
mainly belonging to the Mediterranean and Eurasian flora. The
country has developed rich traditions of folk medicine using
medicinal plants. At least 300 plants growing locally are used
in the preparation of medicinal herbs and medicines. Fir, oak,
beech and pine are the main types of trees in the forests of
Albania.
Minerals
On the territory of Albania there
are deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper,
nickel.
Average temperatures in January are +8-9°C, in July -
+24-25°C. Precipitation - 800-2000 mm per year.
The
climate of the coastal (western) part of the country is
Mediterranean, turning to the east into continental. The average
July temperature on the coast is from +28 to +32° C, in January
- from +8 to +10° C. High summer temperatures on the coast are
easily tolerated due to the constantly blowing Mediterranean
breeze.
The tourist season lasts from May to September,
but it is also comfortable to be outdoors in April and October.
There are about 300 sunny days in a year. It rains in early
spring and late autumn. In the mountains of Albania, the climate
is much colder - in winter the temperature can drop to -20 ° C.
executive power
Albania is a parliamentary republic. The
formal head of state is the president (Kryetarët), who is
elected by parliament for a term of 5 years. The same person
cannot hold the presidency for more than two terms. Since July
24, 2017, Ilir Meta has been the President.
The executive
body is the Council of Ministers (Këshilli i Ministrave),
consisting of the Chief Minister (Kryeministër) and ministers,
and includes the following ministries:
public works,
transport and telecommunications
education and science
environment, administration of forest and water resources
agriculture, nutrition and consumer protection
social and
labor affairs and equal opportunities
tourism, culture, youth
and sports
finance
economy, trade and energy
justice
foreign affairs
defense
innovation and information and
communication technologies
health care
European
integration
internal affairs
Legislature
The
highest legislative body of Albania is the Parliament - a
unicameral People's Assembly (alb. Kuvendi i Shqipërisë),
consisting of 140 members. 100 deputies are elected by the
majoritarian system in single-mandate districts (in two rounds),
40 - by party lists with a four percent barrier. The term of
office of deputies is 4 years.
Political parties
The
party-political structure of Albania is highly polarized. The
center-left Socialist Party (SPA) and the center-right
Democratic Party (DPA) dominate. The SPA comes from the former
Hoxhaist PLA, the DPA from the mass anti-communist movement of
1990-1992.
Socialists and Democrats regularly alternate
in power. They are joined by small parties of similar trends
(SPA - the Social Democratic Party of Albania, SDPA; DPA - the
Republican Party of Albania, RPA). A kind of "third force" is
the Socialist Movement for Integration (SDI), which separated
from the SPA, but is blocking with the DPA. Standing apart in
the political spectrum is the Communist Party of Albania (CPA),
radical in ideological rhetoric, but ambiguous in its concrete
political role.
Leading figures of the SPA - Fatos Nano,
Edi Rama; DPA - Sali Berisha, Lulzim Basha, SDI - Ilir Meta,
SDPA - Skender Ginushi, Engel Beytay, RPA - Sabri Godo, Fatmir
Mediu, KPA - Hysni Miloshi, Kemal Chicholari.
Judicial
branch
The constitutional oversight body is the
Constitutional Court (Gjykata Kushtetuese), the highest judicial
authority is the Supreme Court (Gjykata e Lartë), the
prosecutorial oversight body is the General Prosecutor's Office
(Prokuroria e Përgjithshme), the body for selecting candidates
for judges is the High Council of Justice (Këshilli i Lartë i
Drejtësisë), the body for organizing elections is the Central
Electoral Commission (Komisioni Qendror i Zgjedhjeve).
Administrative division
The territory of Albania is divided
into 12 regions (Alb. qark, pl. - qarqe), which were previously
divided into 36 districts (Alb. rreth, pl. - rrethe, reti) and
373 municipalities. Each district had its own council,
consisting of several municipalities. In 2015, an
administrative-territorial reform was carried out, as a result
of which the administrative division changed, the number of
regions remained the same, but now they are subdivided into 61
municipalities, which include communes.
The official language in Albania is Albanian, although many people understand and speak Slavic languages, Italian and Greek. Few people speak and understand English.
The population is 2,831,741 (2011 census), while the population,
according to the 2001 census, was 3,069,275 people: the population
decreased by 7.7% within ten years. The main reason for the decline in
population is large-scale migration and a decrease in the birth rate.
Permanent population: 1,421,810 men - 50.2%, 1,409,931 women -
49.8%.
Annual growth - 0.3% (high level of emigration from the
country).
The urban population is 53.7% (data for 2011), the
rural population is 46.3%. For the first time in the history of the
census (2011), there are more Albanians living in cities than in rural
areas.
Ethnic composition: Albanians - 95%, Greeks - 3%, others
(Romanians, Gypsies, Serbs, Macedonians) - 2%.
In April 1990, the
Jewish diaspora in the country ceased to exist: the last 11 Jews left
for Israel.
Albania is the only country in Europe that is predominantly
Muslim. Sunni Muslims make up 70% of the population, Greek Orthodox
make up 20% and Roman Catholic another 10%.At the beginning of
the 20th century, the ratio between Christians and Muslims in
Albania was almost equal - 47% of Catholics and Orthodox, 53% of
Muslims. In 2010, according to J. G. Melton's Encyclopedia of
Religions, Muslims made up 63% of the Albanian population,
Christians 31%, non-believers and atheists 5%. Islam is
represented by Sunnis and Bektashis. Christians are divided into
two approximately equal groups - Catholics (490 thousand) and
Orthodox (475 thousand). The majority of Protestants (20,000)
are parishioners of various Pentecostal churches.
According to the US State Department, the proportion of people
who actively participate in religious life and services in
temples ranges from 25 to 40%.
Holidays
Republic Day is one of the most significant national
holidays in the country, celebrated annually on January 11 since 1946.
Albanian Independence Day is celebrated on November 28th. As a rule,
solemn evenings in honor of this day are arranged by diplomatic missions
in various countries.
Mother Teresa's Beatification Day is celebrated
on October 19 as a national holiday.
Architecture and fine arts
Secular Albanian painting emerged only at the end of the 19th century;
its formation, first of all, is associated with the name of Cola
Idromeno (1860-1939). The heyday of Albanian painting falls on the
interwar period, when several art schools arose at once. The largest of
them was Shkodra, led by Zef Kolombi.
During the reign of Enver
Hoxha, the principle of socialist realism dominated the fine arts of
Albania. These were the dictator's own convictions, imposed and
implanted by him in his country: "Albanians have no idols and gods, but
there are ideals - this is the name and work of Marx, Engels, Lenin and
Stalin." At the same time, the cult of personality and Enver Hoxha
himself was present and widely encouraged. In Albania, many paintings by
famous painters have been preserved, capturing the image of the
country's leader in their canvases: “Flesh of the Flesh of His People”,
art. - Zef Shoshi, 1976; "The Party is Founded", art. - Shaban Hysa,
1974; "With Thoughts on the Struggle for a Brighter Future", art. - S.
Sholla, 1976; "January 11, 1946", art. - V. Kilica (V. Kilica, on this
day the Constituent Assembly, elected during the first democratic
elections in the country, expressing the will of the people, unanimously
proclaimed Albania a People's Republic and elected a new government
headed by Comrade Enver Hoxha); "Proclamation of the Republic" - Fatmir
Haxhiu, 1974; "Conversation with the Locals" (Kucakë, summer 1943);
The most illustrative and publicly accessible example of Albanian
socialist realism art of that time is the colorful panel “Shqiptarët”
(1981), located on the facade of the building of the National Historical
Museum (Muzeu Historik Kombëtar) on Skanderbeg Square, executed in the
strict traditions of socialist realism. The panel presents a collective
image of the history of the struggle of the Albanian people for their
independence; here you can see all the stages of this struggle: the
warriors of Skanderbeg, the creation of the national language and
script, the fighters of the red partisan brigades ... The central part
of the panel is the figure of the defender of the motherland holding the
national flag of Albania in her hands, a girl in a national dress (the
image of mother Albania), throwing up a rifle , and an intelligent
working-hard worker.
During the forty-plus years of Enver Hoxha's rule, from the end of
World War II until his death in April 1985, concrete bunkers were built
in Albania. Over 700 thousand small bunkers were built, one for every 4
inhabitants of the country. The whole country is literally strewn with
them. The density of bunkers is 24 pieces per square kilometer. Small
bunkers were located in groups of 3 or more in places where the enemy
was most likely to attack. Now they can be found everywhere, including
in cities, right in the courtyards of houses.
Small bunkers
intended for infantry were not enough; many large ones were built,
intended for artillery crews. Such bunkers were located mainly along the
sea line and along the borders. In the Durres area, you can still find
such bunkers on the beach, converted into showers, cafes, changing rooms
or just warehouses. On some hotels were built and the room inside is
used as a warehouse.
In addition to pillboxes, fortifications
were built for manpower and equipment. Such structures were built mainly
inside the mountains and hills. According to Hoxha's plan, heavy armored
vehicles and infantry were supposed to be hidden there from air raids of
a hypothetical enemy. Many of them are not finished and remained at the
stage of construction of a concrete entrance. Now the Albanians use them
for personal purposes: a warehouse, a pigsty, a household room, a place
to install a billiards.
Naturally, Enver Hoxha could not help but
take care of himself: a main bunker several hundred meters long was
built in his hometown of Gjirokastra. For the entire party leadership,
shelters were made in the capital Tirana, on Mount Daiti.
In
addition to fortifications on the ground, 2 were built on the water.
They were built with two entrances and exits, connected by a tunnel with
water, and with utility rooms. They were intended for shelter, repair
and equipment of submarines. In one of these facilities, Soviet
intelligence was based in the Adriatic. There is a similar underground
submarine base in the Crimea, in Balaklava. An underground airfield was
also built, capable of accommodating up to 50 aircraft.
In 2012,
at the level of the government of the country, it was decided to
eliminate these "artifacts of the past." From that moment, the
dismantling of the bunkers began. First of all, they are removed from
beaches, cities, roads and those places where they can get into the eyes
of a tourist.
Before the establishment of the communist regime in Albania, the
illiteracy rate of the population was estimated at about 85%. In the
interwar period, the country felt an acute shortage of educational
institutions and trained personnel. However, with the coming to power of
the communist government of Enver Hoxha in 1944, the state began to make
great efforts to eradicate illiteracy. Strict rules were introduced:
everyone between the ages of 12 and 40 who could not read or write had
to attend special classes to acquire these skills. Since then, the
illiteracy rate in the country has dropped markedly. In 2018, the
literacy rate in Albania was 98.1%: 98.5% for males and 97.8% for
females. In the 1990s, the level of provision of educational services
underwent significant changes, primarily due to the mass migration of
Albanians from the countryside to the city.
The oldest university
in Albania, the University of Tirana, was founded in 1957.
The origins of the Albanian theater go back to the ancient culture of the Illyrian tribes that lived in the second millennium BC. e. on the Balkan Peninsula. Since the beginning of the 19th century, amateur theater troupes existed in the cities of Shkoder, Korca, Tirana, Elbasan, and Gjirokastra. The modern art of the theater was born during the years of anti-fascist struggle in partisan detachments.
The cinema of Albania, like many other small countries, is of
interest almost exclusively to connoisseurs of cinema. The very
specifics of local film production does not imply a wide national film
distribution, which, of course, affects the number of films released.
Only after gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912 did
information about this new art form seep into Albania. In 1945, the
first cinematographic institute was opened in Albania, which later
transformed into the first Albanian film studio, where the epic drama
The Great Warrior of Albania Skanderbeg was filmed in 1953 (in
cooperation with the Soviet Mosfilm). This film won the Best Director
Award at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival.
Albania is a moderately developed agrarian-industrial state; one of
the poorest countries in Europe, which was in international isolation
for many years, which prevented the creation of sustainable trade and
economic relations with the developed countries of Western Europe.
Currently, this is expressed in the lack of foreign investment in the
country's economy.
The volume of GDP in 2021 is $18.26 billion
($6.5 thousand per capita according to PPP). Below the poverty level -
25% of the population. From January 1, 2021, the monthly minimum wage is
30,000 lek (gross) and 26,640 lek (net), which is $297.01 (gross) and
$263.75 (net), respectively, and the hourly wage is 172.4 lek ( $1.71),
wages less than 30,000 leks per month are not subject to income tax. The
Keitz index (the ratio between the minimum and average wages in the
country) in Albania, as of 2019 (average - 60,494 leks, minimum - 26,000
leks), is about 43%. From January 1, 2022, the monthly minimum wage is
32,000 lek (gross) and 28,156 lek (net), which is respectively $298.37
(gross) and $262.53 (net), the salary is less than 40,000 lek per month
subject to income tax.
Benefits: The country has successfully
transitioned to a stable market economy. According to the International
Monetary Fund, inflation in Albania is 5.5% in 2022. Relatively high
economic growth (above the European average) and low public debt (below
the European average). Also, the country has a relatively cheap and
well-educated, in comparison with European countries, labor force. With
the unemployment rate plummeting and the labor shortage increasing, wage
growth, as of 2019, is not constrained by the economic slowdown.
Weaknesses: poor raw material base; strong corruption. Slowly advancing
market reforms. Low investment in infrastructure and R&D. The biggest
problem (as in other relatively poor countries of Europe: Ukraine,
Belarus, Moldova, etc.) is the growing shortage of able-bodied labor
force every year and the increase in the number of pensioners, due to
low birth rates and high emigration of the population to others, richer
countries of the world.
Structure of the economy in 2009 (share
of GDP):
agriculture - 20.6%;
industry - 18.8%;
service sector
- 60.6%.
58% of employees are employed in agriculture, 15% in
industry, and 27% in the service sector. The unemployment rate is 12%
(in 2009).
Agriculture produces: wheat, corn, potatoes,
vegetables, fruits, sugar beet, grapes; meat, dairy products.
In
industry - food processing, textiles and clothing; wood processing, oil
and metal ore mining, cement production, hydropower.
Exports in 2017 - $ 2.39 billion: shoes, chromite ore, ferroalloys,
crude oil, agricultural products (mainly fruits, vegetables and
tobacco).
Main buyers: Italy - 48% ($1.15 billion), China - 7.4%
($177 million), Spain - 5.3% ($127 million), France - 4.7% ($113
million) and Germany - 4.7% ($111 million).
Imports in 2017 - $
4.21 billion: cars and other equipment, petroleum products, medicines,
livestock and livestock products, textiles and consumer goods
Main suppliers: Italy - 30% ($1.28 billion), Turkey - 9.9% ($416
million), Greece - 9.7% ($391 million), Germany - 8% ($336 million) and
China - 7.4% ($311 million).
Geographic distribution of Albania's
foreign trade (as of 2014):
EU countries - 66.0% ($5,079 million);
China - 6.1% ($465 million);
Turkey - 6.1% ($465 million);
Americas - 3.8% ($294 million);
African countries - 1.5% ($117
million);
Russia - 1.5% ($115 million).
Many businesses are open between 8am and 4pm. Restaurants usually work longer.
While on travel in Albania don't forget that tips are not included in the price of the order. If you find the service satisfying leave about 10% of the order after paying the bill. It is preferred to give the money directly to the waiter instead of leaving it on the table.
Albanians usually nod for "no" and shake their head from side to side for "yes". Don't confuse the two.
If you feel sick, broke your leg or have sharp unbearable pain at your lower left abdomen suck it up and be a man. Going to Albanian hospital will only make your suffering worse.
Police 19
Fire 18
Ambulance 17
Road Administration: (42) 23 600
Traffic Police: (42) 34 874
- Albanians call their land "Shqiperia" that means "land of the eagles". Legend claims that the ancestors of the first Albanians were in fact eagles who left their traditional homes in the mountains.
- Albania is the only country in Europe that had more Jews after the World War II than before its outbreak. In fact Albanian resistance issued a warning in 1943 to anyone who can defend Jewish refugees must offer any help they can. After all charity is one of the five pillars of Islam.
-Albania is covered by UFO looking structures scattered all around the country. These structures were constructed in the 1970's and 80's by the paranoid government who wanted to provide a defensive structure for every Albanian family. It is hard to say if they succeeded, but they certainly came close. These forts can be found in every single corner of the city.
-Albanian King Zog I, Skanderbeg III of the Albanians survived 55 assassinations attempts during his long reign. On February 21st, 1931 he became the first head of the state who use weapon to defend against an assassin who tried to shoot him when he was leaving the Vienna State Opera House after performance of Pagliacci.
-Flag of Albania dates back to medieval times when it was a symbol of resistance of Albanian armies against Ottoman Turkish invasion.
The first traces of the human presence in Albania,
dating back to the Middle and Late Paleolithic, were found in the
village of Dzarre (near Saranda) and on Mount Daiti (near Tirana).
The finds in the cave near Zarre include flint and jasper objects,
as well as petrified animal bones. Bone and stone tools similar to
those of Aurignac culture were discovered on Mount Daiti. The
Paleolithic finds of Albania bear great resemblance to artifacts of
the same era found in Crvene Stien in Montenegro and northwestern
Greece.
In central and southern Albania, several Bronze Age
artifacts from burials in mounds were discovered that demonstrate
the close connection of these territories with southwestern
Macedonia and Lefkas. Archaeologists concluded that these regions
were inhabited from the middle of the third millennium BC. Indo-Europeans who spoke the Proto-Greek language. Part of this
population migrated towards Mycenae around 1600 BC., which led to
the development of Mycenaean civilization.
In antiquity, the
territory of modern Albania was predominantly inhabited by many
Illyrian tribes. Illyrian tribes never collectively considered
themselves "Illyrians", and it is unlikely that they used any one
common name for all their tribes. This name, apparently, refers to
only one Illyrian tribe, which was the first with whom the ancient
Greeks came into contact in the Bronze Age, as a result of which it
was transferred to all tribes with similar language and customs.
The territory, known as Illyria, roughly extended along the
eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea to the mouth of the Vyos River in
the south. The first well-known description of the Illyrian groups
is contained in The Periplus of Pontus of Euxinus, an ancient Greek
composition from the middle of the 4th century BC. The south
was inhabited by the Greek tribe of Chaonians, whose capital was
Foinika. By the 7th century BC e. On the coast of present-day
Albania, ancient Greek city-states founded numerous colonies, such
as Apollonia, Epidamnos and Amantia. The West of modern Albania was
inhabited by a Thracian tribe of brigs.
The Illyrian tribe of
the Ardiyes ruled most of modern Albania. The Ardian kingdom reached
its greatest size under Agron, son of Pleuris II. Agron extended his
power to other neighboring tribes. After his death in 230 BC his
wife Teuta inherited the kingdom of Ardian. She managed to expand
its territory further south, reaching the Ionian Sea. In 229 BC
Rome declared war on the Illyrian kingdom over the looting of its
ships. The war ended in the defeat of the Illyrians two years later.
In 181 BC. Theutus was succeeded by Ghent. In 168 BC between him and
Rome, the Third Illyrian War began, which the following year led to
the Roman conquest of the region. After this, the Romans divided the
region into three administrative units. The Illyrians were finally
conquered in the year 9 BC Tiberius (Roman emperor
from 14 to 37 A.D.), who established the region of Illyria with an
imperial legate at the head.
In the 1st century AD
Christianity gradually penetrates into Illyria.
Middle Ages
After the Roman Empire in the 4th century was divided into Eastern
and Western, the territory of Albania remained within the Eastern
Roman Empire. In the following centuries, the Balkan Peninsula
suffered from invasions of barbarians. Illyrians are last mentioned
in the text of the 7th century. In the late 12th – early 13th
centuries, Serbs and Venetians began to seize Albanian lands.
The ethnogenesis of the Albanians is unclear, however, the first
indisputable mention of the Albanians dates back to 1079 or 1080
years. The historical records of Michael Attaliat contain mention of
the participation of the Albanians in the uprising against
Constantinople. By that time, the Albanians were completely
Christianized.
The first fully independent Albanian state was
formed in 1190, when the archon Archon founded the Principality of
Arberia with its capital in Krua, which was part of the Byzantine
Empire. The progon was succeeded by his sons Gin Progon and Dimitri
Progon, with the latter it reached the peak of its development.
After the death of Dimitri, the last representative of the Progon
dynasty, the principality came under the rule of Grigor Camona, and
later the Golem. In the XIII century, the principality ceased to
exist.
A few years after the
collapse of Arberia, Charles I of Anjou concluded an agreement with
the Albanian rulers, promising to protect them and their ancient
freedoms. In 1272, he founded the kingdom of Albania and annexed to
it the areas conquered from the kingdom of Epirus. The kingdom
claimed the entire territory of central Albania: from Dyrrahia along
the Adriatic coast to Butrint. The expansion of this Catholic
kingdom contributed to the spread of Catholicism in this region of
the Balkan Peninsula. The internal struggle for power in the
Byzantine Empire in the XIV century allowed the Serbian king Stefan
Dusan to create a short-lived empire that briefly occupied all of
Albania, with the exception of Durrës. In 1367, various Albanian
rulers founded the Art Despotate. At the same time, several Albanian
principalities were created, the most famous of which were Topia,
Kastrioti, Muzaki, Balsa and Arianiti. In the first half of the 15th
century, the Ottoman Empire invaded most of Albania, in response the
Lezha League was created under the leadership of Skanderbeg, who
became a national hero.
Ottoman era
The Ottoman invasion
of Albania marked a new era in its history and made enormous changes
in the political and cultural life of this region. In 1385, the
Ottomans first reached the Albanian coast. By 1415, they had set up
their garrisons in southern Albania, and in 1431 occupied most of
its territory. With the advent of the Ottomans, Islam became the
second religion in Albania as a result of the mass emigration of
Albanian Christians to other Christian European countries (arberes
in Italy). At the same time, Muslim Albanians were gradually moving
to Turkey and other parts of the Ottoman Empire, such as Algeria,
Egypt and Iraq.
In 1443, under the leadership of Skanderbeg,
a large and long uprising began, which lasted until 1479. He
repeatedly defeated large Ottoman armies led by Murad II and Mehmed
II. Skanderbeg first united the Albanian princes, and then
established centralized power over most of the territories not
conquered by the Ottomans, being recognized as the ruler of Albania.
Skanderberg tirelessly but unsuccessfully tried to create a
European coalition against the Ottoman Empire. He thwarted all their
attempts to return Albania to their power, which the Ottomans
considered the bridgehead for the invasion of Italy and Western
Europe. His unequal struggle with the most powerful power of that
time won the respect of Europe, and also received some financial and
military assistance from Naples, Venice, Sicily and the Pope.
When the Ottomans finally managed to regain control of Albania,
they divided it into four Sanjaks. Authorities contributed to the
development of trade in Albanian lands, placing a significant number
of Jewish refugees expelled from Spain in the region. The port of
Vlora was important in trade between the Ottoman Empire and Western
Europe.
As Muslims, some Albanians gained important political
and military positions in the Ottoman Empire and contributed to the
wider Islamic world. So the post of the great vizier was held by
more than 20 immigrants from Albania, including Köprül Mehmed Pasha
and Fazyl Ahmed Pasha. Another Albanian, Muhammad Ali Pasha, being
governor of Egypt, carried out a number of successful modernization
reforms there, crushed the Wahhabi uprising in Arabia, rebelled
against the Ottoman Empire and founded the dynasty in Egypt that
ruled it until 1953.
The process of Islamization of the
population went gradually, only in the XVII century, most Albanians
became Muslims. This process has been gradual since the arrival of
the Ottomans. The holders of the timars were not necessarily
converted to Islam and sometimes rebelled against the Ottoman
Empire.
Catholic Albanians predominantly converted to Islam
in the 17th century, while Orthodox Albanians followed their example
in the next century. Initially, the process of Islamization was
actively going on in urban centers such as Elbasan and Shkoder,
after which it spread to the countryside. The motives for
conversion, according to historians, were different depending on a
particular context.
Independent Albania
In November 1908,
after the overthrow of Sultan Abdul-Hamid II, the first national
congress was held in Bitola. In 1910, a rebellion broke out in
northern Albania. The following year, a new uprising set out to gain
autonomy for Albania. In the spring of 1912, a nationwide uprising
took place, the rebels captured Skopje, Dibra, Elbasan, and Permeti.
A truce was declared on August 23; The Albanian people were given a
certain autonomy, but administrative autonomy was not fixed.
In October 1912, the First Balkan War began. On November 28, in the
city of Vlore, a congress of representatives of various sectors of
the population proclaimed Albania an independent state and formed
the first provisional government.
In 1912-1913,
Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Russia and France
recognized autonomy at first, and then Albania's independence from
Turkey.
The first parliament of
Albania was created in 1920, during the struggle for the
independence of the country and against its division of the Paris
world between Greece, Italy and Yugoslavia.
In 1928 the
parliament was dissolved, Albania was proclaimed kingdom.
The
Second World War
In April 1939, Italy occupied Albania, King Zogu
Ahmet fled the country.
The resistance movement was led by
pro-communist forces. In November 1941, a unified CPA structure was
created, which was to lead the liberation struggle. In September
1942, a congress of progressive forces that opposed the occupation
took place in Big Peso. A General National Liberation Council was
created, which was to lead the liberation movement. He became the
governing body of the National Liberation Front. In July 1943, the
General Council of the National Liberation Front decided to organize
the General Staff of the National Liberation Army. In May 1944, the
1st Anti-Fascist National Liberation Congress formed the
Anti-Fascist National Liberation Committee, which transferred the
functions of the interim government. In 1944, universal suffrage was
introduced.
Socialist Albania
In 1945, parliamentary
elections were held, in which the Democratic Front led by the
Communists received 97.7% of the vote (other political forces did
not participate in the elections). Gradually, Enver Hodge
concentrated his power in his hands, brutally cracking down on his
political rivals. Until 1956, Albania maintained relations with the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as opposed to Yugoslavia,
however, after the 20th Congress of the CPSU, a policy of political
isolation was adopted. Relations were maintained only with the PRC
and Romania. In 1968, protesting against Soviet intervention in
Czechoslovakia, Albania withdrew from the Warsaw Pact. The country
lived in a state of constant readiness for war: each family was
obliged to build a bomb shelter. Religion, wearing a beard were
forbidden. In 1967, Albania was proclaimed an atheist state.
In 1978, cooperation with China was sharply curtailed.
After
the death of Enver Hoxha in 1985, the new leader Ramiz Aliya began a
policy of radical economic reforms and expansion of relations with
other countries.
With its coastline facing the Adriatic
and Ionian seas, its highlands backed upon the elevated Balkan
landmass, and the entire country lying at a latitude subject to a
variety of weather patterns during the winter and summer seasons,
Albania has a high number of climatic regions for so small an area.
The coastal lowlands have typically Mediterranean weather; the
highlands have a Mediterranean continental climate. In the lowlands
and the interior, the weather varies markedly from north to south.
The lowlands have mild winters, averaging about 7°C (45°F).
Summer temperatures average 24°C (75°F). In the southern lowlands,
temperatures average about 5°C (9°F) higher throughout the year. The
difference is greater than 5°C (9°F) during the summer and somewhat
less during the winter.
Inland temperatures are affected more
by differences in elevation than by latitude or any other factor.
Low winter temperatures in the mountains are caused by the
continental air mass that dominates the weather in Eastern Europe
and the Balkans. Northerly and northeasterly winds blow much of the
time. Average summer temperatures are lower than in the coastal
areas and much lower at higher elevations, but daily fluctuations
are greater. Daytime maximum temperatures in the interior basins and
river valleys are very high, but the nights are almost always cool.
Average precipitation is heavy, a result of the convergence of
the prevailing airflow from the Mediterranean Sea and the
continental air mass. Because they usually meet at the point where
the terrain rises, the heaviest rain falls in the central uplands.
Vertical currents initiated when the Mediterranean air is uplifted
also cause frequent thunderstorms. Many of these storms are
accompanied by high local winds and torrential downpours.
Holidays
January 1: New Year's Day
March 7: Teacher's Day
March 14: Summer Festival
Easter (moveable)
Eid al-Fitr and
Eid al-Adha (Islamic high holidays)
October 19: Mother Teresa Day
November 28: Independence Day
November 29: Liberation Day
December 8: Youth Day
December 25: Christmas
Visas
There is no longer a visa charge for any
foreigners entering Albania.
According to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nationals of the following
countries/territories can enter Albania without a visa: Andorra,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia *, Austria *, Azerbaijan, Belgium *,
Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria*, Canada *, Chile, Croatia,
Cyprus *, Czech Republic*, Denmark*, Estonia *, Finland *, France*,
Germany *, Greece *, Holy See, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary *, Ireland *,
Iceland *, Israel, Italy *, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia *,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania *, Luxembourg *, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta
*, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands *, New Zealand *, Norway *,
Poland *, Portugal *, Romania *, San Marino *, Serbia, Singapore,
Slovakia*, Slovenia *, South Korea, Spain *, Sweden *, Switzerland
*, Taiwan (Republic of China), Turkey, United Kingdom *, USA *,
Ukraine, Qatar - in the period 25 May - 25 September 2012. United
Arab Emirates - in the period 25 May - 25 September 2012. Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia - in the period 25 May - 25 September 2012. (Those
countries with an asterisk can enter with an ID card).
States
whose citizens may enter without visas due to their visa
liberalization with Schengen area: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas,
Barbados, Brunei, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mauritius,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, El Salvador, Seychelles, St.
Kitts and Nevis, Uruguay, Venezuela, Macao (China). For staying more
than 90 days within the period of six months, they need to get visa
type D.
There is a €1 road tax for the first 60 days of your
stay. For every additional day it is €1 per day. Be sure to receive
a receipt and keep it with you, as guards may request it upon
exiting the country as proof of payment. The former €10 entrance fee
per person has been abolished. The Albanian guards are very nice and
do their best to help out and will, on occasion, allow fees to be
paid in dollars or will forget to charge you. It's worth making sure
you've got the Euros on you as the customs officers at Mother Teresa
airport don't give change.
Be careful not to be charged the
€1 road tax again when leaving the country. In that case the border
guard assumes that you didn't pay the road tax when entering the
country.
By plane
Tirana's "Mother Teresa" International
Airport TIA IATA is located just 15 minutes away from the city. It
is served by numerous European carriers such as British Airways,
Alitalia, Lufthansa, Austrian, and the low cost carriers Eurowings
and Belle Air. There is a large and modern terminal and a tourist
information center.
You can book your taxi online with
MerrTaxi Tirana 24/7 and it will cost you €10,99. The national
toll-free number to call a taxi is 0800 5555. The international
number to call a taxi is +355 67400 6610.
At the airport exit
there are also numerous taxis 24/7 that can take you to the city.
The taxi fee to the city center is €11-€15 (1500 - 2000 lek). Taxi
fees to other locations are available here.
There is a bus
that runs once an hour between the airport and Skanderbeg Square,
called Rinas Express. It costs 250 lek each way and leaves on the
hour from both the airport and from Skanderbeg Square. It runs from
about 8AM to 7PM. The trip takes around 25-30 minutes. From the
airport exit doors, walk towards the parking lot past the taxi touts
to find the bus stop. At Skanderbeg Square, the bus stop is located
around the northwest corner, near other bus stops. The bus is not
only punctual but sometimes even early, so plan to be there a few
minutes in advance. Do not be intimidated by the signs not
mentioning "airport" or any variation of it at the Skanderbeg Square
stop. "Rinas" means the bus goes to the airport. If in doubt, ask
the locals, who will be happy to point you to the correct bus.
Another cheaper and convenient way to reach the Albanian Riviera
in Southern Albania is by landing in Corfu and taking the hydrofoil
to Saranda.
By train
It is not possible to enter or leave
Albania via train. There are, however, trains that operate within
the country. Though the service is limited, the price is
inexpensive. There is no direct service to Tirana, due to closure of
the capital's only railway station. Tirana is served by renovated
Kashar station located 10 km west of the capital.
By bus
You can reach Tirana by coach from
Istanbul, Turkey (20hr, €35
one-way)
Athens, Greece (12 hr, €30-35)
Tetovo, Republic of
Macedonia (7 hr, € 15)
Prishtina, Kosovo (4,5 hr, € 10 )
Sofia, Bulgaria (12 hr, € 35)
From Montenegro
There are 3 daily buses from Ulcinj in
Montenegro to Shkoder. They depart at 7am, 12:30pm and 16.30 at
Ulcinj bus station and traveling time is between 2 and 3 hours
depending on the time needed to cross the border. The 12:30 bus tend
to get full very quickly during the high season. Shared taxis
(mini-busses) are also an option to go to Albania from Ulcinj. They
depart from the parking place next to the market in Ulcinj. It goes
at 1PM and costs €5; it takes 1.5 hr. The stop is not marked, a
reservation can only be made by finding the driver in the cafe at
the corner of the parking place. Ask around and be persistent, as
not all the locals know about this.
There are also scheduled
buses twice a day from Kotor (Montenegro) to Tirana, passing through
Budva, Podgorica (both in Montenegro), and Shkoder.
From
Greece
There are buses running daily from Ioannina to the border
at Kakavia (9 daily, €5.70, 1 hour). From there it's a short walk
between the Greek and Albanian checkpoints. Just make sure you don't
delay, as the furgon (minibus) to Gjirokastra won't wait for one
extra passenger and you will be forced to haggle with predatory cab
drivers. In Gjirokaster you can buy a bus ticket to Athens, Greece
or anywhere in between. The buses are new, cheap, air conditioned,
and stop along some gas stations.
By boat
Ferries to
Durrës arrive from Bari (9h, €50) and Ancona (19h, €70). A
high-speed service operates from Bari (3h, €60).
There are also
two reliable overnight ferry services operated by Skenderbeg Lines
and European Seaways from Brindisi to Vlore.
Ferries from Corfu
to Saranda every day.
Ferry between Brindisi and Shengjin by
European Seaways operating twice a week in the summer (2015).
By
yacht
Yachts can be anchored at Albania's only marina in Orikum,
south of Vlore. Contact Orikum Marina for details.
By car
To enter the country, ensure that your International Motor Insurance
Card is valid for Albania (AL) along with the Vehicle Registration
and a Power of Attorney from the owner if the car is not yours. The
border guards are very strict about allowing cars through without
these documents.
The road between Ioannina, Greece and Tirana
(E853/SH4) is of sufficient quality. Construction works between
Tepelene and Fier are mostly finished (2014). The new portion
between Rrogozhine and Durres is also mostly complete (2014). This
is the main north-south route between Montenegro and Greece.
The road between Struga, Macedonia and Tirana (E852/SH3) is of a
sufficient quality. There are a lot of slow moving vehicles along
the curvy mountainous route so extra caution must be exercised
especially around corners or during over-taking. A new motorway is
being constructed between Elbasan and Tirana (2011).
The road
between Prizren (Kosovo) and Tirana (Albania) (E851/A1/SH5) is to
the levels of quality found in other parts of Europe. Extra caution
should be exercised along some bridges near the Kosovo border, as
they have not been widened while uncontrolled access points are
becoming dangerous. Also beware that cows run free on the motorway:
there is no fence and before dusk they return home using the
motorway itself.
The road between Shkoder (border of
Montenegro) and Tirana (E762/SH1) is of sufficient quality for
driving but there are a lot of slow moving vehicles and uncontrolled
access points so extra caution must be exercised especially during
over-taking. A portion between Milot and Thumane has been widened to
dual carriageway standard.
There are two border control
points in the north of Albania with Montenegro. The narrow windy
road from Ulcinj, Montenegro to Shkoder via Muriqan/Sukobin
(E851/SH41) is used mainly by locals. There is a new Montenegrin
section near the Albanian border. However, it is worth a try to
avoid heavier traffic on the newly built main road (E762/SH1)
between Hani Hotit and Shkoder. Ask any police officer to point you
in the right direction from Shkoder. They are helpful, courteous and
friendly.
By taxi
Albania is geographically a small
country and as such it is possible to leave by taxi.
A taxi
from downtown Pogradec to the Macedonian border at Sveti Naum is
about €5 (and less than 10 minutes). After Albanian exit procedures,
walk about 500m down the road to the Macedonian border control. The
beautiful Sveti Naum church is very close by, and from there you can
get a bus north around the lake to Ohrid (110 Macedonian denars).
(prices April 2010)
A taxi from Ulcinj in Montenegro to
Shkoder in northern Albania costs about €30. It takes 1hr. You do
not have to change at the border, the taxi will bring you all the
way. (June 2010)
Some taxis can take you into Greece; however
most will not go further then Ioannina.