ALBANIA

Lonely Planet Publications

54

Albania
HIGHLIGHTS

Tirana Albanias capital reveals tantalising glimpses of its communist past (p58)
Berat A living museum of Ottoman houses, mosques and an ancient citadel (p62)
Off-the-beaten track Explore the spectacular ruins of Butrint, hidden in the forest (p63)
FAST FACTS
Area 28,748 sq km
ATMs In most cities and towns
Budget 30 per day
Capital Tirana
Country codes %355; international
access code %00
Famous for concrete bunkers, Ismail
Kadare
Head of State President Alfred Moisiu
Language Albanian
Money lek; 1 = 123 lek; US$1= 96 lek;
UK1 = 181 lek; A$1 = 72 lek; 100 = 86
lek; NZ$1 = 60 lek

Population 3,582,205

Phrases Tungjatjeta (hello), lamtumir

(goodbye), ju lutem (please), ju falem nderit
(thank you)

Visas No visa needed for citizens of the

EU, Australia, New Zealand, the USA and
Canada; see p65

Time GMT/UTC + 1

TRAVEL HINTS
Take a torch it will come in handy when the power fails and for avoiding potholes at night.
Always carry tissues as there is often no loo paper in the toilets.

ROAMING ALBANIA
Start in Tirana, taking a day trip to Kruja, before heading to Apollonia en route to Berat. Head
down the Ioanian Coast through Dhrmi to Saranda.

Emerging in the 1990s from her hardline communist isolation, Albania was like a stranger
from another time. Her cities werent choked by car fumes, her beaches lay unspoilt by mass
tourism, and her long-suffering people were a little dazed and confused. While things have
changed a lot since then, this ancient land still offers something increasingly rare in Europe
these days a glance into a culture that is all its own. Albania is distinctly Albanian.
Youll continue to find beautiful unspoilt beaches, fascinating classical sites and dramatic
mountain citadels, but the mad traffic of Tirana is symptomatic of a bustling, bright city
shrugging off its Stalinist grey patina. Squat toilets are no longer the norm and you can even
sip cocktails at hip bars, listening to rock bands.
Not just the preserve of the adventurous, Albania is a warm and sincerely hospitable
country with enough rough edges to keep it interesting (and cheap).

lonelyplanet.com

R U N N I N G H E A D R u n n i n g AS uL Bb Ah eNaI Ad

L
Ri im
ve
r

Djeravica
(2656m)

E65

Cetinje

Hani i
Hoti

E65

Thethi
NP

E762

Lake
Skadar

rini

E65

Gnjilane
Tropoja

Buna River

E851

Ulcinj

E851

Lake
Fierza

Prizren

Kruma
Vrbnica
Morina
Kuks

E851

E65

Tetovo

Muriqani

Shngjini

Rresheni

Lezha

Lura NP

Miloti
Laci
Burreli

Blato
Debar

Kicevo

MACEDONIA

e
Riv

Librazhdi
E852

Struga

Elbasan
Prrenjasi

Lushnja

D
ev
o

Mt Shpat
(1830m)

lli
Ri
ve

Gramshi

Kuova

Patosi

Vlora
Kanina

Mt Tomorri
NP
Mt Tomorri
Voskopoja
(2415m)

Osu
mi

Klcyra

Orikumi

Kastoria

Drenova NP

Memaliaji

Radhima

Krystallopigi

Bilishti
Kapshtica

Kora

Ballshi

orovoda

Dr

s Riv
i no

Llogaraja Pass
(1027m)
Prmeti
Dhrmi
Drymades
Vuno
Himara
Qeparo
Borshi
Gjirokastra
Piquerasi

Gr
Erseka
Barmash Pass
(1759m)
Leskoviku

E90

E90

er

Syri i
Kalter

IONIAN SEA

GREECE
E853

Kakavija

r ic

Saranda
Bist

Corfu

E92

Ksamili
Butrint
NP

Pa
vle
s

GREECE

Konispoli

E90

Ioannina
E951

Kerkira
(Corfu)

E55

Florina

Maliqi

ver
Ri

Bay of
Vlora

Karaburun
Peninsula

Vjosa

ver
Ri

Sazan

Bitola

a
ou m m o
nta z
ins

E853

Narta
Lagoon
Zvernci

E65

Sveti Naum Lake

Prespa
Stenje
Pogradec
Tushmishti
Lake Prespa
NP

Berat

Fier

Ohrid

Lake
Ohrid

ka
Re

Shkumbini River

Karavasta
Lagoon

Apollonia

Kafa San

Crna

Divjaka
NP

Prilep

Sopotnica

Kavaja
E853

E65

ini

Durrs

ADRIATIC
SEA

ska
ov r
e

Dr

Qafe
Shtama
Kruja
NP Klosi Bulqiza
E851
Zall
Rinasi Gjocaj NP
Kraste
M
a
Mt Dajti ti River
(1611m)
Shijak
Mt Dajti
Tirana NP

To Bari

ska
ov
vr er

Peshkopia

M
a
Ri
v

To
Ancona

Gostivar

Mt Korab
(2751m)

ALBANIA

To Brindisi

Skopje

Puka

E851

Sukobin

Uroevac

Prushi

Lake
Komani
Shkodra

E65

Kosovo

akovica

Bajram
Curri
Valbona
NP

Rive

Fierza

Lake
Shkodra

Bar
To Tricste

Mt Jezerca
(2694m)
Thethi

Cem r
Rive

lbone

eta

Podgorica

SERBIA

Ja
d
Ri
v

Peja

Va

M
Ri orac
ve r a

MONTENEGRO
E762

60 km
30 miles

Prishtina

ALBANIA

0
0

ALBANIA

55

ALBANIA

56

AR UL BNANNI NI AG HE A DH i sto rRyu n n i n g s u b h e a d

HISTORY
The Illyrians, ancestors of the Albanians, occupied the western Balkans during the 2nd
millennium BC. In the 7th century BC, the
Greeks set up colonies, before the Romans
invaded in 167 BC. After Rome fell, invasions
by various groups of migrating peoples forced
the Illyrians south.
In 1344 Albania was annexed by Serbia, but
after the defeat of Serbia by the Turks in 1389,
the whole region was open to Ottoman attack.
National hero Skanderbeg (Gjergj Kastrioti)
led the Albanian resistance, but in 1479, after
his death, the country fell. There followed 400
years of Ottoman rule.
Uprisings in the late 19th century culminated in a proclamation of independence in
1912. This was severely compromised when
Kosovo, roughly one-third of Albania, was
ceded to Serbia in 1913.
During WWI, Albania was occupied in
succession by the armies of Greece, Serbia,
France, Italy and finally AustriaHungary.
In 1928 a northern warlord Ahmet Zogu
ended the republic, declaring himself to be
King Zogu I. His close collaboration with
Italy backfired in April 1939 when Mussolini invaded.
On 8 November 1941 the Albanian Communist Party was founded with Enver Hoxha
as first secretary. The communists led the
resistance against the Italians and then the
Germans.
In January 1946 the Peoples Republic of
Albania was proclaimed, with Hoxha as president. At first, Albania allied itself with Stalins
USSR, but in 1961 realigned itself with China.
Progress was made in draining the malarial
swamps of the central coastal plains, building hydroelectric schemes (with help from
China), raising the literacy level and laying
down the countrys railway lines.

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From 1966 Albania experienced a Chinesestyle cultural revolution. Agriculture was

collectivised and organised religion banned.
Albanias relations with China eventually
soured, and the country was left isolated. The
economy was devastated and food shortages
became common.
Following Hoxhas death in 1985, Albania
embarked on a programme of liberalisation
and, after growing unrest, the government
agreed in December 1990 to allow opposition
parties. A series of reforms was announced,
but they fell short of voters expectations and
elections in March 1992 ended communist
rule.
A severe crisis developed in late 1996 when
private pyramid investment schemes spectacularly collapsed. Around 70% of Albanians
lost their savings, resulting in nationwide violence. In spring 1999 Albania faced a crisis of a
different sort the influx of 465,000 refugees
from neighbouring Kosovo. While this put a
tremendous strain on resources, the net effect
has been positive. A substantial amount of
international aid money has poured in, the
service sector has grown and inflation has
dropped.
Since 2002 the country has found itself in a
kind of miniboom, with money being injected
into construction projects and infrastructure.
The economy and politics have been stable
since elections in 2005, although electricity
shortages are still widespread.

THE CULTURE
In July 2003 the population was estimated to
be 3,582,205, of which 95% was Albanian, 3%
Greek and 2% other comprising Vlachs,
Roma, Serbs and Bulgarians.
The Albanian people are generally kind,
warm and unquestioningly generous. If
you ask for directions, dont be surprised if

BUNKER LOVE
On the hillsides, beaches, peoples front gardens and generally most surfaces in Albania, you will
notice small concrete domes seeming to gaze at you through their rectangular slits. Meet the
bunkers: Enver Hoxhas concrete legacy, built between 1950 and 1985. Weighing in at 5 tonnes
of concrete and iron, these little mushrooms are almost impossible to destroy, as they were built
to repel an invasion and can resist a full tank assault a fact proven by their chief engineer who
had to vouch for his creations strength by standing inside a bunker while it was bombarded by
a tank. The shell-shocked engineer emerged unscathed and an estimated 700,000 bunkers were
built. They do have one modern use quite a few Albanians will admit to losing their virginity
in the security of a bunker. It puts a whole new spin on practising safe sex!

lonelyplanet.com

ENVIRONMENT
Albania has three main zones: a coastal
plain, a mountainous region and an interior
plain. The forested mountain spine makes
up 75% of the country, peaking at Mt Korab
(2751m). Forests, covering an estimated 36%,
are home to animals such as bears, deer and
wild boar.
Most of Albanias national parks are only
protected by their remoteness, and tree cutting and hunting still take place. Mt Dajti,
Mt Tomorri and Llogaraja Pass are the most
accessible for hikers. Independent camping
is not advisable, as help if needed would be
impossible to find.
Albania is facing some serious environmental issues. The decrepit oil fields in the
central plains around Fier constantly leak
black sludge into the rivers and down to the
sea. There is a disturbing amount of rubbish
littering roadsides, beaches, picnic spots and
remote valleys just about everywhere. The
unique koran (Lake Ohrid trout) is on the
brink of extinction, yet you still see it on
restaurant menus.
READING UP
Ismail Kadares The Concert (1988) and The
Successor (2005) give great insight into daily
life under communism. His Man Booker International Prizewinning Spring Flowers,
Spring Frost (2002) shines a light on the
transition period, as does Lloyd Jones excellent Biografi (1993).

57

TRANSPORT
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air

Albanias only international airport is Nn

Tereza International Airport (aka Mother Theresa
and, more commonly, Rinas), 26km northwest of Tirana. There are direct flights to 16
Italian cities, as well the main centres in the
region. British Airways (BA) has just started
flights from Gatwick.
DEPARTURE TAX
No matter how you enter Albania you
will have to pay a 10 charge. On leaving,
theres also another 10 fee. There is a 1
daily tariff on vehicles, payable upon crossing the border out of the country.

Land
From Tirana, buses for Prishtina (30, 10
hours, 343km, three daily) leave from behind
the museum near Sheshi Sknderbej. Buses for
Sofia (40, 17 hours) leave from Albtransport
(%223 026; Rr Mine Peza, Tirana; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri).

Macedonian-bound buses, going through

Struga (10, six hours, 197km, six per week)
and on to Tetovo, leave from the patch of mud
in front of the train station. Get your tickets
from the nearby Pollogu travel agency (%04-23
500; 069-209 4906; Bldg 103, Bul Zogu I), upstairs in an
apartment building. The entrance is next to a
bright orange caf called Pause.
Bringing a car or motorcycle to Albania is
a risky business as theft and bad roads can be
problems. Additionally, your insurance may
not cover Albania.

Sea
Theres a daily boat from Saranda to Corfu
(more in summer; 17.50, one hour, 27km)
and ferries from Vlora to Brindisi (40, four
to seven hours, 13 weekly).
Boats leave from Durrs for Ancona, Bari
and Trieste. In the low season Adriatica Navigazione (www.adriatica.it) has one boat to Bari daily.
Other companies (Venturis, Espresso, Marlines) have a couple of boats per week. Adriatica is the biggest and best choice, its boats
reach Bari first, avoiding delays on arrival. The
journey takes eight hours, but can stretch to 12
in bad weather. The prices change frequently.

ALBANIA

youre guided all the way to your destination.

While its common to see young men walking
around arm and arm, dont mistake this for an
expression of gay culture Albanian society
is staunchly homophobic.
While communism opened up many roles
and educational opportunities to women, it is
still unusual to see women in cafs and bars
outside the main cities.
Albanians shake their heads sideways to
say yes (po) and usually nod and tsk to say
no (yo).
Albania is quite a safe country for women
travellers, but outside Tirana you may find
yourself the only woman at a bar its mainly
men who go out. Staring seems to be a national pastime, and both men and women
will find themselves on the receiving end.

T R RAUNNS PNOI NRGT H E A DG ett i nR gu nTnhienre

g S &u bAhwe a dy

ALBANIA

58

TR IURNANNIAN GH E AODr i ent aRt ui onnn i n g s u b h e a d

In the low season Adriatica has three boats per

week to Ancona, while Kad (%052-25 154; www
.agemar.it) has two weekly boats to Trieste.

GETTING AROUND
Bus

Most Albanians travel in buses or furgons

(nine to 12-seater vans). Buses to Tirana depart from towns all around Albania at the
crack of dawn. Pay the conductor on board.
Both buses and furgons are dirt cheap, privately owned and dont follow a timetable
they leave when theyve got enough passengers
to make it worth their while.
The furgon system can seem daunting at
first, but it works really well. There are always
more furgons running in the mornings and the
last departure is usually in plenty of time to
arrive before nightfall.

Car & Motorcycle

Driving in Albania is only for the foolhardy,
as roads are often bad and the local drivers
kamikazes. For car rental in Tirana try Sixt
(%259 020; Rr e Kavajs 116) or Hertz (%255 028; Hotel
Tirana International, Sheshi Sknderbej).

Train
Train travel is incredibly cheap but the decrepit carriages typically have broken windows, no toilets and are agonisingly slow. That
said, they are something of an adventure and
some of the routes are quite scenic. Theres
an informative unofficial website at www
.angelfire.com/ak/hekurudha/.
GETTING INTO TOWN
Hertz operates a shuttle bus service from
the airport to the centre of Tirana for 500
lek (4). Your other options are taxis
(about 20) or the infrequent buses that
leave from the car park (20).

TIRANA
%04 / pop 700,000

Lively, colourful Tirana has changed beyond

belief in the last decade from the dull, grey city
it once was. Its amazing what a lick of paint
can do covering one ugly tower block with
horizontal orange and red stripes and another
with concentric pink and purple circles.

lonelyplanet.com

EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Ambulance %127
Fire %128
Police %129

The neighbourhood of Blloku buzzes with

well-dressed kids hanging out of bars or zipping between boutiques. The citys grand
boulevards are lined with fascinating relics
of its Ottoman, Italian and communist past,
guarded by bored-looking soldiers with automatic weapons. The traffic does daily battle
with both itself and pedestrians in a constant
scene of unmitigated chaos. On any given
day half the roads seem to be dug up. It can
be hard to tell where the roadwork ends and
the potholes begin.
Loud, crazy, colourful, dirty Tirana is
simply fascinating.

ORIENTATION
Tirana revolves around the busy Sheshi Sknderbej (Skanderbeg Sq). Running south to the
University and park-covered hill beyond is
shady Bulevardi Dshmort e Kombit. Running north, Bulevardi Zogu I leads to the busy
train and bus station. The Lana River is like
a large culvert, cutting the city in two below
Sheshi Sknderbej. Mt Dajti (1611m) rises
25km to the east.

INFORMATION
Tirana does not have an official tourist office. Useful references include Tirana in Your
Pocket (www.inyourpocket.com; 400 lek)
and Tirana: The Practical Guide and Map of
Tirana (200 lek), available from the main
bookshops and hotels.
There are plenty of ATMs connected to
international networks in the city. Independent moneychangers operate in front of
the main post office. Travellers cheques are
near-impossible to exchange outside Tirana,
so if youre relying on them try the American Bank of Albania (%276 000; Rr Ismail Qemali 27;
h9.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri).
ABC Family Health Center (%234 105; Rr Qemal Stafa
360; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri) English-speaking doctors offering regular (US$60) and emergency (US$72) consultations.
Albania Travel & Tours (%232 983; albaniatraveland
tours@yahoo.com; Rr Durrsit 102) A central agency that
books flights, ferries and private rooms.

Book
l o n eaccommodation
l y p l a n e t . c o monline at lonelyplanet.com

100 lek) Look for the yellow sign down a laneway. New
computers and fast internet connections.
Main post office & telephone centre (%228 262;
Sheshi ameria; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri)
Outdoor Albania (%272 075; www.outdooralbania
.com) Trailblazing adventure-tour agency, offering all
manner of specialist tours with a strong commitment to
ecotourism.
Post office branch (Rr Mohamet Gjollesha)
Telephone centre (Bul Zogu I; h7.30am-6.30pm)
There another post office on Rruga Mohamet Gjollesha.

SIGHTS

Sheshi Sknderbej is the bustling heart of the

city. The equestrian statue of Skanderbeg stands
deaf to the cacophony of screeching horns
on the battlefield below. Nearby, a delicate
minaret marks out a true survivor. The exquisite 18th-century Ethem Bey Mosque escaped
destruction during WWII and went on to
survive the states atheism campaign due to
its sheer beauty. Take off your shoes and look
inside at the beautifully painted dome.
Across the square, bedecked with the
wonderful socialist-realist Albania mosaic,
is the National Historical Museum (admission 300
lek;h9am-1pm & 5-7pm Tue-Sat, 9am-noon & 5-7pm
Sun). Inside are archaeological treasures dating

back to 100,000 BC and an extensive communist section (unfortunately without English

translations).
Running south from the square the spacious, tree-lined, fascist-designed, potholecovered Bulevardi Dshmort e Kombit houses
most of the government buildings, recognisable by their Italianate columns and
heat-packing military guards. Along the
boulevard National Art Gallery (admission 100 lek;
h9am-7pm) has a wonderful collection ranging from 13th-century icons to modern art,
but most interesting are the large socialistrealist canvases.
Cross the oversized dirty drain that is
the Lana River to the sloping white-marble
and glass walls of the Pyramid (cnr Bul Bajram Curri
& Dshmort e Kombit) aka the former Enver
Hoxha Museum (1988) designed by Hoxhas daughter and son-in-law. In an hilarious
twist of fate, the building that once housed a
grandiose statue of the ruler is now home to
a disco called The Mummy. In front of the
Pyramid a touching little memorial to the
countrys difficult post-communist years is
the Bell of Peace, forged from bullet cases col-

59

lected by Albanian schoolchildren during the

anarchy of 1997.
Further down the boulevard, the Council Of
Ministers building still has an impressive socialist relief, along with the 2nd-floor balcony
where Enver Hoxha would stand and view
military parades. In the forecourt of Tirana
University, which abuts the boulevard, is a
statue of Mother Teresa arms outstretched as
if to give you a big hug.
Beyond the University the lush Parku Kombtar, with its serene artificial lake, stretches
up to the former palace of King Zogu (Rr Elbasanit;
admission free). Across the road the Martyrs Cemetery, lies under the shadow of the immense,
beautiful and strangely androgynous Mother
Albania statue (1972). Hoxha was buried here,
but was exhumed in 1992 and interred in
an ordinary graveyard on the other side of
town.
Nestled between the park, the boulevard
and the river is the once totally forbidden
but now totally trendy Blloku; the former
exclusive Communist Party neighbourhood.
Look for the three-storey pastel-coloured
house which was the former residence of Enver
Hoxha (cnr Rr Dshmort e 4 Shkurtit & Ismail Qemali;
admission free).

SLEEPING

oTirana Backpacker Hostel (%272075, 069-218

8845; tiranabackpacker@hotmail.com; Rr Elbasanit 85; dm 12)

The young crew that runs this place is your

ticket to a good time in Tirana. This large villa
has 13 beds in three rooms and two shared
bathrooms, although at the time of research
the downstairs floor was being converted into
more rooms and a bar. Guests are free to use
the balconies, garden, kitchen and laundry.
Winter power cuts are usually brief, but they
do tend to affect the water supply.
Hotel Endri (%244 168, 069-227 2522; Rr Vaso Pasha
27, entrance 3, apt 30; s/d 20/30; a) Not a hotel at
all, the Endri consists of seven sparkling-clean
rooms housed in two communist-era blocks.
Its great value and located where all the action
is. Call in advance, as youll never find this
place on your own.
Hotel Kruja (%238 106; fax 238 108; Rr Mine Peza;
s/d/tr 35/50/75; a) While the exterior looks
like a 1960s motel, the rooms are bright, airy
and clean.
Hotel Lugano (%/fax 222 023; Rr Mihal Duri 34; s/d
40/50; a) This handsome little hotel has lightflooded rooms with small balconies.

ALBANIA

Center Internet (Rr Brigada e VIII; h24hr; per hr

R U N N I N G H E A D T IRRuAnNnAi n g S u Sbihgehatds

TR IURNANNIAN GH E AE aDt i ng R u n n i n g s u b h e a d

lonelyplanet.com

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0

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Tirana has no shortage of restaurants, freshproduce stalls and fast-food joints selling
cheap qebaps (kebabs), byrek (meat, cheese
or vegetable filled pastries) and pizza slices.
Buke dhe Embelsira Franceze (Rr Dshmort e 4 Shkurtit
1; breakfast 210 lek; h7.30am-10.30pm) One of the few
good breakfast spots in Tirana; stop for a coffee
and croissant or take away a delicious pastry.
Plan B (Rr Sami Frashri; mains 500 lek; hnoon-4.30pm
& 7-11.30pm) This fantastic pasta place, south of
the Stelman Strmasi Stadium, cooks to your
request with deliciously fresh ingredients a
great option for vegetarians.
Era (%274 949; Rr Ismail Qemali; mains 600 lek) Traditional Albanian fare in the heart of Blloku.

Them

To Plan B
(200m)

yl
Rr Abd ri
Frash

10 Rr i Grmenji
istokl
6
Zeneli
Rr Asim

e Kombi

et
oham 13
Rr M esha
Gjoll

31

28

17

kurtit

na

Selman
Strmasi
Stadium

Sh
ort e 4

lvi

hmort

De

Frashri

an

Rr Dshm

Pasha

lej

Rr Vaso

Su

Rr Sami

Rr

30

23

Bul Ds

River

Lana

Fishta
jergj
Bul G
Curri
35
ajram 29
Bul B
5
Blloku
II
V
ada e
33
Rr Brig
ani
er Bogd 20
Rr Pjet
ali
ail Qem
Rr Ism
32

kagjini
Rr Lek Du

To Durrs (38km);
Berat (122km)

EATING

To Mt Dajti
(25km)

or

hm

D
r4

45

ksh

Rr B
a

47

Zogu
i Zi

Curr

41
Unaza

arrik
Rr B

To Airport (26km);
Kruja (32km);
Durrs (38km)

ko
Bos

Rr Muhamet Gjo
llesha

ALBANIA

60

Parku
Kombtar

To Martyrs' Cemetery (400m);

Former Palace of King Zogu (400m);
Mother Albania Statue (400m);
Elbasan (54km); Pogradec (140km)

DRINKING & CLUBBING

Sky Club Panoramic Bar (%221 666; Sky Tower, Rr

Dshmort e 4 Shkurtit) This rotating tower offers
amazing views but we wouldnt recommend
it for a heavy night the rotation is a bit jerky
and may leave you slightly seasick.
Living Room (%274 837; Rr Punetoret e Rilindjes 16;
h7.30pm-late) The hippest place to drink and
dance in Tirana.
Tiranas vibrant and fast-changing bar scene
is easily accessed by strolling the streets of
Blloku. Buda-bar (Rr Ismail Qemali; h4.30pm-late) has
subdued lighting and a groovy crowd. Charls
(Rr Pjeter Bogdani 5; h8am-late) is a rocking student
pub, with a great beer garden and a constant
roster of bands playing live on the weekends.

lonelyplanet.com

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

Bell of Peace...........................(see 23)
Council of Ministers
Building.................................17 C4

Equestrian Statue of
Skanderbeg............................18 C2
Et'hem Bey Mosque.................. 19 C2
Former Residence of Enver
Hoxha.................................. 20 C4
National Art Gallery.................. 21 C3
National Historical
Museum................................22 C2
Pyramid.................................... 23 C3
Statue of Mother Teresa.........(see 24)
Tirana University...................... 24 C4

DRINKING
Buda-bar..................................
Charl's......................................
Living Room.............................
Sky Club Panoramic Bar............

32
33
34
35

C4
C3
D3
C3

ENTERTAINMENT
Academy of Arts.......................
Kinema Millenium 2..................
Qemal Stafa Stadium................
Theatre of Opera & Ballet.........

36
37
38
39

C4
C3
C4
C2

SLEEPING
Hotel Endri............................... 25
Hotel Kruja................................26
Hotel Lugano............................ 27
Tirana Backpacker
Hostel....................................28

TRANSPORT
Albtransport.............................. 40
Bus Station & Furgons to Durrs &
Macedonia............................ 41
Buses to Prishtina...................... 42
Furgons to Elbasan & Pogradec.. 43
Furgons to Fier, Vlora &
Gjirokastra............................ 44
Furgons to Kruja........................ 45
Hertz........................................ 46
Pollogu Travel Agency............... 47
Sixt........................................... 48

C4
B2
B2
D3

EATING
Buke dhe Embelsira
Franceze................................29 C3
Efendy...................................... 30 B4
Era............................................ 31 B4

ENTERTAINMENT

61

Kinema Millenium 2 (%253 654; Rr Murat Toptani; admission 200-500 lek) Screens recent English-language
movies.
For classical music check out the Theatre of
Opera and Ballet (%224 753; Palace of Culture, Sheshi
Sknderbej; admission around 500 lek) and the Academy of Arts (%257 237; Sheshi Nn Tereza). Qemal
Stafa Stadium hosts football matches and rock
concerts.

B2
C1
C2
C4
A3
A1
C2
C1
B2

Stadium. For information about buses to

Prishtina in Kosovo and to Macedonia via
Struga, see p57.
If all else fails, ask a taxi driver to take you
to the right stop.

Train

Air

The run-down train station is located at the

northern end of Bulevardi Zogu I. Destinations include Durrs (55 lek, one hour,
36km, eight daily), Fier (175 lek, 4 hours)
and Pogradec (245 lek, seven hours, twice
daily).

Nn Tereza International Airport is at Rinas,

26km from the city (see p57).

GETTING AROUND

Bus

The central city is easily traversable on foot.

Taxi stands dot the city and charge 400 lek for
a ride inside Tirana (600 lek at night).

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Getting out of Tirana can be extremely confusing. You have the option of buses or furgons (see p58 for more information), which
leave from hubs on the outskirts of the city
which are prone to move from time to time.
Travelling times are totally dependent on
what degree of crazy the traffic out of town
is currently operating at.
At the time of writing, furgons going to
Kruja (150 lek, 45 minutes, 32km) leave
from the chaotic Zogu i Zi roundabout. You
can catch a furgon to Fier (400 lek, 2 hours,
122km), Vlora (400 lek, three hours, 161km)
and Gjirokastra (1000 lek, five hours, 244km)
from Rruga e Kavajs, and there are also buses
to Fier (300 lek).
Furgons towards Macedonia (Elbasan and
Pogradec) leave from a stand by Qemal Stafa

SPLURGE
Efendy (% 274 949; Rr Sami Frashri; mains
1000-1500 lek) Foodie alert! Housed in an
inconspicuous building in Blloku is an authentic Ottoman dining experience that is
as much a history lesson as a sublime culinary one. Chef Ahmet Dursun hails from
Turkey where he learnt recipes from the
old Ottoman chefs. He landed in Albania
12 years ago (as an opera singer its a long
story), and hes since travelled throughout
the Balkans collecting dishes along the way.
Let him lead you through his seasonal delicacies and you wont be disappointed.

ALBANIA

INFORMATION
ABC Family Health
Center......................................1 D1
Albania Travel & Tours............... 2 C2
American Bank of Albania.......... 3 C4
American Embassy..................... 4 D4
Center Internet........................... 5 C3
Dutch Embassy........................... 6 D4
French Embassy...........................7 B2
German Embassy........................ 8 B2
Greek Embassy............................9 B2
Italian Embassy......................... 10 C4
Macedonian Embassy................11 B2
Main Post Office...................... 12 C3
Post Office Branch.................... 13 B4
Serbia Embassy......................... 14 B2
Telephone Centre..................... 15 C2
Telephone Centre...................(see 12)
UK Embassy.............................. 16 B2

R U N N I N G HT IERAADN A R uEnnntienrgtSaui nbm

h eeandt

ALBANIA

62

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CENTRAL ALBANIA Kruja

CENTRAL ALBANIA
KRUJA
%0511 / pop 17,400

You begin to appreciate Krujas impressive

beauty during the journey to reach it up the
winding road through the grey mountains to
Skanderbegs citadel. Its a magnificent day
trip from Tirana and the bazaar is the best
place for souvenir shopping in the whole of
Albania.
Wander around the old streets of the stillinhabited castle (admission 100 lek) with children
and turkeys running around, and make sure
you check out the Skanderbeg Museum (admission
200 lek; h9am-1pm & 3-6pm, Tue-Sun), Ethnographic
Museum (%22 225; admission 300 lek; h8am-1pm &
3-8pm), the remains of a small Hammam (Turkish bathhouse) and the Dollma Teqe (Dervish
prayer-house).
To get to Kruja catch a furgon from Tirana
(150 lek, 45 minutes, 32km).

APOLLONIA

The ancient ruined city of Apollonia (Pojan; admission 700 lek; h9am-5pm) is located 12km west of
Fier and is set on rolling hills among olive
groves. The picturesque site includes a small
theatre, the restored faade of a 2nd-century
building and a Byzantine monastery (note
the gargoyles!).
Apollonia is best visited on a day trip from
Tirana or Berat. Catch a bus/furgon/train to
Fier and then find a cab (about 2500 lek
including an hours waiting time) to take you
the rest of the way.

BERAT
%062 / pop 47,700

A highlight of any trip to Albania, Berat is

one of the countrys most beautiful towns,
having been preserved as a museum city by
the communist government. Its most striking
feature is the collection of white Ottoman
houses climbing up the hill to the castle, earning it the title town of a thousand windows.
Its rugged mountain setting is archetypically
Albanian particularly evocative when the
clouds swirl around the tops of the minarets
and battlements.
Berat suffers terribly from power cuts in
the winter and generators are not widely used.
There are several ATMs and an internet caf
on the main strip.

Sights
There is plenty to see in this small town
and the best way to start is to take the hard
slog up to the impressive 14th-century Kala
(citadel; admission 100 lek; h24hr), built on ancient Illyrian foundations along a ridge high
above the gorge. The Kala is still inhabited
and has a dozen surviving churches within
its 10 hectares. The Muzeu Onufri (%32 258;
admission 200 lek; h9am-2pm Mon-Fri) is housed
in one of the churches, displaying artistically
important icons. A torch will come in handy
to peer into the Tolkienesque depths of the
Inner Fortress.
The Muzeu Etnografik (%32 224; admission 200
lek; h9am-4pm Mon-Fri) is based in a fine 18thcentury Ottoman villa just off the road up to
the citadel. At the foot of the hill the 14thcentury Sultans Mosque (Xhami e Mbretit)
is one of the oldest in Albania. There is a
Helveti teqe next to the mosque with a richly
decorated prayer hall. The 16th-century
Leaden Mosque (Xhami e Plumbit) dominates the town square. The 19th-century
Bachelors Mosque (Xhami e Beqarvet) is by
the river, with enchanting paintings on its
external walls.
A new footbridge and a seven-arched stone
bridge (1780) lead to Gorica, where you can
visit the Monastery of St Spyridon. If you feel
energetic you can climb up to the remains of
another Illyrian fortress in the woods above.

Sleeping & Eating

Hotel Mangalemi (% 32 093; hotelmangalemi
_tomi@yahoo.it; Rr e Kalas; s/d/tr 1500/2500/3000 lek)

In a sprawling Ottoman house, this is the

best budget B&B in Albania. Theres a great
bar and restaurant on the ground floor and
a clutch of cosy rooms upstairs. The dinner
menu is an offal-lovers paradise (order by
the organ).
Hotel Berati (%36 953; Rr Veli Zaloshnja; s/d 18/30
The hotel offers ten tidy rooms and a cosy restaurant (mains 250-660 lek) with a fantastic
carved wooden ceiling.

Getting There & Away

Buses depart from next to the big new Orthodox church for Tirana (250 lek, three hours,
131km, every half-hour from 4.30am to 3pm),
Durrs (two daily) and Fier (six daily).
Furgons to Fier (200 lek, one hour,
50km) leave from across the square from
the buses.

Book
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S O U T H E R N A L B A NRI UA N NI NDGhHErAmDi & D rRyumnandi ne gs SBuebahc ehaeds

DHRMI & DRYMADES BEACHES

Surely there are no more deserted shores in
Mediterranean Europe than this wonderfully
isolated stretch of Ioanian coast. Apart from
the ever-present bunkers, the landscape is
largely unchanged since the ancient Greeks
wandered these shores. If youre arriving by
bus (from Vlora 300 lek, 2 hours, 55km)
ask to be let off by the turnoff for the Plazhi
(beach), just past Dhrmi. From here its an
easy 15-minute walk downhill through the
olive groves to the beautiful long beach at the
foot of the snow-capped mountains.
The best place to stay in Dhrmi is the little
Hotel Luiano (%069-209 1431; r per person 1000 lek;
a), above a popular seafood restaurant. The
waters only metres away and the views are
sublime. During winter blackouts the hotels
generator makes it a beacon for locals and
visitors alike.
Even more deserted is Drymades. Leave
the road going down into Dhrmi at the sign
pointing right. After a good 45-minute walk
along a dirt road winding through the olive
groves, the path opens out onto a long, wide,
sandy beach with a straw-roofed bar. Drymades
Hotel (%068-228 5637; bungalows 4000 lek) is a constellation of bungalows under the shade of the
pine trees, each housing two or three people
in fairly basic conditions.

minutes, seven daily), or a one-way cab will

cost around 800 lek.
The same bus will take you to sandy Ksamili
beach, 17km south of Saranda, with four small,
dreamy islands within swimming distance.

Sleeping & Eating

Kaonia (%2600; fax 2608; Rr 1 Maji; s/d 20/40; a) A
lovely midsized hotel on the seafront with
fabulously kitsch 1950s-style patterned awnings on the balconies looking over the sea.
Kalaja e Lkursit (%5532; Lkurs; mains 250-1200
lek) Perched high above the town in an old
castle, this excellent eatery boasts breathtaking views.

Getting There & Away

Buses to Tirana (1000 lek, eight hours,
314km) leave from Sarandas bus station each
hour from 5.30 up to 1pm. There are also
furgons and some smaller buses that take the
coastal route to Vlora via Dhrmi.
Theres a daily boat to Corfu (see p57).

ALBANIA DIRECTORY
ACCOMMODATION
Albanias budget accommodation is usually decent and clean, with TVs and their
own bathrooms. Camping is possible in the
southern area and sometimes on deserted
beaches.

SARANDA

ACTIVITIES

%0852 / pop 32,000

Swimming is great along the Adriatic and

Ionian coasts, except for the polluted section
from Durrs to Fier. Adventure tourism is in
its infancy in Albania, and the national leaders
are the enthusiastic young team at Outdoor
Albania (p59).

With the most attractive waterfront in Albania, Saranda is a charming little town just a
stones throw from the Greek island of Corfu
(12 km). Its houses fan out over the hillsides,
small boats bob on the blue sea, and people
stroll the waterfront promenade, enjoying the
290 sunny days per year.

Sights & Activities

Saranda is a great base for exploring the
sights around it. The ancient ruins of Butrint
(%0732-46 00; admission 700 lek; h8am-7.30pm),
24km south of Saranda, are a truly remarkable experience. Overlooking a lagoon in a 29sq-km national park, the ruins of antiquity
gradually reveal themselves. You will need at
least three hours to lose yourself among the
lovely forest paths. There are regular buses
between Butrint and Saranda (100 lek, 45

BUSINESS HOURS
Usual business hours in Albania:
Banks h9am-2.30pm
Bars h8.30am-midnight, or later
Restaurants h8.30am-11pm
Shops h8am-7pm, some close for a siesta at noon

DANGERS & ANNOYANCES

While the level of petty crime is less than most
Western countries, mafia groups are active in
Vlora and the mountainous north. Tourists
are unlikely to get caught up in trouble, but
incidents occasionally happen.

ALBANIA

SOUTHERN ALBANIA

63

ALBANIA

64

AR UL BNANNI NI AG HDEI RAEDC TO R RY u n n i nE m

g sbuabshs ei easd & C o n s u l a t e s

Inexperienced drivers, combined with the

terrible state of the roads make for a high accident rate. Pedestrians should watch for gaping
holes in pavements, missing manhole covers
and treacherous black ice in winter.
As Albania was isolated for so long, most
foreigners, but especially Black and Asian
travellers, will encounter curious stares.
Dont drink the tap water; locals refer to it
as Hoxhas revenge.

lonelyplanet.com

USA (%04-247 285; www.usemb-tirana.rpo.at;

Rr Elbasanit 103)

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Gjirokastra is host to the National Folk Festival every four years. The next one is due in
September 2009.

GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS

EMBASSIES & CONSULATES

Albanian Embassies & Consulates

Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1995,

with the age of consent being set at 18. Prejudice against gays and lesbians in Albania is
entrenched and there is no accessible scene.

For a full list, visit www.mfa.gov.al.

Canada (%613-2363 0953; embassyrepublicofalbania@

HOLIDAYS

on.albn.com; Suite 302, 130 Albert St, Ottawa ON K1P 5G4)

France (%01 47 23 31 00; ambasade.albanie@wanadoo
.fr; 57 av Marceau, Paris 75116)
Germany (%030-259 3040; kanzlei@botschaft
-albanien.de; Friedrichstrasse 231, D-10 969, Berlin)
Greece Athens (%21-0687 6200; albem@ath.forthner
.gr; Vekiareli 7, Filothei); Ioannina (%26-5102 1330;
algefeer@panafonet.gr; Str Foti Tzavella 2); Thessaloniki
(%31-547 4494; fax 31-546656; Odysseos Str 6)
Italy Rome (%6 8622 4120; fax 6 8621 6005; Via
Asmara 5); Bari (%80 572 7647; fax 80 528 3335; Via
Cafelati 7)
Kosovo (%038-548 3689; fax 038-548 209; Lagjja
Pejton, Rr Hekurudha, Nr 1 Prishtina)
Macedonia (%02-2614 636; ambshqip@mt.net.mk;
ul HT Karpo 94a, Skopje)
Netherlands (%70 427 2101; embalba@xs4all.nl; Anna
Paulownastraat 109b, 2518 BD, The Hague)
Serbia (%11-306 5350; fax 11-665 439; Bulevar Mira
25A; Belgrade)
UK (%020-7828 8897; amblonder@hotmail.com; 2nd fl,
24 Buckingham Gate, London SW1 E6LB)
USA (%202-223 4942; albaniaemb@aol.com; 2100 S St
NW, Washington DC 20008)

Embassies & Consulates in Albania

France (%04-234 250; ambcrtir@mail.adanet.com.al;
Rr Sknderbej 14)

Germany (%04-232 048; www.tirana.diplo.de;

Rr Sknderbej 8)

Greece (%04-223 959; grembtir@albnet.net;

Rr Frederik Shiroka 3)

Italy (%04-234 045; Rr Lek Dukagjini)

Macedonia (%04-233 036; makambas@albnet.net; cnr
Rr Sknderbej & Rr e Kavajs)

Netherlands (%04-240 828; www.netherlands

embassytirana.com; Rr Asim Zeneli 10)

Serbia (%04-223 042; ambatira@icc-al.org;

Rr Sknderbej, Bldg 8/3, Entrance 2)

UK (%04-234 973; www.uk.al; Rr Sknderbej 12)

New Years Day 1-2 January

Orthodox Christmas 7 January ( shops may be shut)
Summer Day 14 March
Nevruz 22 March
May Day 1 May
Mother Teresa Day 19 October
Independence Day 28 November
Liberation Day 29 November
Catholic Christmas 25 December
The following movable religious feast days are
also public holidays:
Catholic Easter March/April/May
Orthodox Easter March/April/May
Bajram i Madh currently near October (end of Ramadan)
Bajram i Vogl currently around December

INTERNET RESOURCES
Good sources of information about Albania
and current events are www.albanian.com and
www.frosina.org.

MONEY
Albanian banknotes come in denominations
of 100, 200, 500 and 1000 lek. There are
five, 10, 20 and 50 lek coins. Everything can
be paid for with lek but most of the hotel
prices are quoted in euro, which is readily
accepted as an alternative currency. Credit
cards are accepted only in the larger hotels
and travellers cheques hardly anywhere (even
Tirana).
Every town has its currency market, which
usually operates on the street in front of
the post office. Such transactions are not
dangerous or illegal, but make sure you
count the money. The advantages are that
you get a good rate and avoid the 1% bank
commission. There are currency-exchange
businesses in major towns.

lonelyplanet.com

POST
Outside of main towns there are few public
mail boxes but several new post offices have
sprung up. The postal system does not enjoy
a great reputation for efficiency. Sending an
international postcard costs around 40 lek,
while a letter costs 80 to 160 lek.

TELEPHONE
Albanias international access code is %00
and the country code is %355. Dial %124

65

for domestic directory assistance and %122

for international directory assistance. The
post office is the cheapest option for longdistance calls.

VISAS
No visa is required by citizens of EU countries, Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the
USA. Travellers from other countries can
check their visa requirements at www.mfa.gov
.al/english/info2.asp. Citizens of most countries even those who are entering visa-free
are required to pay an entry tax of 10 at the
border.

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ALBANIA

Tipping is not expected but it is usual to

round up the bill.

R U N N I NAGL HB AE ANDI A DI RREuCnTnOiRnYg S ub hPeoasdt