ALB

AN

IA

Albania HIGHLIGHTS Berat Clamber past white Ottoman houses, then look back at the distant mountains hid-

ing behind this Unesco-listed town’s minarets ( p59 ) Gjirokastra Hunt down strange souvenirs in Ottoman shop fronts while negotiating its

slate roofs that melt into the narrow cobblestone streets ( p60 ) Dhërmi Join the beach-brigade heading down to Dhërmi’s busy beach, or pop next door

to Drymades for a more peaceful experience ( p59 ) Butrint Find peace and tranquillity in the natural setting of these jungly, ancient ruins

south of Saranda ( p59 )

It’s been nearly twenty years since Albania opened up to the world and she’s almost an adult, although reaching this milestone hasn’t been challenge-free. Her childhood, featuring one mas-sive financial collapse and resulting rioting, wasn’t ideal. There are plenty of stretch marks. Her streets, car-free until 1991, are now clogged; sections of her picturesque landscape are strewn with rampant development and in places her beaches can’t be seen for the hotels.

Yet, after years of government-enforced isolation and the ensuing growing pains of free-dom, there’s evidence of prosperity in the upgraded roads that swirl past new houses and bar/restaurant/hotel developments, though blackouts and water shortages are nagging signs that

© Lonely Planet Publications

FAST FACTS

Area 28,748 sq km

Budget €40 per day

Capital Tirana

Country code %355

Famous for cool flag, concrete bunkers, international diaspora

Language Albanian

Money lekë; A$1 = 72 lekë; C$1 = 82 lekë; €1 = 130 lekë; ¥100 = 103 lekë; NZ$1 = 57 lekë; UK£1 = 147 lekë; US$1= 97 lekë

Phrases miredita (hello/good day), lamtumirë (goodbye), ju lutem (please), ju falem nderit (thank you), më fal (excuse me/sorry)

Population 3.62 million

Visas no visa needed for citizens of the EU, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada; see p61

TRAVEL HINTS

Aim for early-morning departures as few buses run after midday. Torches come in handy during blackouts, at historical sights and for evening pothole-spotting. Toilets rarely have paper: BYO.

ROAMING ALBANIA

Start in Saranda, check out Butrint and Gjirokastra, then head up the coastal route via Dhërmi to Tirana.

50

ALB

AN

IA l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m A L B A N I A

MACEDONIA

ALBANIA

GREECE

GREECE

KOSOVO

MONTENEGRO

Lake Shkodra

Lake Skadar Lake

Fierza Lake Koman

Lake Prespa

Lake Ohrid

ADRIATIC SEA

IONIAN SEA

Narta Lagoon

Corfu

Karavasta Lagoon

Lim

Mor

aca

Zeta

Cem

Jado

vska

Crna Reka

Valbonë

Mati River

Devolli River

Osum River

Drinos River

Pavl

es

Drin

Shkumbini River

Vjosa River

River

Mav

rovska

River

River

River

River

Bun

a R

iver

River

Bistrica

Blue Eye Spring

Gram

moz

M

ount

ains

E65

E762

E65

E65

E851 E762

E851 E65

E851

E65

E851

E65 E853

E852

E90

E90

E853

E853

E92

E90

E55

E951

E65

E851

Perast

Tivat Kotor

Budva Sveti Stefan

Virpazar

Petrovac

Hani i Hotit

Sukobin Muriqan

Ulcinj

Theth

Puka

Fierzë

Bajram Curri

Tropoja

Laci

Kukës

Milot

Shëngjin

Burrel

Kruma

Rreshen Lezha

Gnjilane

Gostivar

Uroševac Gjakove

Qafë Morina

Sopotnica

Debar

Kraste

Klos

Librazhd Struga

Kicevo Bulqiza

Rinas

Kruja

Shijak

Prrenjasi

Gramshi

TushëmishtPogradec

Sveti Naum

Bilisht Kapshtica

Çorovoda

Maliq

Krystallopigi

Kastoria

Florina

Këlcyra

Leskoviku

Memaliaj

Qeparo

Piquerasi

Përmet

Himara

Borsh

Saranda

Ballsh

Radhima

Orikum

Vlora

Dhërmi

Patos

Zvernëci

Kanina

Vuno

Ksamil

Konispoli

Voskopoja

Erseka

Kakavija

Stenje

Prilep

Mesopotamia

Llixha

Koman

Valbonë

Bogë

Koplik

Lin

Drilon

Vajgurore

Dardhë

Mt Lovcén (1749m) Qafë Prush

Divjaka National Park

Mt Jezerca (2694m)

Ðeravica (2656m)

Vrbnica

Mt Dajti (1611m)

Mt Shpat (1830m)

Mt Tomorri(2415m)

Barmash Pass (1759m)

Llogaraja Pass(1027m)

Apollonia

Butrint National

Park

Qafë e Thanës

Blato

Mt Korab (2751m)

Karaburun Peninsula

Sazan

Lura National

Park

Drenova National

Park

Theth National

Park

Valbonë National

Park

Qafe ShtamaNational Park

Lake Prespa National Park

Mt Tomorri National Park

Mt Dajti National Park

Zall Gjocaj National Park

Bay of Vlora

Velipoja

Porto Palermo

Drymades

Livadhi Llaman

Buneci

Jal

Peshkopia

Shkodra

Peja

Bar

Cetinje Podgorica

Tetovo

Kavaja

Kuçova

Lushnja

Durrës

Elbasan

Tirana

Ohrid

Korça

Gjirokastra

Berat Fier

Ioannina

Kerkira (Corfu)

Bitola

Skopje

Prizren

Pristina

ALBANIA 0 60 km 0 30 miles

51