Travel

This is why you want to go to Albania this summer

By Bo Geschiere | #!31Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:30:03 +0200+02:000331#31Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:30:03 +0200+02:00-4Europe\/Amsterdam3131Europe\/Amsterdam202331 31pm31pm-31Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:30:03 +0200+02:004Europe\/Amsterdam3131Europe\/Amsterdam2023312023Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:30:03 +0200304303pmFriday=9#!31Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:30:03 +0200+02:00Europe\/Amsterdam3#03-31-2023#!31Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:30:03 +0200+02:000331#\/31Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:30:03 +0200+02:00-4Europe\/Amsterdam3131Europe\/Amsterdam202331#!31Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:30:03 +0200+02:00Europe\/Amsterdam3#

When you think of the country Albania, you might picture the gray Eastern Bloc rather than a beautiful holiday destination. This opinion is becoming a bit outdated, as for an affordable yet not overly touristy sun holiday, you might as well head east these days. So, you heard it right: Albania is the newest upcoming place to be and I’m going to explain why.

Albanië

The white beaches
When I saw videos of white sand and a clear blue sea, I initially thought it was yet another unaffordable spot in the Maldives. It turned out to be the Albanian beaches. The most famous resorts are Ksamil and Sarande, but if you really want to find some prettier coves, you should head to Gjipe and Dhermi. With Greece as a neighboring country, Albania certainly has the good beach genes and is definitely worth a visit.

@beeesabee Ksamil 🇦🇱🤍 #ksamil #albania #fy #fypシ #xyzbca #vacation ♬ original sound – Travel

No mass tourism
If you walk in the heart of summer in Spain, you can hear a Dutch person on every corner of the street. Some don’t mind this at all, but if you’re not a fan of (Dutch) mass tourism, you’re safe in Albania; it’s quite a hidden gem that not many people know about yet. Personally, I see this only as an advantage, as it means quicker parking spots, no long queues at restaurants, and no overcrowded beaches.

Super cheap
Look, this makes us happy. A coffee costs about sixty cents and for a three-course dinner, you pay between eight to fifteen euros. Here in the Netherlands, you can only get a simple bread basket as a starter for that amount, so for a larger family, the Albanian prices are ideal. And if you tell the guys that a half-liter of beer costs less than two euros, I’m sure you’ll get them to join you.

The traditional food
If you’re not such an exotic eater and at least once go to Friet van Piet for a croquette abroad, you might want to skip Albania. Since the country has only recently started mixing with Western culture, it still has almost exclusively traditional dishes on the menu to this day. Take kofta and goulash as examples. I could list the whole menu, but these are most likely the dishes that we Dutch people do know.

Perfect for a road trip
In Albania, you can easily relax on the coast on a beach bed with a cocktail (€3.50) in your hands, but I can imagine that such a holiday isn’t for everyone. So, rent a little car and enjoy a road trip through the country. The nature there is truly beautiful, filled with mountains, waterfalls, rivers, and national parks. And especially for all history lovers: there are about 173,000 bunkers scattered throughout the country that were built during the communist era.

@travel_albania_pobrati Albania🇦🇱 #🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪 #germany #albanienreisen #2022 #naturelover #visialbania #travel #albania #viral #foryoupage #fyp #fypage #beautifulalbania🇦🇱#fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #foryou #viralvideo ♬ Albanian house traditions – Deep ARBAS