Albania is number 7 on Top Ten Best Value Destination Worldwide by Rough Guides for 2014

Rough Guides listed #Albania as number 7 among top ten best value destination in the world. Albania truly is  a best value offering rich history beautiful nature with lowest prices in #Balkans region!


 Unfairly shunned by many tourists because it’s seen as dangerous or backward (neither of which are true), Albania offers secluded beaches, locals who take a genuine interest in travellers, tasty Turkish-style food, Ancient Greek ruins and Ottoman towns. Imagine a trip to the Balkans before it got discovered and you’ve pretty much got it, with prices to match.

Tell your friends or family that you’re off to Albania, and you’ll likely receive a stock response: “Isn’t it dangerous?”, “Isn’t there a war going on there?”, and “Is that even in Europe?” are some of the most common. Speak instead to those who have been, and the associations with the country’s name become infinitely more positive – you’ll hear of rippling mountains, Ottoman architecture, pristine beaches and endlessly hospitable locals. Following decades of isolationist rule, this rugged land still doesn’t seem to fit into the grand continental jigsaw, with distinctly exotic notes emanating from its language, customs and cuisine. Pay a visit to this beguiling corner of Europe now, before it garners the popularity it deserves.


 Things not to miss :

1. TIRANA -Sip an espresso in Albania’s colourful, chaotic capital
2. BERAT The 'town of the thousand windows' is known for its pretty rows of Ottoman houses lining the hills
3. IONIAN COAST-Albania has some wonderful stretches of beach along its Ionian shore 
4. GJIROKASTRA-Birthplace of dictator Enver Hoxha, this stone city with its busy bazaar is now listed by UNESCO
5. KRUJA-Hilltop scene of national hero Skanderbeg’s resistance

http://www.roughguides.com/best-places/2014/best-value-destinations/

Travel Top 5: Rivieras you’ve never heard of- Albania Riveria no 2

#Albanian #riviera - Nice to be number 2 among top 5 "Rivieras" you would start hearing more and more. Listed from @canadadotcom

There was a time when travellers spoke of their holidays on the riviera and they were referring to a trip to Italy, or maybe France, but these days just about any coastal area with an eye on attracting tourists is calling itself a riviera.
The word is actually from Italian and means coastline but in today’s tourism marketing lingo the connotation is luxury living by the sea. If you look hard enough, you’ll find several dozen regions around the world that style themselves as “rivieras.”
Here are five of them that have probably never heard of:
1. Chinese Riviera
China is famous for copying consumer goods from other countries, so why not copy destination names? The Chinese Riviera refers to the coastal region near the city of Zhuhai in Southern Guangdong Province. But they’re already fighting over the title because the trendy area on Hainan’s west coast between Sanya Haitang Bay and XianghsuiWan also refers to itself as the Chinese Riviera.

2. Albanian Riviera

Sandwiched between Greece and its Balkan neighbours is the overlooked country of Albania. On its southern shores is a gorgeous coastline that lines the Ionian Sea. Dotted with mountains, castles and sandy beaches, this region is a bargain compared to many of the world’s other “rivieras.”

3. Austrian Riviera

So how does a landlocked country get its own riviera? It doesn’t. You have to go back in time to when the Austro-Hungarian empire spread to the shores of the Mediterranean. In those times, the elite flocked to the resorts near Trieste, which is now in Italy, and south along the coast of Slovenia and Croatia. Travellers still go there today to enjoy a relaxing lifestyle by the sea.
4. English Riviera

England isn’t famous for its warm waters, so to dub the coast of South Devon a riviera might sound like a stretch, but you will find palm trees in Torbay, so maybe it deserves the moniker after all. The town of Torquay is also famous as the birthplace of Agatha Christie so you can always read a book if the sun isn’t shining.
5. Brazilian Riviera

The euphonius beach names of Ipanema and Copacabana are already world-famous, so why does Brazil need to promote its coast with a “riviera?” Because there’s a lot more to the South American country than Rio de Janeiro. The nation’s long coastline has a bounty of beautiful beaches and just a few hours northeast of Rio, you can head to Armação dos Búzios, or Búzios for short, to sample the sands of the dozens of nearby beaches and stay in its many of the Brazilian Riviera’s resorts which range from budget to extravagant.
Have you been to any of these rivieras? What about the original rivieras or some of the many other regions which have adopted the label? We’d like to hear about it in the comments.

Adria Airways launches new routes- 4 times weekly flights between Tirana and Frankfurt

Welcome on board! The crew of the first Adria Airways flight from Warsaw Chopin Airport to Ljubljana get ready to greet the route’s first customers on 1 April. The airline will operate the route thrice-weekly with CRJ 200s and faces no direct competition.

• Adria Airways has launched two new routes in the last week. On 1 April it began thrice-weekly flights on the 810-kilometre route between Ljubljana (LJU) and Warsaw Chopin (WAW) using its CRJ 200s. The following day it started four times weekly flights on the 1,290-kilometre route between Tirana (TIA) in Albania and Frankfurt (FRA) using its A319s. Neither route is served by any other carrier. This summer Adria Airways will be operating non-stop to 20 destinations from Ljubljana. The Tirana-Frankfurt route was previously served by Albanian Airlines.

Source: http://www.anna.aero/2014/04/10/adria-airways-adds-new-routes-frankfurt-warsaw/

15 Undiscovered European Destinations: Number 1 is Porto Palermo in Albania - by huffingtonpost.com

Another top ranking in European tourism destinations, this time with our undiscovered gem Porto Palermo and Ali Pasha Castle. Thank you @HuffPostTravel

When it comes to the very best European destinations, bigger does not always mean better. While travelers typically gravitate toward larger cities like London and Paris, some of the region's most rewarding and best-kept secrets are alternatively set well off-the-beaten path. From a tiny Albanian cliff town with stunning mountain vistas, to a Swiss mountain village known for its beer and cheese, it's well worth the extra effort to get to any of our 15 picks for the best undiscovered European destinations.
By Emily Wasserman
1) Porto Palermo, Albania

Nestled among rolling green hills just south of the town of Himarë is Porto Palermo. This Albanian village keeps a low profile, but features a towering 18th-century castle that overlooks a sparkling bay. Visitors can explore its well-preserved grounds, and take in the coastline's picturesque scenery.

Photo Credit: Yelena011 | Dreamstime.com
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fodors/undiscovered-european-destinations_b_5078795.html

BA unveils new flights from Gatwick to Albania

BRITISH Airways has announced its biggest ever summer schedule, launching a new route and adding flights to existing popular destinations from Gatwick.
The airline's summer schedule kicked off on Sunday (March 30) with new daily services from Gatwick Airport to Malta.
Short-haul improvements include extra flights to Faro – from eight to 14 a week – and Naples – from 14 to 17 a week.
Journeys to Tirana, in Albania, and Larnaca, in Cyprus, are increasing from three to five times a week.
There are now daily flights to Jersey, from Monday to Friday, and extra flights to Paphos, Marrakech, Catania, Salzburg and Dubrovnik.
Long-haul services are boosted with additional journeys to Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, up from two to three a week.
There is an extra flight to Grenada, giving a total of two a week, Antigua goes from five to six a week, Kingston increases from three to four and St Lucia is becoming a daily service. Flights to Orlando increase from ten to 13 a week.

Read more: http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/BA-unveils-new-busiest-seasonal-schedule/story-20893915-detail/story.html#ixzz2yaAJGRP5