Die Presse: Albania- so close to Europe

Albania has long ceased hiding behind the iron curtain. It has opened up to tourism and awaits guests from Europe.
Albania is a country that is yet to be discovered. Take a tour with your own or rented car. For this you just need to be aware of: The roads do not meet the usual standard. Potholes or defective bridge transitions are everywhere. Albania is almost the size of Belgium, but has only 2.8 million indwelling. The assumption that the country was therefore sparsely populated, are deceptive, because the spots on the Adriatic coast is a mountainous country, where many areas are not habitable. Hardly one leaves the long beaches or the capital Tirana, you find yourself in a mountain again.
This is Albania: The ailing public transport, which was replaced by private enterprise long. Here the state, the money for his tasks - road construction, public transport, supply and disposal - missing since the improvisation of Albanians, dedicated to helping well know. Even tourism have long organized itself the many private companies.

Liqeni i Shkodres

In the valleys and slopes of up to 2,800 meters high mountains Albania flourishing every square meter is overbuilt with olive groves or vineyards. In the land grain, vegetables and fruits grown in smallholder manner. Travelers from Central Europe will soon find that you can forget all prejudices about Albania inhabitants. You meet very hospitable people, which usually lack only the means for contact – language.
The view in lovingly cultivated lands proves it: A fertile land. The Albanian cuisine is not known to be outstanding, but good, wholesome and traditional dishes there in every restaurant. Also on alcohol must not renounce the Western connoisseurs. There are excellent beers and wines from domestic production, despite the fact that 80 percent of Albanians are Muslims.

Tirana
At the end of the tour through the land of inquisitive tourist lands in Tirana. All around the country,
"Hoxha-Bunker" witness in the capital of long vanquished times. Museums, opera, skyscrapers, churches and mosques - Tirana has the whole program. Hundreds of shops and stores offer cheap fashion clothes that are also exported to Italy and there are twice as expensive. In Quartier "Bllok”, the former living quarters of the nomenklatura, the Company has scheduled the nightlife. Here Tirana has arrived with trendy bars and taverns long in the 21st century - just everything is by half cheaper than in EU-South.

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