European road trip of the month: Albania

For those who doesn't consider Albania as an adventurous destination, they should think it again. The online magazine “Carole Nash”,  a motorcycle insurance brokers in the UK and Ireland writes about Albania and call it the “European road trip of the month”.

Read the article below:

Going on a road trip is an ideal way to clear your mind, and Europe offers plenty of idyllic locations for you to explore. A country that’s worth visiting is Albania because there are lots of wonderful places to see. It’s an underrated locale that’s steadily growing in popularity. With beautiful beaches, historic towns and gorgeous scenery, Albania is worth checking out.

Some of the best sites in the country:

Tirana

Start your road trip off in the capital city of Tirana, which is a thriving cultural hub. While you’re in the city, you should visit Skanderbeg Square, which contains the Clock Tower and the National History Museum. You’ll be able to access the top of the Clock Tower and get amazing views of the entire city. If you fancy getting some good food, then you’ll want to head over to the Blloku district that has some of the best restaurants in the city. The architecture throughout Tirana is stunning, so you’ll have plenty of photographic opportunities.

Mount Dajti

Head outside of the city to Mount Dajti and you’ll be treated to spectacular views of Tirana and beyond. You can reach the top of the mountain by taking the Dajti Ekspres cable car. There’s the chance to see all kinds of wildlife, from wolves to wild cats. The natural beauty of Mount Dajti makes it one of Albania’s most picturesque locations.

Durres

Found 21 miles west of Tirana, Durres is an ancient city that houses Albania’s main port. Durres has popular beaches that come alive during the warmer months, making summer an ideal time to visit. Away from the sea, there are other sites worth seeing, like the Durres Archaeological Museum. It contains artefacts from Ancient Greece and Rome.

Berat

Known as ‘The Town of a Thousand Windows,’ Berat is another ancient town that’s worth visiting for its heritage. Berat gets its nickname from the old manor houses with their many windows. You should check out the The Kala, a fortress within the town that played an important role in Albania’s military history. There’s also the old districts of Mangalem and Gorica, with their white stone houses and terracotta tiles. The districts are connected by the Gorica Bridge, which is steeped in folklore.

Gjirokaster

Gjirokaster has a fairytale quality, as seen from its quirky, stone architecture. A stand out location is Gjirokaster fortress, which overlooks the town. Every five years the fortress is used for the National Folklore Festival to celebrate Albanian culture. There’s traditional music and dancing that gives an insight into the country’s history.

See original article: Carole Nash

El Hedonista: Albania, miracles exist

“The most closed country opens itself to tourism. You have to go now! Albania has a lot to offer”.  This is how El Hedonista describes Albania. The Spanish media has dedicated a long article about Albania’s highlights.

In what was the first country in the world declared atheist today, the muezzins are heard calling for prayer and priests ringing the bells of orthodox and catholic churches. But the miracle is not that, but having survived the 41 years of Stalinist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha with a smile and open arms to tourism.

Albania is a beautiful country with a miserable history that is shaken off in a hurry. The characteristic gray of communism barely appears under the layers of paint on the facades of their cities. The impressive beech and oak forests gradually cover the thousands of cement bunkers scattered everywhere.

© Alberto y Ana Cañizal

The terraces of Tirana

Tirana has flourished like a happy capital full of terraces where people chat animatedly in front of a café or its rich local beers. You breathe freedom.

Skanderbeg square is located in the heart of Tirana, named after the national hero who lived in the fifteenth century. The square is surrounded by beautiful attractions, the national museum, the palace of culture, the mosque of Ethem Bey, the clock tower.  

There is much to see in Tirana and enough to enjoy. A couple of days or three is not taken away from anyone. Then you can choose between touring its impressive offer of natural parks, lakes and rivers; visit Greek, Roman sites and World Heritage sites; spend a few days dedicated to the softness on its fine sandy beaches ... Or better, of course, all together.

© Alberto y Ana Cañizal

A paradise for lovers of stones

The remote ancestors of the Albanians were the Illyrians , and there are still many remains from centuries before our era. Then they were conquered by the Romans, who also left their mark. And then the Byzantines arrived. But the most visible are still the Turks, who were in Albania from the fifteenth century until 1912, the glorious year of their independence. Despite the rage that Enver Hoxha put on destroying mosques and churches, some of special historical value have been preserved.

 

© Alberto y Ana Cañizal

There is also a breathtaking place for its beauty: Butrint , declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1992. The area, inhabited since prehistoric times, Greek colony, Roman city, Byzantine enclave and Venetian conquest, is an archaeological site remains of all periods, to which more beautiful, the oldest of the fourth century a. of C., and between them it thrills a door in cyclopean walls with a lion devouring a bull.

See full article: https://elhedonista.es/hallazgos/escapadas/viaje-a-albania-106233/