1. Albania is a small country in the Balkans.
Albania has been called “the new Croatia,” “Europe when it was fresh and accessible,” and even “the new love of the Mediterranean.”
2. Albanians do not call their country Albania. For the nation, in its native language, the name of the country is Shqipëri.
3 The population of Albania is now almost 3 million people.
4. There are more Albanians living outside the country than in Albania itself. The largest Albanian diaspora lives in Greece and Turkey.
5. In 2017, Albania celebrated the 105th anniversary of its liberation from the Ottoman Empire.
6. The largest shopping and entertainment center in the Balkans – TEG – is located in the capital of Albania – Tirana.
7. Small, picturesque Albania is nestled comfortably on the Ionian and Adriatic Seas.
8. Albania has over 300 sunny days a year, an average summer sea temperature of +25°C and 430 kilometers of coastline.
9. From 2004 to 2014, the number of foreign tourists in Albania increased 10 times. The cost of real estate on the coast increased by 200%, but still remains the cheapest in the Mediterranean. The flow of tourists to Albania continues to gain momentum every year.
10. LONELY PLANET, DAILYMAIL, NYT, SKYSCANNER and other world-famous publications annually include Albania in the list of the most interesting and recommended countries for vacation.
11. The Albanian city of Durres is home to the largest amphitheater in the Balkans.
12. Albania is among the ten safest countries in the world with a population of up to 5 million people. Here you can safely leave your belongings on the beach, walk alone late at night, and not worry about the safety of your wallet while sightseeing.
13. Since 2009, Albanian citizens have had the right to visa-free entry to European Union countries.
14. Albania is home to 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and over fifteen historical and archaeological sites from different eras and cultures, some of which are 2,500 years old.
15. According to the “Quality of Life Index for the Elderly”, Albania already has better indicators than Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Greece, Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania and others.
16. The main promenade of the seaside resort of Durres is called VOLGA, and in Shkoder on the border with Montenegro there is a Russian Quarter.
17. Albania was never part of Yugoslavia and did not participate in any Balkan conflict during the collapse of the SFRY.
18. Albania has not had any military conflict with any European country since the end of World War II.
19. The leader of communism, Enver Hoxha, also took care of the country’s security. After World War II, he ordered the entire country to build bunkers against a potential enemy. And although no one ever attacked Albania, traveling around the country, you can find over 700,000 bunkers!
20. Two huge bunkers in Tirana have even been turned into historical museums – Bunkarti. Entrance fee is 500 lek (about 4 euros), but it’s worth it.
21. The Albanian city of Berat, a border town of Byzantium, has a UNESCO-designated Old Town. It is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
22. According to statistics, in Albania, 57% of the population is Muslim, 10% Catholic, and 7% Orthodox, and the number of practicing believers of one or another denomination is minimal. Hence the complete absence of any extremist movements in the country or clashes on religious grounds.
23. The first European country visited by Pope Francis after his accession to the papacy in 2014 was Albania, as an example of the “harmonious coexistence of religions.”
24. Public holidays in Albania include both Catholic Christmas and Muslim Eid al-Adha, as well as Orthodox Easter.
25. Between 1948 and 1958, Albania was the only country in the Balkans that maintained friendly relations with the USSR.
26. Albania is a country of flowers. Despite its small size, Albania has over 3,250 species of plants, accounting for 30% of all flora in Europe. The best places to visit to see the country’s vibrant landscape are the national parks, of which there are 15 in Albania. The best of these, Logar and Butrint, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, have archaeological sites dating back to Roman times.
27. There are many abandoned historical sites in Albania. Ancient ruins or historical sites that few people have heard of are scattered throughout the country, for example, the Bastova fortress stands abandoned. The entrance to the ruins of Ancient Orikum is closed – 1 kilometer from it is a NATO base – they decided to put a fence in advance; the fortress on the island of Rhodonite in a beautiful place is also abandoned: just a few years ago there was a military base there; Rhodonite Castle, and that’s not all!
28. Kosovo and Albania are two different states, with differences in mentality, history, and language.
29. It takes 40 minutes by ferry to travel from the Greek island of Corfu to the town of Saranda on the Ionian coast of Albania, which is especially popular among Scandinavian tourists.
30. 7 kilometers is the length of the newest and longest promenade in the Balkans – “Lungomare” in Vlorë, which is being built by a well-known Belgian company in Albania along two seas – the Adriatic and the Ionian.
31. Albania has only had one Nobel Prize winner. Mother Teresa. Although she was born in what was then the Ottoman Empire, she was an Albanian from the Macedonian capital, Skopje. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her work in Calcutta, India.
32. Albanians love their pet birds, and even take them out to get some fresh air. However, in cages. That’s why you can often hear exotic songs on the streets of Albania.
33. According to statistics, 20 thousand Italians live in Albania on a temporary basis, stating that they are attracted by the country’s investment opportunities, the Southern European standard of living, the friendly population with better ecology and more affordable prices.
34. A significant part of Italian brands with the label MADE IN ITALY are produced in Albania. For example, the world-famous handmade Venetian carnival masks are made in a mask factory in the Albanian city of Shkoder.
35. About 13 passenger ferries operate daily between Albania and Italy during the summer.
36. The deepest and oldest lake in Europe – Lake Ohrid – lies on the border of Albania and Macedonia.
37. Officially, Albania is a Muslim country. After all, the majority of the population here practices Islam. But in fact, you will rarely meet women in hijabs, and then mainly in the north of Albania. Many are too lazy to fast during Ramadan and pray. Most Albanians are Muslims only formally.
38. In Albania, there are different barbershops for men and women. They even have different names – berber and parukeri. They say this is related to religion.
39. Albania is one of six countries in the world that is completely free of GMOs. The country has banned the use of harmful chemicals in food production by law.
40. Lord Byron was a fan of Albania. The eccentric romantic visited Albania in 1809 as part of his grand tour of the Mediterranean. In a letter to his mother, he wrote that the Albanians were the “most beautiful” thing in the world and told of his horse riding through the country.
41. Zogu I is a man who declared himself king of Albania. From 1928 to 1939, he was a dictatorial ruler of the country, surviving 50 attempts on his life. Return fire is the only case in modern history of a Head of State personally shooting at people in an attempt to protect himself.
42. Tourists are treated leniently here. The police rarely stop cars with foreign license plates and only file complaints in extreme cases: tourists are allowed to do everything… well, almost everything!
43. When traveling through the Curse National Park on the border of Albania and Montenegro, you can safely cross the border between these countries without customs. Moreover, you don’t need any border zone permits – just follow the mountain path.
44. Albania has never won a single medal at the Olympic Games. The most popular sports are weightlifting, shooting, and wrestling.
45. According to the 2015 World Risk Report compiled by the United Nations, Albania is one of the countries in Europe most at risk from natural disasters. Albania is at risk of flooding. In 2010, the country was hit by major floods. 7,000 families were evacuated.
46. Tirana International Airport is named after MOTHER VESA – an Albanian by origin.
47. In Albania, about 90% of local cafe visitors are men. Although in many cafes it is even 100%. They drink coffee or rakia, chat on their phones, look in all directions. Women have their own clubs for their interests these days.
48. There are two other activities for Albanian men – dominoes and chess. Every day the parks and benches are packed with men who forget everything until they finish playing. If the games were held indoors, there would be noticeably fewer people on the street.
49. 1.72 billion euros – the cost of a new ultra-modern highway project between Montenegro and Albania.