Not so long ago one of the most sequestered dictatorships on earth, as of the early 1990's Shqipëria has "rejoined" Europe, has some dramatic scenery, sites - and bargains! - to offer, and it´s even become one of the travel flavors of the decade. Discover dynamic capital Tirana, storybook towns like Gjirokastër and Berat, classical ruins Butrint and Apollonia, spectacular nature reserves, and gorgeous beaches some have likened to the Maldives.
Cover photo: David Paul Appell; group photo:master2
Our Eye-opening Exploration of Albania Posted by David Paul Appell on October 24, 2026 at 6:11pm David Paul Appell Well, well, Shqipëria is back in the news these days - and not just because it´s become somewhat fashionable as a destination in recent years. I´d been intrigued by this very singular country for many years, since a freelance editing gig for a major U.S. travel guidebook publisher, which in 1993 handed me an assignment to work on its next Eastern Europe…
Read more…Fani Kurti Interested in a highly rewarding destination in Europe that´s a little “different” and off the beaten track (and which probably no one else you know has visited)? Check out one of Iberia´s newest destinations, the intriguing capital of Albania (Shqipëri in Albanian), the small, mostly Muslim in the Balkans with an impenetrable language which spent 46 years of the postwar 20th century isolated under the secretive and Stalinist totalitarian dictatorship of Enver Hoxha. After a…
Read more…master2 Albania is one of the most underrated and least touristed corners of Europe, with fantastic history, cuisine, and scenery, and a prime example of that scenery is the Albanian Riviera along its 172-kilometre (107-mile) Ionian Sea coast, a place where the sun stretches across the deep sea 300 days per year; where there are splendid configurations of rocky and isolated small beaches; and the mountains and hillsides are covered in Mediterranean vegetation and dotted with charming villages…
Read more…It's a wide world full of wonders, and articles "places to see before you die" have become commonplace in recent years. Thinking about the question, I have my own list, and it includes not just the expected, but also some places you might not expect. Let's have a look - and if you agree, disagree, or have your own bucket-listers, please tell me about them in the comments!read post
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A fellow Tripatini member has a question about transportation in Albania. If you have any advice/observations to contribute, we'd ask you respond not on this wall but at this link to our Ask A Travel pro forum. Falënderim!
How difficult would it be to get a group of like-minded travel agents and tour operators who specialize in Albania to get together so we could offer a series of summer charter flights from North America to Albania?
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