Albania, a country in the Balkans, is known remarkably for its tourism all over the world. There’s no doubt one would love to visit the country and its Capital Tirana during the Albania Tourism journey. This article is designed to guide you carefully about the most renowned aspects about tourism in Albania and where you should start, expenses, the best time to go there and more.
The Best Time to Visit Albania
Before setting out on a journey for tour in an entirely new country, you must gather knowledge about its climate and weather conditions to determine which time of the year, and then which month specifically will be best for you. This is an act of traveling responsibly and creating an environment for yourself that you can best prepare for, should a need for any uncertain weather change adaptation arise. You need to look at a country’s climate zones, monthly-seasonal relationship, study their weather charts etc.
Albania – Climate Zones
Albania generally has dry and warm summers and characteristically damp winters in contrast. It is much like many other Mediterranean countries in this aspect, not different by a lot. But on the local scale, some amount of climactic variation may occur at sometimes, differing comparably in one region to the others.
The western regions of Albania have much more moderate temperatures than the rest of the country. This western region is also in the influence of the warm and sometimes breezy air coming from the Ionian and Adriatic seas. In contrast, the eastern region of Albania is supremely influenced by the continental air. The eastern region is also characterized by the cold and often harsh winters and the mildly warm summers.
The rainfall is abundant throughout the country, however, its occurrence is spread at uneven times all through the course of the year. Now that you know about the seasonal conditions of Albania relating to eastern and western regions of the country, lets take a look at the climate zones.
Albania specifically has three main climate zones. Along with knowing what these are, you must also memorize where they are exactly to plan your trip to Albania.
- The warm, and mild Mediterranean coast
- Cool mountains of the Northeast
- The continental extremes (elevations) of the interior.
The best time to visit Albania are the months of April-June and then September-October. By going to Albania on tour during these months, you get to stay out of the extremely hot coastal summer heats and the cold, harsh, wet and damp mountainous winters. These areas during the months mentioned will be perfectly splendid for cycling, walking, waters sports, hanging out by the pool and so much more that you will want to do on your tour.
In the summer months, however, you must not feel bad about traveling to Albania. During this time, the Mediterranean beaches get less visitors than any other place, and even the beaches are super gorgeous at this time. The crispy and chilly winter season in the mountains is perfect for snowshoeing as well. This is very different than the rest of country being cold and damp during the time of winter, the mountains are just perfect.
Albania Tourism Expenses
According to estimates and tourist travel records, you are supposed to have a plan of spending at least $50 USD on a daily basis in Albania. It is an equivalent of Lek 5,149. The estimate for past tourists meal expenses is $15 USD per day, an equivalent of Lek 1,550. For local transportation, they’ve spent $11 USD, or Lek 1,140.
The average hotel cost in the country for a pair is $38 USD, or Lek 3,950. Therefore, we can calculate that a trip for two people for one week would essentially cost you $695 USD, or Lek 72,087 on an average basis.
These estimates have been gathered and calculated through the experience and documentation of other tourists so you can have the best idea of an estimate to take with you to spend a comfortable time in Albania on your tour of the country.
Is Albania Safe for Tourists?
Travel safety and responsible traveling is supposed to be your priority wherever you travel. But lets talk about the conditions for tourists in Albania specifically to guide you about the country more.
It is well known that Albania is a safe country to travel to for Tourists. However, petty crimes like pocket thieves and harsh violent driving is a very rare occurrence just as in any other country. You should keep your belongings safe and secure at all times, keep an eye out for your surroundings at all times and this includes public transport. Be extra careful during public transportation. One thing that must also be your priority is to follow the country’s laws and rules as well as the citizens do.
Keep your credit cards safe and always on your person to limit the risk of them being stolen. Never share you PIN with anyone and be cautious at the ATM’s as well. Never trust any stranger who tries to accompany you. Do not go out into the dark hours of the night completely alone, this can be dangerous not only in Albania but everywhere else in the world.
It turns out there is no violence against tourists at all in Albania. However, safety measures must be practiced by every tourist as mentioned. You must be cautious and aware at all times.
Best Places to Visit in Albania
Pyramid of Tirana
Located in the capital city of Albania, Tirana, the Pyramid of Tirana is perhaps one of the most popular tourist attractions situated in the country. It has promoted the Albania Tourism excessively well. It has stood well and beautifully through the tests of time, as it faced threats of destruction by previous governments. It is after all a symbol of renowned communism. It represents the contradictions in the history of Tirana. Its inauguration was on the 14th of October in 1988. It is a remarkable piece of architecture and is a representation of Tirana itself, its culture and history. You can even climb to the top of it, walk all around it as well.
Shkodra Lake
Shkodra is the the center of traditions and culture in Albania. Its top visit places include the Shkodra lake. You can also visit and explore the mountains here, biking here is also extremely fun and safe.
The Shkodra Lake is a stunning lake, that builds the border between Montenegro and Albania itself. It is super great to even swim in the lake, and is not very difficult to get here. You must visit this place for appreciation of its cultural and historical beauty.
Dhërmi Beach
If your plan is to visit the most beautiful beach in Albania on your tour, this is it. It is a spectacular strip a dew kilometers long, of dazzling white rocks. This beautiful strip is then accompanied by mesmerizing deep blue waters. If you visit this area according to the times we mentioned where there’s less crowd here, it can be very quiet is extremely serene to take it in. The beach is however, pretty large and spread long so you can absolutely find a good clear spot even mid summer.
Must Visit Destinations in Albania
- Albanian Riviera is the most popular spot for tourists, with many international music festivals and nightclubs.
- Llogara Pass is another popular place known for the best drive in the country, extremely beautiful and serene to relax. It resembles the Transfagarasan in Romania.
- The Church of Saint Mary of Blachernae in Berat is a must visit. Berat is one of the oldest towns in the country. It is also called the City of a Thousand Windows, owing to its combined Albanian and Ottoman architectures.