Republic of Albania (Republic of Albania) is a small state located in the southeastern part of Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula, washed by the waters of the Ionian and Adriatic seas. Its neighbors in the northeast are Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo, in the southeast are Greece, and is separated from Italy in the west by the Strait of Otranto. The relief is mainly mountains and hills, which alternate with deep valleys. There are several lakes in the country. By area occupied Albania is in 139th place in the World. The country's independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912. During the first half of the twentieth century Albania was constantly under occupation. The state became completely free after the end of World War II.

Republic of Albania

1. Capital

The most populated city in the country, the largest political and economic center. located at the foot of Mount Daiti, it leads here cable car and right there is one of the national parks Albania. Daiti is one of the most popular and favorite places for city residents, where they spend weekends with the whole family.

was founded by the Turks in 1613 and was called Tehran, and in 1920 it became capital of Albania. Population Tyrants is about 380 thousand people. The country was isolated for quite a long period, but now you can easily visit this wonderful city and learn its history.

2. Flag

The flag of Albania depicts:

A red banner and a double-headed black eagle are in the center of the flag.

The meaning and a little history of the Albanian flag:

National flag of Albania was adopted on April 7, 1992, and the coat of arms was applied to it on May 22, 1993. The red color of the flag symbolizes the blood of Albanian patriots, which was shed in the fight against the Turkish invaders. According to one version, the double-headed eagle in the center of the flag is the origin of the Albanians as descendants of the eagle; according to another, the eagle was borrowed from the coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire. A double-headed black eagle on a red background was the banner of the fight against the Turks.

3. Coat of arms

Coat of arms of Albania is an image black double headed eagle, located on shield Red , above which is the helmet of Skanderbeg. Georgiy Skanderbeg, whose helmet is on coat of arms of Albania, is a national hero Albania. Skanderbeg fought for unification and independence Albania, and repelled the invasions of the Turks.

4. Anthem

listen to the Albanian anthem

watch and listen to the Albanian anthem

5. Currency

Currency of Albania. National currency of Albania is - Albanian Lek (currency sign - L, bank code: ALL) . Name Lek comes from the abbreviation of the name of Alexander the Great (Alb. Leka i Madh). The appearance of the banknotes is quite interesting and attractive. Banknotes in circulation are in denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 lek different designs (you can find banknotes from three different issues that differ in appearance), and coins in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 lek. Albanian lek consists of 100 kindarok.

Well Albanian Lek to the ruble or any other currency can be viewed on the currency converter:

Albanian Lek looks like this:

Coins of Albania

Banknotes of Albania

6. 10 Largest cities in Albania:

1. Tirana (capital)
2. Elbasan
3. Durres
4. Shkoder
5. Vlora
6. Korca
7. Fieri
8. Kuchova
9. Saranda
10. Berat

7. Geography

Area of ​​Albania: 28,748 km 2, one of the smallest countries in Europe.

Albania located in the west of the Balkan Peninsula. In the southeast and south it borders with Greece (the length of the common border is 282 km), in the east - with Macedonia (151 km), in the north and northwest - with Kosovo (115 km) and Montenegro (172 km). . It is washed by the waters of the Adriatic and Ionian seas (coastline - 362 km). The Strait of Otranto, 75 km wide, separates Albania from Italy.

Geography of Albania characterized by two large regions: a region dominated by mountains and highlands (north, east, and south), this region makes up 70% of the total territory of the country; and the western region, dominated by coastal lowlands and plains, these regions contain almost all of the country's agricultural land, and are the most populated part Albania. More than a third of the territory Albania covered with forests and swamps, the other third is occupied by meadows, and only one fifth is used for agricultural land.

8. How to get to Albania?

9. Things to see

The main attraction of Albania is its climate and natural conditions. Albania has collected many breathtaking natural sites that attract travelers - the country’s landscape is rich in rocky peaks and picturesque mountains, dense forest, beautiful beaches, washed by the azure blue waters of the Adriatic.

In addition to the beaches of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, Albania has at its disposal many historical attractions. In the territory Albania The Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires left their mark. And many artifacts of those distant times are very well preserved and can still be visited today.

And strange as it may seem, but Albania together with its attractions, it is practically not explored by foreign tourists.

Here's a small one list of attractions, which you should pay attention to when planning excursions around Albania:

• Amphitheater of Durres
• Big park
• Great Mosque
• Byzantine Forum and Rotunda of Durres
• Resurrection Cathedral
• Mount Dite
• Ancient Apollonia
• Durres Castle and Venetian Tower
• Tirana Castle
• Historical Museum in Vlore
• Rozafa Fortress
• Gjirokastra Mosque
• Muradiye Mosque
• Mes Bridge
• Museum of Medieval Art
• Butrint Museum-Reserve
• National marine park"Karaburun-Sazan"
• Synagogue ruins
• Lead Mosque
• Citadel and Weapon Museum

10. What’s the weather like here?

Climate of Albania. Most of the territory Albania located in the subtropical climate zone, the climate is Mediterranean, temperate. A characteristic feature climate of Albania The coastal zone has dry and hot summers and mild, warm winters. average temperature V capital of Albania Tirana in mid-July - 25° C, in August it is hotter - from 17° C to 31° C. In winter, the temperature varies from +2° C to +25° C. The mountainous regions of the country have a continental climate. In the north, winters are very cold and snowy, and summers receive large amounts of precipitation. Holiday season in Albania lasts from May to September, sometimes it can last another month.

11. Population

Population of Albania. Albania- one of the most sparsely populated European countries. Population amounts to 2.89 million Human. Albanians make up 95% of the country's total population. In addition to them, the country is home to about 50 thousand Greeks (3%), 20 thousand Macedonians, 8 thousand Montenegrins, as well as representatives of other nations - Bulgarians, Serbs, Gypsies, etc.

What should you wear?

What kind clothes you need to take with you when going to Albania? When choosing clothes for trips to Albania, you should not at all be guided by the erroneous opinion that due to religious peculiarities, it is forbidden to wear certain types of clothing in the country. There is a similar trend, but it does not apply to tourists, so take clothes and shoes that are familiar to you and don’t worry about choosing an outfit. For walking excursions, you will have just the thing - comfortable shoes, warm clothes will be useful on fresh evenings, a windbreaker and an umbrella will help from bad weather. A compact set of clothes for the season will allow you not to depend on the vagaries of the weather.

12. What about something to eat?

National cuisine of Albania. Due to its location and proximity to a large number of countries Albanian national cuisine I learned something truly varied and tasty. The Ottoman rule, which lasted almost 4 centuries, also had a significant influence on the cuisine. Great popularity in national cuisine Albania They use seafood dishes, for example, sea bass with tomatoes, inherited from ancient Roman and Greek chefs. IN local restaurants you can taste brodetto from crabs or various types risotto.

For preparing a large number of dishes Albanian cuisine use boiled and canned corn. Corn flour is the basis of the national dish. Restaurants serve a variety of dishes from both fresh and stewed vegetables. Sheep's milk is a popular dairy product. Sheep in the highlands Albania been bred for a long time. Milk is used in many dishes; many types of cheese are made from it.

Popularity among drinks Albanian cuisine conquered " bozu" - a sweet drink based on sugar, water, corn and wheat flour, and a cold drink " tarator"based on kefir, cucumbers and olive oil.

13. Note to shopaholics

There are rumors that in Albania for shopping lovers it will be boring. However, this is not the case; the country has many brand stores and retail outlets where you can buy exclusive goods much cheaper than in the main fashion capitals. And all thanks to our “neighbor” – Italy. A large number of clothing factories and production facilities are located in cities Albania, who mark their items with the “Made in Italy” mark.

Albania one of the few countries in which it is very profitable to make purchases. The country is also known for its wonderful craftsmen who handcraft stunning decorative items from various materials (wood, wool, bone, etc.). In any corner of the Republic you will find many souvenir shops with exclusive goods: figurines, silks, yarn or tableware.

14. Rules of exemplary behavior

Peculiarities of behavior in Albania. In public places, try to avoid outfits that contain shorts, revealing dresses or short skirts. And remember that in Albania a nod of the head indicates NO, and shaking the head from side to side - YES.

15. Holidays

National holidays and non-working days in Albania:

• January 1 - 2 - New Year
• January 7 - Orthodox Christmas
• January - February - Great Bayram
• January 11 - Republic Day of Albania
• one of the days in March - Kurban Bayram
• April - Good Friday and Easter
• May 1 - Labor Day (Labor Day)
• October 19 - Mother Teresa's Day
• November - Maly Bayram
• November 28 - Albanian Flag Day
• November 29 - Albanian Liberation Day
• December 25 - Christmas

16. Flora and Fauna

Nature of Albania– one of the most colorful and diverse in Europe. It is characterized by mountainous terrain covered with dense forest, high rocky peaks, picturesque coastlines washed by the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, which can compete with the best European Mediterranean resorts.

Vegetable world. In mountainous areas Albania geological conditions are unfavorable for the formation of fertile soils. Soil masses carried down from the mountains create unfavorable conditions for agriculture. The low hills are covered mainly with thickets of xerophytic shrubs - maquis. They are gradually replaced by deciduous forests, dominated by oaks in the middle tier of the mountains. Other common trees include birch, chestnut and pine.

Animal world. In Albania Many wild animals have survived, but they are concentrated in those places of the plateau and mountains where there are sufficient supplies of surface water. Predators such as brown bears, wolves, jackals, lynxes, forest cats, and artiodactyls such as wild boar, roe deer and deer, which were once found throughout the country, are now pushed into more inaccessible places. mountainous areas. The lowland areas are home to many wild birds such as pelicans and herons. Among the reptiles there are many snakes, grass snakes, vipers, lizards, and you can also come across geckos and turtles.

Albania has at its disposal 6 National parks, 24 reserves and natural monuments.

17. Religion

• Sunni Muslims (70%)

• Christians:

• Greek Orthodox Church - 20%
• Catholics - 10%
• and representatives of other faiths.

Albania is the only European country that has a Muslim majority.

18. Medicine

Medicine of Albania. The level of medicine in the country is significantly inferior compared to its European “neighbors”. Healthcare is poorly developed, many parts of the country experience a constant shortage of medical supplies, the level of training of local doctors can be described as low, and existing medical equipment is very outdated or out of order.

Official medicine in Albania free for the entire population of the country. For guests and tourists arriving in the country, only the first one is free. health care, a fee will be charged for all other services provided. Paid medicine in Albania is steadily gaining momentum, but Albania has set a course for a radical restructuring of healthcare.

19. "Danger to life"

Dangers that may be waiting for you in Albania:

Albania- enough calm country, and staying in it does not require special security measures. In crowded places and keep an eye on your bag and wallet. In general, Albanian society is quite conservative: respect the opinions of the older generation and try not to get into arguments about religion or politics. Running water is not hazardous to health, but we still recommend drinking bottled water.

So there are not many dangers in this country, but here are some of them:

• landslides
• rockfalls
• wild animals

20. Souvenirs

Here is a small list of the most common ones souvenirs which tourists usually bring from Albania:

• glasses with plates, magnets, crafts with the image of the coat of arms
• marble crafts or decorative plates
• silverware
• ashtray in the form of a bunker
• wooden kitchen utensils
• Albanian national clothes
• carpets
• lighters and red flags depicting the country's national emblem
• famous Korca beer
• cognac Skendenberg
• local vodka - rakia
• spices and olives

21. “Neither nail nor rod” or customs rules

Up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams are allowed to be imported duty-free into Albania. tobacco, up to 1 liter. strong alcoholic drinks and up to 2 liters. wine, up to 250 ml. eau de toilette and up to 50 ml. spirits Import and export of local currency is prohibited. Import of foreign currency is not limited, export is allowed within $5 thousand.

The import of firearms and ammunition, pornographic materials and drugs is strictly prohibited. A special permit is required for the export of precious metals, antiques, national costumes that have artistic value, historical books and works of art. The export of antiquities, including stones from archaeological sites, is prohibited.

22. Language

Albanian language in Albania is the official language.

What about sockets?

Voltage in the Albanian electrical network: 220 Volt, frequency 50 Hz. Socket Type: Type C, Type F

23. Albania telephone code:

Code of the country: +355
Geographic first level domain name: .al

Dear reader! If you have been to this country or have something interesting to tell about Albania . WRITE! After all, your lines can be useful and educational for visitors to our site "Across the planet step by step" and for all travel lovers.

Albania is a small southern European state located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. From the north-west Albania is washed by the Adriatic Sea, and from the south-west by the waters Ionian Sea. The official name of the country is the Republic of Albania. Detailed map Albania demonstrates that despite the varied topography of the Balkan side of the Adriatic, the country has at its disposal only three uninhabited islands, the largest of which - Sazan Island - does not exceed 5 km 2 in area.

Albania on the world map: geography, nature and climate

Even for Europe, the size of the country is quite modest. Albania occupies only 28,748 km 2 on the world map. Total length Albania's borders are 717 km, but it boasts four land neighbors. In the northwest the country borders with Montenegro, in the southeast with Greece and in the west with Macedonia. Albania also has a section of the border with Serbia in the northeast, but this territory of the Serbian state has recently been part of the partially recognized Republic of Kosovo.

In addition, the country borders Italy through the Strait of Otranto. The length of the state's coastline is 362 km.

The peculiarity of Albania's borders is that they are completely artificial. During the creation of the country, the borders were determined without taking into account the terrain, which is especially clearly visible along the southern borders of the state.

Geographical position

Despite its small size, Albania can demonstrate quite a varied topography. About 70% of the country is represented by hilly and mountainous regions. Along the northern border there are Prokletiye Mountains, which on the map of Albania in Russian may be called the Northern Albanian Alps. Their height reaches 2692 m, but highest point The country is located to the south, on the border with neighboring Macedonia. Height mountains Korab, part of the mountain range of the same name, is 2762 m above sea level.

Only the central and northwestern coastal regions of Albania are located on fertile plains. The country's valleys abound with rivers. The largest of them is Drin river. Its length is 148 km and, like almost all the country’s rivers, it originates in the eastern mountainous regions and flows into the Adriatic Sea. There are also many lakes on the lands of Albania, but the largest of them are Prespa, Shkoder And Ohrid Lake- located on the borders of the country.

Animal and plant life

The mountainous regions of Albania are infertile and are represented, for the most part, by forests. Beech, chestnut, birch, pine and spruce are found here. The country's lowlands are characterized by standard Mediterranean evergreen shrub vegetation and extensive agricultural regions.

The fauna of Albania is concentrated in mountainous uninhabited areas. Bears, wolves, lynxes, martens, deer and wild boars live here. On the coast in large quantities Migratory birds live here: pelicans, swallows, storks and herons. Coastal waters are rich in commercial fish, and trout is often found in mountain rivers.

Climate

The phenomenon of altitudinal zonation is clearly represented in the country. The lowland and coastal areas are characterized by a Mediterranean subtropical climate. Summer temperatures here reach 25-27°C, and winter temperatures range between 8-9°C. Mountain regions are closer to a temperate continental climate and the temperature here is on average 5-7°C lower. Precipitation throughout the country is quite abundant, but unevenly distributed. Thus, in the Northern Albanian Alps this figure reaches 2500 mm per year. On the coast the precipitation level does not exceed 1300 mm, and in eastern regions Albania drops to 750 mm.

Map of Albania with cities. Administrative division of the country

Albania is divided into 12 regions. They are quite comparable in area. The average population density of the country is about 100 per km2. A map of Albania with cities in Russian demonstrates that the country’s largest cities are located on flat coastal lands. 50% of the population lives in three western regions on the Adriatic coast.

Tirana

Tirana is the capital and largest city of Albania. Located close to geographical center countries. Up to 30 percent of the population lives here. It is natural that Tirana is an economic, industrial, scientific, educational and cultural center Albania.

Durres

30 km west of the capital on the Adriatic coast lies Durres, the second largest city in the state. In addition to the country's largest port, the city has greatest number architectural monuments in Albania.

Vlora

In the southwestern part of the country, at the junction of two seas, is the city of Vlora. This is a big one tourist centre and the country's second most important port. It is Vlora that is the base of the Albanian naval forces.

Albania, a state located in the south-east of Europe, in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula.

Albania's borders lie next to countries such as Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, and Montenegro. Albania is separated from Italy by the Strait of Otranto, which is 75 kilometers wide. The capital is Tirana. Albania is washed by two seas, the Ionian and Adriatic. Albania wonderful country, which without a doubt can be called the pearl of the Mediterranean. Picturesque lakes, Shkoder, Presla, Lake Ohrid, are the attractions of this country, some of them are under the protection of UNESCO, due to the fact that they have unique flora and fauna. About ¾ of the entire territory is occupied by mountains and plains.

Amazing nature and the opportunity to combine several types of recreation, both beach and active, attract more and more tourists to Albania every year.

Sights of Albania.

Albania is an amazing country, and while on vacation it is simply impossible not to see at least some of the wonderful places it has. Conventionally, all the sights of Albania can be divided into architectural, natural and cultural (museums). Tirana Castle, Durres Amphitheater, Rozafa Fortress, Museum of Medieval Art and National historical Museum, as well as Mount Dait and the Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park, the Blue Eye spring - this is just a small list of places that simply need to be visited in Albania.

Why is Albania attractive for tourists?

Albania is small, but very beautiful country, with its own history and most interesting places. For lovers beach holiday, the season in Albania opens from May and lasts until the end of September. It is during this period that tourists will be able to bask on the magnificent beaches, and even the July heat is tolerated quite favorably there, due to the light breeze. Due to the fact that Albania is washed by two seas at once (Ionian and Adriatic), tourists have the opportunity to spend their holidays on which of the beaches. More suitable for families traveling with children Adriatic coast With sandy beaches. The Ionian coast, as a rule, has pebble and small-pebble beaches, but the sea is distinguished by its amazing and unique beauty. Many tourists come to the Ionian Sea for diving. For tourists who prefer active holidays, Albania offers the following ways to spend it:

• Horseback riding in almost every resort town, there are horse breeding centers, so it will not be difficult for tourists to arrange such an excursion and get a lot of unforgettable impressions;
• Mountaineering, extreme view recreation, but quite popular among tourists, it is better for an unprepared person to refrain from it;
• Cycling tourism, ideal for relaxation and sightseeing;
• Rafting, rafting down mountain rivers, of which there are quite a lot in Albania, will not leave any extreme sports enthusiast indifferent;
• Trekking, one of the directions active rest, are hiking along the protected and unexplored routes of Albania.

When visiting Albania, note that in this country, nodding your head means a negative answer, while shaking your head from side to side means a positive answer. If you are offered coffee, do not refuse this drink, it is sacred and very loved by Albanians.

Tourists visiting Albania are advised to rent a car for a few days, this way they have the opportunity to visit as many sights and interesting places as possible in this small but such a beautiful country.

You need to be mentally prepared for visiting the Albanian capital. I still remember my first shock from the dirt, noise, lack of signs with street names and horse-riding drivers trying to knock down any pedestrian who dared to step onto the roadway. Six months after returning from the trip, I look at photographs of Tirana and my memories seem far-fetched to me. Tirana is a vibrant, traffic-heavy city with green boulevards, public parks, a concrete river and a digital Google map. Only the photograph of a rat along the river gives my memories some veracity.

Monument to Skanderbeg main square Tyrants.

Tirana was the first city I visited in Albania. Night bus from Macedonia dropped me off at half past five in the morning on one of the deserted streets of the Albanian capital. The drop-off point for passengers, although it seemed to be chosen by the driver that night completely by chance, was obviously guarded by a crowd of taxi drivers who began to intrusively offer their services to the sleepy passengers, only when they began to get off the bus and grab their hands to draw attention to themselves.

Skanderbeg Square as I saw it at dawn. I was disappointed to learn that Tirana's main square is under renovation.

At night capital of Albania sleeping. Along the street that led me to Skanderbeg Square, a pack of stray dogs was running next to me. The first impression completely coincided with the well-known stereotype of Albania in Europe.

Monument to Skanderbeg in the main square of Tirana. Skanderbeg is the national hero of Albania. I wrote about his participation in the formation of the Albanian national idea in a report from the Kruja fortress.

Skanderbeg Square is designed in the classic style of the main squares of all totalitarian states in the world. In such countries, the task central square- create the illusion of importance and prosperity. The huge area does not produce a sense of integrity, since its appearance has been formed over decades. It houses a modern opera house, a history museum, the ancient Ethem Mosque, a monument to the national hero Skanderbeg, three-story government buildings and the fifteen-story Tirana International Hotel. Each of these buildings was built in a different period of history, so the current architectural ensemble looks very inharmonious. I was also unlucky in that during my visit the square was closed for reconstruction; new sewer pipes and concrete blocks were scattered everywhere. The façade of the Albanian History Museum was covered with scaffolding and the famous relief of Albanian history was hidden from view.

Hotel "Tirana International" - the most high building on Skanderbeg Square.

The goal of the reconstruction is to remove car traffic from the main square of the city and make it completely pedestrian. This is how the Tirana authorities want to make their city more attractive to tourists. The construction sponsor is the Bank of Kuwait. In addition to the development of the main square, the Bank of Kuwait is paying for the construction of Albania's largest mosque somewhere nearby.

Albanian Opera House, a gift from the Soviet government to the communist government of Albania. After the break in relations with the USSR in 1961, the building stood unfinished for a long time, until the Albanians completed it on their own.

At about five o’clock in the morning, the imam called through a megaphone on the minaret for morning prayer, after which the first “larks” appeared in the square. Over the next hour, the square gradually filled with people. The first policeman also showed up for duty; he arrived to work on a broken bicycle. Sleepy people in the early morning made a depressing impression. Not only did they not smile to the rising sun, but also looked very unkindly at the man with a large camera.

Museum of the History of Albania with a bas-relief made in best traditions socialist realism.

Thanks to a friend of a friend of a friend, I was accommodated in a hotel in the western part of Tirana. There was no map in my guidebook capital of Albania, so it seemed to me that I was living on the outskirts of civilization. Having uploaded photos to a world map a few days ago, I found out that the hotel was located one transport ring from the center, that is, approximately a 20-minute walk from the central square. Without a map and not knowing the optimal route, I reached the center in a roundabout way.

A typical apartment building in Tirana. Judging by the chipped plaster and holes in the windows on the staircase, one can make a very accurate conclusion about the average standard of living in Albania.

After breakfast I went straight to the town of Kruja, twenty kilometers north of Tirana. To do this, I spent a long time looking for the courtyard of a residential building where passengers to Kruja gather. About the features minibus in Albania, I spoke in detail in a review report from Albania.

Minibuses collect passengers in the courtyards of residential buildings, since there is still free parking there. In the photo above: a minibus to the Kruja fortress in one of the courtyards of the capital.

In Kruje I visited the museum of the national hero of Albania, Skanderbeg, got acquainted with the national life of a wealthy Albanian family of the 19th century in the ethnographic museum and bought several souvenirs to take home. Upon returning, I went to bed and slept until 4 pm. This way I managed to avoid the heat.

There is a lot of traffic on the streets of Tirana. Drivers not only do not give way to pedestrians, but seem to strive to hit anyone who steps onto the roadway.

Capital of Albania- a very hot city. The average air temperature here in August reaches 31 degrees, and during my trip to Tirana the sun was 40 degrees hot! I slept through the hottest part of the day, after which I took a shower and went out into the city. I had all the time left to get acquainted with the Albanian capital until sunset, that is, no more than four hours.

Dust, heat and aggressive drivers do not deter pedestrians who urgently need to cross to the opposite side of the street.

Mercedes is the most common car on the streets of Albania. Most of the old Mercedes were stolen in Western European countries.

Without a city map or street signs, I didn't know where to go. The first thing I did was move towards the river that I had seen in the morning. The river crosses the city from east to west and divides Tirana into two parts. In the southern part of the city there used to be the Blloku district, where the political elite of the ruling regime lived. Ordinary people were prohibited from entering Blloku. Today Blloku is “open and open 24 hours a day” (c). Here, more often than in other areas of the city, you can meet foreigners, both tourists and embassy employees, as well as golden Albanian youth. In Blloku I had dinner at one of Tirana's most famous restaurants, Era. I recommend!

In Albania, a lifestyle familiar to us from our travels in the Middle East is widespread: men can recline in armchairs for hours, discuss politics, drink coffee and play backgammon.

Albanian men play dominoes after lunch.

In a cafe in the courtyard of a residential building, all exchange of valuable information takes place.

The first floors of houses in Tirana are reserved for private businesses. Small business is thriving in the city.

While I still had a few hours left before dinner, I began to look for the city center, moving along the river. On both sides of the concrete banks of the river there was a lawn with a mowed lawn, and the river could be crossed by small bridges, many of which were pedestrian. On one of these pedestrian bridges, a guy was selling books “from the asphalt” and he was very disappointed that I managed to photograph him. Photographers are not liked in Albania.

The Lana River divides the city into northern and southern parts.

Selling books on the bridge over the Lana River.

A rat digs in the leaves on the river bank. Tirana is still very dirty.

Tirana is very dirty. As a result of the turbulent events of the nineties, the population of the Albanian capital grew from three hundred thousand to half a million inhabitants. Near the river, a rat caught my eye while it was digging in a pile of fallen leaves. There is a lot of dust on the street, the feeling of which only intensifies on a dry, hot day. But among all this dirt, car roads separated by boulevards lined with trees and flowering bushes, and tiled pedestrian sidewalks. In the mornings, the roads are watered. In several places outside the center I came across signs with information for tourists on how to get to the most popular attractions.

Bilingual direction signs to attractions on Rruga Kavaja Street.

Many avenues of Tirana are decorated with flowering bushes and green alleys.

Another boulevard in Tirana on the street of Sami Frasheri, the creator of the Albanian alphabet.

The city authorities of Tirana, although mired in corruption and other sins characteristic of politicians, still pay some attention to the improvement of the city, as far as possible. There are no postal codes in Tirana, and house numbers are not written on facades. But the old apartment buildings, which it would be appropriate to call barracks, judging by the standard of living, are being put in order, at least on the outside. According to the decree of the previous mayor of Tirana, the facades of many old houses were painted in bright colors and fantastic patterns.

They are trying to “cheer up” the old quarters with colorful patterns on the facades. Nothing has changed inside the houses.

On the façade of this house they painted hanging laundry so that what was actually hung would not be so conspicuous.

Capital of Albania is experiencing a construction boom. Modern housing is built as high as possible. The 25-storey TID tower near Tirana's central square will soon become the city's tallest residential building.

There is a HUGE income gap in Tirana. It would seem how big the income gap should be for a Kiev resident to notice it! The problem is that there is almost no industry in Albania, and the beginnings of an economy built on the principles of a command-and-control management system collapsed along with the dictatorial regime of Enver Hoxha, barely surviving 45 years of failed political experiment. Poverty was characteristic of Albania already during communism. Corruption flourished. In addition to poverty, Albania's communist government pursued highly discriminatory policies towards its citizens. Not only did the nomenklatura and ordinary people live in separate areas, the entrance to which was closed, but even a car was an item of unimaginable luxury. In 1990, there were only 1,000 cars in all of Albania, all of them owned by politicians.

Taxi rank at one of Tirana's key squares, Sheshi Karl Topia Square.

A brand new Cadillac jeep in one of the alleys of Tirana.

As we know, the fall of a planned economy spurs the development of wild (!) capitalism, as was the case in Eastern European countries in the 1990s. The Albanian path to capitalism was no exception. In addition to institutionalized corruption, theft has flourished in the country. In former times, theft was punishable by a prison sentence; in modern times, it is indirectly encouraged by a shaky economic system. In the turbulent 1990s, the most valuable part of state property was privatized, the rest was stolen and sold for scrap. This, for example, happened with Soviet submarines, which the population sawed up and sold for scrap during the 1997 civil war. Rails were also actively sold for scrap metal railway.

Shopping area in the center of Tirana. Here you can find clothes and accessories from all global brands.

Rruga Myslym Shyri shopping street in the center of Tirana.

ABOUT civil war 1997 should be told separately. After the fall of the communist regime, Albania, like all countries, decided to follow the path of democracy. Elected governments changed one after another. All of them were distinguished by a thirst for quick profit and corruption. In 1997, the people's patience was broken when it became clear that two-thirds of the country had become victims of financial pyramids organized by a few politicians. Desperate people took to the streets to protest. The aggressive protest took on an armed character, people began throwing stones at the police and smashing shops. Foreign governments quickly evacuated their embassy staff. For several months, Albania plunged into chaos and turmoil. The mess lasted for six months. As a result of the events described, two thousand people died.

One of the abandoned factories in Tirana. Nowadays there is a southbound bus station on its territory.

During the riots, the separatism of the southerners was added to the discontent of the deceived MMM depositors, which once again emphasized the differences in the economic and religious composition of the country. The mountainous south is less developed than the flat north and, due to its proximity to Greece, is dominated by Orthodox Christianity, while the northern part of Albania is more industrialized and more Muslim. In principle, the religious factor was not decisive in this conflict, since during 45 years of communism the people of Albania were forcibly deprived of their religious affiliation. Although Albania is considered Muslim country, the people there are no more religious than in any other Eastern European country.

In the courtyards of residential buildings there are “shops” for clothes, shoes...


... and spare parts.

Albania is a multifaceted country, primarily in religious terms. It’s impossible not to notice this while walking around Tirana. The Ethem Mosque is located on the main square. Unlike many other temples, this mosque was not destroyed during the years of struggle against religion.

Ethem Mosque.

Ethem Mosque is the oldest building on Skanderbeg Square. The mosque is famous for the fact that it is ancient, and there are very few ancient buildings in Tirana, and for the fact that the interior of the mosque is painted “based on Jerusalem.”

Behind the trees you can see the construction of a huge Orthodox Church.

In the next block to the mosque, a huge Orthodox cathedral in the spirit of modern architecture is being built. Construction began in 2007. During my visit, the exterior of the temple was almost completely completed.

The Orthodox cathedral is being built in the spirit of modern architecture, which indicates the independence of the Albanian autocephalous Orthodox Church from the more conservative Greek and Serbian churches.

A few streets away from the Orthodox Cathedral is the Catholic Cathedral of St. Paul, opened in 2001. The interior of the cathedral is decorated with stained glass windows with images of Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa. In front of the cathedral there is a monument to Mother Teresa, an ethnic Albanian Catholic born in Macedonia.

The monument to Mother Teresa is located near the Catholic Cathedral of St. Paul. A huge number of streets, squares, schools and stadiums are named after Mother Teresa in Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia.

Tirana is the center of Bektashism, a liberal branch of Islam founded in the 13th century. Followers of Bektashism are allowed to drink alcohol, and their women are given a more important role than in traditional Islam.

Expensive shops in the center of Tirana.

In the center of Tirana you can walk along a pedestrian street. Murat Toptani Street runs along the remains of the Tirana Fortress. Through the crack in the gate you can see that there is something very secret in the courtyard of the fortress. Tirana's first pedestrian street is tiled, and LED lights are built into the ground along the curb, gradually changing color from blue to bright yellow.

Pedestrian street Murat Toptani in the center of Tirana.

Ruins of the Tirana fortress.

Hidden in the park next to the Tirana Fortress are the buildings of the National Assembly and the Academy of Sciences of Albania. The latter was founded only in 1972.

A block from the main square, construction is underway on Tirana's tallest building, the TID Tower residential building. Its height will reach 85 meters. The 25-storey building of the Belgian architectural bureau will be the first of a series of high-rise buildings in the capital, which should give Tirana a modern face. As far as I understand, construction is being carried out literally on top of the grave of Suleiman Pasha.

View of the Ethem Mosque and the TID Tower residential skyscraper under construction.

A very elite shopping complex is located on the first two floors of the Twin Towers at the beginning of the Boulevard of Martyrs (Bulevardi Dеshmorеt e Kombit).

The Boulevard of Martyrs leads to the opposite bank of the river, ending with Mother Teresa Square, where the building of the Academy of Arts and the main building of the University of Tirana are located. The boulevard itself leaves an ambiguous impression: the roadway here is paved with paving slabs. In my opinion, this is not the most rational solution for a country where banditry is still a means of survival.

Boulevard of Martyrs.

Close to Tirana's trendiest quarter and the Twin Towers (Tirana's most elite residential buildings are usually called by English names), young people skateboard in the park around the mausoleum of former Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha. The pyramid-shaped mausoleum was built according to the design of the dictator's daughter, but it was closed shortly after his death. In the 1990s and early 2000s it housed a discotheque, but the building is now abandoned.

Pyramid of the "leader" of the Albanian people.

I finished my walk at the Era restaurant and, along with the flow of noisy young people, returned to the hotel. The next morning I had an early departure south to the city of Saranda.

The European Union flag covers the facade of the building where the EU Information Center will soon open.

Albania must be viewed in accordance with its history. In Europe, Albanians are clearly associated with car theft, and the abundance of stolen Mercedes on the roads causes an ironic smile. Before forming another prejudice in yourself, it is necessary to remember the poverty through which these people went through in the twentieth century. The greedy and envious glances that I met on myself that early morning in Skanderbeg Square were not a manifestation of evil towards me, but only a statement of the extremely disastrous conditions in which modern Albanians have to survive.

Albania - colorful and unspoiled mass tourism a country. A holiday on the shores of two seas at once, the Ionian and Adriatic, will cost 2 times less than a holiday in Bulgaria, and the emotions and impressions that you will experience cannot be compared with anything. The nature here is “photoshopped” by the skies: citrus orchards and olive plantations, wild canyons and valleys cut by colorful lakes. The Ottoman Empire will remind itself of itself in ancient fortresses. And delicious food will be the icing on the cake, low prices and hospitable Albanians.

about country

Albania or Shqiperia - puzzle Southern Europe and the entire Balkan Peninsula.

The Iron Curtain collapsed back in 1985 with the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha. The Republic has opened its doors to foreigners. Got rid of the communist trail. Introduced entry restrictions for tourists and entered the list of candidates for EU membership. But for mysterious reasons, Albania still lurks in the shadow of its popular neighbors Montenegro, Greece, North Macedonia and disputed Kosovo.

But in vain. Here every foreigner is a welcome guest, and not just a wanderer passing by, of which there are millions.

Ask for directions and they will show you by the hand. Take a ride in an Albanian minibus and the question of where to have dinner will disappear by itself. And this feeling of need, sometimes even of fatherly care, is priceless.

What you should know about Albania:

capital - Tirana;

total territory - 28,748 km. sq.;

form of government - parliamentary republic;

language of communication - Albanian;

religion - a secular state, formally 60% are Muslims, about 30% are Christians;

monetary unit - Lek (ALL);

summer 2019 (from April 1 to October 31) Russian tourists could enter the country without a visa, the rest of the time - with Albanian or Schengen visas.

Administrative division very simple. The republic has 12 kyrks (regions). The largest of them are Tirana, Elbasan, Shkoder, Fier, Durres and Korça.

It is often not Albania's sins that are attributed to it. For example, the state was never part of Yugoslavia. Accordingly, it never participated in the Balkan “showdowns”. And after the Second World War it was not seen in any military conflict.

Myths about drug dealers scurrying through the dilapidated streets of Shkodra are also just myths. The crime rate here is lower than in Russia and any EU country.

Albanians are a simple, honest, friendly and leisurely people. Religion is treated calmly. Short shorts, a deep neckline, loose hair - this is exactly what a modern Albanian woman looks like.

Despite the fact that city streets cannot be called clean, Albanians themselves are neat and clean. Even an elderly and very poor grandfather is always in an ironed shirt, polished shoes, perfumed and combed.

Last changes: 18.10.2019

Climate

Divided into two zones. In the mountains, which cover 70% of the territory, the climate is continental. Summer is humid (+ 18), winter is snowy and frosty (- 10, - 15).

On the coast there is a Mediterranean zone. Dry, hot summers with average July values ​​of + 25, + 30 degrees Celsius.

The official swimming season lasts from May to September. Unofficial - until the end of October. In Saranda, the thermometer remains consistently + 18 even in November, and the water temperature during this period can reach + 20.

Winter is warm and rainy. The January air temperature in Vlora is + 10 degrees, in Saranda + 8.

Last changes: 10/18/2019

What to see in Albania

The skipper begins in the capital. Even if you think that you won’t find anything interesting here, go! See Tirana with your own eyes. Open your heart to her. And she will certainly reciprocate your feelings.

Tirana

This is a dark-haired girl from the past in an embroidered dress with a bright ribbon instead of a belt.

A city in which the rhythm and pulsation are slow. The province where the tallest building has 25 floors. Where gray, boring houses are painted in all the colors of the rainbow, because it’s more fun to live that way.

Near National Hero Skanderbeg Square, find the Efem Bey Mosque, built by the great-grandson of Pasha Suleiman, the Cathedral of the Resurrection and the Museum of Secret Surveillance (House of Leaves). “Breathe” that first impression. Feel the closeness of such different cultures. Tickets to the House of Leaves are sold at the museum box office. Entrance price 700 Lek, children under 8 years old free.

Another important attraction of the republic is a 5-minute walk away - the BunkArt 2 bunker. Recently, the capital city government has been trying to get rid of bunkers, of which there are 700,000. So hurry up, they will soon become a real curiosity.

Capture sunny capital in memory for observation deck panoramic restaurant in TID Tower. Finding it won't be difficult. This is the tallest building in the city of non-standard appearance: the base is narrower than the top. When you get bored of taking photos, go down to the tomb of Kaplan Pasha.

Find the Tanners' Bridge, the Palace of Congresses, Mother Teresa Square (by the way, they are of Albanian origin), the monument to Ismail Qemali, who is often confused with Lenin, and take a walk around national park Daiti on the outskirts.

Beaches and resorts

The beaches in Albania are in no way inferior to Croatian or Montenegrin ones, and a holiday on the Albanian Riviera (from Vlora to Ksamil) will cost several times less.

The Adriatic is a sandy coastline with a gentle slope and crystal clear water. Best beaches: Lying, Kawaii, Durres, Golem and St. John.

Vlora is an atypical resort. Let's start with the fact that this is the first capital of independent Albania, so there is something to see besides the sea. Secondly, the waters of the two seas meet here. Well, and thirdly, sandy fluffiness alternates with rocky bays - variety...

After Vlora - romance! Rocky cliffs and picturesque lagoons, aquamarine water, white and fine sand, more developed infrastructure, oysters at the price of pollock, olive and citrus plantations. The best of the best: the lost village of Dhermi, the beaches of Himara, Borshch, Potami, Livadia, Palase, Saranda and Ksamil.

What else to do in Albania

See ancient sunken ships, underwater Posidonia meadows, caves and reefs in the Karaburun-Sazan Marine Reserve.

Arrange an unforgettable trek in the Albanian Alps. Yes, imagine, it has its own Alps - national park Valbona. 8,000 hectares of visual beauty are located 20 km from the town of Bayram Tsurri. You can only get here by car, but it’s worth it: gorges reminiscent of fjords, authentic villages, mountain lakes.

Travel to Berat is a treasure World Heritage UNESCO. A thousand windows look out onto the embankment. Cows graze not far from the shore. Children are frolicking. Look higher - this is a 12th century fortress. And no, this is not a museum piece. Ordinary people still live in it to this day.

Near Berat, on the Spirag mountain range, a huge Enver inscription was once carved in honor of the dictator. In 1992, the Communist Party was outlawed, and the inscription was changed to Never. Symbolic, sad, but inspiring. The dictatorship will never be repeated.

The UNESCO list continues with Gjirokastra, the birthplace of Enver Hoxha and the mecca of the Ottoman Empire. Literally a city (gyro) around a (kastro) fortress. And there is a lot to see in the fortress: a tomb, artillery weapons, an Italian tank and a war museum. Entrance ticket 200 ALL.

30 km from Saranda are the ancient ruins of Butrint, dating back to the 6th century BC. Ticket price is 700 ALL.

Be sure to go to Lake Ohrid (also under UNESCO protection). Deep blue azure spread on the border with North Macedonia. Here you forget about time. Silence. Fantastic landscapes and you.

Be sure to take a ride along the road near mountain pass Logara, try lamb in yoghurt, tarator soup, shendetli, beef stew (farges), rakia vodka, Skanderbeg cognac, mussels, lobster, oysters and, of course, coffee.

Last changes: 10/18/2019

Communications and Internet in Albania

Communications are not that simple. Wi-Fi points are available in hotels, internet cafes and large restaurants. On the beaches, in the mountains, remote populated areas there are problems with this.

There are only 2 providers:

Albtelecom. You can view the tariffs and choose a place to purchase a SIM card on the official website. 1 GB for 7 days will cost you 300 Lek, 2 GB for one month - 500 Lek.

A flight with Aegean from Domodedovo with a transfer in Athens costs about 200 euros round trip. You will spend 5 hours 20 minutes on the road. Airserbia flies from Sheremetyevo with transfers in Belgrade or Athens. Ticket price is from 100 to 150 € one way. From Vnukovo for 150 € in the direction of Tirana, Pobeda offers a flight with an independent connection in Bergamo, Italy.

Between Greek island There is a ferry service between Corfu and Albanian Saranda. In summer they depart at 7:30, 11:45, 13:00 and 19:00. The journey takes half an hour, and the fare is 1,500 rubles. You can buy from the directferries website.

Last changes: 10/18/2019

Public transport

In Albania public transport- a big headache for a foreigner. There is no system or structure. Nobody sticks to the schedule.

A bus that leaves 3 hours before the scheduled time is an Albanian reality. But these are not all surprises. Transport can leave and arrive in a completely different place than where it should. Therefore, as soon as you get to the right one, go up to the driver and ask where he will arrive and where he will go back from.

Features of moving around the country:

• Look for a spontaneous bus station in Tirana on Skanderbeg Square.

  IN major cities Focus on ticket sales counters. This is where it is relevant and exact schedule movements.

  All intercity buses and minibuses run only until 2 pm.

  In the evening, not only intercity communications die out, but also urban transport.

  Most tourists travel by hitchhiking or in a rented car.

As for the railway, it performs only a formal function. Most of the railway track is currently under reconstruction.

Trains run rarely, slowly (40 km/h) and according to rules that only they understand. You can wait half a day and not go in the intended direction.

All tickets can be purchased either at the ticket office on site or from the driver.

Conditional schedule of intercity transport.

Last changes: 10/18/2019

Traveling through the country of eagles by car

If you decide to travel around Albania in a personal car, do not forget your driver’s license, vehicle registration certificate and green insurance. The latter should cover not only the Schengen countries, but also Albania.

The roads are free. The quality of coverage greatly depends on the distance. The closer to Greece, the better.

Features of Albanian roads:

Fuel up at network gas stations; here gasoline is not mixed with anything that burns.

Payment for fuel in cash. It can be in euros, it can be in Leki. Cards are not accepted.

There are few traffic lights, signs and signs. Sometimes you go by feel.

Driving culture is low. They can stop in the middle of the road in the second row and start talking on Skype.

The turn signals don't turn on at all. They easily exceed the speed limit and pretend that the markings do not exist.

Violations that will not be forgiven: crossing a double solid line, driving while intoxicated and not fastening seat belts (passengers in the back are required to wear seat belts).

Formally, the speed in the city should be no more than 40 km/h, but everyone drives 60 km/h.

You can rent a car directly at the airport or on the Rentalcars.com aggregator. The rental price per day starts from 20 euros.

Last changes: 10/18/2019

The country is happily adopting the Spanish tradition of taking a siesta. From 1 pm to 4 or 5 pm, many cafes, small shops and souvenir shops are closed.

Take it here credit card pointless. Cards are only valid in large hypermarkets and hotels.

It is better to exchange currency at a bank. Albanians are very scattered. At exchange offices they may inadvertently “cheat” you. And they do this not out of malice. It just happened that way.

Albanian establishments operate as they please. The rule of a strict schedule does not apply here either. If you hand over something for repair and the repairman answers “tomorrow”, this does not mean tomorrow at all. Tomorrow could happen in two days, a week or two.

Travel on a local minibus will cost about 300 ALL. If you find that you cannot pay the fare, tell the driver. And don't rush to leave the car. It is quite possible that they will take you there for free, out of the kindness of their hearts.

It's easy to find a taxi by its yellow coloring. Formally, taxi drivers drive according to the meter. But no one canceled the auction. The price of travel will drop, you just have to start bargaining.

It is easier to get acquainted with Albanian culture and traditions by communicating with local residents. Just a couple of phrases will instantly win over any person:

Enter in contacts 112 emergency assistance, 127 ambulance, 128 firefighters, 129 police, 126 road patrol service.

Last changes: 10/18/2019