Want some time away from the maddening noise and pollution of city life? Wouldn’t a walk on a sandy beach, skiing in snow pecked mountains and taking or evening stroll through streets lined with outdoor cafes help rejuvenate your senses?
If you are desperate to indulge in such pleasures then you could consider taking a trip to Albania. Albania offers much more than a beach and mountain vacation experience. It presents to its visitors an opportunity to explore many archaeological parks, sites, fortresses, castles and some eminent locations of historical importance.
Here are few things that you would like to know about this country before making a choice:
Climate:
Albania enjoys a moderate Mediterranean climate. During winter the temperature is in the range of 8-10 degree Celsius. Summer could be as hot as 40 degree Celsius.
The ideal seasons to enjoy the Albanian beauty are spring and fall. The colorful displays of flora during these seasons would add a touch of splendor to your vacation. The spring with long evenings is the best season to take advantage of sidewalk cafes and terraces which the country is famous for. In September and October the country would still be warm enough to take a dip in the southern coast.
Commuting within the country and Money Matters:
You could travel between the main cities using the reasonably priced bus services. Another viable option is hiring a taxi. Dajiti Express Cable car ride in Dajiti mountain is a must have 15 minutes ride that would take you to Tirana. The bank of Tirana is the best option to withdraw funds as you can access your Visa cards. Not all small towns in Albania have currency exchange outlets. Also you should keep in mind that Albanian hotels and restaurants do not accept Travelers’ Cheques.
Food, Dining & Nightlife:
Albanian food is surely a treat to your palate, if you enjoy ottoman and Italian food. The country is filled with restaurants to suit different budgets although the choice in smaller towns is less.
Albanian vineyards make premium quality wines from native grapes like Kallmet and Sesh, the former being red and latter white&red. Do not forget to taste Raki, a spirit drink made of grapes that is Albania’s national drink. Apart from this Albania is famous for its espressos and cappuccinos.
Tirana has a sizzling night life with pubs and clubs open till very late. Although this feature is rare in smaller towns. If you enjoy high standard classical music in the form of ballets, operas and concerts, then Tirana hosts them throughout the year.
Top 5 Places to Visit:
• Ancient city o Apollonia
• Bridge at Mesi
• Medieval Forest of Albanian Alps
• Drisht Castle
• Ancient Port of Durres.
How to get there?
1. Easiest means to get to Albania is through air. Albanian airlines are well connected to all European cities. Mother Teresa Airport is 26 km away from the capital city and there are regular buses to the city centre.
2. Taking ferries provided by Adriatic lines from main ports such as Italy, Bari, Ancona and Corfu to Durres and Vlora is another option.
3. There are also bus services from Istanbul, Athens and Sofia. What are you waiting for? Get ready to explore the pure beauty that remains untouched by globalization.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Are you ready to explore Albania?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Are you ready to explore Albania?
Want some time away from the maddening noise and pollution of city life? Wouldn’t a walk on a sandy beach, skiing in snow pecked mountains and taking or evening stroll through streets lined with outdoor cafes help rejuvenate your senses?
If you are desperate to indulge in such pleasures then you could consider taking a trip to Albania. Albania offers much more than a beach and mountain vacation experience. It presents to its visitors an opportunity to explore many archaeological parks, sites, fortresses, castles and some eminent locations of historical importance.
Here are few things that you would like to know about this country before making a choice:
Climate:
Albania enjoys a moderate Mediterranean climate. During winter the temperature is in the range of 8-10 degree Celsius. Summer could be as hot as 40 degree Celsius.
The ideal seasons to enjoy the Albanian beauty are spring and fall. The colorful displays of flora during these seasons would add a touch of splendor to your vacation. The spring with long evenings is the best season to take advantage of sidewalk cafes and terraces which the country is famous for. In September and October the country would still be warm enough to take a dip in the southern coast.
Commuting within the country and Money Matters:
You could travel between the main cities using the reasonably priced bus services. Another viable option is hiring a taxi. Dajiti Express Cable car ride in Dajiti mountain is a must have 15 minutes ride that would take you to Tirana. The bank of Tirana is the best option to withdraw funds as you can access your Visa cards. Not all small towns in Albania have currency exchange outlets. Also you should keep in mind that Albanian hotels and restaurants do not accept Travelers’ Cheques.
Food, Dining & Nightlife:
Albanian food is surely a treat to your palate, if you enjoy ottoman and Italian food. The country is filled with restaurants to suit different budgets although the choice in smaller towns is less.
Albanian vineyards make premium quality wines from native grapes like Kallmet and Sesh, the former being red and latter white&red. Do not forget to taste Raki, a spirit drink made of grapes that is Albania’s national drink. Apart from this Albania is famous for its espressos and cappuccinos.
Tirana has a sizzling night life with pubs and clubs open till very late. Although this feature is rare in smaller towns. If you enjoy high standard classical music in the form of ballets, operas and concerts, then Tirana hosts them throughout the year.
Top 5 Places to Visit:
• Ancient city o Apollonia
• Bridge at Mesi
• Medieval Forest of Albanian Alps
• Drisht Castle
• Ancient Port of Durres.
How to get there?
1. Easiest means to get to Albania is through air. Albanian airlines are well connected to all European cities. Mother Teresa Airport is 26 km away from the capital city and there are regular buses to the city centre.
2. Taking ferries provided by Adriatic lines from main ports such as Italy, Bari, Ancona and Corfu to Durres and Vlora is another option.
3. There are also bus services from Istanbul, Athens and Sofia. What are you waiting for? Get ready to explore the pure beauty that remains untouched by globalization.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Travel Tips to European Countries: Albania
Albania is a mountainous country and the one of the smallest countries of Europe. The residents supposedly descended from ancient Illyrians.Culture
The culture of Albania is majorly influenced by that of the mainland Greeks especially in the urban locality; nodding one’s head means ‘no’ where as shaking the head means ‘yes’. To greet someone, handshaking is preferred, though Shoku (Comrade) was used before, which has been long forgotten now. People dress informally here. Swim suits are meant for the beaches, otherwise women are expected not to dress in a revealing outfit. When addressing someone prefix Zoti(Mr) or Zonja(Mrs) before the name and always remember to carry some gifts when visiting someone, although flowers aren’t much acceptable. The guests are served with coffee, raki or sweets. Smokers don’t have to worry much, but they should avoid it where they see a sign of Ndalohet Duhani or Ndalohet pirja e duhanit.
Travelling within the country
Buses with relatively cheap fares operate in the main cities of the country or taxis are another choice which provided service for some main hotels.
Visit Dajti Mountain and experience Dajti Ekspres Cable car for an unforgettable 15 minute ride passing through Dajt Oark to reach Tirana. The route is about 4.2 km long and the ride costs €6.5.Alpha Yachting provides crewed yacht which is a luxury in itself. Tirana Bank is the best place for withdrawing money as it allows access to Visa cards.
Eating Out
Restaurants are not always sufficiently heated, so always wear warm clothes if out in the night during winters. Foreigners are charged more than the locals. Both the entry fees as well as any merchandise will be on a higher scale, so it’s better not to reveal the fact that you are a foreigner when out on the streets.
Site Seeing
If you enjoy canoeing, this is the right place to be. There are places right outside Tirana which is an amazing site for not just canoeing, but also rock climbing, hiking, and camping.
Accommodation
If you want a 5-Star ambience, try The Sheraton Tirana Hotel and Towers, which is situated in the middle of a shopping and entertainment center. There are about 151 rooms and 56 suites. So, along with the comfort, one can shop at once convenience here. Another hotel which provides all modern facilities is Hotel Mondial. It is located 1000 m away from the city and is also a good example of traditional architecture.
Getting There
One of the best and the easiest means is to go by air. Albanian Airlines is the national airline which works in collaboration with Tyrolean Airways, and provides service to almost all the big European cities. The airport, Mother Teresa, is 16 miles or 26 km away from the capital. A tourist bus is available every 3 hrs to get to the city center and takes about 30 minutes to get there. Taxis are available round the clock. While waiting for any transport service, tourists can check out the duty free shops, bank, eateries and car hire at the airport. A departure tax of $10 USD is imposed on all foreign nationals. Check out www.flyalbanian .com for flight times and offers.
If trying to get there by sea, try the ferry services which are provided by Adriatic Line and Agoudimos. The main ports are Durres (has ferry connection to Italy, Bari, Brindisi, Trieste, and Ancona), Vlora (has ferry connection to Bari, and Brindisi), Saranda (has connection to Corfu), Shen Gjini (has ferry connection to Bari). Check out www.adriatica.it and www.aqoudimos-lines.com for more information.
Bus is another option. Buses start from Istanbul, Athens and Sofia. Internal passengers have lots of options with bus services provided. If traveling by road in a private car, there is road network to the Kosovo region, but they are too dangerous to use because of the political tensions within the region. Crossings at Hani I Hotit, Bllata, Oafa e Thaes, Tushemisht, Gorica, Kapshtica, and kakavija can be taken. If tired one can take halts at hotels or other designated areas. There is a network of 18,000 km, out of which only 7450 km are main roads, for local travelers. About 2138km stretch of these roads is in poor condition and has pot holes, and utmost safety precautions should be taken when driving on such roads. Speed limit should be strictly followed on highways as well as within towns. Driving at night should be better avoided because of the absence of street lights on the road except for urban areas. Traffic should drive on the right-hand. There is a shortage of gas stations in the countryside, so filling the gas tank completely when passing through urban area is recommended and since there is lack of national recovery system; travelers should be prepared for an emergency or breakdown before hand. One should carry necessary documents like International Driving Permit and national driving license.
Duty Free Items
Following are the items that can be carried without customs duty being levied on them:
1. 1liter of spirits or 2liter of wine
2. 250ml of eau de toilette
3. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
4. 50ml of perfume.
Prohibited Items
Things that are prohibited to carry are firearms, narcotics and ammunitions. Special export permission should be taken for precious metals, books, antiques, work of art, or material of national or historic value.
