For any Albanians randomly stumbling across this post in 2020 or beyond, I would like you to note that this post was originally published in 2011. It's based on my personal travel experiences and what I learned in the country on a brief backpacking trip through the Balkans. I stand by this as MY EXPERIENCE in 2011. And, as someone who was “the weird kid” in middle school, I actually kind of love weird things. The term is meant to be endearing. Please keep that in mind before leaving any nasty comments.
When I mention to people that I passed briefly through Albania on my Europe trip this summer, many of them (after asking the compulsory “Where is that?” question) want to know what this small Balkan country is like.
When confronted with this question, I usually pause, make my “thinking” face, and then answer thus:
Albania is… weird.
Weird Albania
There are more than 750,000 one-man concrete bunkers scattered across the countryside, dotting the landscape like giant mutated mushrooms. Stuffed animals (like Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh) hang from half-completed homes and buildings to ward off evil spirits. A shake of the head means “yes,” while a nod means “no.” And former military bases now serve as seaside resorts.
Yes, this nation of 3 million is a bit quirky and difficult to describe. There are contradictions here upon contradictions, mostly thanks to the country's post-WWII history — a history that was characterized by communism, isolation, and an extremely paranoid leader.
In fact, most of Albania's current reality can be traced back to that paranoid leader, Enver Hoxha, who ruled with increasing suspicion of the wider world until his death in 1985. He is the one responsible for the plethora of bunkers around the country. And for the isolation and fear of the outside world that made them seem necessary at the time.
Our Busabout guide – a young Croatian guy with a keen interest in politics and economics – told us that, during Hoxha's reign, Albania was even more insular and isolated that present-day North Korea. The country levied no taxes and incurred no debt. It exported no goods, and became entirely self-sufficient in order to avoid reliance on the outside world.
This, of course, meant that when Albania finally shook off its one-party system in the early 1990s, it found itself in a state of stagnation. Even today, Albania is regarded as one of the least-developed countries in Europe.
But you kind of have to give the country a break. Twenty years really isn't that long when it comes to history, and Albania certainly is trying.
These days, even though Hoxha's legacy lives on in Albania, the country is clearly trying to move on from his extreme form of leadership – and it's this fact that lends the country many of its interesting quirks.
Under Hoxha, self-sufficiency was name of the game. Which means that today, Albanians have one of the highest literacy rates in the world.
Under Hoxha, atheism became the official state religion. But today, people in Albania enjoy incredible religious tolerance. In the capital of Tirana, you can find a church right next to a mosque, with a synagogue just a block away.
Under Hoxha, the outside world was not to be trusted. But, today, Albania seeks to invite the outside world in, hoping to turn to tourism to boost its economy like neighboring Montenegro is doing.
Tourism in Albania
The country has done a lot to entice visitors in recent years. The formerly dull Tirana has been splashed with bright colors. New roads are being built to replace twisting, narrow, pitted ones. And coastal cities along the have been transformed into summer retreats.
Well, sort of.
As someone currently studying tourism, visiting one of Albania's developing touristic areas was fascinating. And also a bit depressing. It was spending a night in the town of Durres that really allowed me a glimpse into how tourism is developing in parts of Albania.
And let's just say that it's not particularly pretty.
As Lonely Planet's Eastern Europe guide says:
Durres was once Albania's capital. Its 10km-long beach is a lesson in unplanned development; hundreds of hotels stand side by side, barely giving breathing space to the beach and contributing to the urban-waste problem that causes frequent outbreaks of skin infections in swimmers.
Not exactly a glowing recommendation, is it?
And, while Durres wasn't actually THAT bad, the beach WAS dirty, and the town felt a bit confused. On the one hand, we had a super nice pool and white tablecloths at our beachside resort. On the other, dumpsters overflowed in town and little kids pestered every foreigner they saw for money.
This is NOT the way to develop tourism in a country. But it's likely a product of Albania's long isolation and its desire to catch up quickly.
The Future of Albania
To me, Albania is kind of like an awkward teenager still not quite sure how to handle its changing body. It's a little weird and not very cool, and yet is trying desperately to fit in. Perhaps a little too desperately, as places like Durres hint at.
I can understand Albania, though. As someone who was a weird teenager herself, I sympathize with the country and its struggles. It's trying to overcome its past and become prosperous, but it's not an easy road. Nothing is easy when you've spent the past 5 decades in utter isolation from the rest of the world. You'd be a little weird, too.
There's definitely hope for Albania, though. It DOES have things going for it, like its gorgeous countryside and hospitable locals. The whole Balkan region in general is an up-and-comer when it comes to international tourism. Nearby Greece has been a hot spot for years, and neighbor Montenegro is swiftly rising to become a must-visit destination in Europe.
Could Albania be next?
Maybe. But it needs to get over that adolescent weirdness first.
For more updated takes on Albania's tourism development, check out these posts from some of my travel blogger friends:
- What's It Like to Travel in Albania?
- The Albanian Riviera
- 6 Unexpected Highlights of a Trip to Albania
What do you think? Would you ever want to visit Albania?
*Note: I visited Albania as part of a discounted 9-day Classic Balkan Trek tour with Busabout. All opinions, however, are my own.
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
Great analysis on Albania. I knew nothing about the place before, and you’ve done a nice job presenting the many things that make the country unique, good and bad.
It’s just the journalist in me, trying to just write about what I see!
I’m fascinated by the bunkers! 750,000?!
Yup, 750,000 of them! Crazy, isn’t it? That’s one for roughly every family of 4 in the country!
Yes, it is weird! I have never been in Albania and haven’t planned any trips for the nearest future. After reading your post, it is moving down in my To-Do-Go list. Thanks for sharing!
Haha yeah I suppose my post doesn’t exactly make you want to hop the next flight/bus to Albania! Maybe reconsider in a few years.
I cannot imagine living somewhere that had bunkers all over the place and a culture that believed they were needed. This may be one case where tourism can really helpa country.
Yeah, it’s a bit strange. Though, it was mostly Hoxha and his crazy regime that convinced people that the bunkers were necessary. These days, I don’t think most Albanians are worried about being invaded!
Trying to survive against Roman Empire!
Trying to survive against Byzantine Empire!
Trying to survive against Ottoman Empire !
Trying to survive WWl & WWll !
Against all odds Albanians SURVIVED!
Some quotes about Albania/ns, by foreign Historians and travelers, who actually spend time in the Country.
“They are strewn with the wreckage of dead Empires–past Powers–only the Albanian “goes on for ever.”
– Edith Durham
“The true history of mankind will be written only when Albanians participate in it’s writing.”
-Maximilian Lambertz
“In 3200 BC, there were many, many languages spoken besides Sumerian and Egyptian, but they were not fortunate enough to have a writing system. These languages are just as old. To take one interesting case, the Albanian language (spoken north of Greece) was not written down until about the 15th century AD, yet Ptolemy mentions the people in the first century BC.* The linguistic and archaeological evidence suggests that Albanians were a distinct people for even longer than that. So Albanian has probably existed for several millennia, but has only been written down for 500 years. With a twist of fate, Albanian might be considered very “old” and Greek pretty “new”.
-Elizabeth J. Pyatt, Linguistic PhD
“The men who marched to Babylon , Persia and India were the ancestors of the Albanians…”
-Wadham Peacook
“There is a spirit of independence and a love of their country, in the whole people, that, in a great measure, does away the vast distinction, observable in other parts of Turkey, between the followers of the two religions. For when the natives of other provinces, upon being asked who they are, will say, “we are Turks”(meaning muslim) or, “we are christians”, a man of this country answers, ” I am an Albanian”
-J. C. Hobhouse Brughton, A Journey Through Albania 1809-1810
“They may be only soldiers, but never let them get close to your plate, and don’t make them kneel before you, if you don’t intend to decapitate them.
– Pasha Sulejman the Lightened
“…isn’t the Albanian, who, being a slave, did not allow enslavement, freedom-loving? This is a question that could hardly be understood by anyone who has not lived in Albania. The most liberty-loving people in the Balkans is the Albanian people. The Albanian, taken alone, as an individual, is an anarchist by nature. He would brook no bondage let alone on his people, he would not let anything, seen as possibly humiliating, befall his house. The Albanian house stands alone and apart from the rest…”
– Description from a brilliant Bulgarian observer and connoisseur of Albania. (1924)
“Land of Albania, where Iskander rose,
Theme of the young, and beacon of the wise,
And he, his namesake, whose oft-baffled foes
Shrunk from his deeds of chivalrous emprize.
Land of Albania, let me bend my eyes
On thee, though rugged nurse of savage men!
Where is the foe that ever saw their back? …..”
– Lord Byron in “Child Harold’s Pilgrimage”
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Albanian land is covered with bunkers, 750 000 of them…
I rather have land full of bunkers than head full of it.
If you don’t know me, don’t judge me.
I don’t think that anybody is judging you. Thanks for sharing some interesting facts and quotes though.
I actually just visited Albania this summer! It turned out to be one of our favorite countries to visit.
We stayed one night in Korca, where we happened to stumble upon their beer festival where we got to see in true light just how passionate these people are about their country and their traditions. It was amazing to see!
We then spent one night in Tirana, two nights in Durres and one night in Shengji.
I would agree with your statements about Durress, it was quite an over populated city and at the time that we were there it was peak vacation time for both Albanians and Italians. Shengji was also very similar but just on a much smaller scale.
My favorite was Korca because of the experiences we got out of the day and because it wasn’t a city that was trying to impress any foreigners. In fact, we only did ever see two other obvious foreigners there.
To be honest, I’m not sure I would like it if Albania became a large tourist destination because I think that would take away from the hidden gems that Albania has to offer. I wouldn’t want to travel any other way than the sketchy-looking jergons!
Sounds like you had a very unique Albania experience! Let’s hope the country hangs on to some of that quirk and character as it continues to develop and welcome more tourists!
We went to Albania for 1 day on our road trip in August. With our dog. And yes, it was weird. Crossing the border was weird, driving around the city was weird, and it just felt weird in general. The roads weren’t quite as bad as I had read, but driving was certainly an adventure! There was construction going on to pave roads, but the paving would suddenly end and it was anybody’s guess whether we were even driving on a road or not. Then you’d spot another paved road in the distance and just drive toward it. I definitely want to go back to explore their beaches, but I think we’ll wait until things are a little more developed.
Sounds like your experience was just as weird as mine! (Mine also involved bribing border crossing guards, but I decided to leave that out of the post…).
I think I’d definitely like to go back someday, just to see how different it is. Though, I think it will probably remain weird for some time!
Well, you’ve certainly piqued my interest in Albania. Pretty sure I did a school project on the country at some point years and years ago but I honestly don’t remember much. I tend to love destinations that are a bit quirky and weird, so Albania seems like it’d be up my alley. Really doesn’t look like you’d expect—at least so I’ve noticed from your photos and my outdated perception of the country.
If you like quirky and weird, then yes, I think you’d love Albania!
I’m kicking myself now that I didn’t take more photos there. It was just so strange that I forgot! The countryside is really quite pretty, though.
Another great post! Thanks for sharing your experience of Albania, very interesting read, and a piece of Europe that I honestly don’t know too much about.
I knew absolutely nothing about Albania before this summer. So it was really interesting for me to learn about, too! Glad you liked the post.
Great post and what a fascinating experience! A few years ago I was planning a camping trip in the Balkans and considered driving through Albania (mainly to get to Greece but partly out of curiosity) but decided against it – partly not enough time but I think stuff I read about driving in Albania put me off too! I wish I’d done it – just to see how bizarre it is!
Haha “bizarre” is definitely a word to describe it. Driving in Albania was certainly interesting – especially in a big bus! It involved a lot of playing chicken with other vehicles on narrow, twisty roads. But I’m definitely glad to have gotten a glimpse of the country, however brief.
A country I’ve never even thought about. But I’ll pay more attention now. Seems it would be very interesting to visit there weird and then return in 5 to 10 years to see how they’re doing.
Yes, I’d love to go back in 5 or 10 years and see how much it’s changed!
Wow I just learned a lot about a place I hadn’t put much thought into. Shame about the over-developing beach, and the country lagging from poor leadership. Fascinating none the less..
I’m sure they’ll turn things around. They’ve already made huge steps within the past decade. I just hope they can figure out a more sustainable way to develop tourism!
As someone who grew up in the 80s, Albania has always intrigued me. Nothing, and I mean nothing was known about what was going on inside Albania during that decade. Seriously, a communist country in Europe aligned with China but not Russia? One with a certifiable madman at the helm? All very interesting.
Albania is high on my to do list- but since I like solo travel, I’ll be waiting a couple years before giving this part of Europe a try. Let’s hope they can continue to build infrastructure.
All very interesting indeed. Hopefully in another 5 or 10 years Albania’s infrastructure will be a bit more welcoming to a traveler like yourself, Erik!
Really interesting. I’m sure every country has had their awkward teenage phase. I’m sure Albania will work out its weirdness, although that could also be appealing for some travelers as well.
For those who want to get off-the-beaten-path in Europe, Albania is ideal right now. It certainly doesn’t feel like the rest of Europe yet.
And you’re right, of course – every country goes through its awkward teenage years!
Albania was the country with which the U.S. had a fake war in the movie Wag the Dog. In the movie, a war was contrived in order to divert the attention of the electorate in favor of the incumbent just days ahead of a presidential election. We’re just days away from such an election now. Hmm …
It’s better, I think, to visit a country while it’s still weird, if you can. Five years from now when there’s a Starbucks on every corner you’ll be looking back fondly on the dumpsters and the skin infections.
Hahaha you are so right, Curt. Visiting a country while it’s still “weird” is definitely more interesting than visiting when it’s just like every other country around it!
I actually visited Albania this summer. It seems to me that you had a rushed 9 day visit with probably not the best guide. I personally found it fascinating that such a small country can have such a perfect terrain. You have mountains on the north and west, Adriatic Sea on the northeast and the Ionian Sea on the southeast, all in 28,000 sq km. As far as overdevelopment goes I agree with you but, I spent 5 weeks there and in that time I saw a lot of buildings come down due to tougher local zoning and code so that’s promising. The coastal areas in the south are untouched by the mankind and absolutely gorgeous. The food is unique but very compatible for the western taste as opposed to some other countries’ cuisine. I disagree with you on the ‘werid’ label as I’ve found several neighborhoods of Paris or southern Italy for that mater far weirder but that’s just me. The Albanian people I thought were shy to interact but very welcoming and friendly. The night life is much more safer than I’ve encountered in that part of the world and finally, I thought they’re a pretty race as far as looks go, especially their women.
very, very interesting read. I had never read anything about Albania’s history before (until now).
It used to be more isolated than North Korea?! Wow! I can’t even imagine that. Now I really want to visit this country… I’m intrigued
– Maria Alexandra
It certainly is an intriguing history. And yeah, it’s crazy to think about a country being more extremely isolated than Albania… but that’s what I’ve heard it compared to!