Albania is Weird: An Intro to a Fascinating Country in Europe

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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.

Tirana, Albania
In Tirana, Albania

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.

Albania
See Mickey hanging from the roof? (Photo by my friend Monique)

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.

Pill Box Bunker
Photo by Joseph A Ferris III, on Flickr

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.

Beautiful Albania - Vacation Destination!
Pops of color in Tirana. (Photo by Joseph A Ferris III, on Flickr)

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.

Tirana, Albania
Mosque next to a church.

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.

Durres, Albania
Durres, Albania

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.

Durrรซs
Over-developed Durres. (Photo by xJason.Rogersx, on Flickr)

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.

Durres, Albania
Our pool
Durres, Albania
The beach

This is NOT the way to develop tourism in a country.ย 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.

Durres, Albania

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 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.

"It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and, if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might get swept off to." - JRR Tolkien

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148 Comments on “Albania is Weird: An Intro to a Fascinating Country in Europe

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  1. You mentioned how you could give it a break considering its past. Well, Romania should get one too. It had the worst, really, check with CNN for confirmation, dictator. And I don’t see Bucharest being half as ugly as Tirana. Then again, with only 3 million souls, a corrupt government elite, and no love from the EU, I can’t see them doing any better. Also the reason why they have so many mobsters all over the world, here in America they have the Albanian Mafia in Brooklyn. I know there are also Romanians (most of gypsy ethnicity) which do a lot of bad things in the Occidental part of Europe, but they still don’t outshine the Albanians. I have met a bunch of Albanians here in NY. Except one, which spent most of his life in Athens (which explains everything) I haven’t liked any of them, ill-mannered, player attitude towards women, no respect of authority, muslim religion (yes to me that’s bad) and such. Wish them luck

      I really enjoyed Romania; it wasn’t as “weird” as Albania to me. But, remember, these are just my opinions.

      you come onto a blog about Albania telling the writer that they should speak about Romania? make that make sense. there is mafia and bad from every country everywhere in the world, and not just Albania is struggling. but this one blog is about Albania, so don’t try to say “Romania had it worse” when they both had it bad. also, Albania is one of the most religiously tolerant, and you’re here saying that you don’t like us just because most of us are Muslim. and yet we’re the bad people. i reside and live in NYC, and yes i’ll say that some Albanians are douchebags and treat others like trash, but those are usually the americanized, born in the USA Albanians. most of us are really welcoming and sweet! don’t ever put down a whole race of people just because you’ve met some bad eggs. Much love from this Albanian!

    I find it very interesting how you guys are talking about Albania, and to be honest it puts a smile on my face to see foreigners discuss about a country that a lot of people don’t know about:) Well i just wanted to say a few things. I am Albanian, and since I was raised in Albania I don’t think Albania is weird at all..lol i think it’s just different from many countries and probably that’s a reason why you find it weird. We have some really different, unique traditions and beliefs that foreigners find weird but that makes Albania and Albanians…I am glad some of you are considering of visiting Albania someday in a future. I would definitely suggest it! I am sorry you only had to visit Durres. But there’s way more about Albania’s tourism than just the city of Durres. Albania has a BEAUTIFUL coastline that i wish all of you guys had a chance to visit. If you ever go back to Albania, or you plan on visiting it, I suggest you visit cities like Vlora, Sarande, Himare, Dhermi. The water is just so clean and blue, it’s just like a mirror. The beaches in southern Albania are amazing and i am not saying this because i am Albanian, but because when I compare them to the lakes and rivers around where I live I truly believe God blessed us by giving us a wonderful coastline that offers a variety of beaches from sandy to rocky. I wish people would try to learn more about Albanians and our traditions, rather than focus on the negative issues. Yeah i admit it we are not the greatest country ever but we also are not the poor economy or the isolation for many years. We are way more than that and I wish people for once would try to learn more about us and our history. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Thanks for the insight, Angela, and for the suggestion of other places to visit in Albania! I really like the Balkan region of Europe, so I have no doubt I’ll be back someday!

    Im an albanian living in greece brought up with two cultures and mentalities , albania its weird its teen and its really welcoming ..although people have to change, have to be a little bit more civilized none of them is dangerous and especialy the new generation has to offer a lot to tourism .. I have been traveling back every summer since im a photographer and i can say the country changes every day… So as an albanian i can say that all of you are welcomed and if you need any tips ill be glad to help you

      Interesting to get your perspective! I’ll have to re-visit in a couple years to see how much it’s changed.

    Amazingly accurate title for this post. Was thinking of something similar for one of mine but got worried that people would take it the wrong way. Albania is SUPER weird but that’s what I liked the most about it. Unfortunately I stayed in Tirana the entire time, but I would love to go back and check out the less polluted coasted areas and UNESCO towns (like Berat and Gjirokastra).

      It took me a while to come up with the title. But, like you, I thought “weird” really was the best way to sum up the country!

    Those bunkers all over the place must give a feeling of comfort!

      Haha I dunno if I’d call it “comfort,” exactly. It’s just kind of weird!

    I just stumbled on this page. If you plan on going to Albania again, you should check out the beaches down south. They’re great. Check out Kosova too. It’s a six hour drive from Durres, same language speaking locals, and friendliness. No beaches, but great experience, especially in Prishtina, the country’s capital.

      Thanks for the tips! I’ll keep them in mind for when I make it back to the Balkans!

    I just came from a 10 day vacation in Albania in July. My friends thought I was nuts, but I had a great time.

    If you’re an adventurist, and not a tourist, Albania is it! Your description of the country is very accurate. I wish them the best, the people are so nice and friendly.

    Trip To Albania

    I didn’t think I’d like Albania, but I LOVED it! So quirky and random. ๐Ÿ™‚ Trying to spot bunkers on bus trips and exploring the mountain villages was great. A very unique place. It will certainly change in the coming years. It’d be interesting to go back and see how it’s different in a few years. ๐Ÿ™‚

      “Quirky and random” is such a perfect way to describe Albania! Glad to hear you enjoyed it, though.

    Amanda, it’s funny how you say Albania is “weird” because my own Albanian friends who I went to junior high and high school with said the same thing about their own country. The words “isolated, weird, and depressing” used to escape their mouths often. I’ve always known about Albania because of them; I can even spot out their national flag from a mile away, however I didn’t know about those bunkers. That’s just creepy, to say the least.

      Well, that definitely makes me feel a bit better that Albanians themselves think their country is a little weird! Interesting!

    I know nothing about Albania, so this was an interesting read! Hopefully the next 20 years see the country coming into its own.

      Glad you enjoyed it, Emily. And I agree! I hope the next decade or so brings Albania good things!

    I loved the quirk of Albania when I spent 4 months there as an intern about two years ago.

      It certainly does give the country character – which in my opinion is much better than if it felt like every other country nearby!

    It’s so strange to think of a place completely cut off from the world, littered in bunkers. And then all of sudden, it opens back up to the world. I agree with you. Anyone would be a little weird after that.

      Yes, I certainly can forgive it its weirdness after learning a bit about its recent history!

    I’ve never thought about visiting Albania before but I’ve always had a thing for weird places.. curious to see it come out of it’s awkward teenage stage. ๐Ÿ˜€

      It may still have quite a few years before it gets out of its awkward teenage phase… But if you’re into that sort of thing, then you should definitely check it out!

        I was born in Albania, spent first grade in Greece, and then came to the US. I thought the US was very weird. The food was in packages, not fresh like it was in Albania, there was not a lot of sense of family (families didn’t eat together at the dinner table), and people looked down upon you for not knowing the language.

        So anything can be weird and it’s very subjective from where you grew up.

        Don’t let that deter you from visiting an amazing country like Albania. Have an open mind.

    http://pastebin.com/RL1WMi9G have you seen this? it’s pretty amusing, and sadly true that we know nothing about Albania…
    lately more and more of my friends go there and they all love it there! it’s pretty high on my list of countries to visit too!

      Well if you do end up going anytime soon, you’ll have to be sure to let me know what you think!

        I’m hoping to get there next year as this corner of Europe – Albania, Macedonia and Greece – is the only one I still haven’t visited!

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