Trifter

Albania is fast becoming one of the coolest destinations in Europe.  In this country you can still find unspoiled coastline, wilderness scenery and rugged mountains. This is a wild country on the edge of Europe.

This is a young country, the average age is under thirty in an ageing Europe. The difficult days in which the communist party strangled and isolated the country are long gone. In 1992 the Communists were ousted in a democratic election, severe riots followed in 1997, but since then the country has gradually emerged into the family of nations.  The young people do not like to talk of the old eras and are proud of Albania’s contribution to the modern world.  The Albanian government is proud of its commitment to the United Nations, seeks entry to the European Union and became a member of NATO in April 2009. 

Part of the charm of this country lies in the fact that it was so isolated. It is still possible to see peasant farming, weeding with scythes and ploughing with oxen.  There are still unspoilt beeches along the Mediterranean and Ionian coasts.  Although the interior is unlikely to spoil sometime soon the coastline is developing rapidly and is ripe for a major influx of tourism considering that the coast of Italy is just 45 miles away. 

The Albanian coastline beside the Ionian Sea is one of the most beautiful and unspoiled scenes in the whole of the Mediterranean.

Nearby is the world heritage site of Butrint.  This town was a Greek colony. By the time of Julius Caesar it was a Roman supply depot. 

Source: Wikipedia

Moving inland in the south one comes to the Ottoman towns of Berat (illustrated) and Girokastra. In both towns Ottoman town houses cascade down the steeply sloping hillsides. Girokastra was the birthplace of Enver Hoxha the communist dictator responsible for the isolation of the country from1945 until his death in 1985.

It is difficult to generalise about the countryside except that it is mountainous and more rugged in the North. The landscape is deeply faulted with a complex mixture of mountain chains and upland plateaus.  More than one third of the country is still forested and home to a wide range of animals such as wolves, bears, wild boars, chamois, Lynx, wildcats, pine martens, polecats and eagles. 

The capital, Tirana, once had a reputation as a drab town full of concrete appartment blocks. In recent years there has been a real effort to paint up these appartments and introduce corner cafes. While much needs to be done, it is a bright and cheerful town with character.

Skandebeg Square. Source: Wikipedia

Tirana nestles beneath the mountains. Skanderbeg Square is considered to be the centre of Tirana. 

Source: Wikipedia

This strange white pyramid opened in 1988 as a museum to the life of Enver Hoxha.  It was designed by his daughter and her husband who are both architects. Since Hoxha’s fall from grace the building has been used as a conference hall and for trade fairs.

Most tours end with a final night at Kruja. The scenery from this hilltop town is spectacular. The view looks out from the central mountains towards the coast.

Kruja is a rather special town. For a brief period between 1443 and 1468 Albania was an independent nation. Under the leadership of Skanderbeg Kruja held out against the Ottomans. He appealed without success to the Pope for a liberating crusade, abandoned Christianity in disgust and left no successor. Resistance continued until the country fell to the Ottomans in 1478. The country did not become an independent state again until after the First World War.

The finale takes place at Kruja because this spectacular setting is close to the airport and is convenient for an early morning get away.