More than 2 million tourists opted for Albania for their relaxing vacations in the first six months of 2019, according to Instat estimates. Specifically, the month of June saw Albania experience a boom in tourists like never before: as many as 630,334 foreign nationals entered the Land of Eagles in June 2019, up 27 percent from June 2018, according to Instat.
The three secrets of Albanian success:
1. UNESCO sites.
The four fascinating sites of Butrint, Gjirokastër, Berat, and Lake Ohrid belong to the UNESCO World Heritage list precisely because of their indisputable contribution to the continuation of world culture. The natural beauty surrounding these sites only adds to their already significant appeal.
2. The Albanian Riviera.
The Albanian coast, with a total length of 427 km, is divided into two distinct areas: the Adriatic and the Ionian. The Albanian Riviera has now become a new European tourist destination thanks to its beautiful beaches. But what are the most beautiful Albanian beaches? Our favorite is a hidden gem of Albania, Gjipe beach. Tourists can go there by boat or even by car, although in the latter case they will then necessarily have to walk a stretch of road to the coast.
3. Traditional Albanian cuisine.
The Albanian cooking industry is facing major challenges. Traditional Albanian cuisine currently represents more of a curiosity rather than having the place it deserves. At this time it is a primary need to document the development of these traditions before they disappear for good.
The stretch between Vlora and Saranda, up to Ksamil, opposite Corfu, is what many Italians, for simplicity’s sake, call the “Salento of Albania”-if it were not for the mountains behind it, it feels exactly like being along the coast between Otranto and Leuca. Now tourists know it, too. That is the most popular area and it is chosen mainly by vacationers from Campania, Lazio, Sicily and Lombardy, especially Milan. Apulians go there mostly on weekends or during holiday bridges. More contained are the numbers of passengers from Tuscany, Liguria, and Emilia. For the latter, on the other hand, boarding is more convenient from Ancona and then arriving in Durres, on the north coast, which instead is called the “Romagna of Albania.”
Tiny little prices – Until mid-June, promotions were very attractive, and many this year began booking ship and hotels as early as January. Until four years ago, on the other hand, one could show up directly at the Brindisi and Bari port terminals to get a ticket, something unthinkable today. A seat on the deck of the ferry from Brindisi to Vlora costs 60 euros per person, including boarding fees; 80 euros for the car. For Saranda it comes close to 80 and 90 euros, respectively. A cabin, on the other hand, 75 euros. Similar, or even a little less, are the prices from Bari to Durres: for four people and a car, round trip, at the height of the season, you spend 480 euros.
The ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association) has listed it among the top three destinations for adventure vacationers along with Cuba and Portugal, thanks to its scenic trails where you can go trekking, such as the ancient Via Egnatia that connected Rome to Byzantium and the Via Dinarica, one of the best trails according to National Geographic, and canyons where you can go rafting.