My first year was coming to an end and the days were getting longer. I was keen on
travelling solo somewhere in Europe. My exams were almost about to start, my
assignments were due and I so wanted to book a trip. With all these things, I couldn't
obtain a schengen visa and was looking for visa free alternatives in Europe. That's
when I stumbled upon a small country located in the Balkan region in Eastern
Europe. It was one of the few countries I could go to with my UK BRP. As I read
more about this country, it fascinated me; I laid out an itinerary and immediately
booked my flights. I planned to explore this country in and out. As a young traveller,
it felt like a perfect destination posing a great nightlife, pristine beaches, high
mountains and a very friendly environment. Many solo and broke travellers come
here as it has so many reasons.
Mother Teresa in the 19 th Century and pop singer Dua Lipa in the current times – 2
distinct personalities from diverse fields, but bound by a common nationality. Now I
am sure you know which country I am referring to. You guessed it right! It’s Albania –
a small country located just above Greece. With an area of 28,748 km² the country is
a just a bit smaller than Belgium.
Albania or Shqipëria (local name for Albania) is a country that has seen many highs
and lows. Filled with an amalgamation of Roman, Greek, and Turkish influences. From being
ruled by the Romans, then the Ottoman empire to being under a communist rule,
Albania has seen it all. Communism forms a huge part of Albanian history as after
the Second World War it emerged as a Communist nation. During this time over
750,000 bunkers were built across the country to be prepared for war which
eventually did not happen. Although there is misleading information that’s spread
through media that Albania is “not safe” and “very unstable”, I had the best time in
that country.
As a 19 year old solo traveller on his first adventure, it was tough to convince people
why this country. I can list several reasons why one should visit this country.
1. Inexpensive
Albania is a very cheap country for all kinds of travellers. £1 is approximately 115
albanian lek and 1 Rupee is almost 1.5 lek. You will spend approximately £20 or
2000 rupees a day including food, stay and activities. You can find the total cost breakdown of this trip at the end of the post.
2. Relatively Unexplored
Albania is a relatively hidden gem in my opinion. Of course due to social media and
travel traffic, it’s coming into light but overall most of the places still remain
unexplored. It has everything from mountains, beaches, parties, festivals and cities
with a good night life.
3. Safe
As an Indian, people have always told me that this country is very unsafe; frequent
kidnappings, murders, robberies happen, but in reality it is very safe. I went out
during night time and I felt absolutely safe. The cities are vibrant and people are
generally very welcoming towards tourists and travellers.
4. Beautiful
The beautiful Albanian Alps, the Pristine Albanian Riviera, the vibrant and historical
cities. Albania in one word is “stunning”. The breath taking scenery and views which I
witnessed were just fabulous.
5. Heaven for Coffee Lovers
Albanians love their coffee. It’s part of their life. You will find a coffee shop in almost
every corner in the capital city of Tirana. Though coffee isn’t produced in the country,
the variety you can get here is really good.
6. FOOD
If you love a blend of spices and a unique cuisine, Albanian food is for you. For
Indian travellers, we tend to seek good food with a blend of flavours and spices and
Albanian food passed that test. The food has a blend of Greek, Turkish, Italian and
North African cuisines. It’s filled with flavour and taste. My most favourite one had to be “Byrek” – a flaky savoury pastry which is like an Albanian Pie.
Language can be a barrier at some places but that’s when google translate becomes your friend.
I backpacked across 6 cities starting from the capital city of Tirana , going down
south towards the Riviera and then hitting up north in the Albanian Alps. The places
which I covered were Tirana-Berat-Gjirokaster-Himara-Shkodra-Theth. It was really
easy to travel around Albania using the local bus transportation. It was quite cheap
and comfortable too. The helpful nature and kindness of the locals made it even
easier for me to travel around.
Cost breakdown-
The total budget for my trip was £350 excluding flights (around 35000 rupees) but in
the end I spent £370 which wasn’t an absolute blunder.
This is my total cost breakdown and you can easily do it in an even smaller budget.
£140 on stay
£120 on food and drinks
£30 on activities
£80 on travel
I would suggest that one spend a minimum of 1 week in Albania with a budget of
atleast £150 for the country to surprise you with all its charm.
I stayed there for 17 days in total which was really worth every penny I spent. I met
amazing people, visited interesting places, had crazy experiences and adventures. I
will continue this story by writing about each city in detail to make it as
informative as possible.
