Albania Classic Albania Land of the Eagle

I highly recommend taking this escorted tour with Newmarket to experience the history and scenery of Albania.

https://www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/destinations/europe/albania/classic-albania-land-of-the-eagle/

The population is 3 million, and 1 million live in the capital city, Tirana. This amazed me, 20 million lives around the world!!

2 languages are spoken

Tosk is spoken in the south

Gheg is spoken in the north

The conflict started in 1967 and finished in 1991. There are 200,000 bunkers around the country. Bunkers in Tirana are Art installations.

The dictator‘s home in Tirana has 10km of tunnels running from it into the countryside.

There are more coffee shops than people.

In Tirana is a different country theme, with food festivals and music

There used to be a rail system from north to south, but the rails were stolen. The traffic to and from the airport is horrendous as no public transport links.

1 airport, Tirana and the new airport Vlores, in the south, opening in 2026. Current negotiations with Easyjet, Jet,2 and Tui. A tunnel has opened in the south through the mountains to reduce travel time. This tunnel will help journeys from the new airport to beach resorts.

Olive groves and salt flats in the south

I really do not recommend Albania as a beach destination. Very grim. The brochures have photoshopped the beaches with golden sand. They are grey. Instagram influencers have portrayed Albania as the "Maldives of Europe". Ridiculous. Apparently, day trippers from

Corfu visit Ksamil, which is a beach with not many hotels and made a big deal about the clear blue sea. (Which you see anywhere) The main resort, Durres, is nearer Tirana, the capital, where the only airport is. Southern resorts 3-hour transfer! An airport in the south is opening next year for Saranda and Vlora. It reminded me of the Spanish.

Costa’s in the 70s. New hotels are being built, which is needed.

Our guide explained that most buildings were built in the 2000s. Well, they have no idea of architecture. Very grim..I feel Benidorm is more attractive than the beach resorts.

I hope that when the new airport opens, UK Tour operators will give the hotels advice, how to be more appealing.

Personally,y I’m relieved I have been as had enquiries and tbh I would probably advise clients to book somewhere else. I saw 3 beach resorts: Durres, Saranda and Vlore.

I went to the Olympic Holidays coffee morning, and Cassie was talking about their new destination, on Alba, Nia and showing photos of the beaches. I sat there thinking I needed to say something, which I did and showed what the same beach looked like. Please see below.

It isn’t like Turkey or Croatia before they were more well-known.

All my group members felt the same.

Please let me know if you have had clients who have been and had a different experience.

Again, highly recommend the Newmarket Escorted Tour. They are adding a 33-night beach stay in Durres.

Please phone me with questions xx