Off the Beaten Path
Southeast Europe
The Albanian Riviera has been there the whole time. Just south of the Greek islands everyone goes to.
The Forgotten Atlas — Field Report
The Albanian Riviera has been there the whole time. Just south of the Greek islands everyone goes to.
Albania sat behind one of the most repressive communist regimes in history until 1991, which is why most of the world has only a vague sense of it. The isolation that made it miserable to live through has, from a travel perspective, left the country in a state of extraordinary preservation. The old town of Berat — medieval Ottoman houses climbing a hillside below a Byzantine castle — is one of the most beautiful urban environments in the Balkans. Gjirokastër is a UNESCO World Heritage city of grey stone houses that looks unchanged since the 18th century. The Albanian Riviera has beaches that would be crawling with tourists if they were in Greece, which they nearly are.
Albania is what the Mediterranean used to be. Before the prices doubled and the crowds arrived and the fish restaurants became tourist restaurants. It still is that.
The Forgotten Atlas
The Albanian Riviera runs from Vlorë in the north to Sarandë in the south, with the Greek island of Corfu visible across the channel from Sarandë on a clear day. The road that runs along the coast — the Riviera highway — was built relatively recently and opened the beaches to visitors for the first time. Dhërmi, Himara, Lukova — beaches of clear water and white stones where a sunbed and an umbrella costs three euros. The restaurants along the coast serve fresh fish caught that morning for a fraction of what you would pay in Greece.
The interior of Albania is the less visited part and the more interesting part. The Accursed Mountains in the north — the Bjeshkët e Namuna — are some of the most dramatic in the Balkans and the hiking trail through them (the Peaks of the Balkans route) is one of the finest multi-day hikes in Europe. Berat and Gjirokastër are the historic cities worth building a trip around. Tirana, the capital, is small, chaotic, rapidly modernising, and full of good coffee and interesting art.
Fly to Tirana. Spend a night. Then south along the coast and into the old cities. Or north into the mountains. Albania rewards slow travel.
The city of a thousand windows. Ottoman houses on three hills, each one crowned by a different era of fortress. UNESCO listed. Almost no tourists.
The most beautiful beach on the Riviera. Clear water, white stones, reasonable prices, and a stretch of coast that looks like the Greek islands without the crowds or the cost.
A UNESCO World Heritage city of grey stone houses. The birthplace of Enver Hoxha and Ismail Kadare, which tells you something about the range of human production Albania has achieved.
The capital. Small, chaotic, colourful. The Blloku district was the private neighbourhood of the communist elite — now it's the best bar and restaurant area.
One of the best restaurants in the Balkans. Farm-to-table before that was a phrase. Everything grown on the property. Worth the drive from Tirana.
Traditional Albanian food in the most atmospheric setting in Berat. The qofte (grilled meatballs) and the byrek (feta pastry) are outstanding.
Pick any fish restaurant on the beach. Order the catch of the day. Drink the local wine (surprisingly good). This is the Albanian coast at its best.
A communist-themed bar serving raki and traditional spirits. The raki tasting board introduces you to every variety produced in the country.
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