{"id":7102,"date":"2020-02-29T10:05:11","date_gmt":"2020-02-29T09:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fernwehmotive.de\/?p=7102"},"modified":"2024-01-22T17:07:43","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T16:07:43","slug":"albanien-highlights-roadtrip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fernwehmotive.de\/en\/albanien-highlights-roadtrip\/","title":{"rendered":"Road Trip Albania - 15 Highlights & Tips and Route"},"content":{"rendered":"

Albania<\/strong> is regarded as one of the last \"off-road\" paradises in Europe, together with Iceland and Romania. Numerous tracks lead through beautiful, mountainous landscapes and guarantee great views and idyllic parking spaces for the night. On a small area you will find an amazing variety of natural areas and landscapes in Albania. If you love nature and mountains and maybe even have a four-wheel drive camper, you will be thrilled by the small mountainous country in the Western Balkans. In my article you can read which highlights I can recommend for your road trip in Albania. You will also get further helpful information and tips for Albania including a route suggestion and a map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Non-solicited, unpaid advertising. This article contains affiliate links*, marked with an asterisk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Road trip Albania - route planning in the traditional way <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What you will find in my Article:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Albania - an underestimated Travel Destination<\/a>
Road Trip Albania - Map with our Route and Pitches<\/a>
Our Motorhome \"Arwak\" - the Iveco 40\/10 WM<\/a>
15 Highlights for your Road Trip in Albania<\/a>
#1 With the 4x4-Camper to Theth<\/a>
#2 Ferry Trip over the Koman Lake<\/a>
#3 The Valbona Valley in the Albanian Alps<\/a>
#4 The \"Offroad\" track at the Black Drin<\/a>
#5 Lake Ohrid & Detour to Macedonia<\/a>
#6 Tirana - Architecture and History<\/a>
#7 Berat - the City of 1000 Windows<\/a>
#8 Osum Canyon, Thermal Springs in Benje and Lengarica Canyon<\/a>
#9 Gjirokastra with its imposing fortified Houses<\/a>
#10 In the dry Riverbed from Tepelene to Himare<\/a>
<\/strong>#11 Albania's Coast - a little bit of everything <\/strong><\/a>
#12 Saranda and Butrint<\/a>
#13 Lost Places<\/a>
#14 Bunker<\/a>
#15 Monuments from the Communist Era <\/a><\/strong>
General Tips for your Roadtrip in Albania<\/a> <\/strong>
Roadbooks - Travel Guide - Road Map \n(sorry, the books here are only in german language)<\/a>
Recommendations for further Reading - more Roadtrips<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Albania - an underestimated Travel Destination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A brief Summary of recent History<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Albania was led for about 40 years by the communist dictator Enver Hoxha. Under Hoxha Albania became the first and only atheist state in the world. In addition, the dictator drove the country into complete isolation: in 1968 he resigned from the Warsaw Pact, breaking off relations with the Soviet Union. After the death of Mao (1976) and the beginning of the first reforms in China, he also broke off with China. Meanwhile, thousands of Albanians fell victim to \" clean-up operations \", the population was controlled by the secret police and the country was on the verge of economic collapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Many churches and chapels were destroyed or converted during the communist period. This one here in southern Albania was lucky.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Only after Enver Hoxha's death in 1985 was there new hope. At least until the so-called pyramid scandal, a money laundering business that drove the civilian population into financial ruin. Mass protests against the government and a civil war in 1997 followed, state institutions were devastated and anarchic conditions prevailed. The government was helpless. With the support of an international peacekeeping force and humanitarian aid troops, security was restored and reconstruction began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The black, double-headed eagle is part of the national flag of Albania, introduced in 1992. The 25 feathers commemorate the 25 battles of Skanderberg against the Ottomans.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tourism in Albania<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

During the dictatorship tourism was strictly regulated. Not everyone was allowed into the country. Hippies were unwanted, women's skirts were not allowed to be too short and men's hair not too long. They probably wouldn't have let us in at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Source: Bunk'Art 2 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Bunk'Art 2 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The number of tourists reached a low point during the civil war with 119,000 visitors. It was 10 years later, in 2007, that over one million guests came to Albania for the first time. By 2017 the number had risen to 4.6 million. That is still not many. For comparison: the average number of visitors in countries in Southern Europe is 16 million (www.laenderdaten.info<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes Albania so interesting for tourists? A lot is still in the development stage here. Even the locals themselves are still exploring their own country. In the era of all-inclusive mass tourism, travellers can feel like discoverers here. Much of nature is freely accessible. There is a freedom of movement that is no longer available in many European countries. The best example is the freedom to camp, which makes every road trip in Albania a highlight. Another point is also the interesting history. Especially for all those who are interested in the communist past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The secluded Kurvelesh region is, next to the Albanian Alps, the most beautiful mountain region in Albania. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tourism has now been recognised as a source of income. The tourist infrastructure has developed rapidly since then. In the Albanian Alps, great importance is attached to sustainable tourism. But on the coast, beach hotels are springing up like mushrooms and gravel roads are increasingly being asphalted. To the regret of the passionate offroad drivers. But in many areas of the interior tourism has not yet arrived. And that was exactly the reason why we travelled to Albania in summer 2018. We wanted to experience the original, rural Albania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In Albania there are many bridges from Ottoman times<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Road Trip Albania - Map with our Route and Pitches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our entire route from Berlin to Saranda was 3,063 kilometres long. We drove for four weeks through eight countries: Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia. In Saranda, in the very south of Albania, we handed over the camper to our friend Ingmar. Ingmar is co-owner of the Iveco and drove it back to Berlin on his own road trip. We ourselves flew back from Corfu to Berlin. Carsharing & Travelsharing - practical, isn't it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the map you can see all the highlights and night pitches during our road trip in Albania. I have entered the route we drove and also added a few photos. So you have a good idea what to expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n