Before going to Albania, I believed the people would be less friendly and I didn't think it was going to be as built up as it was. I was surprised in general at how many shops, bars and restaurants there are. I truly believed it would be quite a run-down place. Tirana was surprisingly modern. I thought that haggling would be a major issue, but it wasn’t. The amount of people that speak English was a pleasant surprise. I also discovered Albania is great for vegetarians and anyone who loves cheese! The leek pie was beautiful!
We stayed two nights in Tirana, one night in Berat, one night in Sarande and one night in Vlora. There were many highlights, which included wine tasting at Pupa Winery. Personally, I don't really like wine but they grow their own beautiful grapes, and the prices were very good.
Sarande’s Port had amazing views; you can see Corfu in Greece. There were lots of lovely beach restaurants. It’s definitely a lively town in the summer.
Vlora Centre is where Modern Albania was founded. There are shops and restaurants for miles, and it has a long beach too.
The Apollonia Archaeological Site close to Durres is great for people interested in history.
Leilani explores Apollonia Archaeological Park
The city of Gjirokastra is also one for history lovers, with its unique Ottoman architecture. This is where we took part in a fantastic cooking class, which was such a lovely and fun activity, I will be recommending it to all my clients.
I also ended up being interviewed on Albanian TV, so that was a highlight. A TV news crew filmed us doing the cooking activity and asked why British tourists are coming to Albania. It was surreal, but fun!
Si Hotel in Tirana was one of my favourites. It was so modern, spacious and comfortable, and in a great location.
Hotel Plaza Berat was modern yet traditional. The rooms have beautiful picture windows and the colours throughout were lovely.
I was already selling Newmarket Holidays, they are one of the first we look at [for touring]. We travelled around with a fantastic local guide, Ermest. He was so knowledgeable and kind. He made sure we had everything we needed, and if we wanted to take a break, he would accommodate us.
I thought the tour would be very fast paced, so I was really happy to know that we all waited for each other. Touring is fun, I enjoyed getting to speak to different people and exploring the destination together.
Leilani’s top tips for Albania
Bring cash to exchange as ATMs charge a fortune. You can change GBP to Albanian Lek in the bureau very easily. You can also change euros if you have them, but I would say just bring pounds. You need spare change for little activities, such as lighting a candle in a church.
Most souvenirs had a price on them, and were very good value too. I have been to many European beach destinations and Albania was the cheapest. Ice cream scoops were 60p in some places! The less touristy the place, the cheaper the items. For example, Tirana is more expensive than Berat but that's most capitals.
Leilani was pleasantly surprised by all she discovered in Albania
Bring some mosquito bite cream/spray, and bring a raincoat from October onwards.
Also wear comfy shoes. I would say you do have to be quite mobile for a tour in a place like this because there is a lot of walking, and paths are often uneven or cobbled and not on the flat. I believe any age would enjoy what Albania has to offer, as long as they fit those requirements.
I am excited now to talk about Albania from my own experience, show my pictures to clients, use Newmarket Holidays’ resources, and explain what the destination is really like. I will reassure them that it's a safe and lovely country to visit.
Albania is definitely a hidden gem. There is history to everything you see. I think there is an urgency for clients to see Albania now, before the country is changed forever by mass tourism and it becomes more expensive. There’s talk of Jet2 adding Sarande airport in a few years so this will make airfares and hotel rates higher. You can see in some places that new hotels are already being built. I think the more we agents talk about it, the more tourism will start to grow. Clients have a lot of preconceptions, and they compare Albania to places like Turkey and Morocco, but it really is unique, beautiful and a must-visit destination.
