Albania. Welcome to the land of the eagles. Where mountains' snow never melts and people's harts never freezes. AlbanianTourGuide.Com

1. Choose Albania
Where to go & what to visit

2. Within a small territory, Albania
nature is amazing. The Cauntry is
home to fourteen National Parks,all
of them with something unique to
offer and some already well
equipped with tourist facilities.
Albania’s National Parks spread from
the lagoons at the Adriatic seashore
to the Limestone Mountains of the
Dinaric Alps and the wetlands of the
Great and the Small Prespa Lakes at
the trans-border national park, which
Albania shares with the Republic of
Macedonia and Greece

3. Albania is a mountainous country, about
two-thirds of the territory either hilly or
mountainous.
 The highest peak, Mount Korabi, on the border with Macedonia, towers 2,751
m above sea level. The cliffs of Llogara, dividing the Adriatic from the Ionian
Coast, are internationally recognized as one of the best places in the Balkans
for paragliding. Other outdoor activities are also available in Albania, such as
hiking, trekking, mountain climbing, mountain biking, bird watching, fishing,
horseback riding, skiing, ski shoeing and winter mountaineering. Rivers
crisscross this land and offer both the beauty of the canyons they have carved
and the opportunity to traverse them via raft, kayak, or canoe.

5. Throughout Albania, intrepid explorers will
also find many vast caves just waiting to be
discovered.
 Professional and amateur spelunkers
alike will find no shortage of
underground chambers to conquer.
Near Shkodra there are at least 35
significant caves of a total of 68
designated as National Natural
Monuments. An easily accessible
cave is the Pëllumbas Cave near
Tirana; it is Albania’s second
largest. A sign-posted trail leads up
to this cave, nestled in the beautiful
Skorana Canyon on the Erzen River.

6. Hiking and Trekking
 Rugged snow-clad alpine peaks, lush green
valleys, sparking lakes, wetlands full of
wildlife, traditional villages and a varied coast
embracing two seas - the Adriatic and the
Ionian Sea - Albania has all the ingredients
necessary to develop hiking and trekking
tourism. Even though hiking maps and the
signposting of tracks has become more
common and supra-regional and transnational
mountain trails are slowly emerging, for
inexperienced hikers it is advised to
participate in an organized tour or to benefit
from the services of local or experienced
mountain guides

7. Kayaking on Osumi River
 Kayaking on Osum River in
southern Albania near Berat is a
great adventure and joy. About 17
km length of river canyon makes
this event an unforgettable
moment. At the same time, Berat
is more than 2400 years old and is
under UNESCO protection. You can
visit the old castle and enjoy the
local outstanding delicious food.

9. Be on the lookout for birds of prey
 Pack the binoculars and bird watch in
the coastal wetlands of Karavasta. Part
of the Divjake-Karavasta National Park,
the lagoon is the westernmost breeding
site of the Dalmatian Pelican. For
further birdwatching, visit Kune-Vaini,
the nature reserve beside the Drini
River, home to spotted eagles,
spoonbills and herons.


10. Cycle the mountains for unbeatable views
 Cycle through the Gramoz
Mountains from Korça to Përmet.
The moderate ascents are easy on
the thighs and the resulting views
easy on the eyes. Allow time to
enjoy the dramatic landscape of
sweeping valleys, rivers and snowy
peaks. To refuel, sample the local
food in restaurants along the way

11. Delve into Tirana's communist past
 For nearly 50 years, Albania was
under Communist rule. Although
the regime collapsed in 1990,
many of Tirana’s communist sights
remain, including the murals and
statues in the city center; the
house where Enver Hoxha lived;
and the Pyramid, built as his
mausoleum. Take a bus or taxi up
to the Martyrs' (Partisans')
Cemetery, with its statue of Mother
Albania.

13. Explore ancient archaeological sites
 See interesting and accessible
archaeological sites, such as the
abandoned ancient Greek city of
Apollonia and the steep-sided
Roman amphitheater in Durrës.
Byllis may be a little harder to get
to, but the Greek ruins, mountain
surrounds and views over the Vjosë
River valley make it well worth the
effort.


15. Explore the Ottoman architecture of
Gjirokastra and Berati
 Explore the well-preserved
Ottoman cities of Gjirokastra and
Berat with their unique domestic
architecture and their imposing
hilltop castles. Both listed as World
Heritage Sites by UNSECO, the
former features unique
17th century houses, while Berat,
with its hillside of neat,
whitewashed buildings, was
declared a “Museum City” under
dictator Enver Hoxha.


16. Find fantastic frescoes in Voskopoja
 Admire the vibrant colors of the
frescoes in Albania's little-known
churches. Voskopoja, near Korça,
was once the largest city in the
Balkans, full of churches and
basilicas, and with its own
academy where artists were
trained. Although the church
buildings look a little tired, the
fantastic frescoes are still vibrantly
colored

17. Hike in Albania's magnificent mountains
 The two areas with the best
infrastructure, in terms of
accommodation and guides, are
the Albanian Alps in the far north
and the Tomorr massif in the
southeast. Outdoor Albania
organizes hiking, skiing and
mountain biking tours throughout
the country.

18. Meet Albania's national hero at Kruja
 Make the easy day trip from Tirana
to the family seat of Albania's 15th-
century hero, Skanderbeg. Within
the medieval castle's walls are two
interesting museums, the larger
dedicated to aforementioned
heroic noblemen. The restored
Ottoman bazaar just outside the
castle offers the best souvenir
shopping in Albania

19. Raft down Albania's rivers
 With an impressive network of
inland waterways, Albania has an
abundance of rafting
opportunities. For beginners, the
Vjosë River offers a gentle
introduction whilst white-water
rafting through the spectacular
Osum River canyons offers more in
the way of adrenaline. Outdoor
Albania has qualified guides, or the
Castle Park Hotel in Berat
organizes rafting weekends.

20. Reclaim the abandoned city of Butrint
 Don't miss the UNESCO-listed,
ancient city of Butrint, with
archaeological remains spanning
2,500 years. Embark on one of the
suggested walks through the forest
below and seek out the public
baths and Roman theatre or
explore the ruins of the city
abandoned in the Middle Ages at
your own leisure

21. Set sail on the Lake Komani ferry
 Cameras at the ready; take the
ferry up the jade waters of Lake
Koman. Hemmed in on both sides
with rugged and verdant towering
cliffs, this peaceful cruise is an
enchanting introduction to
northern Albania. Wildlife
enthusiasts will want to look out
for pygmy cormorants, herons and
golden eagles

22. Stand in awe at the religious art
 The national collections of
religious art in Tirana, Korça and
Berat contain wonderful icons
painted by the 16th-century artist
Onufri and his successors in the
18th and 19th centuries. For fans
of more modern work Korça’s
National Museum of Medieval Art is
a good counterpoint

24. Uncover the legend of Rozafa Castle
 Built before the Roman conquest,
this castle in Shkodra was last used
for military purposes as recently as
1913. Rozafa was the last fortress
in Albania to fall to the Ottomans
in 1479 and legend has it the castle
was named after a woman who was
walled into the bulwark as an
offering so the castle would stand.

25. Visit Albania with us!
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