Albania: an emerging nation full of surprises

Albania is a little-explored destination for the holidays and remains a mystery to most. When one thinks about vacation destinations in the Balkans, the first place that comes to mind is Greece and its numerous islands, followed by Croatia for those looking for a more alternative destination and wilder environment. Albania, with its variegated nature, delicious food, and low prices, is rarely within the top ten places to visit.

I expected to travel to one of Europe's more cosmopolitan locations, like Budapest or Prague, for my November break. But, my friends had opted for a more obscure choice: Albania. Upon hearing of this change of plans, I was shocked. But after this initial reaction I thought to myself: Albania? Why not? It was a destination I had never considered, but the plan seemed interesting and I decided to give it a chance.

When I told people I was going to Albania, I would always get the same confused look, followed by the question: “Albania? What’s there to do in Albania? Why aren’t you going to a normal place like Amsterdam or Berlin?” And my answer was, over and over: “I don’t know, I’ll find out.” And I did.

Theth: nature, hot chocolate, and a soaking-wet hike.

Tortuous roads, dogs, and grapes

I, along with seven friends, arrived in Tirana by plane. Having spent the first night in the metropolitan capital, we decided to go north to spend some time in nature. Getting to Theth – a small town almost at the border with Montenegro, known for its National Park and beautiful nature – was already a challenge. We first had to take a three hour bus to Shkodër, the biggest city of the northern region, followed by another three hour drive in a private minivan on endless tortuous curves. To get to Theth, we passed by the national prison and numerous majestic white villas, constructed in the middle of nowhere. When we asked why there were such big houses in deserted places, we were told that the Albanians have the belief that the best way to keep and invest their money is through construction. Therefore, they build huge villas in remote areas, which ends up being disastrous as an investment.

Once we arrived in Theth, we understood just by looking around why it had been so hard to get there, and we asked ourselves how it was possible that other people, apart from us, had been able to reach it. In fact, we were the only tourists (and girls) in the apparently empty town. We were guests at a beautiful family-owned cabin, with grapes hanging throughout the whole garden, an ice-cold fountain with potable water, a chimney in the common room and a beautiful view of the valley from our bedroom windows. The town was home to several unfriendly dogs that barked at us as we passed by, a beautiful church connected to a cemetery, sheeps, closed cabins, one shop, and one restaurant. Because we were in low-season, we got the “true” Theth experience. We were asked several times by locals why we had decided to go there for our vacation. We found an answer to the question the following day, when we went for our long-awaited hike.

Water, water, and more water

When we woke up the next morning though, it was pouring rain and the beautiful view from our window had disappeared. We could not even see the garden beneath us due to the fog that surrounded us. As we had to go back to Tirana the following day to meet two other friends that were arriving to join us on the trip, our only chance to go on the hike was that day. So we asked the owner of the cabin for some garbage bags, we opened holes for the head and the arms, and we started what can only be defined as an adventure. After the first five minutes of the hike, we had barely any dry skin left, and when we got to the top, we could not see much further than our noses. At that moment, we had to imagine the beautiful view we had been told we would see. However, as we went down, the sun came out for long enough to clear the sky, and it allowed us to see the mountains, the valley, and the horizon. The rain had been worth enduring, and the view was stunning.

Once back to the cabin, dry and warm, we enjoyed home-made fresh and delicious food and a hot chocolate that resembled more a pudding than common hot chocolates. That became our passion throughout the whole trip. At any café, restaurant or bar we would visit, we would always order hot chocolate. But none of them beat the one in Theth. The filling breakfast we received from the cabin every morning, which included fried eggs, cheese, butter, jam, bread, pancakes, juice, coffee, and tea, was also voted as one of the best parts of the whole trip.

Tirana

We moved to the center of the town. The streets were pebbled and framed by low buildings that housed cafés. We wandered around and I came across a traditional bakery. On a large wooden table lay a batch of bread loaves waiting to be baked in a huge stove. I peeked inside; a small queue of people were buying their daily bread. The man inside saw me and inquired whether I was a tourist. Most of the people in the line spoke fantastic Italian. The baker gave me a freshly baked loaf of bread; I thanked him and reached for my wallet. He did not want me to pay; it is a gift, he says. It was not the only time that we got gifts from complete strangers. A man in a store offered to pay for my water, since I still struggled with the Albanian currency. People were generally exceptionally kind and generous. Everyone was up for a chat, everyone had a smile in their pocket, ready to be exchanged with strangers.

Korçë

Our time in Korçë began in the late afternoon. A shaky bus drove us for four hours through the most unimaginable landscapes. Rolling hills lay all around the winding road; forests exploded with fall colors at each turn, and we stumbled upon rural architecture. We stopped half way through for some of the typical rice – flavorful Basmati rice, cooked with lemon and eaten with meat or vegetables.

We arrived in Korçë as the sun was setting through the glassless window panes of an abandoned building. We walked to our hotel. We were astonished by its grandeur. It was a modern structure on the outside, rustic and cozy on the inside. We walked up to our room to find a suite with a bathtub, lounge area and a beautiful view of the Orthodox church.

Dinner was outstanding. The traditional cuisine (beans, grilled vegetables, hummus, feta cheese) met just the right amount of hipster, new age foods (avocado, sweet potatoes …). It was the perfect marriage. We sipped on Spritz and ate chocolate dessert. Is this what happiness feels like? Midterms had been the week before, so we had forgotten what that meant.

We slept tight after delighting each other with a night of Disney karaoke. We woke up ready to take on Korçë. After breakfast (delicious, needless to say), we begin the day by visiting the Orthodox church. It was astonishing. Saints with decapitated heads in their hands populated the golden walls. We argued about how old the church might be. Turns out it is not that old, but we still really like it; it’s vintage.

Tirana

Tirana is not a beautiful city where it's easy to romanticize life or remain stunned in front of grandiose buildings. Instead, it is a big city where moving through public buses is hard, many neighborhoods are poor, and life is not led to please the tourists.

It is also a place where the small pleasures that make life unique are hidden. Take the bakery under the apartment we were staying at, for instance. The delicious sweets we had in the morning. The central market, where old people gathered to sell garlic, beans, and their old jewelry, where everyone was happy to help and have a chat. The small burek shops, where talking with your hands was the only, powerful way to make a connection despite the lack of a common language. Ah, the language! Hearing Albanian all around, such a unique language; it tastes like almonds to me; it sounds like a hug; it looks like affection.

Tirana is also a stage for history. We spent a few hours in a bunker, which is now a museum covering colonial times to communist regime history. Sure, history often fails to acknowledge the experiences of real people– those who live it, those who make it everyday. Despite that historiographical paradigm, Tirana’s buildings and people told the story. The coexistence of mosques, Orthodox and Catholic churches, people’s attitudes, the typical food, the general vibe of the city. It all assumes even more value as one uncovers the past about what has made this place so distinctive.

We wanted to visit the other history museum, to gain a deeper understanding of what existed before. Sadly, it was closed, but by then we were intrigued. We knew we wanted to come back and see more of this country.

It was evening, and we had to hurry back to the apartment to pack and tidy up the place. We were leaving the following day at three in the morning. As I looked out of the taxi window, I had my main character moment. I find it funny, I thought to myself, how I’ve ended up in a place I would have never imagined to visit, that I had not prepared myself for, for which I had had no expectations.

I did not give in to cheesy clichés. I believe that I went home with different perspectives, new insights, and new friendships.

Because I had the chance to visit a place where our modern perspective has not yet managed to take over, I was pleasantly surprised by what I didn't know existed.

Reflections: old and new, Italian and Burek

This trip has helped me reflect on the impact of history not only on a country's political system and economy, but also on the deep and lasting change it creates in society.

Albania opened up to commerce and tourism only in 1992, after over 40 years of isolation under Hoxha’s communist regime. It is fascinating to notice how, despite being on the border with rather developed nations such as Greece and Croatia, Albania is ontologically different from what one would expect.

In fact, with its service-based economy, most goods are imported, and the majority of the population speaks better Italian than English. Albania even became part of the Kingdom of Italy during the fascist rule in the 1930s and 40s, so Islam coexists with Christianity.

The new capitalist economy is bringing money into the nation, incomes from Albanians abroad are being sent home, and all of this investment is enabling the destruction and reconstruction of vast areas of Albania, especially the capital, Tirana. Brand new sky-scrapers are seen rising above rural and simple constructions, Christian and Orthodox churches can be seen not far from mosques, and in bars and cafes the great majority are men. On the streets, handcarts selling fruits and vegetables give the impression of an exotic land on the other side of the world, but the espressos served in the cafés (which could compete with the ones made in Italy) remind the tourists where they are. Albania is a nation that has been on the waiting list to become part of the European Union since 2014, and it aspires to the wealth and well-being it sees in its neighboring states.

These are some of the reflections that came to me during this trip, at once both eye-opening and enriching.

Conclusion

The delicious food and overall welcoming and warm population, the beautiful views of nature, the crystalline sea that borders Greece and Croatia, as well as the controversial and incredibly rich history, render Albania an interesting destination to visit. The emerging nature of the country’s economy and the cheap prices make it accessible. But, Albania will not be the same in ten years. Modernity and tourism will have changed its roots. It is wiser to go sooner rather than later.

Albania is a place that is changing right in front of our eyes. It is happening right now. There is a strong wave of modernization being fostered. However, tradition and culture still manage to elbow their way through modern buildings, restaurants and cafès.

Most of all, the spirit of the country and its people really shine through, and that is what I will most remember from this trip. When you travel to a very touristic destination, you almost expect a detached kindness from the side of the staff. What we found in Albania, however, was completely novel: a sincere, genuine warmth and open-heartedness from everyone we encountered on our journey.

These are my takeaways from this trip:

• Don't limit yourself to usual destinations, there is much more to discover that was not already on some famous person's Instagram feed.

• Take the time to look for curious, unusual things both in your travels and in your hometown.

• When you can, engage in exchanges with strangers. Talk to people and learn about the world — this is a fantastic means for finding inspiration and magic everywhere you go.

When I think back to our day in Korçë, for example, I struggle to rationalize it. I feel like it exceeded the temporal lines. It was a magical cocktail of memories and sensations.

There are moments in life when you feel like you are truly living. Not existing, not being alive, but living. It's when you make music and talk to strangers and explore streets and rediscover the magic of humankind. You cannot create those moments artificially. You cannot look for them. You can just welcome them when they come and try to make the most of them.

We can assure you that we definitely did.

To you, our readers, we can only recommend to open your hearts to exploration and to visit Albania!

To many more adventures to come!

- Greta Murgia and Federica Ballardini