FERGUS ALLAN
None of the countries known collectively as the Balkans has ever made it to first place in any holiday top ten. Although in recent years both Croatia and Bosnia have acquired a sort of cult status on the independent travellers? map, one of the key countries in the region, Albania, has been largely ignored by the tourism industry.
This might have something to do with the well-publicised involvement of some of Albania?s expatriates in more than one illegal activity in Western Europe. However, it is a mistake to judge an entire country on the actions of a few criminals. Let?s face it, if we applied the same logic to Italy, fear of the Mafia would prevent any travel to one of the most-visited countries in the world.
Nevertheless, Albania is probably a destination best-suited to those who consider themselves travellers, rather than tourists. In common with most of the countries that make up the Balkans, Albania is just beginning to wake up to the possibilities afforded by the tourism industry. This has pros and cons for visitors. On the upside, you are going to experience authentic hospitality from a generous people. The disadvantages are familiar to those who travel off the beaten track: buses and trains that don?t follow any timetable, maps which don?t correspond to actuality.
However, the plus points outweigh the minuses. Exploring remote and exciting countries takes time and money, but you can fly to Albania, probably the least-visited country in Europe, in just three and a half hours from the UK. For a small country, approximately the size of Wales, Albania boasts a spectacular variety of scenery. Large mountain ranges beyond the town of Kukes enclose the country to the north and east. During the winter they are carpeted in snow. In the spring, the high mountain meadows exchange the snow for wild flowers and the name given to the northern range, the Albanian Alps, seems very appropriate.
Some parts of the country have been quicker than others to tap into potential tourism markets. With miles of undeveloped but spectacular countryside overlooking the Ionian Sea, the coastal region of Saranda, close to the Greek border, looks and feels like something from a bygone Mediterranean age.
The food in Albania is excellent, combining Italian, Greek and Turkish influences, while the café culture is widespread, with many people spending large parts of the day discussing the latest events over an Espresso.
Despite the welcoming attitude of the Albanians, potential visitors would do well to carry out some research, as finding a place to stay outside the main cities can be difficult. Tourism was not encouraged during the Communist regime, so there was no chance to establish a network of guest houses or inns to accommodate travellers.
However, Albanians are extremely hospitable, often making a visitor feel overwhelmed by the lengths they will go to. The language is difficult, but a smattering of Italian or some enthusiastic sign language can get you a long way.
Since most historical civilisations at one time or another marched through Albania, there are a number of interesting archaeological sites. Butrint, a ruined Illyrian city in the south, opposite Corfu, has perhaps received the most attention. Prominent British businessmen such as Lord Sainsbury have provided funds for its preservation.
The history of the country is fascinating. Occupied by the Ottoman Empire for five centuries, a brief period of feudal "freedom" in the early 20th century was followed by the Italian invasion in the 1930s. The end of the Second World War saw an extreme dictatorial Communist regime take power, with Albania effectively being cut off from the outside world. In 1991 Albania became the last of the Eastern European Communist block countries to overthrow its government. Unfortunately, the western "saviours" were slow to step in and this allowed illegal entrepreneurs to fill the vacuum. During the first six years of the transition the country became captivated by various "get rich quick" schemes such as pyramid saving scams, illegal in the rest of Europe. This finally came to a head in 1997 when the schemes began to collapse and the "investors" went on the rampage. Calm was restored in 1998.
The capital Tirana has recently re-elected mayor, Edi Rama. A former artist, he has come up with a cheap way of improving the visual appearance of the crumbling architecture - paint. The city?s buildings are now coated in a kaleidoscope of colours, however, the changes in the country?s infrastructure are more than cosmetic.
Getting there
Between May and October, the cheapest way to get to southern Albania from Scotland is to take a charter flight to Corfu and then the ferry to Saranda. Outside these months, you may be able to pick up a cheap flight to Thessaloniki in north-eastern Greece and then either fly to Ioannina or take a bus to Korca.
To reach the north or centre of Albania, the cheapest option is to take a Ryanair flight to Ancona or Pescara in Italy and then a ferry from either Ancona or Bari to Durresi.
Flights into Albania are available, but they tend to be expensive.
Scotswoman
Gillian Gloyer wrote the definitive travel guide to Albania after working there.
My first attempt to visit Albania was in 1980, when the country was ruled by Enver Hoxha. Diplomatic relations with the UK had been severed in 1946, yet I hoped to get a visa and cross into Albania from Yugoslavia. Needless to say, the closest I got was the Corfu Channel, where I gazed wistfully at the beautiful deserted beaches of Saranda from the deck of a Greek ferry. By the time I made it to those beaches, Hoxha had been buried, exhumed and reburied, and Albania was struggling to overcome the political polarisation it had inherited from half a century of repression.
I went to Albania in 1998 to work for the National Democratic Institute. In 1999 we launched a training programme with politicians from across the political spectrum. I had the chance to travel extensively around the country, conducting training sessions. I also managed to travel for pleasure; I had been in the country for only a few weeks when I visited the beaches I had marvelled at in 1980. Today, however, six years on, Saranda is a booming tourist resort. I grew to love the medieval castles from which the Albanians had resisted successive invaders and the architecture of historic cities such as Gjirokastra and Berati.
Eventually, my Albanian friends started to comment that I knew their country better than they did and during one of my farewell parties in 2002, one of them suggested that I write a travel guide. Despite the role played in this conversation by bison-grass vodka, the suggestion still seemed a good one the next morning.
Bradt Travel Guides specialises in destinations that are off the beaten track and when I approached them, they had been thinking of commissioning such a guide. The country has a lousy reputation, but it is quite unjustified - it is perfectly safe to travel around (apart from the mad drivers), there are good hotels in almost every major town and the people are friendly and hospitable. My hope is that once visitors get a taste of what Albania has to offer, they will return for more.
Albania: The Bradt Travel Guide by Gillian Gloyer, £13.95
Sat 17 Jul 2004
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