Has anyone visited Albania?

[JorisBonson]

Have had to cancel a 3 night trip next month because it was just too expensive, but would still like to go away.

I have an Albanian friend and his photos from home are beautiful. I'm quite taken with Durres - has anyone been? Any dos / don'ts?

We’ve just got home from 2 weeks in Albania (DH is from there). Durres is nice but quite compact. The main beach is maybe not the cleanest, but Kepi i Rodonit is really nice. Also Gjiri i Lalzit. If you venture further south, Dhërmi and Himarë are stunning with crystal clear water.

Thank you @BestOfTimesBlurstOfTimes ! We're going to Durras but it's only for 3 nights to chill.

Never been and never considered it, but Romesh Ranganathan did a documentary about it a few years ago. The mountains looked stunning. You might find it on youtube.

Hotel Epidamn on Bulevardi Epidamn is lovely for drinks, and Rooftop XV bar do a great Aperol Spritz! Some of the Roman and Venetian ruins are currently undergoing repair, so you might not get to see them all properly.
Albania is a beautiful country, but still very rough around the edges, and there is a great deal of poverty. Go with an open mind and you will have a fab time!

@MarmiteCoriander Yes, he went to Theth, right up in the north of Albania. Unfortunately not very doable from Durrës as it (Theth) is very remote. The documentary was great, but I wish he’d gone in the summer, and gone down south!

Is it a dangerous country? Just wondering, given the number of Albanian nationals coming across the Channel and putting in asylum claims here.

Is it a dangerous country?

Not particularly. It’s just relatively poor.

Very safe as everybody knows everybody. Also there's a lot of poverty so they want to encourage tourism. It's very friendly and the weather's lovely. Complete strangers would stop to talk and it was genuine friendliness and curiosity.

No, it’s not a dangerous country. I feel safer in Tirana at night than I do in London.
There are people claiming asylum for genuine reasons, such as blood feuds, trafficking, sexuality etc. Others are coming in an attempt to escape crushing poverty. Yes, that makes them economic migrants, and no, they shouldn’t be claiming asylum, but it is often the only option left to people.
The average wage in Tirana is 230€ per month. It’s a lot less in remote villages. Food, petrol and energy costs are on a par with the UK. Lots of men are leaving and trying to find work abroad in order to support their families, and are falling victim to traffickers.

Unfortunately we're not going this month as planned (long story) but planning a trip to Tirana and Durras next year!