Where is Albania? Geographical location, description of the country. Albania. A lot of useful and interesting information about the country Country Albania

Albania, a state located in the south-east of Europe, in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula.

Albania's borders lie next to countries such as Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, and Montenegro. Albania is separated from Italy by the Strait of Otranto, which is 75 kilometers wide. The capital is Tirana. Albania is washed by two seas, the Ionian and Adriatic. Albania beautiful country, which without a doubt can be called the pearl of the Mediterranean. Picturesque lakes, Shkodra, Presla, Lake Ohrid, are the attractions of this country, some of them are under UNESCO protection due to the fact that they have unique flora and fauna. About ¾ of the entire territory is occupied by mountains and plains.

Amazing nature and the opportunity to combine several types of recreation, both beach and active, attract more and more tourists to Albania every year.

Sights of Albania.

Albania amazing country, and while on vacation it is simply impossible not to see at least some of the wonderful places it has. Conventionally, all the sights of Albania can be divided into architectural, natural and cultural (museums). Tirana Castle, Durres Amphitheater, Rozafa Fortress, Museum of Medieval Art and National History Museum, as well as Mount Dite and National marine park“Karaburun – Sazan”, the “Blue Eye” spring - this is just a small list of those places that simply need to be visited in Albania.

Why is Albania attractive for tourists?

Albania is small, but very beautiful country, with its own history and interesting places. For lovers beach holiday, the season in Albania opens from May and lasts until the end of September. It is during this period that tourists will be able to bask on the magnificent beaches, and even the July heat is tolerated quite favorably there, due to the light breeze. Due to the fact that Albania is washed by two seas at once (Ionian and Adriatic), tourists have the opportunity to spend their holidays on which of the beaches. For families vacationing with children, the Adriatic coast with sandy beaches is more suitable. The Ionian coast, as a rule, has pebble and small-pebble beaches, but the sea is distinguished by its amazing and unique beauty. Many tourists come to the Ionian Sea for diving. For tourists who prefer active holidays, Albania offers the following ways to spend it:

• Horseback riding in almost every resort town, there are horse breeding centers, so it will not be difficult for tourists to book such an excursion and get a lot of unforgettable impressions;
• Mountaineering, extreme view recreation, but quite popular among tourists, it is better for an unprepared person to refrain from it;
• Cycling tourism, ideal for relaxation and sightseeing;
• Rafting, rafting down mountain rivers, of which there are quite a lot in Albania, will not leave any extreme sports enthusiast indifferent;
• Trekking, one of the areas of active recreation, is hiking along the protected and unexplored routes of Albania.

When visiting Albania, note that in this country, nodding your head means a negative answer, while shaking your head from side to side means a positive answer. If you are offered coffee, do not refuse this drink, it is sacred and very loved by Albanians.

Tourists who visit Albania are advised to rent a car for several days, this way they have the opportunity to visit as many attractions and interesting places this small but such a beautiful country.

Albania is a mountainous country in the world, which lies in the west of the Balkan Peninsula on the Adriatic coast

sea ​​separating the country from Italy. Albania borders Serbia in the north and northeast, Montenegro in the northwest, the Republic of Macedonia in the east, and Greece in the southeast and south.

Albania is one of the smallest countries in Europe.

“Albania” means “eagle”. The country received this name because of the majestic eagles soaring above high mountains and lakes of Albania. Farmers grow corn, fruits, and tobacco on the coastal plains, and raise dairy cattle, sheep, and goats on the highland pastures.

Capital of Albania

The capital of Albania is Tirana, which was founded by the Turks in 1614. In 1920, the all-Albanian National Congress proclaimed Tirana the capital of independent Albania. Now the population of Tirana numbers more than 400 thousand people.

Climate and weather

Average temperature air temperature in Albania is +15.9 C. In the coastal regions of Albania, the climate is subtropical Mediterranean, temperate. Summers are hot and dry (from +24 C to +28 C), and winters are mild and humid (from +4 C to +14 C). In the Alpine regions of Albania the climate is continental, with humid summers (up to +10 C) and cold winters (up to -12-20 C).

Sea in Albania

Albania is washed by the waters of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. General coastline is 362 km. On the Adriatic coast of Albania, near the ancient city of Lezha, founded in the 4th century BC, there is the beautiful Drina Bay.

Albania owns several small islands, but all of them are uninhabited. The largest of them is Sazani Island, which is located at the entrance to Vlora Bay. Its area is 5 km. sq.

The coasts of Albania and Italy are connected by the Strait of Otranto, which is 75 km wide. This strait separates the Adriatic and Ionian seas.

Rivers and lakes

Despite the fact that Albania is a small mountainous country, the river flows through its territory. large number rec. The largest of them are the Drin River (285 km) in the north of the country and the Seman River (281 km) in the south. Also worth highlighting are the rivers Vjosa (272 km), Mat (115 km), Shkumbin (181 km), and Bystritsa.

There are several large lakes- Ohrid, Skadar, Bolshaya Prespa and Malaya Prespa.

The area of ​​Lake Ohrid is 358 km. sq. His average depth- 155 m, and the maximum - 288 m. Now Lake Ohrid is included in the list of objects world heritage UNESCO. This lake is even home to 2 species of trout.

Lake Skadar is located not only in Albania, but also in Montenegro. Its average area is 475 km. sq. In 2005 in Albania in the territory Skadar Lake A state reserve was formed.

Lakes Bolshaya Prespa and Malaya Prespa are located at an altitude of 853 meters above sea level.

Official language

The official language of Albania is Albanian, which is a branch of the Indo-European languages ​​and also a descendant of the Illyrian language. Modern Albanian has many borrowings from Greek, Italian, Latin, Turkish, and Slavic.

Religion

About 70% of Albania's population is Sunni Muslim. Another 20% of Albanians are Christians belonging to the Greek Catholic Church. The remaining 10% of Albanians are Catholics.

Emergency numbers

ambulance (17)

When you go on vacation to Albania, you MUST take the minimum set of necessary medications. Albanian medicine is not at the highest level.

fire protection (18)
police (19)
Road Administration (42 23600)
traffic police (42 34874).

Russian Embassy in Tirana: st. Donika Kastrioti, 2; tel. +355-4-225-60-40; fax +355-4-225-60-46;

Time in Albania

All Albania's territory belongs to the same time zone. The difference with Kyiv time is 1 hour. Those. if in Tirana, for example, 9:00 am, then in Kyiv - 10:00 am.

Visa

To enter Albania you need a visa. However, a valid Schengen visa is already a sufficient basis for entry. Visa-free entry to Albania is provided for the period from June 1 to October 31 (if you have a foreign passport).

Currency of Albania

Lek is the official currency of Albania. One lek (international designation: AL) is equivalent to 100 kindarks. In Albania, banknotes in the following denominations are used: 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 5000 lek.

In addition, there are coins in circulation in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 lek.

Albanians do not mind at all when tourists pay them in dollars or euros.

Never change currency “in person”, no matter how attractive the exchange rate may be. Otherwise, you risk becoming a victim of scammers.

Customs restrictions

You cannot bring local currency (lek) into Albania. Foreign currency can be brought into Albania without any restrictions. You can take out up to 5 thousand dollars from Albania, or as much money as the tourist declared upon entering this country.

From Albania it is allowed to export 2 liters of wine, 1 liter of strong alcoholic drinks, up to 200 cigarettes, etc. per person. It is allowed to import any things into Albania for personal use, including jewelry, photo and video equipment. Tobacco, alcoholic beverages and perfumes are allowed to be imported “in reasonable quantities.” It is prohibited to import weapons and explosives, drugs, pornography and any materials that may offend national dignity. To export items made of precious metals, ancient coins and scrolls, antiques and art objects, you must present a document confirming the purchase.

Tourist safety
Albania is very calm country, and staying in it does not require special security measures. It is recommended to exercise household caution in crowded places and keep an eye on your bag and wallet. In general, Albanian society is quite conservative: the opinions of elders, especially men, must be respected and not enter into disputes on topics of religion or politics. It's also smarter to avoid controversial topics like gay marriage and polygamy. Don’t be surprised that even strangers exchange kisses on the cheeks here - these are local traditions. When you see a child, do not forget to compliment the parents (but it is better for girls and women to refrain from compliments). Running water is safe for health, but we still recommend drinking bottled water.

Transport of Albania

You can travel around the country by minibuses, buses and trains. Minibuses, called “vans” here, are the most popular look transport. They are nine- and twelve-seater minibuses painted white and red, setting off when all the seats are occupied. Each city has one or more van stations. The greatest activity there is observed in the first half of the day; in the afternoon the activity noticeably subsides. Payment is made directly to the driver, prices are very low - about 300-500 ALL on popular routes.
Municipal buses are more convenient in terms of travel comfort and depart according to a schedule (which, however, is not so easy to find out). They also run mainly until 3-4 o'clock in the afternoon; it is better not to plan a trip for a later time.
You can travel between cities in Albania by train. The railway connection links Tirana, Durres, Shkodër, Pogradec, Vlora and Elbasan. The busiest traffic is between Tirana and Durres - up to six trains a day, running from 5:30 am until almost 8 pm. On other routes there are 1-2 trains per day. In general, Albanian trains cannot be classified as comfortable, but if you decide to take such a trip, you will be rewarded with stunningly picturesque views outside the window.

Car rental
Car rental is a relatively new trend in Albania. You can rent a car only in major cities, this will require international rights. There are still few local rental companies, but large European ones have already appeared: Hertz, Avis and Europcar, among others. Unless you are a driving guru, it is recommended to entrust this to the locals, for example, by agreeing with the taxi driver on an hourly rate - the Albanian driving style is very chaotic, which, coupled with a large number of repaired and heavily winding roads, is unlikely to be enjoyable for an average driver.

Souvenirs/shopping

We advise tourists to go to small town Kruja, north of Tirana. In this ancient city(now its population is only 20 thousand people) you can buy the best Albanian souvenirs, jewelry and antiques. We recommend buying dolls, ashtrays, toys, olive oil, honey, tea, herbs, spices, alcoholic drinks, mugs, plates, T-shirts, Albanian flags, as well as CDs with Albanian folk music in Albania.

In the cities of Albania, and especially in Tirana, you will find a great variety of souvenir shops and markets offering local handicrafts, national crafts and small memorabilia. Popular Albanian souvenirs include wood carvings, ceramics, traditional embroidery, trays, copper items, pipes and national musical instruments. For drinks, pay attention to Raki grape vodka and local Skanderbeg cognac. Famous wine producers are Luani, Cobo, Aquila Liquori and Gjergj Kastrioti.

Office hours

In Albania, most shops are open from 9.00 to 18.00, and banks - from 08.00 to 16.00. Some stores are open on Saturdays and Sundays.

KITCHEN

Albanian cuisine is a motley mixture of ancient Illyrian traditions with Turkish, Greek and Slavic recipes.

Main courses
The basis of all dishes is meat and vegetables. Here you can try quite traditional shish kebab, chofte meatballs and other familiar dishes. However, local chefs bring their own traditions to many of them.

Popular local dishes include "schumlek" (stewed meat with onions), "ferges" (stewed beef), "rosto-mi-salche-kozi" (roast beef in sour milk sauce), "tave-kozi" and "tave-elbasani". (lamb with yogurt), “kukurech” (sheep liver stuffed with vegetables and meat), “chomlek” (beef stew), stew with potatoes and vegetables “guvech”, “sarma” (a type of cabbage roll), “fargesa-tirana” ( a dish of fried meat, liver, eggs and tomatoes) and even a whole baked sheep's head (a holiday dish), as well as a variety of minced meat pies "romstek", grilled meat with vegetables and other typically Balkan dishes with an obvious Turkish "flavor". The meat is served with rice (“pilava”) and a variety of greens.

Fish also figures prominently in local cuisine, with trout and carp from Lake Ohrid and Lake Shkodër being favored. Sea fish, prepared quite traditionally, is usually an everyday dish.

In the summer, you should try cold “tarator” made from sour milk, cucumbers, grated walnuts and onions, as well as cold yoghurts and cucumber soup - an analogue of our okroshka.

Desserts and sweets
Dessert usually includes oshaf sweets, sweet rice cakes, various sheep's milk puddings, honey cakes and candied fruits. The local ice cream "akullore" has a very unique taste.

Drinks
Albanians drink both Turkish coffee ("cafe turke") and espresso ("cafe express"), and both are brewed stronger than in neighboring countries. Local wines are not particularly well known on the international market, but they taste quite good and are inexpensive, with white wine usually being slightly better than red. "Rakia" (grape brandy) is most often taken as an aperitif, local brandies, anise liqueur "ouzo", various fruit liqueurs and the herbal tincture "fernet" produced in Korça are of good quality. Imported drinks are sold everywhere, including Austrian beer, Macedonian wines and Greek ouzo. Many “local” beers, oddly enough, are also imported from Macedonia.

Tips

Most waiters in Albanian restaurants understand English and Italian. Tips for services in Albania are 10% of the bill.

Cities and resorts of Albania

The largest Albanian cities are Tirana, Durres, Vlora, Shkoder, Berat, Korca, Gjirokastra, and Elbasan. The main port of Albania is the city of Durres, which was founded long ago by the ancient Greeks.

Almost every coastal Albanian city is an excellent resort. Holidays on the Albanian Riviera (an area along the Ionian Sea in southern Albania) are cheaper than, for example, in Croatia. In addition, there are not many people on the Albanian Riviera, which is also an advantage. Albania has a number of spectacular natural sites that attract the attention of travelers - the country's landscape is rich in craggy peaks and picturesque mountains overgrown with dense forest, beautiful beaches under the warm Mediterranean sun and the azure blue waters of the Adriatic. In addition to the beaches of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, Albania has a number of historical attractions to offer, the country's architecture is a motley mixture of many religions, styles and cultures, from monuments of the ancient Greek period to Muslim minarets, from idyllic mountain resorts, many of which were founded by the Romans, to monasteries of all faiths. Relics of one of the most closed countries in Europe in the past are surrounded by citrus orchards, olive groves and vineyards. Dilapidated factories stand next to breathtaking mosques, beautiful Greek orthodox churches may be just steps away from pompous Stalinist-style palaces of culture.

Tirana

Tirana, the capital of Albania since 1920 (the city was founded in 1614), is compact and pleasant to explore on foot. Most tours of Tirana start from the large Skanderbeg Square in the city center, bounded to the east by the heights of Mount Dajti (1612 m). The nearby market is also worth a detailed study - it is unlikely that anywhere else in Europe you will be able to find a real oriental bazaar with all its attributes (including pickpockets). National Historical Museum is the largest and richest museum in Albania, it is located next to the 15-story Tirana International Hotel- the most tall building in the country (a huge mosaic fresco covers the entire façade of the building). To the east of the hotel is the Palace of Culture, which has its own theater, restaurant, cafe and art galleries, and clearly stands out from the low-rise buildings of the capital with its “Soviet” architecture. Along the embankment of the Lana River, south of the capital, rise the white marble walls of the former Enver Museum Khoja ("Pyramid"), which is sometimes used as a center for various exhibitions and in the future will become an international Cultural Center(it is planned to house the largest disco in Europe here). The attractions of Tirana also include the Museum National culture, Museum natural history and a wonderful Art Gallery.

Shkoder

The city of Shkodra (Shkodra, in Italian - Scutari) is one of the oldest cities in Europe and the traditional center of the cultural region of the "Ghegs". In 500 BC. e. the Illyrian fortress lying in its place already guarded the trade crossroads to the west of the city, where the Buna and Drin rivers merge. The city is decorated with the imposing Sheikh Zamil Abdullah Al-Zamil Mosque, and next to it is the Museo Popullo (" Public Museum"), which has an impressive collection of historical photographs, including those showing the country's recent "socialist" past, and also has a rich archaeological collection located on the lower floors. Shkodra was also formerly the most influential Catholic city in Albania, and the majestic Franciscan church on Ruga Ndre Mjeda is now again one of the main Christian churches in the country. The legendary Rozafa fortress is located 2 km southwest of Shkoder, near the southern tip of the lake of the same name. Below the fortress lies the multi-domed Lead Mosque, the only mosque in the city that escaped destruction. during the times

Gjirokaster

Gjirokaster lies 120 km away. south of Tirana, it is a strikingly picturesque museum town nestled along the mountainside above the banks of the Drin River. The city was well known as a large shopping mall already by the 13th century, but the Turkish occupation, which began in 1417, led to its decline. However, by the 17th century the city was thriving again, and was famous for its colorful bazaar, where they sold exquisite local embroidery, oriental silk and the famous Albanian white cheese. Above the Bazaar Mosque, located in the city center, stands the monument to Memedhu, erected in honor of the “renaissance” of Albanian education in XX century. The city is dominated by a gloomy 14th-century citadel, now the Museum of Arms. Also interesting are the Museum of the National Liberation Movement, the Ethnographic Museum, the Mekate Mosque and the old Turkish baths in the lower part of the city.

In Elbasan (54 km southeast of Tirana) the remains of Roman fortifications, a fortress of the 15th century AD, are still preserved. e., which now houses a museum. Also noteworthy are the Turkish baths (16th century), the Ethnographic Museum, the fortress walls of the era of Turkish rule, the Market Gate, the Royal Mosque (15th century), the Orthodox Church of St. Mary, the Catholic Cathedral and the Museum of Guerrilla Warfare.

Durres

In Durres (Duraccio in Italian), 38 km. west of Tirana, interesting ancient city, founded in 627 BC. e. by the Greeks. Roman ruins and fortifications abound in this main industrial city and commercial port of the country, Albania's second largest city. For many centuries it was the largest port on the Adriatic and the beginning of the famous Via Ignatia, which goes all the way to Constantinople. The ruins of Byzantine and Venetian fortresses are still preserved here; from the “Venetian Tower” in the harbor, the medieval city wall goes to the Amphitheater (1st-2nd centuries AD), on the territory of which an early Christian crypt with a wall mosaic of rare beauty was discovered.

Apollonia

12 km. from Fier (100 km south of Durres) lie the ruins of ancient Apollonia. The city was founded in 855 BC. e. Greeks and was an important city-state in the Mediterranean. The Amphitheater, the colonnade of shops of the Roman city center, the Odeon (II century BC), the portico (III century BC) with niches for statues, the “Mosaic House” with a fountain, the Bouleterion (I century AD), fragments of the fortress walls (IV century AD), the monastery of St. Mary (XII century AD) with the Museum of Archeology and the Byzantine church. Not far from Apollonia, on the road to Durres, is the majestic monastery of Ardenika.

Kukes

Kukes, 100 km. northeast of Tirana, lies above the high bank of the picturesque mountain lake Fierza, just below the peak of Mount Galiki (2486 m.). Old town formerly stood at the confluence of two rivers, the White Drina and the Black Drina, flowing from Lake Ohrid, but in 1962 the city was moved to its modern location when the government built a hydroelectric dam and the river flooded its former location. Now this is a very pleasant place to spend a few days enjoying the clean mountain air and the beautiful scenery of the reservoir, sandwiched by steep mountain slopes, and the local hotel "Turismi" is one of the most fashionable hotels, famous for one of the best restaurants in the country.

Butrint The ancient ruins of Butrint (1st millennium BC) lie almost on the southern border of the country with Greece, 160 km. south of Tirana, and is considered the pearl Adriatic coast. Virgil claimed that Butrint was built by the Trojans, but no evidence of this has yet been found, although the site has been studied in detail by archaeologists.

Berat The museum city of Berat (Berateto), located 122 km. southeast of Tirana, known in the 3rd century. BC e. Currently, such historical monuments are concentrated here as a fortress (XIV century) with many tiny churches, the Muslim quarter of Mangalem and the Christian quarter of Goritsa connected to it by a stone bridge of seven arched spans, the “Lead Mosque” (1555), the Royal Mosque (1512), Batchelors Mosque (Bachelors, 1827, today the Folk Art Museum is located here), Alveti-Tekke tomb ("small shrine", 1790), St. Michael's Church (16th century), the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God (1797) and the nearby Onufri Museum (named after the icon painter of the 16th century), the Church of the Holy Trinity (14th century), the Church of the Evangelists (16th century), " White Hall" in which the first independent government of Albania was formed, the Museu i Luftes Museum with a collection on the history of the city and the partisan movement, the Museum of Ethnography on the waterfront, as well as many old houses lining the narrow streets of the central part of the city.

Albania Hotels

Useful information for tourists about Albania, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Albania, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in Albania.

Information about Albania

• Capital: Tirana
• Territory: about 28.74 thousand square meters. km.
• Country code: +355
• Domain: .al
• Network: 220V
• Time: Moscow: -2 hours
• A visa is required to enter

Geography of Albania

The Republic of Albania is a state in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, on the coast of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. The Strait of Otranto separates Albania from Italy. In the north and east it borders with Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, in the southeast - with Greece.

Much of the country has mountainous and elevated terrain, with deep, fertile valleys. There are several large lakes throughout the country.

Popular cities and resorts

State

State structure

State system - democratic republic. The head of state is the president. The head of government is the prime minister. The highest legislative body is parliament (unicameral People's Assembly).

Language

Official language: Albanian

There are two groups of Albanian dialects - Gheg in the north and Tosk in the south. The basis official language Albania has a Tosk dialect, which is spoken by the majority of the country's population.

Many residents understand Greek, Italian and some Slavic languages.

Religion

Albania is the only one European country which has a Muslim majority. Sunni Muslims (70%), Christians (Greek Orthodox Church - 20%, Catholics - 10%) and representatives of other faiths.

Currency

International name: ALL

One lek is equal to 100 kindarks. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 5000 lek of various modifications, as well as coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 lek. There are banknotes of the same denomination from three different issues, differing from each other in appearance.

US dollars and euros are freely circulated along with the national currency.

Albania Map

Popular attractions

Tourism in Albania

Popular hotels

Albanian cuisine

Historical and geographical features, the convenience of the coastline, the favorable climate, and multiple interactions with neighboring peoples had a significant impact on the richness and diversity of Albanian cuisine. Thus, Albanians hold fish and seafood dishes in high esteem, many of which owe their appearance to ancient Greece, Ancient Rome.

Many dishes were introduced by the Byzantines, Venetians, and Arabs. As in neighboring Italy, here you can try crab risotto or brodetto. From Yugoslav cuisine, Albanians borrowed dishes such as čevapčići, raznici, pilaf, and many types of moussaka.

Thanks to the warm climate, corn is grown in large quantities in Albania, which is used both boiled and canned to prepare a wide variety of dishes. In addition, corn is used to produce flour for national dish"target".

Sheep have been raised in the highlands of Albania for a long time. Not only meat is consumed, but also sheep's milk, which has healing properties. It is fermented and added to various dishes, famous varieties of cheese are made from it.

Unfortunately, after World War II, the people of Albania were unlucky with the totalitarian communist regime established there, which had common features with the communist regime in North Korea, which led to the country's economic lag and impoverishment of the population. But when the consequences of these difficulties are finally overcome, Albania united with Kosovo will become one of best resorts peace.

Historical and geographical features, convenient coastline, favorable climate, multiple interactions with neighboring peoples had a significant impact on the richness and diversity of Albanian cuisine. Thus, Albanians hold fish and seafood dishes in high esteem, many of which owe their appearance to ancient Greece and Ancient Rome...

Tips

It is best to leave all tips (10%) and other additional payments after the service, if it was of acceptable quality. But it’s also not worth depriving service staff of tips - many of them work for meager wages, receiving their main income from tips.

In restaurants, tips are usually given directly to the waiter after paying the bill, rather than being left on the table. In a taxi, the easiest way is to simply round up the amount.

Office hours

Banks are open from Monday to Friday, from 08.00 to 16.00.

Medicine

The level of medicine in Albania is low. There is a constant shortage of basic medical supplies.

Safety

You should always take security measures against pickpockets, especially in crowded areas or on transport. It is worth noting that crime still exists, especially theft, so you should be especially careful and not openly display passports, currency, photographic and video equipment, which are objects of high interest for local criminals.

LANGUAGE OF ALBANIA

Albanian has two main forms - Tosk and Ghegian dialects.

RELIGION OF ALBANIA

Sunni Muslims - 70%, Orthodox (Greek Orthodox Church) - 20%, Catholics - 10%. From 1967 to 1990, Albania was the only country in the world where atheism was officially proclaimed at the state level, many churches were converted into theaters and cultural centers. It is now the only European country with a Muslim majority.

GEOGRAPHY OF ALBANIA

The country is located in southeastern Europe, in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. In the north and north-west it borders with Serbia and Montenegro, in the east - with the Republic of Macedonia, in the south-east and south - with Greece. The western border is washed by the Adriatic, the southwestern - by the Ionian seas. Much of the country has mountainous and elevated terrain, with deep, fertile valleys. The country has several large lakes, stretching along the borders with Yugoslavia, Macedonia and Greece. One of them - Ohrid - is the deepest in the Balkans (294 m). Albania is one of the smallest countries in Europe - the total area of ​​the country is about 28.74 thousand square meters. km.

CLIMATE OF ALBANIA

Subtropical Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The average temperature in July is from +24 C to +28 C, in January - +4 C in the north and up to +7 C in the south, the temperature greatly depends on the altitude. Precipitation (600-800 mm per year) falls mainly in autumn and spring. In mountainous areas the climate is colder (frosts up to -20 C), annual precipitation increases from 900-1200 mm. in the east, up to 2000-2600 mm. and more on the windward western slopes of the mountains. At altitudes above 1000 meters in mountainous areas, snow cover lasts for several months. Best time to visit the country - September. The warm season lasts from May to September (July is the warmest month, up to +38 C), but even in April and October weather conditions can be quite favorable.

POLITICAL STATE OF ALBANIA

The government system is a democratic republic. The head of state is the president. The head of government is the prime minister. The highest legislative body is parliament (unicameral People's Assembly). The political situation in the country is quite complicated, Albania is involved in the conflict in Kosovo, there is a fairly large number of independent armed formations on the country’s territory, and the economic situation is quite difficult.

CURRENCY OF ALBANIA

Lek. US dollars and the German mark are freely circulated along with the national currency. Currency can be exchanged at banks and exchange offices, and there is also a free market for convertible currency, which usually operates on the street in front of post offices or the State Bank. Transactions on the street are considered legally legal. Cash is preferable in all cases credit cards are not accepted, the use of traveler's checks is also extremely limited. Some large banks will convert US dollar travel checks into cash without commission, but this is likely to be an exception. Tipping is required almost everywhere, in restaurants - 10%.

ALBANIA TIME

It is 2 hours behind Moscow.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS OF ALBANIA

Albania has a number of spectacular natural sites that attract the attention of the traveler - craggy peaks and picturesque mountains overgrown with dense forest, beautiful beaches under the warm Mediterranean sun and the azure blue waters of the Adriatic. The country's coastlines are magnificent and could seriously compete with Croatia and Italy. In addition to the beaches of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, Albania has a range of historical attractions to offer, the country's architecture is a frivolous mixture of religions, styles, cultures and landscapes, from ancient Greek monuments to Muslim minarets, from idyllic mountain resorts, many of which were founded by the Romans, to monasteries of all faiths. Relics of one of Europe's longest dictatorships are surrounded by citrus orchards, olive groves and vineyards. Dilapidated factories stand next to breathtaking mosques, and ornate Greek Orthodox churches can be a stone's throw away from pompous Stalinist-style cultural palaces.

Tirana, the capital of Albania since 1920, is compact and pleasant to explore on foot. Most tours in Tirana start with a big open area Skanderberg in the city center, bounded to the east by the heights of Mount Dajiti (1612 m), the nearby market is also worth a detailed study - it is unlikely that anywhere else in Europe you will be able to visit a real oriental bazaar with all its attributes (including, attention! !, a large number of market pickpockets).

The National History Museum is the largest and good museum in Albania, you will find it next to the 15-storey Tirana International Hotel - the tallest building in the country. A huge mosaic fresco covers the entire façade of the building. To the east of the hotel is the Palace of Culture, which has its own theater, restaurant, cafe and art galleries, and clearly stands out from the low-rise buildings of the capital with its “Soviet” architecture. On the south side of the building is the entrance to the National Library, and opposite it is the dome and minaret of the Etem Mei Mosque, built in 1793, one of the most expressive buildings in the city, and near the mosque is the Tirana Clock Tower, built in 1830.

Along the embankment of the Lana River, south of the capital, rise the white marble walls of the former Enver Hoxha Museum, which is sometimes used as a center for various exhibitions and in the future will turn into the largest discotheque in Europe. Further south, on Boulevard Deshmoret e Kombit, is the state-of-the-art Congress Palace and Archaeological Museum, which has a fantastic selection of exhibits from prehistoric times to the medieval period.

The attractions of Tirana also include the Museum of National Culture, the Museum of Natural History and the beautiful art gallery. The city of Shkoder (or Shkodra, and in Italian - Scutari) is one of the oldest cities in Europe and the traditional center of the cultural region of the "Ghegs". In 500 BC. e. the Illyrian fortress lying in its place already guarded the trade crossroads to the west of the city, where the Buna and Drina rivers merge. The city is graced by the imposing Sheikh Zamil Abdullah Al-Zamil Mosque, and next to it is the Muzoe Popullo ("Public Museum"), which has an impressive collection of historical photographs, including those showing the country's recent "socialist" past, and also has an impressive archaeological collection. located on the lower floors. Shkodra was also formerly the most influential Catholic city in Albania, and the imposing Franciscan church on Rruga Ndre Mjeda is now again one of the country's main Christian churches. The legendary Rozafa Fortress is 2 km away. southwest of Shkodra, near the southern tip of Lake Skodar. Below the fortress lies the multi-domed Lead Mosque, the only mosque in the city that escaped destruction during the Cultural Revolution of the 60s.

Gjirokaster lies 120 km away. south of Tirana, this is a strikingly picturesque city-museum, spread out on the slopes of a mountain above the banks of the Drina River. The city was well known as a major trading center by the 13th century, but the Turkish occupation, which began in 1417, led to its decline. However, by the 17th century the city flourished again, and was famous for its colorful bazaar, where they sold exquisite local embroidery, oriental silk and the famous Albanian white cheese. Above the Bazaar Mosque, located in the city center, stands the Memedhu Monument, erected in honor of the “renaissance” of Albanian education in the 20th century. The city is dominated by a gloomy 14th-century citadel, now a weapons museum. The buildings of the Ethnographic Museum and the old Turkish baths are located in the lower part of the city.

In Elbasan (54 km southeast of Tirana) the remains of Roman fortifications, a fortress of the 15th century AD, are still preserved. e., which now houses a museum.

In Durres (Duraccio in Italian), 38 km. West of Tirana, there is an interesting ancient city founded in 627 BC. e. by the Greeks. For many centuries it was the largest port on the Adriatic and the beginning of the famous Via Ignatia, which goes all the way to Constantinople; the ruins of Byzantine and Venetian fortresses are still preserved here. Roman ruins and fortifications adorn this major industrial city and trading port, Albania's second largest city. Most excursions start from the Archaeological Museum, which overlooks the embankment near the port. Behind the museum are the walls of a 6th-century Byzantine city built after the Visigoth invasion in 481 AD. e., reinforced by round Venetian towers in the 14th century. Roman Amphitheater, built between the 1st and 2nd centuries BC. e., still looks quite impressive, and stands on a constantly sunlit hillside inside the fortress walls. Old Palace King Ahmet Zog is located to the west of the amphitheater, and in front of him stands a statue of the country's founder, Skanderberg, and, in a sharp dissonance, huge radar "dishes" installed by the Italian army. When you're in the city center, don't miss the Roman Baths behind the Teatro Alexandre Moisu in the central square.

Kukes, 100 km. northeast of Tirana, lies above the high shore of the picturesque mountain lake Fierza, just below the top of the almost bald mountain Galiki (2486 m.). The old town formerly stood at the confluence of two rivers, the White Drina and the Black Drina, flowing from Lake Ohrid, but in 1962 the town was moved to its modern location when the government built a hydroelectric dam and the river flooded its location. Now this is a very pleasant place to spend a few days enjoying the clean mountain air and the beautiful scenery of the reservoir, sandwiched by steep mountain slopes, and the local Turismi Hotel is one of the most fashionable hotels famous for one of the best restaurants in the country.

Berat, located 122 km. southeast of Tirana, it is Albania's second most important museum city after Gjirokastra, and is sometimes called the "city of a thousand windows" due to the many windows in its red-tiled buildings, as if specially oriented "to the sun" to the rays were reflected in the glass. By mountain range, passing above the city, over a rugged gorge, lies a 14th-century citadel that protected small Greek Orthodox churches such as the Cathedral of Our Lady, as well as the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Church of the Evangelists. On the slope below the citadel lies Mangalem, the old Muslim quarter, and a stone bridge of seven arched spans leads to Gorika, the Christian quarter. The city has several fine mosques - the Lead Mosque, the Royal Mosque, the Bachelor's Mosque and the Alveti Tekke ("lesser shrine") where Islamic dervish sects were located. Korca, 179 km. southeast of Tirana, main city oriental style, located on a high (869 m.) plateau near the Greek border, south of Lake Ohrid. This is the largest carpet-making center in Albania, founded by the Greeks. The city's excellent museums include Muzeu i Artet Mesjetar Shqiptar (Museum of Albanian Medieval Art), Muzeu Historik and Muzeu i Arsimit Kombetar (Museum of Education). Many of the old town's buildings were destroyed by earthquakes in 1931 and 1960, which toppled minarets and destroyed many ancient churches, but some of the colorful buildings of old Korca survived, including a 15th-century mosque in the bazaar area, west of the Ilirija Hotel.

The ancient ruins of Butrint lie almost on the country's southern border with Greece, 160 km away. south of Tirana, and are considered the pearl of the Adriatic coast. Virgil claimed that Butrint was built by the Trojans, but no evidence of this has yet been found, although the site has been studied in detail by archaeologists. Nevertheless local residents proudly continue to consider themselves descendants of the glory of Troy. For many centuries since the time of the ancient Greeks, Butrint has been a fortified trading city with its own acropolis, the ruins of which can still be visited, baths and rest houses for the nobility. Somewhat below the acropolis, in the thick of the forest, is a theater dating back to the 3rd century BC. e. Nearby are public baths with geometric mosaics, and a little deeper in the forest is a wall from the 6th century BC. e. with Greek inscriptions and a baptistery decorated with colorful mosaics of animals and birds. Nearby, a large area is occupied by a triangular fortress built by the military leader Ali Pasha Tepelena in the 19th century. The Ionian coast of the country, especially the "Riviera of Flowers" from Vlore to Saranda, has the most beautiful sea ​​shores in this country. Albania has six National Parks, 24 nature reserves and natural monuments, but the protection of all these areas is carried out mainly on paper.

ENTRY RULES OF ALBANIA

Citizens of the EU, Australia, USA, Canada and several other countries do not require a visa. A visa can be obtained either at the consular department of the embassy or when crossing the border by paying the price equivalent to the cost of a visa for Albanians to your country (or 30 - 75 US dollars depending on the length of stay in the country).

ALBANIA CUSTOMS REGULATIONS

The import and export of foreign currency is not legally limited; currency in amounts over 2,500 US dollars must be declared upon entry. The export of previously imported foreign currency is allowed for a year, national currency - no more than 3,000 lek. The import of weapons, pornographic materials and drugs is strictly prohibited, although violations of these rules are often turned a blind eye by customs authorities. Removal of antiquities, including stones from archaeological excavations, prohibited. Free export of copies of ancient works is allowed, which are sold everywhere.

I was a little surprised when I saw that nature Albania quite a bit different from our latitudes. Perhaps it differs only in the palm trees that are sometimes found here. There is a fairly small percentage of people in the country who speak English, which can sometimes lead to difficulties. The biggest advantage Albania are the prices, you can have a good lunch here for a relatively small amount.

Location of Albania

Albania is located in the western part Balkan Peninsula in the Strait of Otranto. Capital - Tirana. Albania's direct western neighbor, Italy, is located approximately 80 km. Most of Albania has mountainous area . About three quarters of its territory consists of mountains and hills with an altitude of more than 200 meters above sea level, the rest consists of coastal and alluvial plains. North Albanian Alps cover the northern part of the country. With peaks reaching 2,700 meters, it is the highest point in the country. In Albania many lakes, the most important of which are the lake Scutari(known in Albania as Lake Shkoder) in the northwest and lake Ohrid And Prespa, located along eastern border. The longest river in Albania is Drin(about 280 km). Other main rivers:

• Seman;
• Shkumbini;
• Vjosa.

Albania has one of the most homogeneous populations in Europe. The largest minorities are Vlachs (gypsies), Greeks concentrated mainly in the southeast, and Macedonians living along the eastern border.

The coastline is great place for relaxation, with its clear, turquoise seas and numerous towns such as Ksamile, Vlore and Saranda, which is located in the southernmost part Albania. Note that the coastline extending north from Vlore to the Montenegrin border is flat and contains many sandy beaches . This is the center mass tourism V Albania. You can also visit sea cities such as Shengjin and Durres.

South of Vlore is located Albanian Riviera, which consists of rocky or gravelly shores with impressive turquoise waters. This area mainly houses villas and family hotels.

Llogara Pass- This mountain pass, located at the beginning of the Riviera, near national park Llogara, which offers stunning views of the Riviera from above - a great place for photos.

For those interested in world history, historical city tours Butrint, Gjirokastra, Berat, will not leave you disappointed.