Ksamil is a village located in Southern Albania and from all accounts is a beautiful hidden gem. Situated along a stretch of the Albanian Riviera, it offers crystal clear waters, secluded beaches and peaceful restaurants. Nearby sights include Syri I Kaltër (the Blue Eye) – a lake where bubbles create colours that look like an eye, and Butrint, an ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage Site…
One hour flight distance from European capitals. Stretches along seashores of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. More than 300km of coastline. Memorable holidays. Unexplored shores. A varying landscape of nature. More than 2700m high mountains. More than 7700 acres of forests. Hidden Valleys. In the heart of mountains, tall-stone architecture, guest houses. More than 3200 plant species. Among Europe’s biggest water resources. More than 500 lakes. 12 National parks spreading across 39% of the country. More than 20 underwater caves. Sport and adventure. More than 5000 years of history. 7 Ancient theatres. Unesco heritage. More than 95 cultural monuments. More than 250 days of sunshine per year. More than 160 castles and fortresses. Fresh bio food. Capital city Tirana is a dynamic vibrant metropol. Youngest population in Europe…
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Why? Why is the question I hear the most. Our long weekend was upon us and my co-workers know that I’m going to go someplace. Where? Many would ask, and then their eyes glaze over at the answer, “Albania”, because it’s a place they do not understand. They politely tell me to have a good trip and they’re off. Some, the curious ones, usually stop, shake the glaze from their eyes to look at me real hard, and ask why…
When we decided to travel to Albania, we had absolutely no idea what to expect. We’d heard a few sound bites about bad roads and transportation challenges and a few vague assertions that it was an inexpensive place to visit – nothing to help us form any good ideas about what we would be experiencing…
One hour flight distance from European capitals. Stretches along seashores of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. More than 300km of coastline. Memorable holidays. Unexplored shores. A varying landscape of nature. More than 2700m high mountains. More than 7700 acres of forests. Hidden Valleys. In the heart of mountains, tall-stone architecture, guest houses. More than 3200 […]
When Nato eventually intervened in 1999 to stop the ethnic cleansing by Serbian forces of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, the UK prime minister Tony Blair was hailed as a hero. As refugees returned to the province, several new parents of baby boys called their sons Tony Blair. For Kosovan Albanians, Tony Blair is more than […]
“Why not give yourself a break from the unending cavalcade of modern high-speed insanity, and rest up with this album of deep soul from Southern Albania.” – Ry Cooder Brazilian Samba, Bosnian Sevdah, New Orleans Jazz, Cuban son – and Albanian Saze! The turn of the last century saw mass migrations to the world’s cities […]
From the Adriatic coastline to the Accursed Mountains, a new generation of chefs is putting a modern twist on the country’s traditional dishes. “Drying our homemade jufka pasta in the sun”, “watermelon jam”, “corn bread and white cheese”, “sucking clover in the meadows”, “omelette with wild fennel”, “fritters with plum and honey sauce”… These are all […]
Have the beach to yourself… Eat superb seafood… Hike through alpine countryside… Explore underground nuclear bunkers… See a living citadel… Drink home-grown wines… Shop for antiques; Just outside the capital, the town of Kruja is famous for being the stronghold of Albanian national hero Skanderbeg during his resistance against the Ottomans in the fifteenth century. […]
