- A seaside resort for lovers of silence
- We rest on the lakes
- Top 3 beach resorts in Albania
The Republic of Albania has been isolated for so long not only from the rest of the world, but even from its closest neighbors in the Balkan Peninsula that it simply could not be considered as a tourist destination. Only in the 80s of the last century, the government changed in the country, and the new leader of Albania preferred the advanced course of reforming domestic and foreign policy to the old prejudices. Now the republic is gradually discovering tourism as a new direction of the economy, and the best resorts in Albania offer their guests a wonderful holiday by the sea.
Don't expect luxury-style comfort from Albanian beaches and hotels, and don't expect too advanced service in local restaurants and cafes. The country is going through a difficult period of formation, and the entire infrastructure, familiar to us on the beaches of Turkey, Greece or Croatia, is still in its infancy in Albania.
But the tourist is guaranteed a clean sea, untouched picturesque nature, environmentally friendly organic food and the hospitality of local residents, who are not yet too spoiled by the attention of guests.
A seaside resort for lovers of silence
Albanian resorts, in principle, can hardly be called noisy, but there are places in the republic where fans of solitude and calm meditative rest will especially like them. One of these resorts is the village of Divyaka in the heart of the Adriatic Albanian Riviera near the Karavasta lagoon. The largest in the country, the lagoon is part of a national park. The main characters of the lagoon's security program are the rarest representatives of the feathered kingdom called curly pelicans. Terns, cormorants and gulls also nest in the lagoon, and watching its inhabitants is one of the reasons why wildlife lovers choose the resort.
The Karavasta lagoon is separated from the Adriatic Sea by a large sandy spit, on which there is a beautiful beach. Several hotels have been built in Divyak, including the quite comfortable and not too expensive four-star Divjaka Resort. In the well-groomed green area of the hotel, there are tennis courts and even a small zoo. If you do not pay too much attention to the status of the hotel, stay in guesthouses or apartments that locals rent out to tourists during the summer season. The beach in Divyak is very wide and gentle, the sand is clean, and the depth starts quite far from the coast - an ideal place for families with children.
The resort can hardly be called promoted, and therefore its guests are guaranteed peace of mind. Even restaurants, which skillfully cook local fish, seafood and all kinds of meat and vegetable dishes, do not break the silence.
We rest on the lakes
Albania has access to three lakes, two of which are well known to Europeans. Their shores are very popular in the summer season, and beach holidays on the Skadar and Ohrid lakes are popular both among the Albanians themselves and among their closest neighbors.
Skadar Lake is located in the north of Albania and the main beach resort on its shores is Shkoder, which is the fourth largest among Albanian cities. In the outskirts of the city, on the shores of the lake, there are several cozy small beaches where you can spend a pleasant time on a hot summer day. The swimming season on Lake Skadar begins in mid-May and lasts until the end of September. In the city, you can rent a hotel room or private apartments, which are offered to tourists by local residents. Shkoder is famous for its historical and cultural heritage. It was founded in the 4th century BC by the Illyrian tribes who founded the first fortress. Later, the Romans were noted in Shkodra, who turned the city into an important trade center. At the end of the Middle Ages, the city came under Turkish rule and for many years remained an important military and political center of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans. Despite the past centuries, the Shkoder Fortress has been preserved very well. On its territory there is a museum exposition dedicated to the history of the bastion and the city.
Another popular resort in Albania is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Ohrid - the oldest and deepest in the entire Balkan Peninsula. Holidays in Pogradec are chosen by fans of a mild climate, due not only to the geographical latitude, but also to the proximity of the mountains. They close the resort from the north winds, and the weather on the Albanian shores of Lake Ohrid is always even and comfortable.
The climate in the vicinity of the lake is ideal for treating diseases of the lungs and bronchi, and therefore the resort is very popular as a therapeutic one. Another healing factor is the mineral water of the springs gushing in the park on the shore. The water in the lake is so clean that even river eels live in it - very fastidious representatives of the freshwater fauna. There are a lot of fish in Ohrid Lake, and therefore the main entertainment of tourists on its shores is fishing. Ohrid trout bite here, which is especially tasty when smoked.
A comfortable sandy beach stretches along the shore of the lake in Pogradec, where many tourists gather on hot summer days. The beach is equipped with sun loungers and parasols. It has a café serving soft drinks and snacks. Some sections of the beach belonging to hotels are fenced off for the needs of their guests, but the public part is also large, and therefore there is enough space for everyone. Among the active entertainments in Pogradec are boat trips and catamaran riding. The boats are offered for rent in the center on the beach. For the younger generation, a water slide has been installed on Lake Ohrid. By the way, the resort is very popular with parents with children because of the smooth entry into the water, which warms up perfectly in the morning.
Top 3 beach resorts in Albania
The coast of Albania, washed by two seas, is very picturesque at any point. The first guests to the beach resorts of the country appear at the end of April, and by the middle of summer the air warms up to + 32 ° С - + 34 ° С. The high temperatures are well tolerated thanks to the low humidity and fresh winds that regularly blow from the sea and bring freshness and coolness. You can sunbathe and swim in the best Albanian resorts until the first days of October.
- The rating of the most popular is invariably topped by Vlora, located directly opposite the "heel" of the Apennine Peninsula at the junction of the two seas washing Albania. The beaches at the resort are covered with light fine sand, the sea depth begins at a decent distance from the coast, which means that a summer vacation with kids in Vlora will be safe and comfortable. The infrastructure of the resort also pleases even very whimsical tourists. There are hotels of various price categories in Vlora: from the "five" with a high level of service, to inexpensive three-star hotels and quite budget hostels. Family tourists often prefer to rent apartments where it is convenient to stay with children, cook their own food, use the washing machine and other benefits of their "home" during their vacation. However, even thrifty holiday-makers cannot resist daily trips to Vlora's restaurants. The establishments are famous for their seafood dishes, which are delivered to their kitchens by local fishermen every morning. The cultural component of a vacation can surpass all expectations, as there are many attractions in the resort and its surroundings, including ancient and medieval ones. History buffs will love excursions to the ruins of the ancient Greek polis and the amphitheater left by the Romans. A walk to the ancient fortresses built by the Venetians will also seem interesting. In the vicinity of the town and in it there are many monasteries and temples with an interesting history and important relics for pilgrims. And finally, just a couple of hours of ferry crossing separates the guests of one of the best resorts in Albania from Italy with its sights and from the Greek islands with their ancient history.
- Even faster you can get to the Greek island of Corfu from Saranda, an Albanian beach resort located in the very south of the republic. Its beaches are washed by the Ionian Sea, they are covered with sand and are great for families. There are few noisy infrastructure facilities in the town, and it itself is not too large, and therefore it is pleasant to spend a vacation with small children in it. There are all sorts of hotels in Saranda - from rather expensive ones, whose facades are decorated with a full set of stars, to small family pensions without regalia at all. Three-star hotels in Saranda are quite budgetary and have everything necessary for the comfort of their guests. Their rooms are air-conditioned, the rooms are equipped with safes, and you can have lunch or dinner at the hotel restaurant. However, guests of the resort prefer to taste local cuisine in establishments in the city. Local chefs specialize in fish and seafood dishes, but meat and vegetables are also present in large quantities on the menu. You can always diversify your beach vacation in Saranda with excursions. For example, a few kilometers from the resort, in the Butrint National Park, there are the ruins of an ancient city, which was built first by the Greeks and then by the Romans. Excavations of Butrint are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. During the excursion, tourists can see an antique amphitheater, ancient Greek mosaics, city walls with gates decorated with sculptural images of lions, an acropolis, residential buildings and statues. In the vicinity of Saranda, there are a large number of natural attractions - waterfalls, caves and canyons.
- As a beach resort, Shengin in northwestern Albania is still developing, but this city on the Adriatic is sure to have a great tourist future. It quickly wins the hearts of fans from different countries and the reason for this is the magnificent sandy beaches and beautiful nature in the vicinity of the city. The list of active entertainment for Shengin's guests invariably includes fishing on the high seas, hiking, beach volleyball and jet skiing and catamarans. The resort's hotels are quite diverse in terms of the range of services offered and their cost. Not far from Shengjin is the Kune-Vain-Tale nature reserve, which forms the Drin River delta and faces the Adriatic Sea. It covers an area of 43, 93 sq. km and includes Kune Island, Kuna Vine Lagoon, woodlands and several ecosystems. Biosystems of Illyrian deciduous and Mediterranean forests are protected in Kune-Vain-Thale. The reserve is characterized by high biodiversity. More than 270 plant species are found in Kune-Vain-Tal, and the animal world is represented by 23 species of mammals and almost 200 species of birds. From Shengin, you can organize an excursion to the reserve and observe the typical representatives of the local fauna. The park looks especially picturesque during the season of migration of migratory birds.
When choosing a resort for a beach holiday, pay attention to the coverage of the beaches. In the northern part of the Albanian coast, washed by the Adriatic Sea, almost all the beaches are sandy. They stretch in wide stripes and are ideal for families with children, thanks to their smooth entry into the water. The beaches of the Ionian coast in the southern part of Albania are usually pebbly, but there are also sandy areas. Some of the sandy beaches in the small resorts of the Ionian Sea are loose. Admission to most of the Albanian beaches is absolutely free, but you will have to rent an umbrella and a sun lounger, if necessary.
