Albania Travel
With its doors closed to the world until the end of the 20th century, Albania, home to enticing history, gleaming coastline, ruffled hills, and collection of fascinating Ottoman-era citadel towns, has always been Mediterranean Europe's enigma, a blurry dot on travel maps. However, with the end of an oppressive communist regime in 1991, Albania swung open its gateways to a land of enchantment.
Albania is a nation in Southeast Europe on the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea, sharing borders with Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Greece. It has a landscape varying from the snow-capped hills in the Albanian Alps, Korab, Skanderbeg, Pindus, and Ceraunian Mountains to the hot and sunny shores of the Albanian Riviera along the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea.
Historically, many civilizations have populated the nation, such as the Illyrians, Thracians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans. The Albanians established the self-governing Principality of Arbër in the 12th century. The Kingdom of Albania and the Principality of Albania has been formed between the 13th and 14th centuries. Before the Ottoman conquest of Albania in the 15th century, the Albanian resistance to the Ottomans led by Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg won them recognition across Europe. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, Albanians gathered both spiritual and intellectual strength, which effectively led to the Albanian Renaissance. After the loss of the Ottomans in the Balkan Wars, the contemporary country state of Albania arose in 1912. In the 20th century, the Kingdom of Albania was annexed by Italy, which formed Greater Albania before being a protectorate of Nazi Germany. Enver Hoxha brought Communism to Albania after the 2nd World War and led the Albanians on a path of oppression and decades of seclusion. The Changes of 1991 wrapped up the fall of communism in Albania and eventually the establishment of the current Republic of Albania.
Through this series of articles, I intend to share our stories and experiences of traveling across Albania with our fellow photography and travel enthusiasts. I hope they help you plan your travels across this beautiful country!
With its doors closed to the world until the end of the 20th century, Albania, home to enticing history, gleaming coastline, ruffled hills and collection of fascinating Ottoman-era citadel towns, has always been Mediterranean Europe's enigma, a blurry dot on travel maps. However, with the end of an oppressive communist regime in 1991, Albania swung open its gateways to a land of enchantment.