An Introduction to Albania
A HIDDEN MEDITERRANEAN GEM
Albania, land of the shqiptars, located within barely two hours by plane, is still considered to be one of the last secrets of Europe. It has a warm and sunny mediterranean climate, and over 300km of coast line with sand and pebble beaches on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Combined with a very mountainous dramatic backcountry, rivalling the European Alps, this makes Albania a very diverse travel destination.
A friendly land of contrasts
The Albanians are kind-hearted and very welcoming, as hospitality is deeply rooted in their culture and traditions. A multifaceted location, you can see new and ultramodern skyscrapers as well as Western-standard shopping smalls and a polished city centre in the capital Tirana. In stark contrast, dilapidated buildings and pothole-covered streets are common in the smaller towns. Architectually, the remains of Albania’s Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine as well as Ottoman historical periods are still apparent. Especially Archaelogical Parks like Butrint and Apollonia, or the UNESCO World Heritage towns of Berat and Gjirokaster are a highlight for history lovers.
Rising from the ashes
More recently, Albania has been infamous for its communist past, though. Over 40 years of dictatorship under Enver Hoxha, with the goal to create the perfect communism, lead to the country’s total isolation, even from the Eastern bloc. While the country’s dark communist period and tumultuous transformation to a free democratic society lie only three decades in the past, today Albania is probably one of the safest and most welcoming destinations in Europe. With warm hospitality, a relatively low cost of travel, and a growing infrastructure for tourism, it is an ideal destination for those craving both adventure and authentic experiences. Whether you’re scaling mountains or exploring historic towns, Albania is sure to offer the active holiday of a lifetime.
While the coast faces the Adriatic and Ionian seas, the highlands are backed by the Balkan landmass, thus creating a wealth of micro-climates for such a small area.
Spring
You can start hiking as early as April along the coastline and hills when plum and cherry blossoms cover the roadsides with their pastel-toned blossoms. This, all the way into late May is the best time for enjoying the Albanian Coastal Trail or Hidden Valley Trek in Southern Albania.
May is also when spring starts to arrive in the Alps and most roads are open again. Arriving between mid May and end of June, the hiking season for Northern Albania begins, you can enjoy a wealth of flowers that change every week. Immerse yourself in colorful rainbows of spring flowers, fragrant herbs and beautiful endemic plants like the lilium albanicum on tours like the Alps Explorer. This is also the season for waterfalls and gushing rivers , as often they dry up completely or become little drizzles in August. While it is true that most snowfields will only be gone in midsummer, we believe that snow capped mountains only add to the atmosphere. Be prepared to find snow at medium altitudes till the beginning of June, it still lingers higher up well into July. Well equipped mountaineers who’re not afraid of snow will be able to climb slopes, that turn into vicious gravel fields later in the year, and every descend, no matter if done by foot or ski, becomes a piece of cake.
Summer
July and August are definitely to hot to hike anywhere in the lowlands, they’re best spend roaming the high altitudes. On trails like the Peaks of the Balkans or High Scardus Trail in the North and Northeast, you will find the cool breezes everyone is longing for. Many locals move from cities and villages to the traditional summer pastures in the mountains or the coast to flee the blazing heat that can easily surpass 40°C.
95% of the annual precipitation fall in winter, but the amount varies greatly between highlands and coastline – outside of mountainous areas rain in summer is quite uncommon.
Autumn
September marks a month of suitable temperatures for both Northern and Southern Albania, while October and November hold very cold night time temperatures and more frequent rains in the Alps, but can still be very pleasant for hiking in the South of the country and along the coast.
Winter
Vertical currents at places where the humid Mediterranean air rises to meet the cold continental air mass result in frequent thunderstorms with strong winds and torrential downpours.
The snow lasts to about 100 days per year in mountainous regions, where the snow depth go to more than 2 – 3 meters. The snow line is situated at 1,500 m in the Albanian Alps (compared to at circa 2,500 m in the European Alps).
More info coming soon!
More info coming soon!