Independent rest in Albania. Tips & Tricks

To travel cheaply to Albania, you need to plan your trip in advance, allocate a certain budget for the trip, and then strictly follow it. Having distributed your finances at home, you will clearly understand what you can spend money on and what you should not.

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Albania is practically unknown to Russians as a tourist destination, and there are objective reasons for this: until recently, military operations took place here. Now, thank God, the situation has changed, and Albania has begun to develop tourism within the country, especially since it has something to offer and something to surprise travelers with. This small state comfortably located on the Balkan Peninsula near Macedonia, between Montenegro and Greece, on the coast of two seas at once: the Adriatic and the Ionian. Here are amazing sunsets, a mild climate, beautiful beaches and low prices, and Albania is also known for numerous castles of different eras and ancient archaeological finds.

Travel planning

For the purpose of travel, it is also better to decide right away, to understand what is your priority: visiting archaeological, historical sights or relaxing at sea. It is possible to combine the beach and excursion programs, but in this case it is very important to correctly lay the route and choose the mode of transportation. Transport system in Albania is not very well developed, and those who have experienced it for themselves are advised to order excursion programs, transfers and rent transport while still in Russia, so that they no longer waste time on the spot, but simply enjoy their vacation. In addition, many Albanians do not speak English at all or speak poorly.

Also, your trip to Albania will be cheaper if you go here not in the high season. In principle, a vacation in this country is already inexpensive, but it will turn out to be even more budgetary if your tour dates fall at the beginning of autumn. In September and October, the sea remains warm, there are many fruits and there is no suffocating heat, there are also few tourists, and prices are lower than in summer. In April-May - before the season - the cost of air tickets and tours to Albania is quite adequate, and the air is already warm enough, and it is quite comfortable in the sun.

Prices peak during the season beach holiday, which here lasts from May to September. At this time, an influx of tourists from neighboring countries, attracted by the cheapness of holidays in Albania, is guaranteed.

How to get there

Difficulty of access is the main reason for the "dislike" of Albania among Russian tourists. There is practically no rail connection with neighboring countries, the bus is better developed, but there are few flights, and buses run on a constantly changing schedule.

There are no direct flights from Russian cities to Albania, you can only get there with transfers. Flights are relatively cheap only with departures from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Also, there is only one in the country international Airport, in the capital city of Tirana. Therefore, the road to resorts and attractions takes considerable time.

To save time and money, it makes sense to determine the final destination of the route before the start of the trip. If you are interested in the resort towns of the south of the country (Ksamil, Butring, Saranda), it is much more rational to fly to Corfu (an island in Greece) and from this island take a ferry to Saranda in half an hour. Also, many travelers first fly to Montenegro (there are more flights, but the ticket costs less), and from there they get to Albania by taxi. Which route will be optimal and cheaper can be understood by comparing prices immediately before the trip, as they differ not only from season to season.

Travel Tips

Prices in Albania for food and housing are low, locals very eager to attract tourists. The main item of travel expenses is the purchase of air tickets and transport within the country. Here are some recommendations:

Buy a package tour to Albania. When comparing budget independent travel and the cost of a similar voucher, the latter will benefit (the price already includes: flight, hotel, transfer and insurance), especially if you buy a tour at the beginning or end of the season.

Travel around the country: transfers, excursions will also come out cheaper if you book them in advance. And before that, carefully consider the routes.

Using our advice, you can save a lot on vacation in Albania, but only there you will have to completely relax and enjoy originality to the fullest local nature, Albanian cuisine and beautiful beaches. They say that in beauty they are not inferior to the Maldives and the Caribbean.

Rest in Albania is one of the most popular tourist destinations among Russians. Previously, residents of Russia did not need to obtain a permit to visit the country in the summer. The rules have changed and a visa to Albania for Russians in 2019 became necessary if the date of departure is later than November 1, 2015.

The flag of Albania depicts a double-headed black eagle, which symbolizes Skanderberg, a national hero who fought against the Turkish yoke and founded the state in the 15th century.

To Albania with visas of other countries

To travel to Albania, a Russian citizen will need to apply for a visa if he does not have a valid Schengen or residence permit in Albania, or the citizenship of one of the states included in the Schengen zone (or a second citizenship of Great Britain or the United States). To visit Albania on a Schengen visa opened by another country, the following conditions must be met:

The permission must already have been used at least once;
The country of first entry into the zone is not Albania;
Stay in the territory for no more than 90 days in a half year;
Have a valid passport (at least 3 months).

In all other cases, a visa to Albania must be issued.

Seasonal features of the visa regime

Every year during tourist season the leadership of the republic simplifies the visa regime. Previously, it was possible to enter the country without obtaining a visa for a period of two weeks. So, last year, 2014, for a trip to Albania from May to October, you did not need a permit, you could enter freely. To apply for a tourist visa to Albania, a Russian tourist needed to have with him:

International passport;
Ticket to leave the country;
Reservation for a hotel room or a rental agreement;
Insurance policy.

The presence of a medical insurance policy and booked accommodation was not always asked when crossing the border.

For 2019, the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania dated June 10, 2015 No. 487 established a tourist visa-free period from June 1 to November 1, as reported on the website of the Albanian Embassy in Russia. The key condition is visiting the country solely for the purpose of tourism, private travel or transit. The period of stay without a visa to Albania for Russians is up to 90 days. Valid passport validity lines are not less than 3 months at the time of the trip.

Types of visas

Albania, depending on the length of stay, issues permits of two categories: C and D. According to the frequency of stay, Albanian visas of category C are divided into:

Single use;
double;
Multiple.

Required documents

To obtain a classic short-term permit of any multiplicity, you need to prepare the following documents:

Passport valid for 6 months;
Questionnaire, which is filled in block letters in Russian and personally signed by the applicant;
One photograph, 3.6x4.7 cm in size, taken against a light background;
Proof of residence;
To the right from the place of work about the amount of salary or a guarantee letter from the sponsor or a certificate from the bank on the state of the account;
A copy of the insurance valid for the entire stay in the country;
Students - a copy and original student card;
Pensioners - a copy and original of the pension certificate;
For invited persons - an invitation from an Albanian resident.

Proof of residence can be:

Original or fax copy of the guarantee of the hotel or hotel in Albania (certified by the seal and signature of the owner or manager);
Housing lease agreement with a citizen or legal entity resident in Albania;
Documents on the right of ownership;
A letter of guarantee on the provision of housing from the inviting party.

A certificate of employment must contain the details of the employing organization, the amount of salary and the name of the position held.. The document must be signed by the head and accountant, certified by a seal. Bank statements are subject to the standard rules for paperwork. When submitting a letter of guarantee from a sponsor, confirmation of the financial condition of the sponsor's person and his details will be required.

Fiance visa to Albania

If documents are submitted for obtaining a fiancé visa to Albania, which gives the right to stay in the country for more than 90 days, then you need to prepare additionally:

Invitation from future husband/wife;
Birth certificate;
Certificate of no criminal record;
A certificate stating that the person is not married;
Insurance policy for 12 months;
Passport and code of the groom / bride from the Albanian side.

Registration process

If you need a visa to Albania, based on the purpose and period of the trip, then to obtain it you need:

Prepare the necessary documents;
Apply in person or through a representative to the Consulate at the Embassy of Albania in Moscow;
Hand over papers by paying for the service;
Come on the appointed day and get your passport ready.

The issuance of permits for traveling to the republic occurs relatively quickly and without problems, the country's leadership in every possible way contributes to the development of tourism. Submission and receipt of documents through an intermediary is allowed. To do this, you will need to issue a power of attorney to represent the interests of the applicant at the Embassy.

Obtaining a visa to Albania at the border

To apply for a short-term tourist visa to Albania at the border, the candidate must:

Be in a tourist group;
Enter the country from Montenegro or Croatia.

To obtain such permission, you must provide:

Passport and its copy;
A notarized copy of the tour operator's license;
Confirmation of the tourist purpose of the visit, for example, a purchased excursion voucher.

Visa to Albania for children

Children need a visa to Albania if they enter the country outside the visa-free period, or if their stay in the country exceeds 90 days. To apply for a child visa to Albania, you will need the following documents:

Original birth certificate and a notarized copy;
Copies of parents' passports;
Permission from the parent remaining in the Russian Federation to take the child out of the country (if any).

The permission is prepared in the name of the person who will follow with the child. Mandatory notarized power of attorney.

If the accompanying person is not the father or mother, then such permission must be from both parents. If it is impossible to issue a power of attorney, for example, upon the death or deprivation of the rights of one of the parents, it is required to confirm the reasons.

Transit through Albania

During the summer period, Russians do not need a special visa to cross the country in transit. At all other times, a Category C short-term permit is required. Allowed visa-free transit if you have a Schengen, English or American visa used at least once.

If the transit comes from Croatia or Montenegro as part of a tourist group, then the transit visit is documented directly at the border.

Albania visa cost

The amount of the consular fee for issuing an Albanian visa depends on the type and multiplicity of the permit:

Category C			Category D
Single	Double	Multiple	Category D
30€	50€	50€	50€

Payment of the cost of obtaining a visa is carried out in rubles, according to the euro exchange rate on the day of submission of documents.

In case of refusal, the money will not be returned.

Terms of registration

In most cases, you do not need to apply for a visa to travel to Albania, but if the need arises, the applicant's documents will be considered in as soon as possible. The standard visa opening period is 7 working days, excluding Russian and Albanian holidays.

Validity periods

Visas issued to visit Albania can be of two types: short-term and for a long stay in the country. Usually a visa is issued, valid for one year. Permits issued at the border by tourist groups are valid for 72 hours from the date of issue.

Albania visa denied

It is extremely rare that they can not give a visa to visit the country. The reasons for refusing the Consulate must be very serious. Examples might be:

Violation of law and order during past trips;
Deception of the Embassy staff;
Being blacklisted;
Incomplete package of documents.

Quite recently, our compatriots knew very little about Albania. Basically, knowledge about the country hung on its geographical position. Nevertheless, this state is located in the very heart of Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula and borders on Montenegro, Greece, Macedonia and Kosovo. A few resorts in the country can offer holidays on the shores of clean and beautiful seas, the Ionian and Adriatic. It was because of the long isolation that the world was unaware of the culture and history of the state of Shkoder (that is the name of the country in Albanian). And even though the tourism sector is just beginning to develop here, Albania may well surprise tourists now with its nature, long clean beaches, huge mountain ranges(in the east of the country) and insanely beautiful mountain rivers. Many experts in the field of tourism foresee the rapid development of the tourism service sector in the country, since its territory has absolutely everything for an excellent holiday for people, if not from all over, then from all over Europe. Her advantage geographical position allow you to get here by car from any European state in 2-3 days, and the flight by plane does not take more than three hours.

The locals are very hospitable and a bit rustic. People in small towns are not spoiled by the attention and money of tourists and are ready to provide services for a fee that compares favorably with the prices of neighboring countries. Here, every tourist is given a lot of attention, pampered with delicious food, pleasant... read more

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Albania weather map:

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Prices for holidays in Durres. June 2014.

tour cost

The tour to Albania included flights, transfers and accommodation. Flight to Tivat (Montenegro), transfer to Albania, accommodation in apartments near Durres on the territory hotel complex almost on the seashore. The tour was purchased for 10 days, for 3 people (2 adults and 1 child 14 years old) and cost $1,050. Meals were not included. Visas to Albania are not needed, which is also a big advantage over the rest of Europe. The agency made a decent discount, due to the fact that this direction is new and not fully understood. And we, as lovers of interesting, new and, most importantly, budget holiday this was a very good option. The group to Albania was not very large (3 families), a small number of our compatriots were already resting on the date of our arrival. Moving to Albania took about 4 hours, but the organizers tried to make this train interesting and not tiring: on the way to Durres, our guide (an Albanian who studied in Dnepropetrovsk) conducted an introductory tour: starting from Montenegro, on the way to our place of residence with small stops and photo opportunities. Those. for the laziest travelers, Albania could be seen on the way from the airport and back.

Olya Shukailo, 29 years old.

All his life he lives at one address in Minsk. In 2008 I visited Poland for the first time with a group of reenactors and realized that I love to travel. In 2010, I fell in love with a photo of Gdansk, but I couldn't find a company and had to go alone. Having learned the thrill of solo travel, he continues to do so whenever possible. Increasingly, the question is whether to take a camera with you or still get by with an iPhone.

Why Albania?

Albania is mysterious and unpopular. Even a little wild. Especially if you go there alone. Albania - a good choice if you are traveling in the Balkans, for example on the way from Macedonia to Montenegro or vice versa. It is also a country with interesting history, rich in nature and unusual architecture. Having enlisted the support of friends at the counter of the "Central" in the spirit of "Yes, they will cut out your kidneys there" or "Did you buy a veil?", I began to look interesting places in Albania on Instagram. And I found so many of them that I have to go there a second time. Although I confess, a couple of days before the departure, doubts crept in: should I go to Serbia instead of Albania? But the desire to send a postcard with the words "I could!" turned out to be stronger.

We went by car from Ulcinj (the most Southern City in Montenegro on the coast). Initially, they were going to go through Podgorica to Shkoder, but in one of the guidebooks I saw a direct road from Ulcinj to Shkoder.

I asked the locals - they said that the road is good, you can go without problems, but it’s better not to go there at all. Looking at my determination, they advised at least not to leave the car, since with someone else's numbers a new car can quickly be stolen. Poles lived in the apartment next to us, and asked if they had been to Albania. It turned out that they were. They confirmed that the road from Ulcinj is good, but the road from Podgorica to Shkoder is very bad.

They also warned that at the entrance to Shkodra there is a one-way bridge, that is, you can only go in one direction, and on the other hand, they wait for the flow to end and only after that they begin to move in the other direction. So, they recommended that at this moment, while you are waiting for your turn, all doors and windows should be closed, because there are crowds of children who climb into cars and steal everything they can reach.

We left in the morning following the signs to Vladimir. There are only 2 roads to the south from Ulcinj - to Ada-Boyana and Vladimir.

Very quickly we reached the border of Montenegro-Albania from the side of Montenegro, the border town is colorfully called Sukobin. A queue for 3-4 cars, checking passports and documents for the car, and in 10 minutes we go through border control.

Since I didn’t find any clear information about the procedure for crossing the Albanian border, I prepared in advance as best I could, especially since people shared information that they didn’t let someone in a car, someone only with a group, and someone not at all. I printed a page from the website of the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about visa regime kindly provided in the ru_travel community, introduced the coat of arms of Albania there, highlighted the headings and text in different fonts, came up creatively in short, in the end it looked almost like an official document for the border guards. NOT NEEDED!

On the Albanian side, the border town is called Muriqan. Having passed this town and another 10 kilometers, I began to strongly suspect that there would be no Albanian control. And so it turned out - the border control of Montenegro-Albania is a joint point.

About navigationThere is no electronic map of Albania! paper card I have not seen Albania - but I suspect it does not exist either. There are main roads - without detailing. I drove using iGO, which knows only 2 roads, from Shkodra (Podgorica) to the center of Tirana and from the center of Tirana to the port of Duress.

That? that there are a lot of Mercedes on the roads - it's true. Not 90 and not 100% of course, but a lot.

From wrecks to turbocharged compressors and everything with them for a lot of money. Especially in Tirana. But in percentage terms, not Moscow, of course.

There are traffic cops on the roads. I once blinked before an ambush with a radar, very handy. But I was surprised that only one of the 10 cars blinked.

Either they don’t accept this, or perhaps severe sanctions for this, or they didn’t like my numbers (Croatian) with a sticker (RUS) - (how can you see all this from afar in motion?) - I don’t know in a word, but the fact is in that the warnings are not very active, to put it mildly.

From the border control to Shkodër - only 30 km, from Shkodër to Tirana another 100 km.

The road is normal by Russian standards, you can drive, in many places repairs are expanding the road and making 2-3 lanes in each direction. In 2 years I think the ride will be much nicer.

Kilometers for 20-30 to Tirana there is a road junction. According to iGO, you need to go to the right, get to the road to Durres and go to Tirana along it. But the sign shows that you need to go straight. I followed the sign straight ahead and got to the very center. By the way, google already knows this way, discovered it when I returned. Didn't know about the summer.

Tirana

We were in Tirana on a weekday, in the very center. Achtung traffic, but they climb more and more brazenly than ours and beep a lot in the manner of the Arabs (but less still). Despite the fact that there are signs everywhere, everyone who is bolder climbs on the rings. But again, our people can go, here you wait / cut, you slip through there, they cover here. Nothing really supernatural. The only thing you have to be more careful, because it is in this country on a rented car that I have a hard time imagining the disassembly and the consequences of an accident. Considering that no one speaks English.

Parking in the center is unrealistic. Spinning three circles around central square and the county found two taxi ranks. Parked there. As soon as I got out of the car, the men from the newsstand began to actively explain to me in Albanian that I had parked the car in a taxi stand and that I shouldn’t do it and it would be very bad. Then one saw a RUS sticker on the bumper and said - well, you are Russian - you can, OK, in short. Despite the fact that we were warned about the likelihood of car theft, no one wanted to stay in it. We left the car and went to see the sights.

We looked, took pictures, bought souvenirs. The city is noisy, everyone is making noise, running somewhere, throwing themselves under the wheels. Walking around the center decided to slowly get out. Fortunately for me, the car was still standing still two hours later. We plunged and along the "Durres highway" moved towards the coastal Durres. The Tirana-Durres road was built by the Italians 30 years ago and is in excellent condition. 2 lanes in 2 directions with reinforced concrete separator. Free. Despite the fact that at that moment a terrible downpour began, I tumbled 140-150 on it on my little Chevrolet Aveo, overtaking MLs and other compressors. Duress is only 30 km away.

duress

large port and resort town. Since there is no map, before the trip I just recommend to see how it looks through Google Earth. The highway goes all the way to the sea and then a roundabout to the port (we don't need it - although someone might need it) and to the resort coast. It is on this embankment that the entire center of local tourism is located, many hotels and houses and a narrow beach with sand, but very long.

The group was hungry, it was decided to go somewhere to eat. In the first place they encountered a problem - only Albanian and Italian. The situation is the same in the second place. And the same in 2. Sat down - menu in Albanian and Italian. Decided not to experiment order pizza. In Italian, in principle, you can understand what tomatoes are and some other things. With tea and dessert it was a little more complicated. Intuitively, I understood several times what the waitress wanted from us in Albanian, after which she mistook me for a person who actually understands Albanian, but pretends not to understand. And in a provocative way she spoke to me in Albanian slowly with good diction and with hope all the time looked straight into my eyes in search of a spark of understanding. I answered her - "yep, okay" - and everyone was happy.

Durres is a resort for Albanians and Italians. Which, as I understand it, are very much loved here. And also for Kosovo Albanians. Indeed, as someone wrote, there are really inscriptions on the walls of Kosova. Cafes and hotels - Kosova, Prishtina and declensions with these words. But I did not see aggression, I did not feel anxiety. In the summer, life here is definitely in full swing, maybe everything is completely different. September, of course, is not the season at all there, all the buildings on the beach are being folded, there are practically no people. But the water is much warmer than in Montenegro and Croatia at the same time. We wandered a little around Durres. Hanging out on the beach. Personally, I wanted to stay here for a day, but the women didn’t really like it there and moved back towards Montenegro in the evening.

At the exit from Durres on the highway it is not clear why (the repair of the road ended) there was a sign 40 - I drove at least 90 for which I received a go-ahead from the traffic cops. I started to stop and drive up to them on the side of the road - seeing my Croatian license plates, and quite possibly the RUS sticker - both, without saying a word, began to actively wave - drive, drive. For myself, I concluded that the sticker helped again.

The way back is no problem. The only thing I can warn about is the culture of driving. If a car rushes head-on in the opposite direction, this does not mean that the driver has everything under control and he definitely has time to complete the maneuver. rather, on the contrary, you just need to slow down and go a little towards the side of the road. Such moments are constant, in principle, it's okay, you just need to keep in mind.

During the entire trip, we did not meet a single European number, except for Italian ones, everyone else, except us, seems to know more about Albania and do not go there. There are many Italian numbers, and it is felt that the Italians are very aggressively pouring money into the Albanian economy.

Everyone looked with great interest at our sticker and the people inside the car with cameras and cameras, in the eyes of the traffic cops, the desire to stop us just for the sake of talking was more than once read, since the representatives of law enforcement still restrained themselves from this.

On the way back, on the above-described bridge in Shkodër, they personally saw how the children jumped onto the footboard of a large truck and pulled something out through the window and ran away from the apparently non-local Albanian driver, stunned by surprise.

On the road in the morning heavy rain and there were no children. From Shkodra to the border is another 30 km and in small settlements you can buy souvenirs if you forgot or decided to buy something else.

A hint for souvenir hunters, if there is no desire to go inland, it is enough to cross the border, go deep for 5-10 km, buy a T-shirt with the inscription Albania and quickly return. It’s completely safe for yourself, but at home you can tell anything you want.

Going to Montenegro, the same checkpoint and another seal and another 2 euros were asked.

I also forgot - when entering Albania, they gave me some kind of paper on the car and prescribed a completely different person from our company as a driver. This is to the question of how carefully people are checked in passports and in reality. Passed it on return.

Here is such a short trip to Albania.

A summary of the myths on the Internet and comments from myself (an exclusively subjective view, of course).

1) 99.9% of Albanians do not know any other language than Albanian - the absolute truth. Italian is also known on the coast and in the tourist industry.

2) the dominance of the Kosovo Albanians - did not notice

3) driving is not very safe - but it is quite acceptable and sometimes even very familiar.

4) they treat Russians well - it’s true, although I haven’t seen crazy joy in the eyes of like Arabs, but at least never aggressively, that’s for sure. RUS stickers at least did not hurt, but definitely helped a couple of times

5) Tirana is a must-see - in my opinion, no

6) Durres is a must to visit - if you lie around for a few days, then it is quite possible, at least unusual. If possible, I would spend more time there.