The Most Common Mistakes to Avoid when Visiting Albania

Common Mistakes to Avoid when Visiting Albania for the First Time

Albania is a superb place to visit. It is full of dramatic, ancient and recent history, surrounded by beautiful nature and has great weather. The rugged Alps and the stunning beaches are a nature lovers dream. Due to this, and the great value for money, Albania is fast becoming a popular tourist destination. While this little country is absolutely worth visiting, here is our guide on the most common mistakes to avoid when visiting Albania for the first time.

Common Mistakes When Travelling Around Albania

Don’t rush your travel plans! Albania is a small country, so it’s easy to think you can see everything in a few days. However, things don’t always run quite as smoothly as they might in other European countries. Make sure you leave plenty of time to get from A to B.

Don’t miss the spectacular beaches. If you have heard one thing about Albania recently, it’s likely to be about the stunning Riviera. The visual town of Saranda is a superb place to base yourself for your first visit to the Albanian Riviera.

Consider arriving via Corfu if you’re going to explore the Riviera. Tirana airport is the main international airport in Albania. However, it’s not that near the coastal resorts of the Riviera. If you land in the Greek island of Corfu, it’s easy to take a ferry straight into Saranda.

The Riviera is, of course, beautiful. However, don’t miss the rest of this amazing country! The Albanian Alps offer some great hikes with unreal scenery. The is also many great historical sites such as Berat and Apollonia.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Driving in Albania

Ok, a big one – Albanian drivers are crazy and road traffic accidents are amongst the highest in Europe. Be very careful when driving in Albania. Take out full insurance and plan your route in advance.

Avoid exceeding the speed limits as there are a lot of police controls around. And a speeding ticket in holiday is really not ideal.

Make sure you always have your driving licence and the vehicle documents with you when driving in Albania. You never know when you might need them.

One big mistake to avoid in Albania is having a drink, however small, before driving. The limit is 0.0, so not a single drop of alcohol should be in your blood while driving in Albania.

Be prepared for traffic, especially in Tirana. If you are driving in the cities, you should expect traffic throughout most of the day on the main roads. To avoid too many delays, make sure you plan ahead and leave plenty of time for your journey.

Things to Avoid to Stay Safe in Albania

Firstly, and very importantly, don’t listen to the wild myths about Albania’s safety. It is a safe country. Don’t let the reputation in the media put you off visiting.

Avoid drinking the tap water in Albania. It tends to be overly treated, especially in the cities. In the mountain towns it tends to be fine, but we always buy bottled, or filter it, just to be safe.

Most crime happens on public transport. Make sure you keep an eye on your personal belongings, as you would in any city.

Beware of pickpockets. While this isn’t nearly as much of an issue as it is in cities such as Rome or Barcelona, it’s always good to be aware of your surroundings.

Whilst we absolutely recommend exploring parts Albania on foot, you should be very careful when hiking around the hill towns on the northern border with Kosovo. You should take care and follow the signs warning about unexploded landmines and other unexploded ordnance. Demining is ongoing on the Kosovo side.

Avoid any political rallies or demonstrations and follow the advice of the local authorities as there is always a possibility they could turn violent.

Money Mistakes to Avoid in Albania

Most ATMs in Albania will charge you to make withdrawals, unless you use Credins Bank. Exchanging is often cheaper overall so bring some £, € or $ with you.

When visiting the Riviera, especially Ksamil, we would recommend that you check the prices of restaurants, cafes, bars and even sunbeds before you make yourself comfortable. The prices in busy beach areas seem to vary wildly at the moment as people cash in on the huge increase in tourism. For example, an umbrella on the beach can be anything from €8-50 for a day!

Albanian Lek can only be bought in Albania as it is a closed currency. Make sure you have a currency plan to avoid getting caught short.

Avoid paying for things in Euros, even though it may be an option. The rate will not be favourable!

Always carry cash with you in Albania. Things are changing fast but it is still a mainly cash based society.

Some General Mistakes to Avoid when Visiting Albania

Don’t over do the rakia. This potent drink is everywhere and not to be missed in a visit to Albania. However, it is not measured out and the alcohol percentage varies wildly, so go easy!

Dress modestly if you plan on visiting religious sites. This includes covering shoulders and knees for both men and women and women must cover their hair when entering a mosque.

Avoid the hight of summer if you don’t like extreme heat. It can reach up to 40°C in July and August!

Locals are curious and friendly, talk with them! This will only enhance your travel experience.

Avoid thinking of Albania as being similar to it’s balkan neighbours. It is a very unique place in Europe with a distinct culture, history and language. Unlike many of the other Balkan countries, Albania was never part of Yugoslavia.

Avoid sticking to typical Western foods. Try the local food, you won’t be disappointed!

There aren’t many Western chains, don’t expect a McDonalds or KFC on every corner. We think this is a good thing though as there are so many other places to try out.

The Albanian Language

Younger Albanians in the cities speak decent English. It is certainly not an easy language for English speakers. However, any attempt is greatly appreciated by the locals. Here are a few words to try out:

Hello – Tungjatjeta (toon-jah-TYEH-tah)

Please – Ju lutem (yoo LOO-tehm)

Thank you – Faleminderit (fah-lehm-meen-DEH-reet)

Yes – Po (poh)

No – Jo (yoh)

Goodbye – Mirupafshim (meer-oo-PAHF-sheem)

Albania is a fantastic country and we thoroughly recommend that you visit when you can. Follow these guidelines that will help you avoid the most common mistakes and you will have an amazing visit, stay safe and even save a bit of money!

Where to go Next?

Need some more info before you make a decision? Try our PRACTICAL TIPS FOR VISITING ALBANIA. If you have already decided that you want to experience wondaful Albania, you can start by checking out our guides to the capital city, TIRANA, or the costal town of SARANDA.

Final note: Things change when travelling in the Balkans and there is not much information online. We would definitely advise checking with a local where possible. We found people to be really friendly and super helpful.

Have you visited Albania or any other Balkan countries? Are you planning a trip and need more information? Drop a comment in the box, we’d love to hear from you!

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Common Mistakes to Avoid when Visiting Albania