Albania, like its southern neighbor Greece, boasts an azure sea, white sandy beaches, and modern promenades. Similar to Croatia, you will find romantic coves and breathtaking nature. Like Italy, which is only separated from Albania by the Otranto Strait, Albania offers exotic cuisine and excellent coffee. You can also visit UNESCO World Heritage sites here.

Albania as a tourist destination

In recent years, Albania has become an increasingly popular tourist destination, and it's not surprising why. You'll find ancient monuments, a rich history, gastronomy (including excellent wine) representing the best of Mediterranean cuisine, an average of 310 sunny days per year, religious tolerance, and a unique Albanian mentality characterized by unobtrusive hospitality. In addition, Albania is proud of its pristine nature with majestic mountains, natural parks, mountain lakes, rocks, canyons, and four hundred kilometers of coastline - the Albanian Riviera - with beautiful long pebble and sandy beaches and clean sea. The landscape is complemented by picturesque villages with Orthodox churches and cobbled streets.

Travel and infrastructure

Tourism currently accounts for only 6% of GDP, and revenues have fallen by 40% due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, this could be reversed by the newly emerging infrastructure. In support of "elite tourism," the Albanian government also provides preferential conditions for investors in four- and five-star hotels. It also collaborates with international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to implement tourism development projects in the country. Through loans and grants, these institutions are expected to invest around 250 million EUR in the Albanian tourism sector in the coming years. The Albanian government, however, wants to end the era of building so-called tourist villages on green meadows, or rather beaches, which contribute little to the development of the tourism industry in the country.

The government's "100 Villages" program focuses on building tourism infrastructure in traditional settlements in attractive mountainous locations. Czech tourists, in particular, are popular in Albania for their love of mountain tourism. Some already act as volunteers in building tourist infrastructure in mountainous areas. The Albanian government wants to use the Italian and Greek models of support, particularly tax breaks, to support the development of agrotourism. Developing "elite" tourism and agrotourism, as well as potentially a completely new and untapped area of health tourism, are opportunities in Albania for both large foreign investors, including Czech ones, as well as for smaller investors and companies operating in these areas of the entertainment and leisure sector.

Is Albania becoming the "new Croatia"? Albania is becoming an exceptionally popular destination, especially during the summer months and holiday season. In addition to the attractions mentioned above, the fact that tourists do not spend as much money here contributes to its popularity - Albania can offer excellent vacation conditions and is a considerably cheaper destination compared to other southern states. So, instead of Croatian KUN, prepare Albanian LEK and also euros, as most hotels and restaurants accept both currencies due to the relatively long summer season lasting from April to October.

Specifics of Albanian Culture

You have returned from a fairytale vacation in Albania and are seriously considering purchasing property there? Can you imagine spending summer months or even your entire retirement in the picturesque town of Saranda or in the Albanian countryside? Great! That's why we're here, experts with years of experience, whom you can trust to take care of you. We'll be happy to advise you on purchasing real estate and provide everything you need for your satisfaction. But before we get started, let's talk about some essential things you should know before taking such a step. If you're not looking for a house or apartment as an investment opportunity, but you really want to live in Albania, there are certain specifics that you shouldn't overlook.

The first point is quite obvious, but still worth mentioning: long-term life in Albania is completely different from a short summer vacation in this beautiful country. This is mainly due to the different culture, mentality, and customs, which can't be said to be better or worse than ours, but are just completely different. And even though these specifics may enchant you during short Albanian holidays, it's quite possible that you will find them unbearable during longer stays.

Culture and mentality

One of these points is Albanian carefreeness, which is ubiquitous in other Balkan countries. Albanians don't know stress, have enough time for everything, and do things their way. Punctuality doesn't mean much to them, and they usually show up late for meetings, which is, however, accepted and taken for granted by everyone.

Albania is predominantly a Muslim country, but you won't notice it much because religious neutrality is maintained here, and Albanians don't show their faith outwardly.

Food and dining culture are really essential for Albanians. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and they don't skimp on portions and enjoy it with family and friends. You'll find McDonald's and similar fast-food chains in Albania very rarely. Interestingly, Albania has the most restaurants, bars, and cafes per square meter in Europe. Nightlife in Albania is also very rich, and the locals know how to have fun.

Road traffic rules in Albania are not usually followed too strictly, or rather, priority on the road is given according to the current mood of the drivers. Therefore, car insurance is a necessary obligation. In connection with road transport, one more fact is worth mentioning: the most popular cars among Albanians are Mercedes cars, which has its historical reason. At the time when Albania was a very poor country and had only low-quality fuels, Mercedes engines were basically the only engines that could run on local diesel. This tradition is deeply rooted in Albanian culture to this day, and Albanians still have a very positive attitude towards the brand.

Language barrier?

Although English is still not widely spoken in Albania, local people are very friendly and communicative. Tourists are always welcomed with open arms here. When purchasing a property using our services, you don't need to worry about any language barriers, our experts who speak Czech, English, and Albanian fluently are at your disposal. There is also a large community of Germans and Austrians living in Albania, and Italian is the second most widely spoken language. However, Albanians will surely appreciate any effort made by foreigners to learn Albanian, even if it's just a few phrases. Start with these: mirëdita - good day, faleminderit - thank you.

And one more notice: Yes means no, and no means yes. Confusing? We'll explain - just like in Bulgaria, Albanians nod if they disagree with something, and if they like something, they shake their head from side to side. At first, this may seem complicated, and during practice, there may be some funny situations, but you will quickly get used to it. Similarly tricky may seem the vocal expression of agreement: Albanian "po" means "yes" in Czech, but Albanian "jo" means "no".

Albania as a place to live

Although Albania is a beautiful country that certainly has a lot to offer, it is still not the most sought-after destination for foreigners to live. Nevertheless, many foreign companies migrate here, which helps to create new job opportunities, particularly in the areas of energy, textile industry, and transportation infrastructure. As we have mentioned, tourism has also been expanding in recent years and is slowly becoming one of the basic sources of Albania's budget. Nevertheless, agriculture, which employs almost half of the population, remains the main component of the local GDP.

Housing in Albania is relatively cheap compared to the rest of Europe. Many expats invest in real estate, the prices of which are currently very reasonable. Due to the low prices of real estate, food, and household goods, the most expensive item for immigrants is international education (education in state schools is conducted in Albanian) and private healthcare.

Albanian residents and authorities are usually very welcoming to tourists. If a police patrol stops you, it is most likely because they are curious and want to chat with you and find out what you like most about Albania. Locals in villages may invite you for strong coffee or homemade yogurt, and in restaurants, you may be pleasantly surprised by the very nice service or the amount of attention you receive, for which you do not pay.