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CountryOnlineFind.com > Reception >
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Albania (AL) |
| Continent: |
Europe |
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| Surface: |
28.748 km ² |
| Inhabitants: |
3.540.000 |
| Capital: |
Tirana |
International banking code (ISO Codes): |
Al |
| Official language: |
Albanian |
Code: |
+355 |
| Currency: |
Lek |
Number plate: |
Al |
| Routes of Albania: |
282 |
Routes towards Albania: |
265 |
| Preferred airports: |
Tirana (TIA) |
| Principal cities: |
Tirana, Durrës, Elbasan, Vlore, Shkoder, ((Proud-Çifçi)), Korçë, Berat, Lushnjë, Kavajë, Lake, Gjirokastër, Patos Fshat, Krujë, Lezhë |
| Airline company based in Albania: |
Beautiful Air, ADA Air Albania, Albanian Airlines |
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Tourist guide Albania (Europe) |
The republic of Albania is a country of the south-east of Europe having of the common borders with Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Greece and a littoral of 362 km on the Adriatic Sea and the sea Ionienne.
Geography: Albania is one of the smallest countries of Europe. It is stretched on approximately 345 km of North in the South and, on only 145 km of Is in West. The country presents a very mountainous relief since nearly 70% of the territory are occupied by mountains whose average altitude borders the 700 Mr. In North draw up the Albanian Alps in which the culminating point of the country is, while in the center, the landscape alternates mountains and high plateaus. The lowest grounds are on the Adriatic coast between Shkodra and Vlora along which the ground is fertile but also very marshy. On the littoral of the Ionian sea, the relief is very mountainous with several tops exceeding even the 2.000 Mr.
Relief and river: the culminating point of the country, the Korab Mount, is drawn up with the altitude of 2.764 m on the border with Macedonia. The longest river, Drin traverses the country on more than 282 km before being thrown in the Adriatic Sea. The country also has three big lakes, the Lake Skhodra, the Lake Ohrid and the Lake Prespa.
Climate and period of voyage advised: Albania presents a climate of the Mediterranean type characterized by soft and wet winters and hot and dry summers during which the temperatures can rise until 40°C. Because of the differences in relief, one also observes marked enough differences in climate. Thus, when one penetrates towards the interior of the grounds and more high-altitudes, the climate becomes rather continental having a greater amplitude of the variations in temperatures with cold winters and moderate summers. Lastly, it should be noted that for a Mediterranean country, Albania presents a rather high pluviometry.
Official languages and spoken languages: the official language is Albanian. Albania is one of the countries in the world whose population is most homogeneous since 94% of the population consist of Albanian of stock. One nevertheless finds there two great ethnicities, the guègues which live in the north of the country and the tosques ones which them lives in the South. These two groups speak each one their language, but can be included/understood.
Health and vaccinations: even if Albania has very good doctors, it does not have, far is necessary some, the medical infrastructure of other European countries, this is why it is strongly recommended to contract a good insurance health repatriation for the most serious cases. It would be also more advisable to be provided with a first-aid box of voyage filled well because it reigns in the country a rather general shortage as regards drugs.
The cases of viral hepatites being extremely frequent, it are appropriate to avoid drinking tap water.
Conditions of entry on the territory: for one duration of stay envisaged lower than 30 days, the French nationals must since June 14th, 2006 only present one national card of identity or a valid passport. Obtaining a visa is necessary only for one stay one duration envisaged higher than 30 days. The request for visa can be done near the embassy from Albania to Paris.
For further information concerning vaccinations, the conditions of entry and the security instructions, you can, for example, to consult the site of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Travel and transport: at the present time, there do not exist direct flights bound for the international airport of Tirana-Rinas (TIA), but several international companies propose flights with a stopover at the beginning of Paris (CDG), among which Lufthansa (LH) whose flights make a stopover in Munich (million u.a.), Adria Airways (JP) whose flights make stopover with Ljubljana (LJU), Alitalia (AZ) with a stopover in Rome (ROMANIAN) or Malev Hungarian Airlines (MY) with a stopover in Budapest (BUD).
The capital: extended on a plain between the Dajti Mount and a landscape of hills and crossing by Lana, the town of Tirana, practically located at the center of the country was founded in 1614 and is since 1920 the capital of Albania. The city saw these last years its population increasing very quickly, the estimates lying between 600.000 and 1.000.000 million inhabitants, which involved many problems among which a relatively wild town planning and an alarming pollution. A project of town planning and refitting is however envisaged which proposes inter alia emphasizing the place of Skanderbeg and to decorate the town of green areas and palm trees to raise its Mediterranean aspect. While waiting, the city offers right now interesting visits, among which one can quote the Tower of the Clock and the only mosque of the city, the Mosque And' hem Bey decorated with splendid frescos, a cupola and a high minaret of which one can enjoy a splendid panoramic sight. The city has also some theaters and places of exposure such as the National museum of history, the Pyramid, and the Opera and the Palate of the culture all two built in Soviet style. The city was resolutely modernized and one finds there today many shops and many coffees in which one can taste a convivial environment.
Tourist sites and places of bathe: Albania, destination so far few appraisal tourists because of his animated recent history, has very large tourist assets to however allure the travellers. It can be enorgueillir of a splendid nature of a great diversity, high summits of the Albanian Alps while passing by the very beautiful coasts of Riviera and also has an historical heritage and archaeological of very first importance.
Saranda is a port city as well as a very appreciated seaside resort, located on the coast of the Ionian Sea and which one can join the island of Corfou, located at only three kilometers.
Not far from the city is the archeological site most famous of Albania, the ruins of Buthrote (Albanian Butrint). Founded into 167 before J.C by Illyriens, the city was then occupied by the Byzantine empire then by the Republic of Venice before being abandoned with the Middle Ages. The ruins, redécouvertes after the second world war since 1992 are classified with the inheritance of UNESCO. In a sumptuous natural decoration, one can admire there inter alia a splendid ancient theater, Roman thermal baths and a basilica dating from the 6th century.
The town of Dürres, located on the Adriatic coast at about thirty kilometers at the west of Tirana is the second more important city of the country and its larger port. Founded into 627 before J. - C by the Greeks, his strategic position was worth to him to become an important city of the Roman Empire. From this Durres time preserved an amphitheater built at the 1st century, largest of all the area of Balkans and Roman province of Macedonia. Today, the site is in full center of the city and is remarkably preserved.
Apollonia, it so rested by the Greeks into 588 before J. - C is located not far from the current town of Vlora. Just like Durres, the city represented an important port, for the Roman Empire, in particular for the trade of the slaves. The city started its decline at the 3rd century and summer supplanted by the city close to Vlora. The 18th century will have to be waited so that archaeological excavations are undertaken. Unfortunately, the old city was damaged during the second world war, then, which is today the largest archaeological park of the country was the subject of repeated plunderings. The excavations are at the present time still not finished.
If Albania can enorgueillir itself of splendid vestiges of ancient cities, it conceals also very interesting monuments dating from the Middle Ages.
The town of Kruja, located at forty kilometers in the north of the Tirana capital is one of the more good examples. Main city of the Kingdom of Skanderbeg during the Othoman occupation, the city shelters a fortress still inhabited nowadays and traversed small picturesque paved lanes. The city lodges the ethnographic museum richest of the country as well as a museum dedicated to the Skanderbeg national hero.
In the town of Shkodra, the most important city of the north of the country, draws up the imposing citadel of Rozafa, one of preserved best country the top of which a panoramic sight on the city and its neighborhoods is offered.
The citadel of the town of Berat also enjoys a great reputation because of its architecture of Othoman style, its two mosques in ruin and its many vaults ornamented of Byzantine icons among most beautiful of the country.
If Albania shines by the richness of its historical heritage, it should not make forget the richness of its natural heritage. The country still presents wild landscapes favourable with the excursion, that it is for a one day ballade or a trek several days in the Albanian Alps. To the experienced hikers one can recommend a trek in the national park of Theth and the valley of Valbona. A traditional circuit consists starting from the village of Theth and to cross the area to the village of Dragobi. Sometimes attention, the wild beauty of the landscape goes hand in hand with a lack of beaconing of the roads, then, take care not to forget your compasses!
Lastly, after having explored the culture and the mountains of Albania, certain travellers will perhaps test the desire for resting on Riviera Albanian which extends on a hundred from kilometers between Bay from Vlora and the border with Greece and for tasting a rest deserved well within a framework enchanter. The coast presents it also a wild character preserved still well, an almost constant sunning and transparent water délicieusement hot.
Along the coast, are aligned pretty picturesque small villages such as Palasa, Dhermi, Vunoi, Jali or Himara, the most important city of Riviera Albanian.
Religion: the majority of the Albanian population is of Moslem confession, with nearly 60%, but the orthodoxe and catholic confessions are they as well represented since they respectively gather 25% and 17% of the population. One can be delighted that in Albania these various religions coexist harmoniously.
Big cities and possibilities of lodging: Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Shkodra and Vlora.
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Flights expensive not preferred towards and of Albania/Al
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