copy-paste fut(o)urism TripAdvisor: Is Albania safe for tourist and what are the best places Alan_N1, Sydney I have traveled in Montenegro, BiH and Greece in the recent years but have not yet been to Albania. Is the country safe for travelers- in regard to petty crime, robbery, car thefts, scams, social disturbances etc? Also, if I could only choose 2 places to go to what are they. Vlore? Sarande? Tirana no good? Thanks for your help in advance.
afraid to ask people for help as they usualy help. Now, there is no heaven on earth, but never let your gard down anywhere on holiday, not only in albainia. I live in UK and lots of British tourist who have been in Corfu (Greece, next to Albania) tell me that the tour guide told them a lot of bad things about Albania and when those tourists actually visited Albania (out of curriousity) they found it so accomodating. Overall it is good. joo31, London hi... i agree with u... cant be-
Rozafa, Kathmandu... Destination Expert for Tirana, Albania. The country is absolutely safe and welcoming, people are warm and nice. depending on the time of year you will be coming and how long you will stay I would suggest you drive to Berat, visit the castle, then go to Vlora and drive to Saranda, the road is great and you will see beautiful Jonian coast. If you have time go and visit Gjirokaster, it is only one and a half hour distance from Saranda. Have a great time in Albania, Alan_N1, Sydney HI Rozafa, Thanks for your advice. Apology for my ignorance - just that there are so much perception about Albania outside your country hence I don’t really know much until people living there tell me, I suppose. Thanks again. Alan Rozafa, Kathmandu... Destination Expert for Tirana, Albania. Don’t worry Alan, we all fall into this trap of being influence by media and wrong perception. By the way Albania is not my country but I live and work here for the last almost five years and I like it :) I am sure you will have a great time, best, endrishemia, london I am Albanian and I say to all the people that Albania is not safe. The reasons are: 1. there is not control from the police in some areas which are supposed to be as tourist areas. for example: if something happens to you an accident or someone tries to kill you or to robber you and you call the police the police will come after 3 hours or the next day to see if you are OK. 2. The police are corrupted which means that if someone takes all your money the person who takes your money is someone who works for the police and he shares the money with them and people who are from England and USA are more exposed in this things. 3. If you are with your girlfriend is not a good idea because Albanians are people who know how to profit from such situations. for example there was a couple from france who were in the city of Korca which is considered as a safe area when two boys profiting form the absence of people in a narrow road took all their money and they abused sexually with the girl from france and the police meet the couple the next day and they needed one week to understand what happened because the police did not know french language and they needed a translator which came very late. So do not visit albania because it is not safe everything can happen to you or if you want to visit it do not come with your girlfriend and do not take with you cash only credit card. another clue I want to give to you is avoid people who are from north of albania and east you can be safe only with people from south west who are civilised and if someone from north ask you something just do not answer because if you answer they think you are frightened and you are an easy target to take the money for them. I hope you understand that albania needs more time to became like others countries and because there are economic problems crime is rising and tourist are the targets. T0ni13, Venice, Italy Im Albanian and i live in abroad, i have visited Albania every year for the last 10 yrs and i must say what this thing Endri Shemia is saying is unheard off, dont know where he went but for sure it was not Albania!!! Albania is recomended in the first place of 10 top destinations to visit in lonely planet and the CNN for 2011<<they do their research and would not recomand a unsafe country>> this is not a coinsidence Albania is one of the oldest countrys in europe with unsang history a beauty it has stood stiill <<and survived>>as a lot of difrent empieres ruled the world and u would find something from each of this empires in there, add the fact that 2 diferent Sea l are part of the albanian cost <<adriatic, Jonian >>add the fact that albania in the last few yrs has seen one of the bigest economical grouth in europe , and this grouth it can bee seen best in the investment that is obvious every where in Alb 7000miles of new roads build just the last 4 yrs <<wich has made it so much easier and quicker to visit all the difrent citys in Albania>>The last 4 yrs have seen the number of turists visiting Albania go up to 10times as much as 5yrs ago, and this coming yr Albania is expecting the highest number of Turist to date, here are a few links about Albania, overseasproperty-world.com/26/…, lonelyplanet.com/albania/…76164, independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/201… wn.com/ Albanian_Tourism_Videospot-CNN-BBC-RE… sofiaecho. com/2010/12/29/1018131_cnns-top-10… ok i think there are enough links in there now :) as for the sugestion that is not safe i would say that Alb is a Nato member, and it just complisht one of its bigest ever archivment in the visa liberalisation u dont archive that without ticking the boxes so please no false fabrication in here!!! exuse my bad english !!! Tim3031666, Shkoder... This is a reply for Endri Shamia, I am albanian abroad myself and visit there every year and its great. I dont know what experience you’ve had but with time I am sure you will get over the fear of life and find heaven. For tourist going to Albania i recomend seaside resourses, historic monuments and alps. Do not display lots of cash, always ask for a bargain when you buy things, do not be
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lieve that albanian nation saying such a rubbish about his country... i am polish and been there arround 6 times.. once own my own for two weeks and they dont speak english or polish..i been visitting familly but still... my husband comes from korca district.. i really think it is very great place to see.. people are so kind and warm welcoming, food most delicious organic homemade.. especcialy fried cheese in tirana , rost lamb in pogradec and chicken soup in kruja!!! fish in shkoder must do!!! it is poor country but i would not to be scary to travel there.. i guess who looks for trouble then will find it everywhere... im sad that we all wherever travel wish to find marks and spencer, new look, next, mc donalds, burger king, bp petrol stations and all this same products all this same shops, etc... where is the beauty of travelling, discovering learning culture.. the world become global city... i am travelling a lot a lot and must say i must hurry up coz if i wont visit some places in next 10 years there is nothing to be to visitting and all gona look like london... i want albania to stay as they are with their culture, their most amazing lively music, with their goats and sheeps on the fields and dirty roads and natural landscapes... yes please do go to albania... avoid walking own your own at the evenings and not to carry to much cash, take dictionary and copy of passport... and thats all, you would be recomended that to do in any other country becouse there are everywhere incidents and accidents and bad luck and bad people.. in egypt in poland in england and in albania tho... enjoy... tung xhoanna davidjoshua, Brisbane... I have the same concern. But your all comments make me feel good joo31, London hi, am glad, i was worry as well when i was going there first time:) and must say becouse i was listening a such a silly stereotypes. i think is good to do a little research before we go even next city for visiting, it really all depend at the situation, generally i found albanian people really nice and helpful, im not so sure where i would be feel more safe in poland, albania, or italy but must admit the most frightening me is really london, hire u never know what may happend, after 2007, as my granny was saying u keep yoyr eyes open, if u tempted for toruble then u get them. instynct tells u when better to drop it and let it go. i hope u all going to have nice time and unforgetable experience.. nice only!!. let us know . laoangel, Leeds... I’m in Albania now and can say that I have not been ripped off once and in 10 years of travel, Albanians have been among the friendliest and helpful people i have ever come across. I am loving my visit 9a circuit from the north ending in Macedonia), which i am doing entirely on public transport and finding accommodation as i go. i am already planning next year’s.... Some of my friends at home asked me if it was safe. It’s true life is a bit different here to other places, but I cannot recommend highly enough. Nmalka, siranda Hi .I am currently visiting Albania as my husband is Albanian. I feel very safe here however that could be because it is known that I am married to a local. Butrinti is well worth a visit and blue eyed spring is stunning. We stay in Ksamil and there have been vast changes in the ten years I have been traveling here. I must say that I do not enjoy the food here at all but that is totally down to personal taste. There are some stunning untouched areas here but a vast amount of building work is taking place and in 10 years the area will be
unrecogniseable. The beaches are very like areas of greece and mainly shingle but the sea is crystal clear. I have been told the vlora is worth visit but haven’t managed to visit there yet. I know everyone says the people are friendly but be prepared for some stares (not descrete glances but full on). In general most people are okay but do not expect any customer service anywhere lol. Enjoy your trip. Lona M, Chicago... I am Albanian but have not been there in 12 yrs since, but my wife who is fresh from there says that Albania is a great country. Specially Tirana (capital) has become close to a large and futuristic metropolis. There are safe and hot nightclubs, and they have brand new state of the art supermarkets. Also food wise they have also foreign food from other nations. Great cities to visit are Tirane, Vlore, Sarande, Pogradec (Drilon), Himare (Suburb of Saranda) all of these cities are rich in history, great in food, nice life style with beaches and beauties unheard of. Like every country in the world it has stupid and uneducated people. I can not wait to see the new and refreshed Albania. Albania is great in summer and winter.
and visit, Have a great
Rozafa, Kathmandu... Destination Expert for Tirana, Albania. Albania is very safe for tourists and people are helpful and hospitable. if i were you I would pick up Berat and Gjirokaster to visit, great historical places. Although if you have more time I would suggest you visit Korca, Shkodra, Saranda and the whole riviera. Albania is a great safe country and definitely worth time there,
Alan_N1, Sydney Thanks for you info. Will try to include the country in my Europe trip next year. Cheers. Eltonmurrani I have one question for you sir??? When was the last time you’ve been in Albania????? OK we accept that not everything is going well but is not like that like you said that and and even if this is like that this was made from Albanians who lives not in Albania for example like YOU and others who lives in: Greece, Italy , Germany and etc... And do you know why??? Because they know better life there where they live and they think that they have touch the sky with their hands and they think that no buddy can Jude them.... Is not like that sir. And if someone has seen that manny people has been killed here they are like this people... Because they make dirty things there where they live and then they say.. Ok let’s go to Albania now because I’m not safe here anymore, and what happens they get kill and where??? In albania!!! Ofcourse here because they live not there where they where anymore. And something else: this was not personally for you, I respect your idea but is not like that sir. ALBANIA is safe and very beautiful. I live in Albania but for a long time I am here only 4 months people believe me Albania is safe. realrv6, Milan, Italy OMG. That guy “endrishemia” is amazing. Hahaha. I usually respect other people’s ideas, but in this case I don’t. It’s hard to write so much bulls**t in just one message. You really need to engage yourself to that. The country is absolutely safe. I visit it almost every summer. Went there alone or with friends. Never had any problems. armand f, Tirana... hi, i have returned to my country, Albania after living abroad for more than 10 years and I assure you that a traveler is safer in Tirana than most capital cities of the so-called developed countries. I have been living in Tirane for 6.5 years and i have never even heard in the news of a tourist being mugged anywhere in Albania. i have some pretty good advice for Endri Shemia who lives in London to watch out as it is becoming one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Christchurch... you must be a realy idiot me sa duket ju qenkni nje qelbesire qe nuk e njihni vendin tend kishte me qene mire me e dite se ku ke jetua ti more qelbesire ne jungel and going to albania with u partner or girlfreind it is not a problem i have been to albania with my wife 4 times i never have a problem but what iam saying is u problay groing up in jungel albania is one most freindley country in the world and dhey help u lots and wash u mouth next time when u talk about albania u litel man new zealand Altin_Vlore, Vlore ehm wat can i say for ENDRI SHEMA only one advice :_ dude u need brain trasplant....