Tourist attractions of Albania: what to see in Albania

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Albania is a mountainous and harsh land located in the heart of the Mediterranean between the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea. The country has seen an important tourist development in recent years, even if it is still an undeveloped and little traveled destination. From the historical point of view, Albania has experienced over the centuries an alternation of civilizations and cultures that have made it an interesting country to visit. The country has great tourist potential both for its natural beauty and for its history and culture. There are many and varied tourist attractions in Albania.

A SEA STILL UNCONTAMINATED

The beaches bathed by the Mediterranean sea are today among the attractions most visited by tourists. Albania has about 450 km of coasts which are still largely uncontaminated. The Albanian coast is full of sandy beaches, pebble beaches, promontories, inlets, bays, lagoons, sea caves. The country has a spectacular and wild landscape made up of high mountains, deep valleys, lakes, rivers and forests. To protect the territory there are about fifteen national parks. Some of the most beautiful mountainous regions of the country are easily accessible to tourists. Among these we find the national parks of Mount Dajt, Theth, the Valbona Valley and Lake Prespa.

UNEXPECTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

Other tourist attractions of Albania also include two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the archaeological site of Butrint – an archaeological area with Greek, Roman and medieval remains – and the historic centers of Berat, and Gjirokaster, both well-preserved medieval Ottoman towns. Other interesting remains of the Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods are found in the archaeological areas of Apollonia, Durres and around Lake Ohrid. Near the city of Pogradec are the Illyrian royal tombs of Selca and Poshtme dating back to the fourth and third centuries BC.

RUGGED MOUNTAINS

Northern Albania is famous for its alpine mountain landscape, made up of lakes, plateaus and wild mountains. Here are the southernmost glaciers in Europe. In the central-western area of the country, flat and hilly areas alternate. Here there are archaeological sites, remains of medieval castles, stretches of sandy beaches and lagoon areas perfect for bird-watching. In southern and south-eastern Albania the territory is mostly mountainous, with numerous large lakes bordering Macedonia and Greece. The largest are the lakes of Ohrid and Prespa. In this area there are also splendid Orthodox monasteries.

Along the sea there is also the rocky coast of the so-called Albanian Riviera. This coastal area, which stretches from Vlora to Saranda, has mainly pebble beaches. This area is one of the most important tourist areas of Albania full of life and night clubs, and has become the most popular destination for the wealthy class of the country.

The climate of Albania.

Official Albania Tourism Page.