Albania, the adventurous side of Europe

Albania, the land of Mediterranean beaches, pine forests, great hospitality and wild adventures While driving through the varied landscape you will notice that this country has much more to offer than you initially think!During a Ryce Travel tour, you will pass through old historic towns and really get to know the people. Tijdens een Ryce Travel tour, kom je door oude historische stadjes en leer je de bevolking echt kennen. Many people think immediately of Albania’s (somewhat obscure) historical side. Traces of years of occupation by various empires and a communist dictatorship can still be seen in Albania. All in all, a country for someone who does want to visit the adventurous side Europe!

Geografical location

Albania bordersMontenegro, Kosovo, North-Macedonia and Greece In the west of the country lies a beautiful coast; the Adriatic coast. This unique sandy coast is dotted with luxury hotels and many pine forests, perfect for family and friends vacations. In the hinterland of Albania, you will find yourself in a mountainous and varied landscape. Full of historic cities and buildings. Due to the combination of sea and mountains, the country was difficult to reach for enemies in ancient times, with the result that villages began to live independently These villages developed their own rules and traditions over the years, which can still be seen when you travel through the country!

Sun, Sea and beaches, year round

With its Mediterranean climate, Albania can be appreciated in both summer and winter. In summer, on the coast, temperatures rise between 30 and 20 degrees and fall between 0 and 10 degrees in winter. Just like the landscape, the climate is also very varied It may well be that it snows in the mountains, while the sun shines brightly in the coastal area! The interior of Albania has harsher winters and offers, especially in the higher areas, the opportunity to enjoy snowboarding or skiing.

The population

The population of Albania is relatively poor compared to its neighboring countries. Fortunately, that doesn’t stop the inhabitants from being super hospitable to their guests. Albanians are known for their hospitality and would always like to invite you for coffee! The population of Albania is about 3 million The majority of the population is ethnic Albanian (82.6%). Furthermore, different ethnic minorities live together, including the Greeks, Montenegrins, Kosovars and Macedonians.

The long history of Albania in a nutshell

The country has a long and dark history. From the beginning, Albania was a popular piece of land for various peoples. The Romans and Ottomans have left their mark everywhere. The country was at its darkest point during the Communist era. It was once the most isolated country in Europe. Many people even compared it to the North Korea of Europe at the time! This was partly due to the arrival of Enver Hoxha, a dictator who seized power through systematic extermination and forced communism on the population. Not a good thing for Albania… After the fall of communism, Albania is still trying to crawl out of a deep pit after all these years.

The rise of tourism in Albania

Partly due to communism, the country has been lagging behind in terms of tourism for years. This can be seen in everything when you travel in the country. The roads can be in bad conditions, public transportation takes relatively long, and sometimes amenities are missing or things go a little differently that you are used to. By working together with mainly local entrepreneurs in Albania, we try to give that little push to boost tourism in Albania. Fortunately, there is light at the end of the tunnel for Albania. The Albanians are (literally) pushing hard to attract tourists so their country can crawl out of that deep well faster!