"Secret Mediterranean"/ Forbes: Why Albania should be your next vacation destination?!
"The Albanian Riviera is the Mediterranean's best-kept secret - wild beaches, no mega-resorts (yet) and the last true escape before the crowds arrive," begins the prestigious Forbes article about our country.
According to the article, “for decades, the Mediterranean has been playing with the same old gold: Capri, Saint-Tropez, Mykonos, Ibiza, the kind of places where the yachts are bigger than the local fishing fleet, and the bill for a seaside lunch can fund a modest Balkan vineyard. But those who travel from within, those who whisper names at dinner parties and secretly wish you wouldn’t follow their advice, have tagged a new name: Albania.”
Full translated article:
For decades, the Mediterranean has been playing with the same old gold: Capri, Saint-Tropez, Mykonos, Ibiza, the kind of places where the yachts are bigger than the local fishing fleet, and the bill for a seaside lunch can fund a modest Balkan vineyard. But those who travel from within, those who whisper names at dinner parties and secretly wish you wouldn’t follow their advice, have circled a new name: Albania.
Yes, Albania.
Nestled between Greece and Montenegro, with a coastline crisscrossed by the Ionian Sea, Albania has for years been the forgotten cousin of the Adriatic club. Overshadowed by Croatia, misunderstood by Western Europe and long closed off by a grim communist regime, it remained a blank spot on the Mediterranean map. Here’s the thing about Albania: it’s the part of the Mediterranean that has barely gotten any attention, and that’s exactly why it’s so interesting now. On the southern coast, you have the Albanian Riviera. It stretches along the Ionian, with cliffs and pebble beaches that, frankly, wouldn’t look out of place in Greece or Italy. But the vibe is completely different. There are no massive resorts or glitzy beach clubs (yet), and the prices are much lower.
On Palasa Beach, for example, you now have the Green Coast Hotel, a new five-star hotel that is part of the MGallery Collection. The look is muted tones, stone floors, a small spa, yoga sessions by the sea. There’s even skydiving off the cliffs, which shows how quickly this coast is transforming from a backpacker’s secret to a polished destination. One day you’re sipping an iced homemade coffee at a plastic table on the beach; the next, you’re sipping a cocktail at a sleek hotel bar, watching the sun set behind the cliffs. But just a few miles south, things look much the same as they have for years.
Dhërmi is a popular stopover, known for its long pebble beach and bars that fill up in the summer with music and cocktails. There are also small hotels here, family-run places where you get a basic room and a view, no spa or pool, but a beach a few steps away and maybe a cafe downstairs serving grilled fish and cold beer. It’s the kind of place where you’ll see Albanian families, a few European travelers and, increasingly, the first wave of curious travelers from further afield.
Jala is another beach that attracts young people, especially when summer music festivals are on. But if you’re looking for something quieter, keep going. Gjipe is hidden among the rocks, a bay that can only be reached by foot or boat. There are no hotels, no roads, no rental sun loungers lined up on the sand. Maybe a hammock hanging from the trees, maybe a small beach bar running on a generator, maybe nothing at all. What makes Albania feel different, at least for now, is what’s missing. No mega-hotels. No €80 sun loungers. No crowds pushing you past the ruins. It’s still a bit rough: the roads aren’t good, buses are late, sometimes you have to backtrack when plans don’t work out. But there are also big plates of grilled meat or fish, local wine, and people who insist you try their homemade raki, whether you think you can afford it or not. You can walk onto a beach that looks like something out of a travel magazine and find yourself almost alone, except for a few locals swimming at the end of the day.
However, change is coming fast. Vlora International Airport will open soon, bringing in more international travelers. Beach clubs are already popping up on the Riviera and bigger hotel brands are starting to eye the coastline. So if you’re curious about a part of the Mediterranean that still feels like a discovery with its mix of Ottoman cities, wild mountains and coastline that hasn’t been swallowed up by development, it’s worth heading to Albania now. How long it will stay that way, no one knows. Link!
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