What is the Deal with Albania?
When I first told my family and friends, I was traveling to Albania for 5 weeks I got back some unusual looks. Older folks gave me looks of worry still envisioning a country of political unrest, communism, and war. Friends and peers gave me a look of confusion as they knew absolutely nothing about the country thinking, “why would you want to go there?” And all the rest gave back a blank stare, thinking, “Where even is Albania?”
I must admit, I had thought about all these things as well. But I must tell you, now having been in the country for over a month. Albania is a beautiful place, a secret gem, a hidden oasis, and I am so glad I adventured here. The people in Albania have been nothing but kind and gracious. The food has been fresh and delicious. The weather has been spectacular. And the views of the countryside and the Mediterranean are breathtaking!
And you cannot beat the prices! Since Albania is new to the European vacation scene it has not yet adopted the steep prices of other European countries. It is relatively cheap to travel, eat, and find accommodations in Albania.
Read on to get a small glimpse into Albania’s history and why it has been such a hidden gem for so long. And if you want more information on traveling to Albania, check my previous article Two Days in Tirana.
Albanian History
Albania has a very long and turbulent history. The country was under the control of the Ottoman Empire up until the early 1900s. After which Albania was finally able to declare its independence. During this time Albania went through a few different forms of government from monarchy to republics but nothing stuck too long. So, after World War II and the collapse of the Axis Powers Albania became a communist state.
Enver Hoxha’s oversaw the communist party's rise to power in Albania. Hoxha aligned Albania with the Soviet Union and Stalinist ideals. The first steps taken were to essentially eliminate Albania’s middle class. Citizens suspected of opposing the party were sentenced to life in jail or even death, often without a fair trial. The government also seized land and assets from its citizens.
In his paranoia of an overthrow, Hoxha built over 700 bunkers all around the country. Many can still be seen until this day, and a few have been turned into interactive exhibits. As Hoxha’s reign went on things got worse for any semblance of personal freedom in Albania. Then, in 1967 Albania became the first atheist state and the government banned religion of any kind. Artists, writers, and freethinkers would all but disappear under the communist party. It wasn’t until Hoxha’s death in 1985 that his predecessor would slowly bring Albania out of this dark era.
After Communism
In 1992 after protests and demonstrations, the Democratic Party defeated the Communist party in Albania. Although democracy had won in Albania the corruption still ran deep with many of the previous officials still in power. It was discovered that the government was running a pyramid scheme of sorts and when it collapsed the citizens of Albania lost over a billion dollars of savings and earnings. Naturally, the public was outraged, and riots ensued, which eventually led to an all-out rebellion and the Albania Civil War. After over 2,000 deaths and weeks of public protests, the current government resigned, and socialism swept to power.
The Kosovo War
Then, in 1998 Albania experienced an influx of refugees during the Kosovo War with then Yugoslavia. Kosovo Albanians were fighting against the Serbian persecution of Kosovo Albanians. There is a large population of Albanians living in Kosovo since the days of the Ottoman Empire. When no diplomatic solution could be reached NATO intervened. And then in 2007, George W. Bush became the first US leader to visit Albania. This visit solidified that Albania was an ally of the U.S.
Over the past 30 years, Albania has been working hard to change its perception or lack thereof with the outside world. They have joined NATO, have applied for EU membership, opened their borders, and worked to strengthened foreign relationships. So much of this history can be seen in Tirana that it is a must-stop for anyone interest in Albania’s economic and political history. Check out our blog on the Two Days in Tirana Travel Schedule for more information on finding your way around Albania's historical capital city.
Due to Albania’s long and isolated past, the tourism sector is just starting to gain traction in the country and if you are an adventurous traveler and have never been or thought of visiting Albania, I suggest you give it a shot! We did and we are so happy we made that decision.
