30 Unexpected Facts About Albania Or Breaking the Pattern
“Europe, when it was fresh and accessible”, “new love of the Mediterranean” and “new Croatia” - all this is about her, a small picturesque Albania, comfortably located on the Ionian and Adriatic Seas, the tourist flow to which is gaining momentum every year . Unfortunately, there is very little reliable information about Albania in Runet. In addition, the country is developing so quickly that even the reviews of a few Russian tourists who visited Albania even a couple of years ago are no longer relevant. Those who have never been in the country, at best, have a vague knowledge of the "Muslim country", bunkers and the Hollywood "Albanian mafia". These stereotypes, frankly, are not far from the myths about "eternally snow-covered wild Russia and bears with balalaikas on Red Square". . .
So, 30 real and rather unexpected facts about the last mystery of Europe:
1. Albania has more than 300 sunny days a year, 430 km of coastline, 3 UNESCO heritage sites and more than fifteen historical and archaeological sites from different eras and cultures, some of which have a history of 2500 years. The average sea water temperature in summer is +25°С.
2. Albania is one of the SIX countries in the world that are completely free from GMOs. The country prohibits the use of harmful chemicals in food production at the legislative level.
3. Albania is a secular state. With a statistical 57% Muslim, 10% Catholic and 7% Orthodox population, the number of practicing believers of one denomination or another is minimal. Hence the complete absence of any extremist movements in the country or clashes on religious grounds.
4. Albania is one of the 10 MOST SAFE LIFE countries in the world with a population of up to 5 million people. Here you can safely leave things on the beach, walk alone late in the evening and not worry about the safety of your wallet when sightseeing.
5. LONELY PLANET, DAILYMAIL, NYT, SKYSCANNER and other world-famous publications annually include Albania in the list of the most interesting and recommended countries for holidays.
6. Albania opens VISA FREE ENTRANCE for citizens of Russia and Belarus every year from June to November. Multi-Schengen holders, as well as residents of Ukraine, Kazakhstan and a number of other countries can enter Albania without visas ALL YEAR ROUND.
7. Public holidays in Albania are both Catholic Christmas and Muslim Eid al-Adha, as well as Orthodox Easter.
8. According to statistics, 20 THOUSAND ITALIANS live in Albania for permanent residence, stating that they are attracted by the country's investment opportunities, quite a southern European standard of living, friendly people with better ecology and more democratic prices.
9. According to the "QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX of the elderly", Albania already has better indicators than Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Greece, Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania and others.
10. The FIRST European country visited by Pope Francis after his ordination in 2014. became Albania as an example of "harmonious coexistence of religions" (c)
11. The Albanian city of Durres is home to the LARGEST AMPHITHEATRE in the Balkans.
12. THE DEEPEST AND ANCIENT LAKE in Europe - Lake Ohrid - lies on the border of Albania and Macedonia.
13. Since 2009 Albanian citizens enjoy the right of VISA FREE ENTRANCE to EU countries.
14. Albania became an EU CANDIDATE country in 2014. As a candidate, Albania is recognized as a “country of safe origin” (unlike, for example, Turkey)
15. THREE EUROS - the average price of a large plate of fresh mussels in Albanian resorts. EIGHT Euro per person will cost a full meal in a restaurant. ONE EURO - the cost of natural strawberries or cherries per season.
16. From 2004 to 2014, the number of foreign tourists in Albania increased 10 times. The cost of real estate on the coast increased by 200%, but to this day remains the most inexpensive in the Mediterranean.
17. SEVEN kilometers - the length of the newest and longest promenade in the Balkans - "Lungomare" in Vlora, which is being built by a well-known Belgian company in Albania along two seas - the Adriatic and the Ionian.
18. About 13 passenger ferries run DAILY between Albania and Italy during the summer season.
19. A significant part of the Italian brands with the label "MADE IN ITALY" is produced in Albania. For example, the world-famous handmade Venetian carnival masks are made at a mask factory in the Albanian city of Shkodra.
20. "The idea of a "GREAT ALBANIA" is being promoted in the world only by ill-wishers and opponents of friendly interstate relations in the Balkans, " Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said during a Serbian delegation's diplomatic visit to Tirana in 2015.
21. The current PRIME MINISTER of Albania is a Catholic, an artist by education, and also... a lover of nude beaches. The wife of the Prime Minister is a Muslim, the eldest son is Orthodox, the youngest son is Catholic.
22. Tirana International Airport bears the name of MOTHER TERESA - Albanians by origin.
23. KOSOVO and Albania are two different states, with differences both in mentality and in history and language. Albania was never part of Yugoslavia and did not participate in any Balkan conflict during the collapse of the SFRY.
24. Moreover, Albania has not had a SINGLE military conflict WITH ANY country in Europe since the end of World War II.
25.1. 72 BILLION. Euro is the cost of a new project of a super-modern motorway between Montenegro and Albania.
26. Between 1948 and 1958 Albania was the ONLY country in the Balkans that maintained friendly relations with the USSR. The Albanian city of Vlora hosted the largest Soviet military base in the Mediterranean, which particularly distinguished itself by an unprecedented training attack on an American cruiser with the US President on board.
27. The main embankment of the seaside resort of Durres is called VOLGA, and in Shkodë r, on the border with Montenegro, there is a Russian quarter.
28. Albania is one of the few countries in Europe that has POSITIVE credit ratings from both international rating agencies Moody's and S&P.
29. It takes 40 MINUTES by ferry from the Greek island of Corfu to the town of Saranda on the Ionian coast of Albania, which is especially popular among Scandinavian tourists.
30. The LARGEST shopping and entertainment center in the Balkans - TEG - is located in the capital of Albania - Tirana.
Author: Tatiana Balliu, Albania Service www. albaniainvest. net
