Unfortunately, the internet doesn’t overflow with information about Albania, which is why we’ve tried to gather as much material as possible on our blog, writing two travel guides for first-time visitors to Albania and offering you a bit of inspiration.
Today, we present some interesting facts about Albania—from a city without traffic lights to a city without McDonald’s.
Fascinating Facts About Albania
Albania has a rich history marked by conquests, declarations of independence, and decades of isolation. In short, Albania was under Ottoman rule until 1912. Then, in 1939, it was conquered by the Italians, and in 1944 the communists took over.
In the following decades, Albania allied with Russia and later with China. In 1991, after years of isolation and communism, Albania regained its independence and became a democracy.
- In 1967, Albania became the first declared atheist state in the world.
- Today, Albania, like its neighbor North Macedonia, is predominantly Muslim.
- Official currency: LEK (ALL)
- Mother Teresa is an iconic figure in Albania. Her face is everywhere, and Tirana’s airport bears her name. Although Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, she is of Albanian-Kosovar descent.
- Mother Teresa is also the only Albanian to have won a Nobel Prize.
- Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, and Bebe Rexha come from Albanian families. It’s no wonder their music can be heard at all the terraces in Tirana. :)
- Shkodra is one of the oldest cities on the continent and the only city in Albania without traffic lights.
- The most bizarre discovery we made in Tirana is that there are no McDonald’s restaurants. Instead, there’s a fast-food place that copied the McDonald’s franchise 1:1.
- Albanian barbers have a quirky habit of slapping their clients on the head after a haircut. It’s not unusual; it’s just a tradition where the barber "blesses" the freshly trimmed customer.
- More Albanians live outside the country than within it. The Albanian diaspora is one of the largest immigrant communities in Europe.
- When the communist regime fell, there were only 3,000 cars in Albania, despite a population of 3 million. This might explain the "reputation" of Albanian drivers. :)
- Albanians are crazy about Mercedes. We’ve never seen more Mercedes cars than on the streets of Tirana and Durres.
- The village of Lazarat gained attention as Europe’s cannabis capital. It’s believed that over 900 tons of marijuana were produced there annually. In 2014, the army took control of the village after five days of fighting against the mafia.
Albania also has beautiful places that deserve recognition. The country boasts approximately 500 km of coastline, with paradisiacal beaches. 70% of Albania is mountainous, and it has two UNESCO World Heritage cities—Berat and Gjirokaster. The country also has access to two lakes—Shkodra and Ohrid.
Moreover, Albania is just a stone’s throw from Corfu—only 10 km away!
These are the most interesting things we’ve discovered about Albania. If we’ve piqued your curiosity and you’re considering planning your next summer vacation in Albania, I invite you to read some of our sincere impressions about this country.