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Albania’s Dark Tourism to Aid Remembrance and Healing 

posted on August 8, 2019

TIRANA, August 8

In a region shaped by centuries of conflicts, wars, and between nice beaches and troubled history, a new trend of sombre tourism is yearning to hatch from the egg-bunkers of Albania.

This is about the past. Although our past is our heritage, nobody seems to talk about a certain part of it unless there’s a bunker involved. Bunkers, hundreds of thousands of bunkers that totally failed to meet their purpose are now successful attractions to travelers, bloggers, vloggers, and curious tourists. What they indicate is maybe dark tourism can be a way to help Albania deal with its past and heal the people that were affected by it.

To those who have seen Netflix’s Dark Tourist series, the concept is familiar, and now Pripyat is the Holly Grail for dark tourists thanks to HBO.

Often referred to like the places that we don’t talk about, due to the various feeling they convey, this alternative type of tourism is for those who want to take a journey in the dark past of a destination related to destruction, tragedy, and death. Dark tourism is not a recent trend. Sites of remembrance such as concentration camps opened for visitors as early as 1947. In the meantime, places like Pompeii have attracted curious visitors for centuries. Travel writers and journalists were among the first to speak about their experiences in such places referring to them as black-spot tourism and ‘milking of the macabre’.

Other definitions have been used, but most of them are related to the subcategories of dark tourism. However, Lenon and Foley from the University of Glasgow, who coined the ‘dark tourism’ term, say that the phenomenon was strongly driven by modern media. Therefore, they say that anything older than modern media falls under the category of history tourism, but it is not unconditional.

Many countries around the world are using the memory of ancient and modern conflicts and disasters for the needs of contemporary tourists. This sounds unethical, and it can be, even though the main purpose is to not forget and to keep memories alive. The motivations of dark tourists vary from educational to reasons that can raise ethical questions. Commercialization of dark sites, voyeurism, inappropriate behavior, safety, wrong support, and misuse of values for entertainment are among the ethical issues related to dark tourism.

If there’s dark tourism there will be ethical issues.

The growing demand for new experiences and alternatives to traditional tourism make such places kind of fascinating for a lot of people. Millions of people flock to Europes every year because and many of them are interested in its wars and past conflicts. On the other hand, communism no matter how infamous it was has a certain appeal to many. But those who want the frozen-in-time feeling of communism can go to Cuba.

To some degree, each of us is a dark tourist. If you have been or want to visit sites like the House of Terror in Budapest, Ground Zero in New York, the Catacombs of Paris, or the Berlin Wall you are or can be a potential dark tourist.

Can Dark tourism help Albania Heal?

There is no travel writer, website, blogger, magazine, who wrote about Albania, (IIA included) and didn’t mention the following: isolated for half a century; total isolation; one of the most isolated countries on earth; ruled with an iron fist; Bunkers, bunkers, bunkers Land of mystery Fierce dictatorship

These are some of the ingredients of the Albanian recipe to influence tourist attraction (along with natural attractions, beaches, and cultural heritage), but with the current lack of a strategy on sustainable tourism, it would cause more harm than good.

While travelers avoid overcrowded destinations, countries affected by mass tourism are taking measures to reduce the number of visitors. Hence, Albania and its past offer an interesting option (if done ethically) for different types of tourists, especially dark ones. Instead of considering it a honeypot for travelers, dark tourism can be a way for education and atone both Albanians and visitors.

The Germans use Vergangenheitsbewältigung, which stands for public debate within a country on a problematic period of its recent history. Hence even in Albania, dark tourism can spark the debate on the real communism terror and cruelty all over the country.

So far…

An annual event that promotes remembrance tourism in Albania is the Strait of Corfu crossing race. Experienced swimmers from different countries engage in a two miles race from Pema e Thate to Corfu Island. The event pays special tribute to the Albanian citizens that dared to escape the country during communism from this part of the Albanian coast. Many were caught, or shot, or drowned in the attempt. Lukova and Pogadec are other sites from where Albanians tried to escape by boats or swimming.

Currently, in Tirana, where you can pay Lek 500 – 700 to read more on how your grandfather was tortured, there are a few ‘artistic’ bunkers to visit. But the real horror happened in prisons, labor, and internment camps that nobody mentions where they are.

And there is also Shkodra , a long sad chapter of suffering, repression, and prosecution.

To a large extent, Dark tourism in Albania is connected to communism. With the attempt of creating a ‘new world’ the establishment of the communist regime in Albania following World War II set in motion a chain of events that would kill thousands of Albanian citizens.

Prison and persecution sites, internment and labor camps

During the 50 years of the communist dictatorship, Albanians served 914,000 years in prison and 256,146 years in internment camps.

There were 23 prisons and 48 internment and labor camps across Albania. Forced labor camps were detention facilities where inmates were forced into penal labor including wetland drainage, river modification, residential and industrial construction, mining, agriculture, etc. In most cases, labor camps were temporary. They consisted of barracks built by the labor site. In many other cases, the camps were permanent. The inmates were tortured, deliberately left to die of hunger and sickness, or executed.

Rinas Airport

The only civil airport in Albania, currently Tirana International Airport (TIA) was constructed by political inmates in 1955-1957, but nothing is mentioned on the official website of the airport or anywhere else.

Qemal Stafa Stadium

The former main stadium in Albania, which is now transformed into a new stadium, was completed by the political prisoners in 1945. The construction of the stadium was started by the Italians, but it was interrupted by WWII. Over 300 political inmates worked every day in the construction site. The new stadium preserved the historical facade, designed by the Italian architect and urbanist Gherardo Bosio, but nothing was said so far about the memory of the political prisoners.

Agimi Residential buildings in Tirana Over 600 inmates worked for two years for the construction of Agimi Palaces, in the former bloc area.

Juba canal in Durres More than 800 inmates worked for the construction of the Juba canal in the Rrushkulli area. The canal was five km long, ten meters wide, and six meters deep.

Maliqi Marsh draining

Hundreds of prisoners worked in Maliqi marsh, Korca area between 1947- 1952. The inmates were divided into three camps in the villages of Vlocisht, Orman-Pojan, and Nishavec.

Kucova Airport

The construction of the Kucova Air Base was started by the Italians in the 30s and it was completed between 1948 and 1952 by political prisoners. The labor camp was built in Ura Vajgurore.

Other works built by prisoners include: Bedeni irrigation canal, in Kavaja, 15 km long Peqin-Elbasan railway and Bishqemi rail tunnel Gramsh – Lozhan road Bulqiza Mine Peqin – Kavaja canal, 50 km long Vlashuku canal in Myzeqe Torovica labor camp in Lezha area Terrace farming in Saranda coastline Construction of the salt plane in Skrofotina in Vlora, the partial draining of Narta wetland, and the pumping station in Pishporo Construction of the oil refinery and residential buildings in Ballsh Spaci Prison and Minne in Mirdita The Copper Mine in Puka, Munella mountain The copper mine in Rubik Laci labor camp

Currently, there is no official research on the internment camps, prisoners, mass graves, or other crimes committed during the communist dictatorship. Labor campsites, internment camps, and prisons from the communist era are located all over the country. Most are completely unknown while a few gained little attention as places of remembrance. Spaci Prison and the notorious Labor Camp of Tepelena are among them. See below the virtual museum of Tepelena Camp

Meanwhile, in the capital city, the National Historical Museum has a Communist Terror Pavilion. One of the most disturbing items one can see there is a pair of trousers made of small pieces of clothes patched together with human hair instead of thread.

Other sites that are currently considered tourist attractions are the Bunk’arts and the House of Leaves. Read below.

Relicks of the old regime

Bunkers in Albania

Bunkers or the concrete legacy of the paranoiac Communist regime in Albania. Once built to face any possible foreign attack and also to keep Albanians busy with work, they are considered a symbol of the country. There are three types of bunker structures in Albania, mountainside, fortified structure, and underground. The huge number of cement and steel mushroom-shaped structures that range from 175,000 to 750,000 gets a lot of attention from international visitors. On the other hand, Albanians are used to the presence of bunkers all over the country, and they try to reuse the bunkers somehow by turning them into cafes, restaurants, beach bars, and as a form of public memory. Two large bunkers in the capital city Tirana were turned into museums and opened to the public.

The atomic shelter opened for visitors in November 2014 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Liberation. It was built secretly between 1972 and 1978 to protect the elite of the People’s Republic of Albania in case of a nuclear attack. Located in the northwest periphery of Tirana and dug 100 meters under a mountain, this 2,685 m² shelter is composed of 5 levels and 106 rooms, a real “five-star” complex. The idea for this extravagant building came to Enver Hoxha after he visited North Korea in 1964. Bunk’Art exhibition is a strong symbol, bringing together creativity and free expression of artists within a structure that represents dictatorship and censorship. Visitors can have a coffee in a real communist-era canteen. Location: Tirana How to get there: Porcelani Blue Bus or by taxi

The former nuclear tunnel of the Interior Ministry was built between 1981 and 1986 and it was one of the last major works made during the communist era in the frame of bunkerization project. It consists of an underground structure of 24 rooms and an apartment for the Minister of Interior and a communication room. The structure never served its initial purpose as a nuclear shelter, even for training reasons. The current entrance and exit were added to the structure when it was adopted for public visitors. Previously, the bunker was accessed only through the Interior Ministry. Location: Tirana How to get there: Bunk’Art 2 is situated close to Skanderbeg Square and the Clock Tower.

The Pyramid of Tirana

One of the most recognized landmarks of the Albanian capital falls under the communist tourism category. The 11,800 square meters monolith was built as a museum dedicated to former communist leader Enver Hoxha. The structure will be revitalized and transformed into a multi-functional center for education, tech, art, and culture. The building seen from the front looks like a pyramid, but from an aerial view, it can be associated with the double-headed eagle symbol.

Grave Tourism

Yes, grave tourism is a subcategory of dark tourism and it’s quite common in Albania. Memorial cemeteries of historical, archeological, and cultural importance are visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year.

Skenderbeu Memorial in Lezha The memorial is the burial place of National Hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu and the site of the League of Lezha, where Skanderbeg unified all the Albanian feudal princes against the Ottoman empire. The memorial was designed by renowned sculptor Odise Pascali and architect Latif Lazimi. The Memorial is situated at the central part of the ancient city of Lisus and it includes the walls of Saint Nicolas Church. Skanderbeg died on 17 January 1448, 551 years ago, but rumor has it the tomb was raided years later by the Ottomans who took the remains and used them as lucky charms.

Other memorials include the Martyrs’ Cemeteries. Albanians have always paid tribute to the sacrifice of those who have fallen for the country. Every city in Albania has a martyrs’ memorial cemetery (Varrezat e Deshmoreve). Albanians visit the martyrs’ cemeteries on May 5 and on November 28 or November 29 depending on their political party identification.

Frasheri Brothers, Faik Konica, and Mid’hat Frasheri memorials at Tirana Lake Park The cemeteries of the British and German soldiers fallen in Albania are located at Tirana Lake Park. When the cemetery of the German soldiers was inaugurated, the then Ambassador said: “We will not stop fighting for peace and against oblivion.”

Currently, a memorial dedicated to the Holocaust victims is under construction at Tirana Lake Park.

Yet hundreds of politically prosecuted families still haven’t found the remains of their loved ones, and no memorial was built for them.

Sources: Kujto.al   ISKK

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Albanian AstroTourism: Pristine Night Skies in Europe

Feb 24, 2020 | Astrotourism , Europe

In June 1992, I stepped off a plane and made my way up the palm tree-lined walkway into Tirana International Airport in Albania. I was 18-years-old.

PAINS OF COMMUNISM

Three months before my arrival, Albanians elected their first Democratic leader since succumbing to Communism in 1946 under the rule of Enver Hoxha. The transition from dictatorship to democracy came with many challenges and I was there to witness the early impact it had on the daily lives of the people.

The two years leading up to this important election left the country’s economy in shambles. I arrived with a group of 80 people in a country that barely had adequate infrastructure to host us. We stayed in a dilapidated building that had been a school for the blind and deaf. Most of the window panes were missing, the stairs to our third floor sleeping quarters were crumbling, and the only way to dispose of our trash was to burn it each day. We only had running water twice a day the first month I was there. But as it got hotter in July, this dwindled to just once a day. 

Food in the capital city of Tirana was in short supply. Rather than be a burden to the people we had come to help, we brought our own food: freeze dried meals and military MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) left over from Desert Storm that we purchased in Turkey. We stored our MREs at a military depot on the outskirts of Tirana in exchange for cleaning the grounds and sorting clothing and household items that had been donated from nearby countries as humanitarian aid. 

A NIGHT SKY EXPERIENCE

I spent two months in Albania that summer. Although my home base was in Tirana, each week I traveled to a different city. Since the country is only slightly larger than the state of Massachusetts, I was able to visit most of it twice.

After spending several days in Puka in the northern part of the country, we convinced our guide to let us spend the night outside on a hillside one night before returning to Tirana. He was afraid we would be harmed by gypsies, but there were so many of us that we convinced him we’d be okay. 

I rolled out my thin, summer sleeping bag on the rocky hillside and did my best to get comfortable for the night. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I was stunned by the number of stars I could see. Although I grew up in northern Idaho with fairly dark skies, I had never seen anything like this! I saw a shooting star. Then another, and another. That night’s meteor shower treated us with about 50 meteors per hour, and I could not go to sleep! That night seared itself into my mind. 

I met a man in Tirana one day who said to me, “I want to go to America, the most beautiful country in the world.”

I said, “Albania is also a beautiful country!”

He said, “No, it is an ugly, ugly country.”

Although the Albanians were struggling to maintain their basic necessities when I was there in 1992, I was struck by the astonishing beauty of their country. Soaring mountain peaks, crystal clear rivers, beautiful turquoise lakes, refreshing beaches along the Adriatic Sea, and super dark, star-studded night skies.

SHARING PRISTINE NIGHT SKIES WITH THE WORLD

Today, Tirana shows its great transformation into a modern European city. It’s beaches and outdoor adventure are the best kept travel secret on the continent. Its journey from Communism to today has not been easy, but there is much hope for Albania’s bright future. 

One Albanian has a passionate vision to make his country an astrotourism destination. Albert Kaleci is the CEO of AstroTourism Albania , an organization that specializes in activity and adventure holidays. They are the first agency in Albania to offer travel based on science and astronomy.

“Astrotourism Albania is a unique agency in the Balkans because our astronomical tours are an innovative product here,” says Kaleci.

Kaleci helped found the organization in December 2018.

“I am a Math and Physics teacher who has a passion for astrophysics. The place where I live has a spectacular view of the sky. Patience, desire, and a bit of madness has been needed to develop this project.”

Kaleci is clear about the goals of Astrotourism Albania. “We want to help people move away from their daily urban routine and enjoy a new experience. Our goal is to bring recognition to rural areas where astrotourism can be developed. It is important to us to offer sustainable and responsible tourism in our destinations.

“We also work to bring public awareness and commitment to light pollution and dark skies by taking measures to identify and protect areas with dark skies.”

Albania does not have any Dark Sky Places designated by the International Dark Sky Association . Yet. 

“We have contacted the International Dark Sky Association,” says Kaleci, “about the procedures we need to follow to declare Shebenik-Jablanica National Park as a ‘Dark Sky Park’ and we are being given guidance.”

But dark sky advocates in Albania face challenges that will require persistent effort.

“Support from state institutions and donors is little,” Kaleci admits. “We lack specialists and equipment to tackle this project.”

Although Albania lacks official designation for any Dark Sky Places, it is not lacking in dark sky destinations. Astrotourists looking for a unique dark sky adventure in Europe should put Albania at the top of their list.

Tourists can visit pristine beaches, castles, ancient ruins, and hiking trails by day and view a star-studded sky by night. 

TOP ALBANIAN DARK SKY LOCATIONS

Merita Kraya Idrizay lived in Albania until she moved to the United States in 1990. She owns a restaurant in Fountain Hills, Arizona called Euro Pizza Cafe . The first time I visited her restaurant, I noticed an Albanian flag on the wall. She is very proud of her Albanian heritage and still owns homes in her home country. Her daughter, who was raised in America, has moved to Albania where she is a professional sportscaster and model.

Fountain Hills , where Merita lives now, is an International Dark Sky Community. She recommends the village of Markat Saranda for those who want an experience under the night sky in Albania. Her great-grandparents’ home is still standing there today.

When I asked Merita about the night sky in Albania, she said, “Albania is still pristine and the hospitality is unique.”

SHEBENIK-JABLANICA NATIONAL PARK

Located 87 km east of Tirana along the border of North Macedonia, this national park remains relatively unknown. Its obscurity is due to the park being strictly forbidden during the years of Communism. However, this has been a benefit to the park. It’s expansive 84,000 acres are covered by untouched forests, meadows, and blooming flowers. 

Fortunately, this beautiful park is now open to all and offers remarkably pristine night skies. Tourism experts have created paths to make this expansive area easy to explore.

THETH NATIONAL PARK

Theth National Park is nestled in the Albanian Alps, 170 km north of Tirana. It combines the beauty of mountains with majestic rivers, stunning waterfalls and lagoons as blue as you could imagine. It’s a paradise for the true outdoor enthusiast! You can get there by car, but the real way to have an authentic Theth experience is to hike in on foot.

Visit the guesthouses of families who live in the region. Eat roast lamb, warm homemade bread, cheese, homegrown fruits and vegetables and experience hospitality you will never forget.

Theth has some of the darkest skies you will find in Europe.

KORAB-KORITNIK NATURE PARK

As part of the European Green Belt, this nature park serves as a retreat for endangered animal and plant species. It is home to Albania’s highest peak, Mount Korab. It is a 175 km drive from Tirana near the borders of Kosovo and North Macedonia in an area with some of Europe’s darkest night skies. Filled with alpine lakes, pine forests, mountain villages, and crisp, clean air, this is a haven for outdoor recreationalists.

PERMET: BENJA THERMAL POOLS

For a truly relaxing experience by day, visit the city of Permet, 243 km southeast of Tirana. The mountains, hills, rivers and forests offer outdoor adventure for everyone, but the Benja Thermal Pools are the recommended destination in this area. The waters are about 85 degrees Fahrenheit year-round and are recommended by doctors for rheumatism and skin and kidney ailments. Many visitors enjoy covering their skin with the black muddy deposits of the pools for skin rejuvenation. 

At night, take in the sight of a beautiful dark sky.

LLOGORA NATIONAL PARK

From the beaches of the Ionian Sea to Llogora Pass at an elevation of 3,336 feet, visitors to Albania’s most-visited nature park will enjoy all manner of outdoor recreation, explore the delicious local cuisine, and get a glimpse of the Ionian Sea from 3,280 feet above sea level. These elevations also reward the night sky enthusiast with beautifully dark skies. Llogora National Park is located 192 km south of Tirana.

RESOURCES FOR ASTROTOURISM IN ALBANIA

If you’re going to plan an astrotourism adventure to Albania, visit Astrotourism Albania to plan your trip.

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The Balkans and Beyond

Balkan travel inspiration and practical travel tips

Unusual, Dark Tourist Destinations in the Baltics

Unusual Dark tourist destinations in the Baltics

Dark Tourism is something we find absolutely fascinating yet it is of great importance. It can be a controversial topic. However, we believe that these places must be seen and experienced so that the atrocities that occurred there can be remembered and understood. We have put together a few of the most interesting Dark Tourist destinations in the Baltics.

Dark Tourism can be defined as travel to places that are historically associated with death, tragedy or destruction. The draw for tourists to these locations is often their historical importance, rather than the death and suffering associated with them. The term “Dark Tourism” was coined in 1996 by professors John Lennon and Malcolm Foley of Glasgow Caledonian University.

The Baltics is made up of three countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. But they share a very similar recent history. Their connection with WW2 and Soviet history is strong and this is what most of the Dark tourism sites are connected to.

Dark Tourist Destinations in Lithuania

The 9th fort, kaunas, lithuania.

Kaunas is Lithuania’s second city. It has a lot to offer, but one of the best reasons to visit Kaunas is for its history. This makes it one of the best dark tourist destinations in the Baltics. We decided to visit the historic Ninth Fort just outside the city.

The memorial park contains a gargantuan concrete monument, a museum and, of course, the fort. We paid our €3 for the entry ticket and started in the museum. This part contains a lot of information and is well laid out. However, we were more interested in getting inside the fort itself.

The fort was built in the late 19th century as part of the Kaunas Fortress. The Soviets used it as a prison during the occupation of Lithuania. After that, the Nazis used it to exterminate up to 50,000 Jews and other prisoners.

The exhibition guides you through the different periods of history allowing you to walk through the corridors and stand in the cells. The atmosphere is heavy and it’s easy to forget you’re in the 21st century – until the security guard barks at you for going the wrong way!

After exiting the fort we walked around the memorial park to view the spectacular monument erected near the mass grave to commemorate those who suffered there.

The Devil Museum in Kaunas, Lithuania

The Žmuidzinavičius Museum – or Devils Museum – is a strange little place in Kaunas. Starting as a private collection, it now exhibits over 3,000 different interpretations of the/a devil. Even the building is a little spooky so it’s definitely worth the €3 entry fee.

Dark Tourist Destinations in Latvia

The moscow district of riga, latvia.

The Moscow district of Riga, or Maskavas priekšpilsēta, is perhaps preceded by is reputation. Known to be a little rough around the edges, there were no other tourists to be seen during our visit. Strolling through the quiet streets, we passed old, warped, wooden houses and it felt like another point in history.

The central focus of the area seems to be the soviet style building housing the Academy of Sciences – also nicknamed ‘Stalin’s birthday cake’. You can climb to the balcony of the 17th floor for a good view over Riga.

The remains of the Great Choral Synagogue are also contained within this district. During the Nazi occupation of Latvia, the Synagogue was destroyed. A Ghetto was swiftly set up to hold thousands of Jews before deportation.

During the Second World War, many Jews from across Europe arrived at Riga train station in transportation wagons. Nearly 20,000 arrived in 1941 and were sent to the Riga Ghetto. Later, in 1943, they were sent on to the Kaiserwald Concentration camp.

Karosta Prison, Latvia

Karosta Prison is near the town of Liepāja on the Latvian coast. This former Naval Prison now offers guests the chance to stay overnight for an authentic prison experience. It costs less than €20 per night for one of the ultimate dark tourist destinations in the Baltics.

The prison was in operation from 1905 to 1997 and it was notoriously easy to end up in there. The Nazis used the prison during their occupation of Latvia in the 1940s. During the Soviet period, anyone thought to be a spy was imprisoned here. There was brutal torture and death throughout the building’s history.

The prison is supposedly haunted and appeared on the show, “ Ghost Hunters International. ” There have been reports of lightbulbs unscrewing and falling to the ground, people being pushed out of bed and, of course, the classic white lady.

The Naval Cathedral nearby is incredibly beautiful and well worth a look. You might want to pray before or after your visit!

Dark Tourist Destinations in Estonia

Patarei prison, tallinn, estonia.

On a trip to Estonia we planned to visit Patarei Sea Fortress in Tallinn. A building that used to be one of the most feared locations in the country – the former Soviet prison. The complex was completed as an army barracks in 1840 as part of the Russian Empire. In 1920 it was converted into a prison and was used as such until 2002, when Estonia joined the EU. 

The communist regime in Estonia from 1940-1941 and 1944-1991 imprisoned many people in the fortress, including suspected political opponents. The prison was also used as a forced labour camp by the Nazis from 1941-1944 when they occupied Estonia.

The sea fortress is Estonia’s largest classicist building complex and is spread out over 4 hectares. When used as a Barracks in the 1800s, over 2,000 soldiers were stationed here. As a prison, the capacity peaked at over 4,200 in the 1940s. The numbers increased so much at the start of the Nazi occupation that temporary concentration camps had to be set up in the grounds.

The prison has an execution room where criminals were sentenced to death by hanging. But no mass murders were committed here.

After the defeat of the Nazis, many of the prisoners were sent to Soviet Labour Camps. Some were Estonian resistance fighters and therefore considered a threat to Communism. Others were released by Nazi guards before the forces left Tallinn.

The Soviets at Patarei Prison

The Soviets took charge of the prison once more and by 1945 the numbers had again swelled to well over 4,000 inmates. The suffering continued until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

The purpose of the exhibition is to educate visitors on the nature of communist ideology and the crimes committed across the Soviet Union. It also raises awareness by telling the stories of the victims of the Nazi and Communist regimes. The creators hope the exhibition will inform guests of the true mentality and nature of the communist government. There are thought to be around 90 million victims of communism across the globe.

The KGB Cages in Tartu, Estonia

In Tartu, Estonia, visitors can explore the cellar of ‘The Grey Building’. This cellar contains original cells and corridors used by the KGB in the 20 th century. The cells were used for imprisonment, solitary confinement and even executions.

Many political prisoners were detained here. However, the majority of them passed through on their way to the Gulags (Russian labour camps) in Siberia.

The exhibition is poignant and informative and well worth a visit to find out more about this time in history.

Dark Tourist Destinations in the Baltics

There are many more dark tourist destinations in the Baltics. Visiting these locations provides an insight into the history of the area and helps to build an understanding of the modern culture in the Baltics. It is important to remain respectful of these sites. Tourists might refrain from taking mindless selfies in areas where human beings have experienced great tragedy in recent years.

On a lighter note, the Baltic countries are full of beautiful, historic cities and towns and breath-taking wilderness. There are plenty of great spots to relax with a coffee or meal. There are so many beautiful locations to explore and learn of the amazing culture. And make sure you find the perfect setting to take that Insta worthy selfie!

Where Next?

For some great Baltic destination ideas try the following posts –

VISIT BEAUTIFUL, MEDIEVIL TALLINN IN THE AUTUMN

THE BEAUTIFUL HUSKIES OF RIGA, LATVIA

Have you visited any countries in the Baltic Region or any of the locations mentioned in the post? Are you planning a trip and need more information? Drop a comment in the box, we’d love to hear from you!

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We love to travel and share our Balkan experiences to assist and inspire

13 comments

It really was! It’s important to remember it so that we don’t repeat it.

Wow, I was not aware of many of these places. But I’ve been to and stayed overnight at Karosta Prison. Very grim place but I also like that they’re able to display it with a sense of humor. There are games for kids, and role playing activity where visitors can become ‘prisoners’ for one night.

That’s such a great topic! I had never heard about dark tourism and yeah the historic significance of these places is worth a visit. Thanks for sharing 🙂

So many interesting places I have now learnt about. Thank you.

Oooh some of these are so eerie. Fascinating albeit dark history. Thanks for sharing

An interesting article. Thanks for sharing

I love traveling through the Baltics, and it’s so important to visit these darker spots to learn about history and support these emerging economies with our tourism dollars. Patarei Sea Fortress in Tallinn looks like a fascinating place and I’m bummed I missed it when I was last in Tallinn. Lots to do next time I visit. Thanks for sharing.

My goodness, hasn’t the 20th century in Europe been such an appalling time in history. Thanks for sharing these sites, Katy, and the history associated with them.

I really enjoy reading about unique places to visit. These all sound like they have some fascinating stories behind them and would be well worth visiting.

Super interesting read! I’ve been fortunate enough to visit these countries briefly but didn’t know much about the history behind many of the important locations. Thanks for sharing.

I love this. Even if Dark Tourism is not for everyone, I believe that these places have so much history, and it helps to teach us so much about each place culture. Thanks for helping to share these places and t’s history.

This is a very interesting article indeed. I didn’t know about dark tourism, actually. I will explore it further. thanks a lot for sharing.

It’s so important to visit places like these on travels.The days can be heavy, but learning is such an important aspect of traveling. I had never heard of these spots, so thank you for sharing.

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Dark Tourism – From hell to Hell, financed by EVZ Stiftung

This project tells the story of Albanian survivors from the notorious concentration camp of Mauthausen in Austria, by shaping, recording their personal stories and collecting documents form Albanian archive regarding National Socialist period in Albania. The stories are unique, since they escape the hell to live in another hell, in Communist regime of Dictator Enver Hoxha. Some of them were imprisoned again in dictatorship, considered as spies or collaborators with foreign enemies. Our aim is not only to collect and record their stories, but to create educational opportunities for young generations, to offer them tools to learn this part of history, from Albanians point of view. The project will create a living archive room in the National Historical Museum of Albania, to connect the institution with the city and with community, especially with young generations who don’t know much about this period. An exhibition and a digital storytelling will lead the audience to places of that era, accompanied by the voices of Albanian survivors. Survived people and their familiars from Albania (Tirana, Durres, Vlora) will tell their history as victims of National Socialism and then as survivors in communism. Through the national and international collaboration we will enable an innovative multimedia project to educate generations that what happened, should never be repeated again. Idea: The aim of the project is make the history more “inclusive”, recognizable as a personal and collective experience in a site-specific manner. It builds a bridge between the museum as a place of remembrance and the cities of Albania as a `memorial` space. The project focuses on a microscopic, bottom-up view on history.

Two Year project includes:

• Research about that part of Albanian history, facts, names and itineraries of Albanians arrested and sent to nazi camps during the WWII
• Recording at least 8 stories of Albanian people suffered in Mathausen camp
• Opening an exhibition with all facts gathered for this part of Albanian history at National History Museum. Moving this exhibition to Durres and Vlora.
• Producing a documentary for these stories and broadcasting to main media
• A forum with all academics, historians, presenting these facts to be used in academic curricula for students
• Creating a website with all materials recorded, videos, to be used by researchers, students etc
• Essay competition with this topic with students from high schools, awarding winners

Welcome to Dark Tourists

Dark tourism has become ever-more popular for those looking for alternative types of travel. However, the whole idea of dark tourism can stoke criticism and controversy. Should destinations connected to some of history’s most devastating events be turned into tourist attractions?

The question is a complicated one, however, to assume that the entire notion of dark tourism is exploitative would be to miss a very important point.

For many of us, visiting such destinations brings us a little closer to comprehending the sheer horror of what took place. It is often a powerful, personal reaction where the lessons of history’s teachings become vivid and hard-hitting. And it is through this, that together we have a better chance of ensuring such atrocities do not happen again.

Here at DarkTourists.com, we provide insight into what it means to travel this way. We explore the ethics of dark tourism, and the simple do’s and don’ts when visiting places with complicated pasts. The ethos of dark tourism should always be to educate and inform.

Our aim is to highlight some of the world’s most significant dark tourism travel destinations. From assassinations and murder sites to locations of untold man-made devastation. We explore the battle relics of world wars, the remnants of corrupt regimes, and haunting places of genocide.

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What is dark tourism.

Essentially, dark tourism is the term given to a type of tourism that involves traveling to a site associated with death and tragedy.

Very often we visit these places due to their historical significance. As we mentioned above, a lot can be learned from actually visiting a location where sinister events took place.

However, there will always be those that travel through morbid curiosity and a fascination with the macabre.

There are countless locations that can be described as dark tourist sites. A browse through this website will demonstrate that.

However, places connected with history’s darkest moments come in many forms. There’s the entire abandoned city of Pripyat that can be visited in connection with the Chernobyl disaster .

Or the site of Captain Cook’s murder commemorated with a 27-foot-high obelisk in Hawaii.

Auschwitz is a carefully maintained tourist destination with exhibits and audio tours. A visit to Highgate Cemetry in London will bring you to the site of Alexander Litvinenko’s lead-lined coffin , you can do this during the opening hours of the cemetery alone.

All would fall under the umbrella of dark tourism because of the history associated with each site.

A History of Dark Tourism

Dark tourism was first coined in 1996, by Lennon and Foley ; two scholars at Glasgow Caledonian University, (they were exploring the touristic fascination with sites associated with assassinations ).

The label may be relatively new, but the idea of visiting places associated with death is very old. Consider what the Romans liked to do during their days off. ‘Tourists’ would travel for days to watch Gladiators fight each other to the death in grand battles at the Colosseum .

Public executions were considered a family day out during Victorian times . Visitors could buy refreshments and those living so close that their windows and balconies offered views of the hanging, could charge admission.

In fact, a whole industry would surround an execution. Tourists keen for a memento of the day would buy printed pictures and transcripts detailing the crimes of the condemned.

The site of Jack the Ripper’s murders became tourist spots even as he prowled the streets of Whitechapel. You can buy walking tours during a visit to London to this day.

The Catacombs beneath Paris were a desirable concert location for wealthy 19th Century Parisians. They could enjoy the refined aural pleasures of Mozart while sat beside the bones and skulls pressed into the walls.

Dark tourism is not always associated with death. Asylums during the 18th century would open their doors to the paying public as a source of extra revenue. Tourists would take walking tours around these squalid institutions to gawp at the afflicted.

And while we cannot get into the minds of ‘Dark Tourists’ from times past, it does seem apparent that an innate fascination for the macabre was an overriding factor in the popularity of it all. It was treated as entertainment.

So where does that leave us today? How do we reconcile ourselves with the ethical questions surrounding dark tourism in 2019?

The Ethics of Dark Tourism Today?

There will always be ethical concerns where the site of a tragedy has been repurposed for financial gain.

Some dark tourist sites struggle to strike a balance between education and entertainment and as a result, the horrors of the past can appear to be glorified.

Context is an important issue here. A dark tourism location needs to think carefully about how it represents its story and the artifacts that go along with it.

The best sites clearly explain their past and the events that took place. When done sensitively in a coherent manner the impact on the visitor will be a poignant one; they will appreciate the fact that the site was a place where great suffering took place.

If on the other hand, a site presents an almost random collection of macabre artifacts, with little in the way of a meaningful narrative, the result is often a much more ethically ambiguous experience.

Without context, the dark tourism site is unlikely to educate or inform and will become just a vehicle of dark glorification of the location and whatever is on display.

All of this aside, the ethical questions surrounding dark tourism will continue to remain subjective. There will be some that see the notion as a particularly sinister form of entertainment that should be left well alone, (and others that will visit sites for exactly the same reason).

And then there are those much like the writers of this website. We see dark tourism and its relevant travel destinations as a chance to learn; to come face to face with the horrors of our collective pasts and to pay our respects to those that suffered.

Dark Tourism – The Scholarly Perspective

The nature of dark tourism and its increasing popularity has gained the interest of scholars in recent years.

In fact, there is an entire institute dedicated to Dark Tourism, based at the University of Central Lancashire, England,

Aptly named the Institute for Dark Tourism Research (iDTR); it has become known as one of the world’s leading academic centers for dark tourism scholarship, research, and teaching.

The importance of the institute in the development of ethical dark tourism cannot be understated. (In academic literature, Dark tourism is also referred to as ‘ thanatourism ’ from the Greek word thanatos, meaning death, or grief).

With its continuing work as a center of research and consultation for the appropriate management, interpretation, and promotion of dark tourism sites and attractions, the iDTR has created an internationally recognized body of work that helps to understand dark tourism from an ethical and social scientific perspective.

Head here , for a list of recent interviews with the executive director of iDTR, Dr. Philip Stone .

The scholarly interest in dark tourism doesn’t stop there of course. There are myriad research papers written from all manner of intellectual perspectives; tourism management, social-historical and cultural, to name but a few.

And then there is general commentary within academic literature that takes a somewhat more critical look at thanatourism .

All of the above has its place in furthering our understanding of why it is important to recognize the growing popularity of dark tourism, and how it can be done in an ethically minded manner.

The Dark Tourism Spectrum

Dark tourism locations cross a range of “darkness”. What I mean by this is that the level of tragedy associated with different places and the context in which it is represented does vary.

You could think of this range as the dark tourism spectrum.

To place this in a practical context; a visit to the London Dungeons (which could be considered a dark tourist activity), where actors are involved with the tour and children are allowed, is very different to a trip to Auschwitz.

They are on opposite ends of the dark tourism spectrum. The chart below demonstrates the concept further.

They normally involve visiting a location where the tragedy took place. Visitors are educated about the attached history and should be mindfully respectful throughout.

The killing fields in Cambodia, Chernobyl in Ukraine, and the Gulag Museum in Siberia would all fall into this end of the spectrum.

On the lightest end, history is presented in a more commercial manner. Visitors can still be educated during this type of dark activity, however, they are also expected to be entertained.

A London Jack the Ripper tour or a visit to an Irish castle that is supposed to be haunted would fall into this category.

Ultimately, a “light” dark tourism activity is designed for the visitor to have fun as well as to learn.

Types of Dark Tourism

Understanding the dark tourism spectrum also helps highlight the fact that there is a range of dark tourist activities available.

Let’s take a look at some of them now.

Conflict Sites & Battle Grounds

Sites that have witnessed conflict in terms of civil or all-out war often become dark tourism destinations once peace has been restored, and a suitable amount of time has been passed.

You only need to look at the popularity of the battlefields of the 1st and 2nd World War in France , or the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam to understand what I mean by this.

A somewhat amoral type of dark tourism exists where people visit areas that are still experiencing conflict. The Syrian-Israeli border is a good example.

From a safe distance, high above a valley in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights , tourists can look down and witness the devastation of the war, as well as watch some of the bloodlettings take place in real-time.

Museums and Exhibitions

There are countless dark exhibitions throughout the world. The pages of this website are full of them. Within Europe and Central and South America, you have a wide choice of museums that focus on the tyranny of communism.

There has been no shortage of despots in the East either. Whatever the regime, there will be a dark tourism activity somewhere that will help you learn more.

There are also museums dedicated to the nature of death , torture, and the plague, to name but a few.

Castles and Dungeons

Visiting old castles and dungeons is a great dark tourism activity. Many are now open to the public and by their very nature, they have a dark and bloody past.

The way the history of these locations is represented varies widely, (from the Disneyfied nature of a London Dungeon tour to the authentic no-frills visit to Leap Castle in Ireland ), however, they do make for an interesting trip.

For those that like a supernatural undercurrent to their dark tourist experience, many castles cater to this too. There are very few locations that do not have a good ghost story attached to them.

Cemeteries, Tombs & Catacombs

Cemeteries as a dark tourism activity are becoming more and more popular. Even a moderate fan of The Doors wouldn’t pass on a visit to the Père Lachaise Cemetery while in Paris, to see Jim Morrison’s grave.

Checking out the final resting places of the famous (or infamous) fascinates many people.

Beyond individual gravesites, you have the bleak but often ostentatious beauty of a large cemetery with grand tombs. This becomes a draw for many. The Recoleta Cemetery in Argentina and the Victorian splendor of Highgate in London falls into this category.

Finally, there are catacombs and ossuaries throughout the world. These are crammed with skulls and when open to the public, prove extremely popular.

Disasters Sites

Disaster sites are increasingly becoming more accessible to the dark tourist. Chernobyl is probably the best example of this. The popularity of the recent HBO series has seen tourists flock to the site of the nuclear disaster that took place in 1986.

Hiroshima, Fukushima, Pompei, and Ground Zero are all disaster sites that see thousands, if not millions of visitors each year. Many of them do not even realize they are having a dark tourism experience while they are there.

Areas of Genocide

Auschwitz, the Killing Fields, and the Rwanda Memorial are all popular tourist locations. They are also areas of genocide.

The history of these places is beyond tragic, but it is important that we learn what happened, in order to prevent such atrocities from happening again.

Therefore, it is also important that these areas of remembrance exist. It is a solemn experience to visit them, but also a necessary one.

Dark Tourism as an Umbrella Term

It is also helpful to see Dark Tourism as an umbrella term for different types of tourist experiences that venture into macabre areas.

The following are all seen as tourism classifications in their own right.

• Holocaust tourism
• Disaster tourism
• Grave tourism
• Cold war tourism
• Military Tourism
• Nuclear tourism
• Prison and persecution site tourism

7 Most Visited Dark Tourist Sites Around the World

There are many dark tourism destinations around the world. As I have already stated, the best of them allow the visitor to explore, commemorate, and understand the tragedies that took place, in a sensitive and enlightening manner.

Under these circumstances, it is no small wonder dark tourism spots are becoming increasingly popular. The following 7 destinations are some of the most visited Dark Tourism spots in the world.

1. Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum

Location: Near Krakow, Poland

Auschwitz hardly needs an introduction. As the largest German Nazi concentration camp of WW2, it is also by far the most infamous.

As the most efficient extermination center ever devised, Auschwitz has become a global symbol of terror and genocide. More than 1.1million men, women, and children lost their lives at the camp.

Over 2 million people visited Auschwitz-Birkenau in 2019, a figure so high that one can’t help feeling optimistic. Essentially, the memorial and museum is a vital tool for education. By making people aware of the true horrors that took place there, it aims to prevent such atrocities from happening again.

As the museum explains:

“There is no way to understand postwar Europe and the world without an in-depth confrontation between our idea of mankind and the remains of Auschwitz.”

Details: Admission to the grounds of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free. However, you should still reserve a ticket as demand is so high, and there is a limited amount of visitors allowed each day.

The site is open daily from 7.30 am all year round, (excluding Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day). Not suitable for children younger than 14.

2. Chernobyl

Location: Pripyat, Ukraine

Chernobyl (and the neighboring town of Pripyat) has seen a massive surge in visitors since the release of the popular HBO television series.

It has been a mecca for dark tourists for many years, (I first visited in 2007 and tours have been available long before that), the abandoned buildings within the exclusion zone providing amazing photo opportunities at every turn.

The ghost town that is Pripyat came about because of the world’s worst nuclear accident. On April 25-26th 1986, Chernobyl nuclear reactor 4 malfunctioned during a (not so routine) safety check.

The resulting explosion spewed radioactive debris into the air that quickly spread across Europe. Pripyat, a town built to accommodate the reactor staff and their families, had to be evacuated. No one has been allowed to live there ever since.

Scientists estimate it will take up to 20,000 years before the exclusion zone can safely be habitable again.

That hasn’t stopped a burgeoning tourist industry from taking off mind you. There are countless organized tours of the town available, with tens of thousands of people visiting the site every year.

Details: Chernobyl tours are open year-round with one-day and multi-day trips available. You can also opt for larger group tours or organize a private guide (the latter is definitely recommended).

Rules are strict to keep you safe from radiation poisoning, so do as your guide instructs. The rapid beeping of the Geiger counter will definitely raise your heart rate.

3. National 9/11 Memorial and Museum

Location: New York, USA

More than 10 million people have visited the 9/11 memorial museum since it opened.

This moving tribute of remembrance and honor to the 2,977 people killed during the September 11 terror attacks in 2001, has become a must-see location for any visitor in New York.

Twin reflecting pools have been built in the foundations of where the Twin Towers once stood. Etched into bronze panels along the edges of each pool are the names of every single victim.

It is a poignant, emotionally loaded spot. Despite being in the middle of the business district of Manhatten, there is an air of somber calm here as visitors walk around the pools, inwardly paying their respects.

The museum is packed with information on the building and life of the Twin Towers, as well, of course, the tragedy of its destruction.

Details: The 9/11 Memorial is free every day from 7.30 am to 9 pm. Museum tickets can be bought online (up to 6 months in advance) as well as at the entrance.

4. Murambi Genocide Memorial

Location: Near Murambi, Southern Rwanda

Of all the global memorials dedicated to victims of mass murder and genocide, Murambi’s is arguably the most hard-hitting.

This is not so much due to the events that took place, (which were clearly horrific), it is the presence of the corpses of over 800 victims that have been exhumed from the local killing fields.

Preserved in lime their bodies did not fully decompose. They now form part of the memorial and have been out on display.

They are the victims of a brutal killing spree conducted by Interahamwe militia and soldiers in 1994. This, along with many other massacres during the Rwanda civil war, was in support of the genocide endorsed by the government.

It is estimated that between 500,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed, with approximately 70% of the country’s Tutsi population (men, women, and children) murdered.

The memorial is positioned on a picturesque hill with bucolic countryside reaching out in all directions.

Details: The memorial is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm. (except on Umuganda Saturdays). Entrance is free and includes an accompanying audio guide.

5. The Ruins of Pompeii

Location: Pompeii, Italy

Mount Vesuvius’s volcanic eruption wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii in 79AD.

Almost two millennia later, the site is a very popular (dark) tourist destination with over 2.5 million making the trip every year.

The devastation of the eruption and the resulting preservation of bodies from the ash, make this an extraordinary place to visit.

The whole site is a monument to the final minutes of Pompeii as the eruption spread through the city.

Details: Pompeii is open daily from 9 am, (except for New Year’s Day, May 1st and Christmas Day). Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the entrance on the day you visit.

The standard entrance fee is €18.90. However, prices for EU citizens aged 18-24 is €6, Children cost only €3.

6. The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek

Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime are responsible for the genocide that took place in Cambodia between 1975 and 1979.

Turning on their own people, the regime rounded up and murdered approximately 1.5 million people during Pol Pot’s radical push towards Communism.

To fulfill its goals of achieving a socialist agrarian republic, the Khmer Rouge emptied the cities and forced Cambodians to relocate to labor camps in the countryside.

Here forced labor and mass executions were rampant. A former school was transformed into the infamous Security Prison 21 (it is now Tuol Sleng Museum). Here, 20,000 people were sent for questioning. Only seven adults survived.

10 miles southwest of Phnom Penh were the Killing Fields where prisoners were taken to be executed. In order to save bullets, pickaxes were often used. The bodies were then dumped in mass graves close by.

In 1980 the remains of 8,895 people were exhumed from the site. The skulls are now on display inside the memorial based at the Killing Fields. Many of them show evidence of the brutal manner in which the victim died.

Details: The killing Fields are open daily from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm. The entrance fee is $6 including an audio tour.

7. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Location: Hiroshima, Japan

On August 6th, 1945 an atomic bomb detonated above the city of Hiroshima. It helped bring an end to WW2, but the cost to life was horrific.

Innocent men, women, and children were murdered in the blast. It was a moment that would change the course of history, and shape the world towards a battle for nuclear armament that exists to this day.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum houses permanent exhibitions that include artifacts from the explosion, items belonging to victims, and testimonials from those who managed to survived.

Details: Open daily (excluding 30 and 31st of December). The entrance fee is 200 yen.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Dark Tourism

So how should one act when visiting a dark tourist site? Number one answer to that is “respectfully”. And that certainly means you should not pose for a selfie with a shit-eating grin plastered across your face.

(The officials at Auschwitz have faced this issue recently with the growing number of tourists taking smiling, social-media snaps while standing on the infamous train-tracks).

Following the advice below will help you act appropriately while visiting and learning about the world’s darkest history.

What not to do when visiting a Dark Tourist site

We’ll start with the don’ts as some of these irk me greatly. Unfortunately, I think I have seen an example of at least one of the following every time I have ever visited a dark tourist location, (unless I have managed to do a private tour).

Take Selfies

I’ll start with the big one; taking selfies or snaps of your grinning friends and family. It is far from respectful. If your number one reason for being at the site is to show off the fact you have been there to your Instagram following, well then you have totally missed the point.

In fact, I don’t want to talk to you anymore, go find another website.

Making Jokes (Even under your breath)

Dark tourist sites have to be taken seriously. Not only should you be respectful to the memory of what happened (and the people it happened too), you should also be conscientious of the people that are visiting the site.

Joking and general larking about is unacceptable. Even chuckling quietly in your small group can potentially upset others around you. You have no idea of the circumstances that bring them there.

Taking a “small” memento

It is also unacceptable to take a memento from the dark tourist site. While it may seem harmless enough to take a stone, a flower or some other small item from the location, it is still fundamentally wrong.

Just imagine if every visitor felt the same way and took a little piece home with them. These locations need to be treated with respect and left intact.

Litter or graffiti

Leaving your trash around and not clearing up after yourself, or etching your initials into the underside of a bench just to make your mark at a famous location is moronic.

I realize I am starting to sound a little preachy in this section, however, it is because I have seen such behavior all too often and it is one of the many reasons “dark tourists” end up getting a bad wrap.

Leaving your shit behind just reeks of disrespect and demonstrates that you simply do not care.

What you should do when visiting a Dark Tourist Site

Now that we’ve got that bad stuff out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the things you can do to be a contentious dark tourist.

Learn as much as you can about the history of the location

Take some time to read up on the location before, during and after you are there. Learning some of the history before you go will generally make for a more interesting visit as the information you will have already learned will become ever-more poignant by being there.

That being said, some people prefer to go in blind. And that is absolutely fine. However, a good dark tourist location will have lots of explanatory material (written and audio guides etc) where information can be gleaned as you make your way around the site.

Often time, I leave a location and become an avid reader on the site afterward. For me personally, the history is significantly more powerful after I have made the trip and experienced the dark tourist location for myself.

Join a guided tour or utilize an audio tour

This is a continuation of the above point and is all about learning as much as you can. If reading plaques as you walk around a site isn’t your thing, see if the site offers guided tours.

Today’s technology also means audio tours are available on some of the smallest and most remote locations.

Even if it means you need to pay extra, the money will often be going towards running the site so it is for a good cause.

Act respectfully as you walk around

This basically means don’t do any of the points we listed in the “What not to do” section. No jokes, selfies, or removing items from the location. Be aware of your surroundings and others that are visiting.

Whether the sad or tragic event that happened at the location is from the distant past or the loss is more recent, you should act in a manner that shows respect to the physical location and the memories of those that may have suffered there.

Tell others about your experience

If you found a dark tourist site interesting and/or moving, tell others about it once you return home. This is important type of tourism and we must work together to remove some of the stigma associated with it. There is a lot to be gained from people visiting these locations and learning more about the history associated with them.

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Beaches, mountains, ancient towns and low prices? Albania has it all

Despite its dark 20th-century past, the country is now a traveller’s paradise of amazing landscapes, coast and historic cities

“I t used to be rare that journalists would come here,” says Elton Caushi, head of tour operator Albanian Trip , who I meet in the capital, Tirana. “When they did come, they only wanted to talk about blood feuds and sworn virgins.”

The traditions that once dominated tribal politics in Albania’s mountains are interesting, but I’m here to probe a more recent view of the south-east European country. Thanks to its beaches, Unesco-stamped cities and hiking routes, formerly communist Albania is being lauded as a “hot new” European travel destination beyond backpacking and dark tourism .

For decades, Albania had a reputation as a dangerous, no-go country, thanks largely to its being politically isolated under dictator Enver Hoxha, who died in 1985. After Albania’s 1997 civil war and the end of the Kosovo war in 1999, more visitors gradually started coming to Albania, attracted partly by prices lower than in Greece and Italy. In 2009, 1.9 million tourists travelled to Albania; in 2019, the last full pre-Covid year, the figure was 6.4 million.

The food here may be a factor in this shift. I’m with Caushi in a nameless restaurant at 1001 Bardhok Biba, a street close to the city centre. “The tourists haven’t found it – it’s mainly drivers eating here,” he says. I breakfast on sumptuous tasqebap – a soupy mix of veal, garlic, onions and tomato sauce – before Caushi takes me for 9am dessert at Mon Amour , a Parisian-style patisserie. We pay a non-Parisian 390 lek (£2.80) for coffee and baklava pastries with ice-cream.

After breakfast I drive to Dhërmi, a village that has seen myriad hotels pop up along its coast over the past decade. I arrive at the beginning of Kala , one of many small dance music festivals that have sprung up along the Riviera, with dancefloors on the sand.

Dhërmi’s main, non-festival beach is clean, neatly covered in sunbeds and flanked by restaurants. All fine if you just want to lie back and plough through your Kindle. The small beaches north of here, such as Splendor Del Mar and Empire Beach Resort , feel gloriously Balearic in comparison. Swimming in the clear, turquoise sea off Splendor is clock-slowingly tranquil. I haven’t had a better dip outside Asia.

Later, on a walk to nearby Gjipe beach – sandy, lovely, isolated, with zero hotel development – I spot a concrete bunker and stare at this dome with a sea view: a grey lump of cold war paranoia on an otherwise idyllic coast.

I see another bunker. Then another, in the hills when I drive back to Dhërmi. I begin counting them, but soon realise bunkers are as common here as the sunbathing skinks. About 173,371 were reportedly built in Albania between 1975 and 1983, as Hoxha prepared for potential attack.

Caushi warned me that the touristy cities of Durrës and Sarandë were already attracting enough holidaymakers to make them unpleasantly crowded. I stop instead in Gjirokastër and Berat: two smaller cities of renowned beauty.

I prepare by reading Chronicle in Stone, the 1971 novel by Ismail Kadare – Albania’s noted author and Gjirokastër resident. In the book the romance of Gjirokastër’s steep, bumpy paths, snaking around buildings such as Skenduli House and Zekate House – owned by elite families and now museums – shines through his story of 1940s bombardments.

His ink covers the city – my hotel is on Ismael Kadare Street . However, Gjirokastër was once as famous for cannabis as Kadare, according to Blero Topulli, who works in the castle of Gjirokastër . “It was considered one of the most dangerous points in Europe – we had a village producing tonnes of cannabis,” he says. “When I was a child in the 2000s, to see a tourist was like seeing an alien.”

We meet in the castle overlooking the village of Lazarat, which was rife with illegal drug production until a police crackdown in the mid-2010s.

Thanks to its historical architecture, Gjirokastër became a Unesco site in 2005, but Topulli says tourists didn’t arrive in significant numbers until the cannabis gangsters had left. We walk the bazaar streets, renovated five years ago for this tourism tilt, but it’s easy to escape this mildly Disneyfied pocket of the city. Topulli takes me uphill to watch the sunset, passing mansions depicted by Edward Lear in the mid-19th century.

“Listen: the wind in the trees sounds like the sea,” says Topolli. He’s right: it laps my ears as the castle’s lights flick on, a calming comedown after Kala’s beach parties.

Further north in Berat, also a Unesco-listed city, I walk up to the castle . Berat has a similar historic richness to Gjirokastër – and similarly steep climbs – but feels more rugged.

The breezy lack of health and safety concerns in Berat makes it even more enjoyable. At the Red Mosque ruins, I scurry up the scarily thin tower’s pitch-black interior, popping my head over the top so vertigo can override my rising claustrophobia.

“I came to Albania because you can do beach, cities and hiking in a week,” a US tourist tells me. Indeed, after a two-hour drive to Tirana it’s a two-hour bus ride to Shkodër, gateway to the Albanian Alps.

I do a classic trek: the 17km route between Valbona and Theth in the Valbona Valley national park. To get in the mood, I read Edith Durham’s High Albania, the British writer’s document of the region’s tribes, based on her 1908 treks. The toughness of the climb, with horse-dotted woods giving way to craggy half-paths, threatens to outmatch the wild beauty of the area. But three hours in I reach the peak, and the forest-splashed views work their magic: it’s Swiss-level stunning.

In mountain-cradled Theth, my guesthouse pancake breakfast is soundtracked by the tense “click-click-click” of diggers. The snaking road to Shkodër was surfaced with asphalt for the first time last year.

Caushi says that some fear Theth’s new highway could lead to overtourism. “But I’m happy for my friends there: 15 years ago you’d see a cow, a chicken, a cornfield. Now they can get to school faster, to the hospital … it’s good for the locals.”

Good for me too, I think, as my bus to Shkodër glides over asphalt.

I finish back in Tirana, staying at Hotel Boutique Kotoni in the city centre, then the quieter Morina hotel , next to the Grand Park of Tirana. Being the capital city of a country with an anti-capitalist regime until 1992, Tirana didn’t get proper bars until well into the 1990s, according to Caushi. After a construction boom in the 2000s, the city now has a population of 560,000. Hoxha’s opulent former residence has a trendy cafe directly in front of it.

I’m in Tirana fleetingly, but visit Bunkart 1 , Hoxha’s underground complex, which is now a museum and art space. Exhibitions outline decades of dictatorship, interspersed with art installations. Wrongly balanced, the mix of dark history and video art could come across as distastefully hipster-ish, but it’s captivatingly moving.

Another reminder of how quickly a place can change.

Accommodation in Dhërmi was provided by Kala ; Tirana accommodation provided by Hotel Boutique Kotoni (doubles from €100 B&B, hotelkotoni.com) in conjunction with Albanian Trip and Radisson Collection Morina hotel (doubles from €80 room-only

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The Journey through History – Visiting Communist Sites in Albania

During the brutal communist regime of Enver Hoxha, Albania was the most isolated and inaccessible country in Europe. For four decades, tourists couldn’t visit this little Balkan country, shrouded in an aura of mystery. It remains an off-the-beaten-track destination, but more and more foreigners make it to Albania to discover its beautiful nature. If you want to understand Albania and learn about communist history, here are some landmarks you cannot miss.

A short history of communist Albania

During World War 2, Albania was first under Italian and then German occupation. In 1944, the NLM, a communist partisan organisation, liberated it from the Germans. 

Right from the start, the communists ensured nobody would stand in their way to power in the country. They didn’t play around with half-measures and assumed the most effective way to do so was to execute the members of the previous government accusing them of war crimes.

The leader of NLM, Enver Hoxha, became the prime minister of the People’s Republic of Albania. 

Hoxha was a big believer in Stalinism, and some historians say he was stricter than Stalin himself. 

As one of the cruellest dictators in Europe, the Albanian leader didn’t hesitate to send his political enemies to work camps and jails or execute them. Between 5000 and 25000 people lost their lives because of political repression.

Communist Albania was good friends with the USSR until 1956. As the Soviets started to milden their politics and Khruschev was striving toward “peaceful coexistence” with the west, Hoxha decided the USSR wasn’t communist enough and broke the relationships with their biggest ally. 

Albania entered a period of cooperation with Mao’s China, which lasted until the 1970s. Again, Hoxha didn’t like how the Chinese became too friendly with the west and couldn’t forgive Mao’s having president Nixon over for a visit.

After cutting ties with China, Albania became one of the most isolated countries on earth. It was nearly impossible to visit it as tourists and Albanians couldn’t leave either. Few attempted to cross through Lake Ohrid to Yugoslavia, risking a death sentence.

Enver Hoxha was in power for 41 years until he died in 1985. His successor, Ramiz Alia, introduced some economic reforms and slightly loosened the rules. 

When the Berlin wall fell in 1989, most Albanians were still unaware of the changes elsewhere in Europe, as the state controlled the media. But the government knew they couldn’t stay in control for too long.

Despite revolts and student protests in 1990, the communist party still won the election in 1991. The protests continued, and it became clear a transformation was inevitable. 

Two months after the elections, the government fell. In 1992, Sali Berisha became Albania’s first freely elected president since the 1920s. 

Dark tourism in Albania

Many communist sites in Albania are dark tourism sites where cruel and horrifying things have happened. Things you will see and learn about will often be disturbing and unsettling. Prepare both mentally and intellectually before you visit them.

Think twice about why you are visiting the place. Is it just curiosity, or do you actually want to understand what happened there? 

Taking pictures of yourself in places where people were tortured or killed is also never a good idea. 

The purpose of visiting dark tourism sites is to learn about the history and understand it better. It’s important to behave respectfully in places connected to death and tragedy. 

In Albania, the trauma of the communist terror is still alive for many people. 

Bunkerization of Albania

Let’s start not with one particular memorial or museum but with the most characteristic part of the Albanian landscapes – bunkers. 

The ubiquitous concrete mushrooms lurk around every corner and are the favourite subject of every YouTube travel vlog about Albania. 

They are the reminiscence of Enver Hoxha’s great defence project  Bunkerizimit ,   an Albanian equivalent to the Maginot line. With one key difference: nobody ever had to use the Albanian bunkers. 

After turning his back on everyone and turning Albania into one of the most isolated countries in the world ever, Enver Hoxha feared an attack could come at any time, whether from neighbouring Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union or “the imperialist West”. The project was a delusion of a paranoid dictator, and hundreds of thousands of nuclear bunkers turned out useless. 

Following the regime’s fall, the question arose: what to do with the concrete bunkers? They were everywhere: in gardens, in graveyards, in the city centres, on sandy Adriatic beaches and in the middle of the mountains. Travelling through the Albanian countryside, you’ll sometimes find people keeping livestock or food in their bunkers. 

Some treated the bunkers as a great source of steel. If your monthly wage is about 500 euros a month, tearing down the bunkers in your neighbourhood looks like a great business.  Selling steel from one bunker for scrap  can bring about 300 euros of additional income. One can demolish it in one weekend with homemade explosives. 

The more entrepreneurial Albanians decided to take advantage of the bunker hype and convert the concrete mushrooms into hostels, restaurants or tattoo studios . There is even a  manual  explaining how you can repurpose your local bunkers into a tourism facility. 

Bunk’Art Museum

Under the capital of Albania, there is a complex network of underground tunnels. Enver Hoxha commanded the construction of a gigantic bunker to protect himself and his government in case of a nuclear attack.

In 2014, the bunker became a museum and art gallery – Bunk’Art. If you first arrive in Albania and know nothing about its history, I recommend starting there. 

There are two parts of the museum – Bunk’Art 1 and Bunk’Art 2. The first one is located further from the city centre, near Dajti Cable Car. The exposition in Bunk’Art 1 is a more general story about communism in Albania.

Bunk’Art 2 is easier accessible, right next to Tirana’s main square – The Skanderberg Square. This museum is smaller, with the exposition focusing more on the darkest sides of Hoxha’s regime – the labour camps, torture, surveillance and the secret police Sigurimi. 

Statue of Mother Albania

The national mothers’ statues were quite a trend in the Eastern Bloc. The monuments of strong and dignified watch the cities of Kiyv, Tbilisi and Erevan. Tirana has its own maternal figure – Mother Albania. A 12-metre-high concrete statue built in 1971 overlooks The National Martyrs Cemetary, the burial place of soldiers who died in World War II.

Pyramid of Tirana

Currently (November 2022), it’s unfortunately not possible to visit the Pyramid of Tirana because of renovation works. 

The Pyramid of Tirana is the most characteristic building in Tirana and one of Europe’s most famous brutalist buildings. One of the architects behind it was Enver Hoxha’s daughter Pranvera. 

Some people used to call the Pyramid of Tirana Hoxha’s mausoleum, although there was never a plan to bury the dictator there. The purpose of the building was, however, the museum to the communist ruler. 

The museum didn’t survive long, as only three years after its opening, the communist regime collapsed. 

For many years the pyramid was where the local youth hung out, and kids used the pyramid walls as slides. 

During the Kosovo War in 1999, the pyramid served as a NATO base. 

There were many controversies about what to do with this symbol of the oppressive regime. In the end, the residents of Tirana decided to reclaim the pyramid as their own space.

The  project  of a Dutch architect studio MVRDV will give the pyramid a refreshed and more modern look, which might be disappointing for the enthusiasts of brutalist architecture.

House of Leaves

Innocent-looking red-brick building with cute blue shutters and a facade covered by ivy leaves was a witness to the Albanian state’s psychological violence and oppression towards its citizens.

It was the HG of the Sigurimi – Albanian equivalent to KGB or Stasi, with no less cruel methods. The secret police ensured everyone with even the slightest ties to “the enemies of the state” would be  kept under surveillance and repressed . 

If your cousin, uncle or grandfather had views not in line with the party’s ideology, you could forget about getting into university or getting a job you wanted. 

Currently, the building of House of Leaves holds a detailed exposition of various aspects of Sigurimi’s work. It explains the bugs and technical gear used for surveillance, as well as the complex structure of spies, agents and collaborators that made people in Albania afraid of saying anything and spread mistrust among each other.

Victims’ testimonies on torture and interrogation are very unsettling and disturbing.

National Art Gallery (and particularly  behind it )

The times when you could see the statues of Lenin and Stalin in Albania’s squares and streets are long gone, but you can still find the figures of the Soviet leaders behind the National Art Gallery. In the garden, you will also find a ZIS car, commonly used by the Sigurimi – the secret police in communist Albania. 

The Gallery is currently closed for renovation.

Other communist landmarks in Tirana

• The facade of The Albanian National Museum on Skanderberg Square
• The bas-relief on the government building at Rruga Ismail Qemali
• Enver Hoxha’s residence (not open to the public)

The Shpiragu mountain near Berat (The  Never -mountain)

You know you live in a crazy dictatorship when you can see the name and the leader’s face everywhere. 

The cult of personality in Albania was at least as strong as in the USSR. They had plenty of statues of Enver Hoxha, and in Berat, you could also see his name on the slope of the Shpiragu mountains. 

Each letter was 100 metres high, and the residents of nearby villages were forced to paint them as a gift for Hoxha’s birthday. For years after his death, the locals had to look at the letters ENVER that reminded them of the merciless dictator. They were visible from many kilometres. 

In 2012, Sheme Filja, a local farmer, replaced the letters N and E, creating the word NEVER. This act was a protest against communism ever coming back and a complaint about slow progress in Albania after the political transformation. 

Cold War Tunnel in Gjirokaster

In his hometown, Enver Hoxha ordered the building of an underground tunnel with 80 rooms for the local officials and VIPs to hide in case of a nuclear attack. The project was secret, and most locals didn’t know what was hidden under the town of Gjirokaster until the regime fell in 1991. 

In a contrast to Bunk’Art museums, the nuclear bunker under the castle of Gjirokaster remains in a condition similar to the original. It leaves space for imagining what it was like to be there during the Cold War. Some equipment was looted during the unrest in 1997. You can still see the original Czech power generator and furniture in the offices or conference room. 

Spaç Prison

In the remote mountains near the village of Spaç, there is an abandoned prison. Its political inmates there were forced to work in a mine. The work conditions were primitive and dangerous, and the prisoners who didn’t fulfil the unrealistic quotas were tortured. 

In 1973, the prisoners started an uprising  against the regime, but the guards brutally quashed the rebellion.

Today, the building of one of the cruellest Albanian prisons is in a state of deterioration, but you can still see some communist slogans and prisoner drawings on the wall. 

The trip to the site is strenuous, with a bendy dirt road. It allows you to grasp the effort and despair of the families who walked there for hours only to hear they couldn’t see their beloved ones because of a guard’s whim.

There are some information boards in English, but to best understand the history of Spaç Prison, it’s best to visit with a local guide.

Antique Shop on Kruje Bazaar

If you collect communist memorabilia, you must visit one antique shop at Kruje Bazaar. I found it by chance, and it was one of the most exciting discoveries of my month-long trip to Albania.

You’ll easily spot it among shops selling carpets and other Albanian souvenirs. Just look for the shop window with book covers with Lenin and Stalin.

The shopkeeper is very kind and speaks pretty good English, and he’s keen to explain the meaning of the items, like the badges for the best worker or the best soldier.

You’ll also find plenty of books about the history of communist Albania and postcards from that time. If you’re looking for authentic communist souvenirs from Albania and not a tacky mug with the face of Enver Hoxha, the shop at Kruje Bazaar is the place to go. 

The Steel of the Party – the industrial centre of communist Albania

Elbasan and the neighbouring Librazhd, Prrenjas and Pogradec are great places for urbex in Albania. Kombinati Metalurgijk, Albania’s industrial centre, was built in the 60s by the Chinese (that was still when Hoxha and Mao were good friends). The metallurgical plant was called The Steel of The Party.

There are a lot of abandoned factories south of Elbasan for the urbex fans. The factory in Elbasan is still working, and the city is known as  the most polluted city in Albania . During communism, the fumes polluted the air, and even today, heavy metals contaminate the soil.

The current factory has the filters installed, but they sometimes turn them off to save money. Air pollution in Elbasan is ten times higher than the threshold tolerance in the EU. Every year, 250 people die of cancer there. There are also reports of genetic mutations, like malformed babies or goats with two heads. 

Site of Witness and Memory Museum, Shkoder

If you’re staying in Northern Albania, visit the  Site of Witness and Memory Museum , the first memorial to the victims of communism in Albania. 

During Hoxha’s regime, Shkoder was a city of prisons, with 23 facilities where “the enemies of the state” were persecuted and tortured. 

The collection in Shkoder is small, but the artefacts donated by former prisoners tell a moving story about the terror of Hoxha’s state and help understand Albania’s modern history. 

Map of the Communist sites in Albania

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Type of Government: Unitary Parliamentary Republic Head of State: President Freedom Index: 7.76/10* (10 being most free and 0 being least free) Global Peace Index: 40/163** (1 being the safest and 163 being the least safe)

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7 things you didn't know you could do in Albania

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written by Lottie Gross

updated 17.12.2019

Albania often doesn’t get the kudos it deserves. The country still suffers from the echoes of its Communist past: few people travelled in or out for decades during Enver Hoxha’s dictatorial rule, and as travel in Europe developed, Albania got left behind.

1. Have the beach to yourself

2. eat superb seafood, 3. hike through the alpine countryside, 4. explore underground nuclear bunkers, 5. see a living citadel, 6. drink homegrown wines.

It’s now somewhat overlooked by tourists, who would rather opt for Greece ’s famously pretty islands, Italy ’s gorgeous countryside or the romance of Croatia . But Albania’s low visitor numbers are no reflection of its offering for travellers . Here are a few things you probably didn’t know you could do in Albania.

Think of Albania and you probably don’t think of the beach – but you should. The country has around 476km of coastline lapped by the warm Mediterranean sea. There are lively resort towns like Durrës in the north and Saranda in the south, but it’s the almost-untouched parts that will impress the most.

Hire a car and drive the coastal road from Durrës to Saranda stopping off in any of the remote fishing villages and towns along the way – the likelihood is, you’ll find a stretch of sand all to yourself somewhere.

Albanian food takes its flavours from a variety of influences: the Ottomans, the Greeks, the Italians… But it’s the ocean that gives the country some of its best dishes. All along that gorgeous coastline, you’ll find fish and seafood fresh off the boat.

For a perfect antidote to the meaty cuisine further inland, try a shellfish pasta or risotto, or have the catch of the day grilled with the ubiquitous white cheese dip Albania does so well.

© Lottie Gross

In the far north, only accessible by boat across Lake Koman or via the motorway that runs through neighbouring Kosovo, the valley of Valbona is a picture-perfect wilderness. Thanks to its remote location, tourist numbers here are pretty low, but those that do come are greatly rewarded with panoramic views of the looming mountains and superb hiking in one of the most biodiverse places in the country.

There are hikes of varying lengths for all abilities, but they’ve all got one thing in common: each offers an insight into the seriously rural lifestyle of the locals in Valbona. You’ll walk through orchards, forests and farmsteads that defy gravity on the steep slopes of the Dinaric Alps, and can stop off in one of the valley’s stans (shepherd’s huts) for lunch with a local family.

There’s ample camping and a few excellent lodges along the one road through the valley, but most of the activity centres around Hotel Rilindja, where Alfred and his American wife Catherine have been marking up trails and making their own maps for visitors for years.

Albania is often defined by its relatively recent affair with communism: specifically the reign of Communist dictator Enver Hoxha. From 1944–85 he ruled the country with a heavy hand and was responsible for the deaths of thousands of politicians, academics and civilians who were persecuted as “enemies of the people” due to their political beliefs.

While Albania is very much moving on from some of its hardest times, small concrete bunkers all over the country serve as a reminder of that dark past, and a few larger structures remain.

Bunk’Art, in the capital Tirana, is a 106-room nuclear bunker turned museum and art gallery. Built by the military to house the dictator and his highest-ranking officials in the event of an attack, today there’s a permanent exhibition on the Communist period, plus changing art exhibitions and a theatre showing films.

A similar but far more eerie bunker lies beneath the picturesque city of Gjirokastra – untouched for decades, it’s now just a damp warren of rooms suitable only for the brave.

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Stroll around the hilltop kalasa (citadel) in Berat after dark and you could be forgiven for thinking you’d travelled back in time. During the day, Berat’s old city is a labyrinthine network of cobbled alleyways and confused tourists in search of an Ottoman church or a pretty viewpoint.

But at night, when the visitors retreat to their hotels, this fourteenth-century town falls quiet save the few residents that still inhabit its ancient structures.

With no street lighting, you’re left to walk around near-darkness, the warm glow of the houses your only guiding light. If it weren’t for the occasional hubbub of a television, you might think you were in medieval Albania.

Once described as the third best wine in Europe by Ancient Roman writer Pliny, today Albanian wine doesn’t have much of a reputation – apart from that much of it can be likened to vinegar and might give you a stonking hangover.

But there are a few grapes native to Albania and its geographic elevation means the climate is just right for a spot of viticulture. Made right, the wines can be a perfect pairing for your meal.

The most common varieties are Shesh i bardhe and Shesh i zi, which are used for most traditional Albanian wines and are grown all over the country. The former is a floral white that pairs nicely with the soft cheese common in Albanian cuisine, and the latter makes for a solid accompaniment to the meaty main courses.

If you’re keen to learn (and drink) more, make a stop at the Çobo Winery, conveniently located along the main tourist route between the pretty inland towns of Gjirokaster and Berat.

The Çobo family have been making wines since the early twentieth century using only Albanian grapes. You can take a tour of the winery, have a tasting and then make off with some of their best bottles. There’s even a campsite next door if you find you can’t tear yourself away at the end of the day.

Just outside the capital, the town of Kruja is famous for being the stronghold of Albanian national hero Skanderbeg during his resistance against the Ottomans in the fifteenth century. Today, an old castle remains with a few good museums inside, but the most entertaining activity by far is bartering for goods in the old bazaar just down the hill.

While the word “antique” may be bandied about a little liberally here, there’s a whole host of oddities on offer worth an hour or two’s browsing. Old coffee pots, soldier’s helmets, musical instruments and traditional Albanian dresses make for some interesting souvenirs.

Kruja castle © Shutterstock

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22 Travel Tips for Albania: Useful Things to Know Before You Go

My top travel tips for Albania to save you money, time and stress. Read this before you go travelling in Albania.

When I embarked on my 6-month overland journey through the Balkan countries, Albania was definitely the country I was most nervous about visiting.

I had read all about the rugged beaches , high mountains and historic towns and castles – so I had no trouble deciding where to go and what to do . But the people, the culture, the food and all the practical details such as transportation, WIFI and accommodation – well, I had absolutely no clue what to expect.

On the ground, I discovered that most negative stereotypes about the country are untrue. In my experience Albania is safe, affordable, friendly, diverse, tolerant and above all else, incredibly beautiful .

At the same time, I learned that Albania does present some particular challenges , even for those well-practiced at travelling in the region.

Without spoiling any of the country’s special secrets or revealing too many of the quirky things about Albania that are fun to figure out as you go, I want to share a couple of things that will make your travel experience smoother and more fulfilling.

Here are 22 practical travel tips for Albania that I think every traveller should know.

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What is travelling in Albania really like? 22 useful travel tips for Albania

Albania is quite unlike any of its neighbours.

It’s tempting to think of the Balkans (particularly the western Balkans) as a monolith. But I don’t need to tell you that every country is its own entity. Within this tapestry, Albania is perhaps the most distinct nation in terms of both its culture and history.

An obvious example: The Albanian language, Shqip , is unlike anything else spoken in the region (or anywhere else in the world for that matter). It’s thought to be descended from an extinct Illyrian tongue, but its exact origins are still a mystery to linguists.

After months of being able to follow the rough contours of a shared speech in Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina , hearing the curious chatter of Albanian on the streets of Tirana was quite a contrast.

Albania’s cultural and religious traditions are also very distinct. And although you can find local variations of cevapi and burek, the cuisine is totally different too!

With the exception of Kosovo where almost 93% of the population are ethnically Albanian, it’s hard to draw a comparison between Albania and any of its neighbours. In many ways Albania feels more like Georgia – slightly chaotic but imminently beautiful, with the furgon the local equivalent of the marshrutka.

Learn a bit about the history before you go

Of course this runs much deeper than just food and minivans. Albania wasn’t part of Yugoslavia and doesn’t have the same ‘baggage’ as its northern neighbours. That’s not to say the nation wasn’t impacted by the Balkan Wars and genocide – it certainly was – but in a different way. No fighting took place on Albanian soil.

Instead, Albania was subjected to its own private horrors, namely 45 years under an oppressive political regime including 30 years with despotic communist dictator, Enver Hoxha, at the helm. Hoxha’s ideology was so hardline, he viewed Yugoslavia and the USSR as too lax. It’s very difficult for an outsider to try and comprehend how this period of history impacted Albania and its people. But I felt compelled to at least try.

One of the most interesting things I found is that Albanians embrace their whole history – the good and the bad. The communist regime only fell in the 1990s so for the majority of the population, it’s not a distant memory but something that’s still very fresh. But it’s never glossed over. Most people we met were happy to chat politics and share their experiences.

For example: There are 173,000 disused nuclear bunkers sprinkled around Albania, each a monument to Hoxha’s paranoia. Instead of destroying them, people decided to either leave them be or repurpose them as museums or galleries. (Now there’s even a Cold War military base that’s being rebranded as an island destination .) Tirana’s collection of Communist-era statues and busts are displayed in a courtyard behind the National Art Gallery. And Blloku, once an exclusive neighbourhood where the party members lived, has been reclaimed as a vibrant cafe and street art district. Even Hoxha’s old house is still standing.

Some might think of Albania as a dark tourism destination. To me, this is a nation of light and colour. While visitors have an obligation to familiarise themselves with the nation’s recent history, it’s important to do so in a respectful, thoughtful way. The Bunk’Art museums in Tirana are a great place to start and will enrich your experience immensely. 

The man atop the horse is General Skanderbeg

On a lighter note, here’s a bit of trivia for you. If Hoxha is Albania’s villain, then the nation’s hero is definitely Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu, AKA General Skanderbeg. 

It took me far too long to learn who Skanderbeg is and why he’s so beloved in this part of the world. As I travelled around the Balkans, I kept seeing the same statue of a warrior – including in squares in Skopje and Prishtina – and started referring to him simply as ‘the man atop the horse’. It wasn’t until I got to Albania that I was finally able to put a name to the face.

Skanderbeg was an Albanian military commander who lived during the early 15th century. He’s famous for leading a campaign against the Ottomans which freed Albania and several neighbouring countries from being vassal states. His penultimate battle was launched from the town of Kruja north of Tirana, now the location of Skanderbeg’s castle-museum. It’s a popular day trip and the place to go if you want to learn more about this chapter of history.

The only other person held in similar esteem is Albania’s heroine, Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, AKA Mother Teresa. Born to Albanian Kosovar parents in Skopje – then part of the Ottoman Empire and now the capital of North Macedonia – she’s beloved in all three countries (though each claims her as their own!).

Albania is overwhelmingly a safe country for tourists

One of the biggest misconceptions about Albania is that it’s unsafe for tourists. In reality, foreigners are very rarely the target of violent crime, and although pickpocketing and scams do happen, they’re not as widespread as in other countries in Europe.

Generally speaking, Albania is overwhelmingly safe for travellers of all types (including solo females) provided you exercise common sense and caution.

My one negative experience in Albania was being fleeced by a taxi driver in Gjirokaster . It was my mistake for not doing my research – I was unfamiliar with the location and agreed to a price without understanding just how short the distance to my hotel was. To avoid misunderstandings within the cities, it’s best to download a taxi app .

The biggest thing to watch out for in Albania is road safety. (Here we find another similarity to Georgia: The driving style.) More on that later.

As a side note: It’s not advisable to drink the tap water in Tirana or other cities/towns.

Avoid visiting in July or August

The best time to visit Albania in my opinion is any time except summer. I travelled during June. As the month went on and my trip was coming to an end, I found most places were getting a little too warm and dry – and much too crowded – for my liking.

Albania has a Mediterranean climate, thus winters are mild but wet. The best time to visit Albania is shoulder season (late March to early June or September through October) when the weather is pleasant both on the coast and in the mountains.

July and August are hot and busy, especially on the riviera, and should be avoided. That’s unless you plan to stick to the mountains, in which case summer is the best time for trekking.

Consider flying into a neighbouring country

Most people arrive in Albania via the country’s main international airport, Tirana Airport Nënë Tereza. This makes sense if your itinerary starts in the capital or in the northern part of the country.

A second international airport opened in July 2021 in Kukës (KFZ), 150km north-east of Tirana (and just 45-minutes from Prizren in Kosovo ). It’s a suitable starting point for the Albanian Alps, but international arrivals are so far limited to flights from Zurich and Istanbul.

If you’re travelling around the south of Albania, it might be more convenient (and more affordable) to fly into a neighbouring country instead. Corfu International Airport in Greece is a short ferry ride from Saranda, for example, and a logical place to arrive/depart if you’re mainly focusing on the Albanian Riviera.

Also read: My top tips for visiting Montenegro .

Lek is the official currency, but Euros are widely accepted

The official currency in Albania is the lek. Although Albania is not part of the EU, the Euro is widely used as well.

Lek is common currency in convenience shops, at restaurants and among taxi drivers – i.e. for small purchases. You’ll find that most hotels and guesthouses list their prices in Euro, and it usually works out far better to pay for big-ticket items such as hotel bills and rental cars in Euro rather than lek. If you try to pay in lek, you risk losing a big chunk of cash due to the conversion rate.

At the time of writing, 1 Euro is equivalent to 121.5 LEK.

Always have cash on you

Albania is very much a cash society so you need to make sure you have plenty of bills on you at all times. You can get by in Tirana using card only, but outside the capital, cash is still king.

Lek is a closed currency so you’ll have to wait until you arrive in-country to get your hands on some. Remember that lek is only good for small purchases and meals, so only withdraw as much as you need.

ATMs are easy to find in Albania (even in rural areas). Most banks charge a 300-700 lek withdrawal fee, but Credins Bank and Alpha Bank are among those that are fee-free (at the time of writing). Remember to check for any extra charges issued by your home bank.

Albania is extremely affordable – even by Balkans standards

Accommodation, restaurants and activities in Albania are all extremely good value for money. We easily got by on 40 USD per person per day – and you could spend a lot less by taking advantage of the hostel scene and sticking to free activities. One of our biggest expenses was museum tickets, something we don’t tend to skimp on.

A generous meal in a restaurant in Albania might cost you 500-1000 lek per person, while cheap snacks such as burek are perfect for breakfast and will only set you back around 100 lek.

Expect to pay 1,600 lek for a local sim card with data, around 200 lek for a cup of coffee, and anywhere from 400-1,000 lek on average for an intercity bus fare.

Buy a sim card when you arrive

Majority of hotels, bars and restaurants in Albania have WIFI, while many beaches and archaeological sites are now serviced by a free public network. Still, if you want unfettered access to the internet for things like booking taxis and navigation, you will need a sim card.

ALBtelecom is the preferred mobile provider in Albania. It’s very easy to buy and register a sim card at one of their shops in Tirana using your passport/ID card. A sim card and internet package (20 GB with 30 days validity) will set you back 1,600 lek.

While coverage in Tirana is good enough to support a burgeoning digital nomad community, reception is still fairly limited in remote areas and non-existent in the mountains.

Don’t put your faith in Google Maps

If you’re getting around Albania with public transport and only using Google Maps for general navigation within the cities, then you have nothing to worry about. But if you’re driving in Albania and using Google Maps to plan your road trip route , you need to watch out for a couple of things.

It seems Google Maps hasn’t quite been able to keep pace with Albania’s rapid infrastructure developments. Missing roads and non-existent turn offs are common encounters, and you’ll find you’re constantly being forced to re-route. Take directions with a grain of salt and always budget extra time to account for detours.

The same goes for finding addresses – street names and house numbers often don’t correspond to what’s on the map. Even major landmarks are sometimes pinned in the wrong spot.

Furgons are your friends

Albania has a limited railway network connecting Tirana with Shkoder in the north, Durres and Vlore on the coast, and Pogradec on Lake Ohrid in the east. Domestic flights are now available from Tirana to Kukës, and flying can certainly save you time getting from the capital to the far-north.

Travelling around the centre and south of Albania, you’ll be relying on road transport. Renting a car is a great option if you’re a confident driver. Otherwise, furgons are your friends.

Furgons are intercity minivans similar to marshrutka vans used throughout the former Soviet countries . They run on a flexible schedule, stop on demand, and are extremely budget-friendly. The downsides: Road safety is not exactly a priority, luggage space (and legroom) is very limited, and you can forget about AC. Furgons depart when full so it’s important to always arrive at the bus station well ahead of schedule.

An upgrade on the furgon is the coach bus. You’ll find large air conditioned coaches running on most popular routes during the warmer months, including between Tirana and Berat , Kruje, Gjirokaster, Korca , Durres, etc.

Gjirafa Travel is a terrific website for checking bus schedules and timetables online in English. Whenever possible, I recommend cross-checking times locally at the station.

Speaking of bus stations – there are multiple bus terminals in Tirana and trying to figure out which one you need can be extremely confusing! Pogradec and Shkoder have their own stations, while other buses depart from the Regional Bus Terminal – North and South Albania.

Take extra care on the roads

Albanians have a reputation for their maniacal driving style and for flouting the rules of the road. Combined with poor road conditions in many parts of the country (although the major highways are in good nick) and the proliferation of old and worn-down cars on the road, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Be careful when crossing the road, especially in the city. Take precautions whenever you travel by road, and only hire a car if you’re very confident. Try to avoid being out on the road after dark, and never get into a car with someone who’s been drinking. I also recommend capping your road journeys to a couple of hours per leg.

Albanian cuisine is a revelation

Albania is not exactly known as a foodie destination , but it should be. Regional cuisine, traditional Albanian dishes and the country’s super-popular farm-to-table fresh food movement all combine to create a fascinating culinary scene.

Albanian food is so diverse, you can find something new to try every day. I was quite satisfied eating only Albanian food for the entire duration of my stay. I found Albanian food fresher and less meat-oriented than in some other countries in the region. Most restaurants have plenty of vegetarian options.

Northern, central and southern Albania all have their separate culinary traditions , and within that towns and villages have their own specialties. Balkan, Italian, Turkish, Greek and even ancient Roman influences can all be identified, while you’ll find many similarities to other Mediterranean cuisines (especially Greek and Italian).

Seafood reigns supreme on the coast, while in the south, food choices reflect the pastoral landscape: Dairy, citrus and olive oil are all prominent. Garlic and onions are ubiquitous.

Some of my favourite Albanian dishes include: Tavë Kosi , a meal of lamb, eggs and yogurt traditional to Elbasan; Gjirokaster qifqi (arancini-like rice balls flavoured with mint and black pepper); ‘Berati schnitzel’ (pork stuffed with hard cheese) and pispili (spinach pie with a cornbread base), both traditional to Berat; and Korca’s famous savory lakror pie.

Watch out for raki

One thing Albania does have in common with its Balkan compatriots is the proclivity for alcohol. Sipping spirits in particular is a huge part of the culture.

The drink of choice in Albania is raki or rakia , a potent clear spirit distilled from grapes. Commercial versions are up to 45% proof, but homemade raki is much, much stronger. If you’re at a small restaurant or guesthouse and a recycled plastic soft drink bottle comes out, brace yourself.

It can be difficult to get out of these drinking sessions. I found it much easier to decline as a woman. Remember you can always step away if you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, take small sips and make sure there’s always something left in your glass to avoid unwanted top ups!

Raki isn’t all bad. In Northern Albania in particular you’ll find lovely varieties of fruit raki made from cherries.

Every day ends with a xhiro

The xhiro is an Albanian tradition and the perfect way to put a full-stop on your day. Essentially a xhiro is a sunset stroll: It involves heading to the nearest pedestrian street and walking laps.

For locals, it’s a way to catch up with friends and neighbours, learn the latest goss and socialise. Ice cream stalls and popcorn vendors set up to cater to walkers, and sometimes entire streets close to traffic for a couple of hours to accommodate people.

This is the ultimate people-watching activity and a terrific opportunity to mix and mingle. But don’t be surprised if people let their glance linger a little bit too long – staring is not considered impolite in Albania, neither whilst out on a xhiro or in everyday life (at restaurants, at the supermarket – I’ve experienced it all). It can be awkward but try not to take it personally – in most cases, people are just curious.

Albanian people are incredibly hospitable

Hospitality is serious business in Albania (yet another point of similarity to Georgia). In Albania, people are bound by Besa , a code of honour that dictates how others – especially strangers – should be treated. According to Besa, if someone approaches you for help, you accommodate them. If someone comes to you hungry, you feed them. This creed has shaped Albania into an immensely tolerant and welcoming nation.

After WWII, Albania was one of the few nations to emerge with a larger Jewish community – the nation protected its own and offered sanctuary to families fleeing from elsewhere in Europe. In the 1990s, Albania sheltered refugees from Kosovo displaced by conflict.

Today that same kind of generosity is extended to tourists. Kanun , the customary law of Albania, says that the master of a house should always have a spare bed ready for unexpected guests. While I wouldn’t recommend showing up on someone’s doorstep unannounced (Albania has Booking.com for a reason!), the takeaway is that Albanians will extend you a helping hand if and when you need it.

English is widely spoken, but not ubiquitous

Albanian is the official language in Albania but many people – especially those born after the fall of communism – speak a second language. As one person described it to me, Albanians are ‘thirsty to know the world’, and learning a foreign language is seen as a pathway to knowledge, experience and more opportunities.

English is the most popular second language and is taught in schools. At last count, around 40% of Albanians speak English. In my experience, anyone working in tourism or hospitality has at least a basic understanding of English. We got by in all the major cities and tourist destinations without any issues.

Albania is one of those countries where the language is so much more than a means of communication, it’s part of the culture and identity and a massive source of national pride. Learning a few words of Albanian will earn you big props.

Here are a few basic words:

• Hello – Përshëndetje (per-shen-det-ye)
• Bye – Mirupafshim (mi-ru-paf-shim)
• Yes – Po (po)
• No – Jo (yo)
• Thanks – Faleminderit (fal-e-min-der-it)
• Cheers – Gëzuar (ge-zu-ar)

There is a strong Italian and Greek influence

Albania is just across the pond from Italy and very close to Greece (especially Corfu). There were Italian colonists in Albania from 1926 onwards, and the country was actually invaded by Italy in 1939. Italy especially has a big influence in Albania – to such an extent that I noticed it right away.

You’ll see Italian cars, Italian coffee culture – and yes, pizza on almost every restaurant menu! Pizza is so popular in Albania, if you ever tire of local fare there’s always a Napoletana to fall back on.

Almost a third of Albanian people speak Italian and a quarter of the population speaks Greek. Many areas are officially bilingual Albanian-Italian, with road signs in both languages. If you know either of these languages, communication will come even easier to you.

Tirana is one of the coolest cities in Europe – so don’t rush it!

Unlike a few other capital cities in the Balkans that are all cold concrete, Tirana is a warm, green, welcoming city that’s bristling with creative energy. I’ve said before that it’s probably the most liveable capital in the region in my opinion. There’s a park, dining precinct, cool museum or street art district around almost every corner.

One day in Tirana is enough for the must-sees, but I really recommend slowing down and spending a couple of nights here, getting into the rhythm of the city with morning markets and nightly xhiros.

We stayed in Tirana for a full week and still didn’t see everything.

Hiking in Albania is a must

I fell in love with Albania’s cities and towns, but even I agree that the country’s natural beauty is its biggest asset.

Albania has 15 national parks, each offering incredible scenery and hiking opportunities. As I recently discovered, Albania has more than 3,200 species of plants, accounting for a whopping 30% of the flora in Europe. One of the best places to appreciate this ecology is Llogara National Park, known for its wildflowers. Others, notably Butrint National Park, combine surreal landscapes with valuable archaeological sites.

Even if you’re an anti-hiker like me, there is one day trek in Albania you at least have to consider: Valbona to Theth . Walking between two alpine villages across two jaw-dropping national parks in the country’s far north, the trail takes you through the heart of the picturesque Albanian Alps or Accursed Mountains as they’re also known. The hike is tough going in spots, but it’s absolutely the best way to experience this side of Albania.

The lakes are just as impressive as the beaches

Albania might be famous for its beautiful beaches, but the unsung heroes of the landscape are the country’s lakes. Komani Lake, Lake Ohrid (shared with North Macedonia) and Skadar Lake in the north (shared with Montenegro ) are all beautiful and worth visiting.

Skadar is the largest lake in the Balkans. Boat trips on the marshy wetlands are popular on the Montenegrin side; on the Albanian side, you can cycle around the periphery from the lakeside city of Shkoder, visiting Rozafa Castle at the same time.

Albania’s share of Ohrid Lake is similarly smaller and with fewer points of interest to the North Macedonian side, yet charming villages such as Lin – a little red-roofed settlement on a natural peninsula – make it worth a visit. Lake Koman is my favourite. The ferry ride through the dramatic river gorge to reach Valbona and the starting point for the aforementioned hike was one of the highlights of my time in Albania.

There are more stunning water features around the country, including cascades and river canyons in the centre (Osumi and Begove near Berat are great), hot springs, and of course the famous Blue Eyes. All offer some much-needed reprieve in the hot summer months.

Have you been to Albania? Are there any extra travel tips for Albania you’d like to add? Leave your best advice in the comments below!

Albania Travel Guide

Discover insider tips, itinerary inspiration, and all the best things to see, do and experience in Albania!

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Albania: The Mediterranean’s tourism Dark Horse

Source: https://forwardkeys.com/albania-the-mediterraneans-tourism-dark-horse/

Travel and tourism are among the most important sectors for the Albanian economy, both in monetary and employment terms. In 2019, the sector contributed $3,430 million, equivalent to 20.3% of Albania’s GDP, positioning it as one of the main contributors to the country’s economic development.

Home to castles, archaeological sites and a pristine coastline, Albania has a lot to offer visitors. Yet the Balkan nation has never held a prominent position on the international tourist map, with its neighbour Greece and other local competitors like Croatia typically attracting many more travellers.

However, in recent years Albania has claimed its well-deserved position on the Mediterranean travel landscape by improving its tourism infrastructure and air connectivity and enhancing its marketing efforts to draw more attention to its abundant offering of tourism products.

The strategy has proved successful because, until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor numbers were growing at an incredible pace, far above the global average. Like all destinations, its performance was then severely affected by the emergence of the global health crisis.

Interestingly, in 2022, the growth trend picked up right where it left off in 2019 and Albania surpassed the regional average by growing by 5% in arrivals. On the one hand, Albania has managed to capitalise on the increased demand for alternative, less-crowded sun & beach destinations following the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, it has expanded its market access by establishing direct air connections with key markets in Europe and overseas, primarily through low-cost operators. In fact, Albania is one of the few destinations in Europe with a double-digit increase in international seat capacity compared with 2019.

What stands out is that Albania’s strong growth and post-pandemic performance have not relied on a single source market but several – a wise move considering the crisis and resultant border closures and travel restrictions. Albania achieved robust market diversification by tapping into major European markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and France as well as attracting interest from the United States and the Middle East.

Albania has shown how, by revamping its tourism strategy and destination marketing plus improving accessibility by air, a lesser-known destination can shine and increase its international arrivals. As the year 2023 has kicked off, bringing with it the hope of further travel market normalisation, the outlook for this diverse and unspoilt destination looks bright.

To learn more about the data behind this article and what ForwardKeys has to offer, visit http://forwardkeys.com .

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Albania: The Mediterranean’s tourism Dark Horse

Travel and tourism are among the most important sectors for the Albanian economy, both in monetary and employment terms. In 2019, the sector contributed $3,430 million, equivalent to 20.3% of Albania’s GDP, positioning it as one of the main contributors to the country’s economic development.

Home to castles, archaeological sites and a pristine coastline, Albania has a lot to offer visitors. Yet the Balkan nation has never held a prominent position on the international tourist map, with its neighbour Greece and other local competitors like Croatia typically attracting many more travellers.

However, in recent years Albania has claimed its well-deserved position on the Mediterranean travel landscape by improving its tourism infrastructure and air connectivity and enhancing its marketing efforts to draw more attention to its abundant offering of tourism products.

The strategy has proved successful because, until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor numbers were growing at an incredible pace, far above the global average. Like all destinations, its performance was then severely affected by the emergence of the global health crisis.

Interestingly, in 2022, the growth trend picked up right where it left off in 2019 and Albania surpassed the regional average by growing by 5% in arrivals. On the one hand, Albania has managed to capitalise on the increased demand for alternative, less-crowded sun & beach destinations following the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, it has expanded its market access by establishing direct air connections with key markets in Europe and overseas, primarily through low-cost operators. In fact, Albania is one of the few destinations in Europe with a double-digit increase in international seat capacity compared with 2019.

What stands out is that Albania’s strong growth and post-pandemic performance have not relied on a single source market but several – a wise move considering the crisis and resultant border closures and travel restrictions. Albania achieved robust market diversification by tapping into major European markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and France as well as attracting interest from the United States and the Middle East.

Albania has shown how, by revamping its tourism strategy and destination marketing plus improving accessibility by air, a lesser-known destination can shine and increase its international arrivals. As the year 2023 has kicked off,  bringing with it the hope of further travel market normalisation, the outlook for this diverse and unspoilt destination looks bright.

If you are a tourism board or representative, why not test out the data solution for destinations, Destination Gateway by ForwardKeys, via a free trial? Contact us to learn more or download the full report below.

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