Travel Tips Albania for planning and on the go

Costs

Daily budget Basic €25, occasional treat €40

Drink Bottle of red €6

Food Qoftë (lamb rissoles) €2

Hostel/budget hotel €10/€30

Travel Bus: Tirana–Saranda €8 Train: Tirana–Shkodra €1.50

Crime and personal safety

Despite its bad rap, the crime rate in Albania is actually quite low by European standards, and you’re extremely unlikely to find yourself stumbling into one of the famed blood feuds, some of which still bubble away up north. It is, however, worth being aware of a high road accident rate made vividly clear by the alarming number of memorial stones by the roadside.

Emergencies

Police 129; Ambulance 127; Fire 128.

Health

Albania’s hospitals are in very poor shape – most locals go abroad for treatment if they can afford it, and you should do likewise if possible. There are very few ambulances, so should you or a friend come across an accident it’s usually best to hunt down a cab. Pharmacies exist in all urban areas, and are usually open 9am to 7pm.

Information

There are a few tourist information offices dotted around, though hours can be irregular to say the least – they can supply maps and book accommodation, but you’re better off asking for information at your hotel or hostel.

www.albaniantourism.com Official site of the tourist board.

www.albania-hotel.com Good for booking rooms online.

www.albanianhistory.net Collection of historical articles.

www.enverhoxha.info Detailing the “greatness” of former dictator Enver Hoxha.

Internet

Wi-fi is widespread, particularly in cafes, and you’ll be able to track down a dedicated internet café easily enough in urban areas.

For unlimited Wi-Fi on the go whilst travelling Albania, buy a Skyroam Solis, which works in 130+ countries at one flat daily rate, paid for on a pay-as-you-go basis. You can connect up to five devices at once. Prices start from as little as €5 a day.

Mail

Post offices are generally open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. While their quality of distribution is improving – from a pretty low base – it’s still prudent to hang onto any valuable parcels until you’re out of the country.

Money and banks

Albania uses the lekë, which is also often used in its singular form, lek. Coins of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 lekë are in circulation, as are notes of 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 lekë. Exchange rates are currently around €1 = 138L, £1 = 175L, and US$ = 122L. Note that many Albanians haven’t yet caught up with the chopping off of a zero in the 1970s – you may be quoted 1000 lekë when they mean 100. Accommodation prices are quoted in euros at all but the cheapest places, and some of the more upmarket restaurants do likewise; in these you can pay with either currency, though will usually save a little paying in lekë. Exchanges are the best places to change money, and can be found in most cities. ATMs are everywhere in Tirana and in all towns, while credit cards are increasingly accepted in hotels.

Opening hours and holidays

Few shops and restaurants in Albania have set working hours, though you can expect restaurants to be open from breakfast to supper, and shops daily from 9am to 5pm. Museums are usually closed on Mondays.

Most shops and all banks and post offices are closed on public holidays: January 1 and 2, January 6, March 14, March 22, May 1, October 19, November 28 and 29 and December 25, as well as at Easter, both Catholic and Orthodox.

Phones

Public phones are hard to track down, and almost all use cards; you may be offered these on the street but it’s safer and cheaper to buy from a post office. Alternatively, a SIM card with unlimited data, messaging and up to an hour of international calls can cost as little as €10 for a month.