Fly from Nice Tirana

Do you know how to appreciate the beauty of a landscape and the authenticity of a village? Are you curious about others? Without being an adventurer, do you like to go off the beaten track and forget about the comfort of your everyday life to experience different things? Then Albania is for you. Having recently recovered from a tormented past, the country of eagles is discovering the world and the world has barely discovered it. And what a beautiful discovery! It comprises joyful beaches, bordered by the Adriatic or the Ionian Sea. It’s rich in a culture that combines Greek temples with Ottoman minarets and Stalinist bunkers with citadels that are one hundred years old. It leads you through lost villages and wilderness and then refreshes you with fresh water from a river or a walk in the forest. Lovely moments that can be experienced as a couple, as a family or with friends, as long as everyone wants the same thing... holidays filled with simplicity, friendliness and relaxation.

• Head to Skanderbeg Square, the epicentre of life in Tirana. Vast and made from natural stones, and guarded by the iconic statue of Prince Alexander, it sums up Albania’s entire history with its buildings inherited from the Ottomans, Italian fascism and the Stalinist dictatorship.
• Hop down a bunker. There are nearly two hundred thousand of them in Albania. But the most interesting ones are undoubtedly in Tirana: BunkArt 1 and 2. They both tell you about the madness of Enver Hoxha’s totalitarian regime, staged with great realism.
• Walk around Tirana. The city is modest, but nonetheless amazing, picturesque and even endearing when your steps lead you to Pazari I RI, the lively shopping area with its halls and central market, or to Blloku, the area filled with street art and trendy haunts.
• Practise the great speciality of Durres: idleness! This large seaside resort features many private beaches at affordable prices, with fine sand and a friendly atmosphere. At the end of the day, visit the city, drink a raki on the terrace and head to the Roman amphitheatre. This magnificent monument hosts many shows in the summer.
• Visit the “City of a Thousand Windows”, Berat. With large windows opening out onto the valley and its light, its centuries-old houses climb the slopes of the mountain in tight rows. It’s easy to get lost amongst its cobblestone alleys as you climb up to its old citadel.
• Walk in the footsteps of the Illyrians thanks to the remarkable remains of Apollonia, a Greco-Roman city that is more than two thousand years old. It’s close to the city of Fier.
• Place your towel down on the southern beaches of Dhermi. They are considered to be the most beautiful in Albania. You’ll find fine pebbles, clear warm waters, large coves that aren’t too busy and sun loungers for those who like their comfort.
• Take a “relaxing” break in the village of Përmet, to enjoy its natural pools fed by sulphurous springs, and then head to the town of Gjirokastër, which is listed as a World Heritage Site. This beauty is still in its pure state with its old white houses, slate roofs, cobbled and sloping streets and bazaar shops.
• Discover Butrint, a remarkable site located opposite the Greek island of Corfu. It features unspoiled nature and a rich heritage, derived from the Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian civilisations. The highlight of the visit has to be the Roman theatre.
• Swim in the oldest lake in Europe and one of the three oldest in the world: Lake Ohrid. It is nearly three hundred metres deep and offers particularly clear waters. Don’t leave without trying Koran, the local trout with fine and tasty flesh.