TIRANA, Sept. 6 – German tourists are amazed at Albania’s stunning landscape, beaches, hospitality and food, but rather surprised by the poor public transport and reckless driving in the country.
Albania is a country where German tourists find a variety of tourist destinations, differentiating it from other European countries, Deutsche Welle in the local Albanian service reports.
“Travelling by mini-bus through the twisty roads was a very special experience for me,” Moritz, a student from Koln tells DW. He says he is very pleased with his Albania holidays and had no bad experience except for public transportation vehicles which he describes as a challenge for foreign tourists to Albania.
Other tourists consider driving in Albania the toughest experience.
“The first time I drove in Tirana was really tough, but I soon managed to adapt even though nobody respected traffic rules,” says Christin from Essen who first visited Albania a couple of years ago in September when the influx of tourists slightly drops compared to the July-August peak.
Michael from Bonn, Germany, was also stunned at the Albanian way of driving, especially behavior in roundabouts.
“I have never seen such driving in roundabouts like Albania in the whole of Central Europe. Special rules apply in Tirana,” he adds.
About 270 people die each year in road accidents in Albania.
The death toll is one of Europe’s highest considering Albania’s total of 530,000 motor vehicles in a country of 2.8 million residents. Experts blame the high number of accidents on reckless driving, poor road infrastructure and lack of road signs.
European tourists are amazed at Albanian history and culture. Kruja, Berat, Apollonia and the national museum in Tirana are their favorite tourist attractions.
German tourists are especially fascinated by Tirana, where a lot of events take place, and the Albanians’ festive spirit.
Christin says she was amazed by the Bllok area, a neighborhood once reserved to the ruling communist elite, but which has gradually turned into the capital’s city busiest area since the early 1990s with popular bars and clubs, being one of the youth’s favourites.
Albanian food, especially seafood, is another delight for German tourists who consider it too cheap for its special taste similar to Italian and Spanish cuisine.
Hospitality and attitude to customers also remains a strength in Albania’s emerging tourism industry.
“I was stunned of being offered free internet access even in the smallest bar, which does not happen even here in Germany,” Bobb tells DW.
In a previous article, Deutche Welle compared the Albanian southern Riviera and especially the landmark Drimadhes beach to landscapes in the French Riviera and the Italian island of Sardinia.
Data published by state-statistical Institute, INSTAT, show about 63,000 Germans entered Albania in the first seven months of this year, a sharp 56 percent increase compared to the same period last year. However, a considerable number of German citizens are Albanian or Kosovars who have given up their Albanian citizenship to get the German one.
Regular direct flights connect Tirana to Munich and Frankfurt.
