Hello,
My name is Andres, I am originally from Costa Rica. I started my Eastern Europe adventure a month ago in Romania and thinking about moving on to the next stage with the following country schedule:
Leave:
Romania (Bucharest) - Serbia (Belgrade) - Bosnia & Herzegovina (Sarajevo + Mostar + Medugorje) - Croatia (Dubrovnik + Mljet Island) - Montenegro (Kotor + Cetinje + Budva) - Albania (Shkodra + Tirana + Kruja + Durres + Berat + Vlora + Saranda + Gjirokastra + Korca) - Macedonia (Ohrid + Skopje) - Bulgaria (Sofia + Plovdiv + Veliko Tarnovo).......Then moving to Turkey - Syria and finally Lebanon.
If you check out the map you will realize i am trying to travel in a circle, go around most of these countries and finally hit Bulgaria to move to Turkey without backtracking....
My questions are:
1. Is it worth to go all around Albania and see all these cities or should i just make it to Shkodra & Tirana and from Tirana travel directly to Ohrid & Skopje?
2. Also, are you aware of any possible danger/risk/political tension about traveling this way?
3. Am i missing a beautiful city, landmark, etc a "must to" visit place around this route? or Should i take something off from this tentative itinerary?
3. Any other suggestion about changes in this route will be greatly appreciate it???
Have a Sunny day!
Andres
Reply to this Hello Andres 😊
Here is a thead that may interest you
Help Seeing the Best of Eastern Europe
Check out the following. Albania is listed as quite dangerous at the moment.
Dangerous Places
I wonder if that may be a mistake because I have not heard anything about danger in Albania. There is however some unrest in Kosovo. Maybe somebody else here can comment.
Mel
Reply to this Hello Mell,
I had read the "Help Seeing the Best of EE Thread" before posting mine. I am planning to spend more than a month in this road trip so the information there is a bit limited but thanks.
I also checked out the web page www.comebackalive.com, this is what the author says for Albania:
"I was in Albania for about a month; September 2006. I spent time in Vlora, Dhermi, Gjirokastra, Tirana and Pogradec. Obviously it was only a month, but I felt completely safe at all times on my trip, with the exception of the traffic on the roads: they are pretty terrifying, as with many places on earth! I certainly wouldn't refer to Albania as a "dangerous county" at all. Perhaps in some of the mountains in the north, that I had little experience of. I frequently camped in the south of the country and this too seemed secure. I would recommend Albania to anyone wishing to visit a beautiful and fascinating country, and it is obviously far safer than it was 10 years ago."
I guess i am going to continue asking around, maybe some locals via couchsurfing site to make sure everything is ok.
Thanks a lot!
Andres
Reply to this If you find out anything that would be the reason why Albania is listed as fairly dangerous would you mind posting it here.
I am curious.
Mel
Reply to this I checked out the Canadian governments website on Albania
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=4000
This is what they had to say
"On March 15, 2008, several explosions occurred at an ammunition depot in the village of Gerdec, 20 km from Tirana, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 250. Hundreds of houses were damaged and some have been destroyed. Hospital services in the area may be overcrowded. Demonstrations could occur. Canadians are advised to stay away from this area until the situation is back to normal and to avoid demonstrations, which may turn violent without warning.
Use caution in areas bordering Macedonia, as security is very poor".
sited from the following website.
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=4000
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