Venture Twelve - Albania

Destil Hostel in Tirana is not only a place to rest your head at night, but it is also a place where you can hang out during the day, and enjoy their busy social scene at night. 

In fact, you can spend a full day just hanging around Destil. Enjoy their delicious breakfast and coffee products, relax in their outdoor park, grab a healthy snack from their snack bar at lunch, and then enjoy happy hour at their fun, lively bar. 

When you do want to get out and explore, Destil Hostel is located just a ten minute walk from the Tirana city center, and just a six minute walk from the block with the best bars and clubs in Tirana. 

For about $16 USD (including breakfast and coffee products) you can get a place to sleep in a shared room with a private bathroom, plus the amazing atmosphere of this warm, welcoming and charming accommodation.  

With a heavy Italian influence, it is sometimes difficult to remember that you are in Albania when dining. 

For breakfast, if your hotel or hostel does not offer complimentary options, there are cafes everywhere you look, and for lunch or dinner, you will be one very happy diner if you are a pizza and/or pasta fan. 

The main bar and restaurant strip in Tirana is so modern and lively that it rivals Ocean Drive in Miami, Florida. There are dozens of restaurants offering local traditional Albanian food, all of which are filled with satisfied customers, both locals and tourists alike. And the best part,they are all very affordable.

One restaurant that stood out in particular was King House restaurant, which has a perfect blend of Italian and Albanian dishes at very reasonable prices.

As for bars, Bunker 1944 is perhaps the most unique bar in town. A former bunker, still filled with communist era furniture and antiques, now turned into a fun, friendly bar with a great variety of beers to choose from, and an exceptionally friendly staff. 

Albania is jam packed with history, leading up to the early nineties and the end of communism. While there are many museums and monuments dedicated to their past, there is also such a modern feel to its capital, Tirana, that one would never imagine the atrocities that were taking place there just over 25 years ago.

You should begin your stay in Albania by visiting Tirana's National Museum of History, which will catch you up on all that you missed in Albanian History class back in the day. While it may be tough to see some of the horrific things that happened in the recent past, it is definitely an eye-opening experience that will allow you to see Tirana, and Albania in a whole new light. 

You should also take time to visit Bunk'Art, which is a former bunker turned into a museum filled with communist era relics. 

Also, spend some time wandering through Skanderbeg Square, the main plaza dedicated to their national hero, Gjergj Skanderbeg. 

For the outdoors type, you can take a short day trip to the Dajti Mountain. and take in the beautiful views and extraordinarily hiking trails. 

You can spend a large portion of each day simply walking around Tirana and observing all of the ways that the city, and the country have changed in the past 25 years on one of their many free walking tours. 

Staying for one night in Shkoder to begin your Theth adventure is the best bet. Buna Park Hotel offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, is within walking distance of the lively downtown area, and is a solid value for it's price. 

Once in Theth, your options may be limited, but there are a handful of small hotels that are family run and offer top of the line service. 

A stay at Logu i Harushave will allow you to be right in the middle of the mountains and combine spectacular service with some of the most beautiful views in Albania.  

Complimentary breakfast in included in both of the accommodations. 

Lunch and Dinner will be offered at Logu i Harushave. All meals will be homemade and will allow you to experience true local delicacies. 

Wine and beer are also available for purchase at an affordable price. 

The menu is limited, and changes on a regular basis, but you will have your choice of both meat and vegetable options as well as soups, salads and other delicious appetizers. 

Theth Albania is home to some of the best hiking trails in Albania. 

You will be surrounded in natural beauty and a short hiking distance away from beautiful waterfalls. 

There are guided sightseeing tours available for purchase, as well as guided ATV and 4WD tours, which will set you back around $100 USD, but I recommend exploring Theth on your own and enjoying the trails, waterfalls, and nature at your own pace. This will allow you to save your money for luxury budget excursions, while still experiencing all that Theth has to offer. 

Might I recommend downloading The Sound of Music soundtrack to your phone before you arrive, as you will feel as though you have stumbled upon the set of the classic movie. 

Hotel Adriatik is only 5 star hotel on the Albanian coast, and one of the most luxurious hotels in Albania. Enjoy top of the line service and hospitality, beautiful views and exceptional accommodations. 

Located directly on the sea, you will not want to leave Hotel Adriatik for your entire time in Durres. 

The hotel offers an enormous pool, two restaurants, spa, and multiple bars. It is family friendly, even offering two playgrounds, a kids pool and tennis court. 

It is without a doubt one of the best places I stayed while traveling the world, and a place I will be sure to visit again. 

The staff is some of the most welcoming, inviting and friendly people I have ever met at any hotel in the world. I can not recommend any hotel with as much enthusiasm as I can Hotel Adriatik. 

Offering two unique restaurants, Apollonia and Illiria, Hotel Adriatik will provide some of the best meals you can find in Albania. 

International, Italian and Turkish cuisine is offered along with fresh seafood, homemade pasta dishes and traditional Albania classics are offered at Apollonia. 

Apollonia also has an exceptional wine list, as well as signature cocktails and a impossible to ignore dessert menu. 

Illiria offers breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets with a variety of cuisine from around the world. 

Spend your time in Durres relaxing on the beach right outside your front door, or choose to relax by Hotel Adriatik's beautiful swimming pool. 

Spa treatment is available at the hotel for an additional charge.

Next door to the hotel is a casino where you can try your luck at slot machines. 

A short walk down the beach is the pier where carnival style activities can be enjoyed. 

Or you can take a walk to Ventus Harbor where you can grab some dinner or a drink while sitting about the sea on the pier. 

For the adventurous type, Shark Watersports offers parasailing, jet skis, and boat tours all for an affordable price.