Road Trip:Albania A Full 10 day or more Itinerary

Important Things to Know Before Traveling in Albania

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Albania is essentially a cash only country.  There are very few places where you can use credit card to pay for things and very few things are paid in advance here.  While we did pay for a few hotels and tours with credit card (sometimes for a small % fee), cash is KING here and you must have it. 

The currency in Albania is called the LEK and the best way to get it is by exchanging USD or Euros for LEK in exchange shops all over the country.  You can also take cash out of the ATM but can be charged a fee.  Some places will also accept Euros as payment.  There is one bank that is known to have no fee and that bank is called "Credins".  There were no Credins banks to be found anywhere in the South though so that is something to keep in mind.  

Roads

People might tell you or you may have read the the roads are crazy in Albania.  Like most things when traveling this is a matter of perspective.  We live in Philadelphia which is a busy city in the US and we didn't find Albanian driving especially challenging.  As long as you take your time and focus well you shouldn't have any trouble on the roads.  One thing to note though is that you do have to be very alert at all times.  Roads are shared in Albania by cars, trucks, farmers, goats, donkeys, etc and people walk along a lot of the roads as well.  You will also encounter roads that seem too small to be two way streets but they almost always are.  Again, if you have patience and trust in your driving skills you will be just fine.  

The people

We found the Albanian people to be some of the kindest and most welcoming we've ever encountered while traveling.  People constantly went out of their way to help us, show us around, teach us things, or accommodate us.  Everywhere we went we found the same thoughtful, open, and inviting people.  I literally can not say enough about the kindness we experienced here.  I hope that this will be the experience of everyone who travels to this beautiful country.