After Montenegro, the "great unknown" now lies ahead of us - the stage through Albania. What can we expect there? We read a lot, but still know very little about this country. Some of the reports generate scepticism, others uncertainty - not for the faint-hearted, for whom the word "Albania" alone brings back memories of dark communist times. If you believe the widespread prejudices, you would almost have to steer clear of Albania. And some people actually do so and choose the route via Italy to get to Greece.
We too are plagued by doubts right up to the end and are eagerly waiting to meet someone who is travelling up from the south and has driven through Albania - first-hand information, so to speak, and above all up-to-date, because time doesn't stand still in Albania either.
In Bar - the last Montenegrin harbour for clearing out (or vice versa coming from Albania) - we finally meet a German sailor on his way north who has bought his yacht in Greece and is now transferring it to the vicinity of Trieste. He is travelling with his family, including small children, and takes away all the heavy thoughts that have been clouding our minds for days. Two questions in particular occupy us:
Where and how can you moor in Albania? And how does it work with the so-called "agents" that are mentioned everywhere when it comes to entry and exit formalities?
The fact that the maritime infrastructure for pleasure craft in Albania is still underdeveloped is no longer a surprise to us. Every report we have read explicitly points this out. So can our plan to cross Albania in three stages, each around 60 nautical miles long, be realised at all? The clear answer is "yes". The harbours we have in mind - Durrës, Marina di Orikum and Saranda - make this possible without any problems. Of course, there are also other conceivable routes along the approximately 350 kilometres of Albanian coastline, with Shëngjin and Vlore being other possible ports of call.
Durrës: our gateway to Albania
While the literature about Durres - the largest Albanian ferry and freight harbour near the capital Tirana - still gives the impression that pleasure craft here have to be pushed around like an unloved foreign body between ferries and freighters and should therefore better not leave their ship, the reality is now completely different.
At the northern end of the large and well-protected harbour basin, a private investor has had the quay and two old piers refurbished in such a way that you can confidently speak of good mooring facilities, just like in a small marina. There are moorings with mooring lines, but also alongside, such as for us. Electricity connections up to 32A and water are available as well as other supply options. The area is part of the official harbour area, which is completely fenced in and guarded around the clock. So there is no need to worry about security.
The city of Durrës itself turns everything we expected from Albania upside down. As soon as you enter the harbour, you can see a skyline that bears comparison with many a western port city.
In fact, Durrës has nothing in common with the atmosphere of some Eastern Bloc cities characterised by socialist-inspired magnificent buildings. If you then take an evening stroll along the exceptionally attractive lakeside promenade, you could be forgiven for thinking that you have once again found yourself in a western seaside resort. One restaurant and hotel follows the next and magically attracts an incredible number of visitors. The quality of the international and traditional Albanian cuisine leaves nothing to be desired - and when you get the bill, you almost don't want to believe it: prices that have long been a thing of the past here.
Durrës was founded by the Greeks as a colony in the 7th century BC. The city played a strategically important role for the Romans, but also later for the Byzantines.
The Via Egnatia trade route began in Durrës and led through the interior of the Balkan Peninsula to Constantinople. The Roman amphitheatre, which was only rediscovered in 1966, offered space for 15-20,000 spectators, making it the largest of its kind in the Balkans. It bears witness to the importance that Durres had as a harbour town at the time. Even today, Durrës is the most important economic city in the country after Tirana.
The agent: our man for all occasions
English is spoken and understood relatively well in the tourism sector. However, we didn't try out whether this also applies to the authorities, but instead hired a so-called "agent". He not only takes care of all the formalities of entering and leaving the country, but is also available for organisational matters such as reserving a berth, ordering a taxi, recommending restaurants or putting together sightseeing programmes for a reasonable fee. Thanks to the agent's work, we developed an "all-inclusive" feeling, which we would have liked to have had when clearing in and out of Croatia or Montenegro. There we had to go through the police, customs and port authority ourselves, with all the surprises of explaining, stamping and paying - and would have gladly done without it.
The agent in Durrës turns out to be a man with a wealth of experience and knowledge of history. We invite him and one of his two daughters, who still lives at home, for dinner and learn a lot about Albania, its history, the communist phase and the slow transformation from the late opening to the present day. It is admirable how optimistic and friendly this country and its people are. Of course, Albania is still an underdeveloped and poor country compared to Western Europe. This is particularly noticeable in the streets and buildings outside the tourist areas. But there is a hands-on spirit and a kind of spirit of optimism that we did not expect.
Tirana: like a western metropolis
We also realise this during our visit to the capital Tirana. We hire a car - arranged by our agent, of course - and drive along a kind of motorway into the centre of this vibrant city. Traditional buildings are towered over by new high-rises that could also be found in any major western city. Building, building, building. The streets, often lined with trees, are lined with one shop after another. From the necessities of daily life through to the kind of delicatessens that you don't find on every street corner here at home. Sometimes you almost feel like you're on the boulevards of a western metropolis - hard to believe, but true.
From Tirana, we drive to the fortress of Kruja in the Albanian mountains. It was the centre of the battles of Prince Skanderbeg and his League of Lezha against the Ottoman Empire in medieval Albania. His defence of the principality of Kastrioti against the Ottomans earned him the honorary title of "Fighter of Christianity" from Pope Calixtus III and "New Alexander" from Pope Pius II, alluding to Alexander the Great. Today he is honoured by many as an Albanian national hero. The Skanderbeg Museum, which was built in the 1980s and tastefully integrated into the castle grounds, is also dedicated to him.
Orikum: Albania's only marina - so far
Our next destination is the Marina di Orikum - currently the only real marina in Albania. Well sheltered at the end of a long bay, this marina has been equipped with striking buildings and all the necessary facilities. Founded by Italians, there has recently been a change of ownership. The new Albanian owners are investing and expanding the marina with additional berths. The new jetties have already been laid out and will be fully operational by next season at the latest.
As is customary in the Mediterranean, we lie with the stern to the quay and enjoy the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff. The silence in the evening is almost unreal and the sunset leaves nothing to be desired in terms of romance.
The surrounding area - especially towards the attractive harbour town of Vlore - is fully developed for tourism and has numerous modern hotels and restaurants. There is a summer holiday atmosphere here, as on many coasts of the Mediterranean.
One of the last wild rivers in Europe
Those who prefer a more natural Albanian experience should head to the nearby village of Orikum. You'll find everything you need to live there. We also get our hire car there for our planned journey inland. Our destination is the valley of the Vjosa River (Vjosë in Albanian), which rises in Epirus in north-west Greece and flows into the Adriatic Sea in Albania.
The course of the Vjosa river has been spared too much settlement and industrialisation to this day. The estuary is also located away from larger towns in an unspoilt coastal strip.
The Vjosa is one of the few larger natural rivers in Europe. With our European rivers that have been dammed, shortened and canalised for centuries, we can hardly imagine what this means. But here, too, the discussion about greater economic utilisation of the river had begun - for example by damming it. Until the entire course of the river on Albanian soil was declared a national park in the spring of this year. A victory for nature.
Saranda: third and last stop in Albania
Our last port of departure will be Saranda - very close to the Greek island of Corfu. Saranda is also a popular tourist destination. This is evident not only from the bright neon signs around the harbour basin, but also from the sound system in the air. From time to time, an imitation pirate ship, brightly lit up to the top of the mast, sails out, reinforcing the impression of a tourist hotspot.
Ferries are constantly travelling between Corfu and Saranda, some of them with fast (and very noisy at take-off) hydrofoils. We have to put up with the noise and swell in the harbour - there is no alternative to this place.
This time our agent is female and is already waiting for us at the quay - arranged by the agent from Durrës. However, the mooring options here are very limited, so we have to moor at the quay for larger ships. There would be enough space for mooring alongside, but the huge "dampers" on the quay wall for the large ships do not allow this. As there are no mooring lines here, we have to moor with a bow anchor - a manoeuvre that we have only had to perform once so far and is not one of our preferred mooring methods.
Despite two attempts, we don't manage to position the anchor correctly and lay out enough chain. Although we thought we had managed it the second time, our ship proved us wrong. As the hours pass, the stern lines become increasingly slack and when it is dark, the stern of the ship finally starts to touch the quay wall. We use stern fenders to prevent anything from being damaged.
Only when the Swedish sailing crew of our neighbouring boat returns from dinner do we find salvation. They immediately realise what's going on and offer us their help. No sooner said than done - we untie the ship again, sail ahead and start all over again. After a short time, our boat is lying like a rock - but we probably wouldn't have made it without their help. We have a beer together on board to thank them for their great effort and look forward to an undisturbed night's sleep.
Final formalities and course on Corfu
The next morning we say goodbye to the helpful sailing crew with the Swedish host country flag. Agent Jelja takes care of all the formalities and is a little sad that we are already leaving. She would have loved to show us another part of Albania - something she often does with her company "Saranda Summer Tours". But Corfu is calling us - unfortunately we have lost some time and actually wanted to be three days further on. So it's time to say goodbye again, weigh anchor and set course for Corfu. The weather and sea conditions are fantastic, so we take our time as we sail along the north-east coast of Corfu towards Marina Gouvia.
For all those who, like us, are still in doubt at the beginning as to whether you can do the Albania route, let us say again: you can! We would do it again in exactly the same way - even more so with the experience of travelling through.
Yes - you leave the EU and have to deal with formalities, but these are conveniently taken care of. Security was also not an issue in the harbours we used. There is no vignette like in Croatia, Montenegro or Greece. Prices are generally low and the quality is good. And you get to know a friendly country in a spirit of optimism that is so different from our preconceptions or prejudices.
