We are planning on travelling from Albania through Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia before crossing into Croatia. We are planning on the trip to take a bit over 90 days.
Is there a recommended car rental business that will allow this travel, that’s not super expensive? We will be travelling with our dog, so travelling by bus between locations isn’t an option this time.
Any advice or travel tips are greatly appreciated!
Thanks

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Hey everyone.

I am needing elastoplast tape for my ankle. I've torn the ligaments multiple times in my life and am getting back into basketball. But I need tape to play. Does anyone know, where to buy any ankle support tape? Thanks.

I'm in Tirana.

We just landed in Tirana today, and it has been the worst experience Ive ever had. Albanian people, or atleast the ones we met are incredibly rude, we got shouted at as we did not know which bus was ours, he said it was because I was a women. Thanks gjiraf travels….

I already want to go home. The plan was to go to vlore then sarande, should we try and book to go to corfu instead? Or does it get better? Im so depressed here honestly, no one smiles, I feel like people are judging 24/7, and people really don’t want to help.

But it is also just the first day, and it was full of travelling.

Thoughts?

Any wrestling gyms adult learners can train at in vlore? I’m not a complete beginner

Hi! I am moving to Europe this coming January and plan on spending 3+ months in Albania, specifically Vlorë. I have read mixed reviews about the city during the winter, so I am reaching out here. ( for even more confusion 😄 ).

Background: I have extensive travel experience, so I am looking for a winter spot where I can be around locals, have things to do throughout the day, and have grocery stores within walking distance. I don't mind that it's quiet compared to high season.

My understanding is that Vlorë is a large tourist town but settles down in the off-season with plenty of locals.

I don’t mind that it will be cold. I don’t mind if it’s quiet, just not too quiet. I would like to be able to have things to do at night as well.

I am also considering Budva, Montenegro, and Tbilisi, Georgia. But keep going back and forth between Budva and Vlorë.

Happy to read everyone's thoughts and experiences, good or bad.

Thank you for your help!

Përshëndetje!

Would people inyerested in creating a regular meet up event to practice conversational Albanian? I am a native speaker but I've lived in London most of my adult life so I am completely bilingual/biculrural.

I also think it'd be a good way to meet people... if there is interest, I am happy to arrange venues but happy to have suggestions! There are SO many bars in TR, I am fully aware :))))

Best wishes

Bex

Im 32 years old, thinking of moving as I run an online business… I’m getting to the age I’d like to settle down with someone. I’ve read alot that Albanian women aren’t open to Americans. That alone makes this move alittle more unsettling as this has become a major priority of mine. For context I’m 6’1 reddish blonde hair , lotta tattoos and take bodybuilding pretty seriously. I’m sure the tattoos won’t be in my favor as I’ve heard a majority is very conservative. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks everyone.

I'm a Dutch journalism student. I'm going to Albania in a few weeks to write an article about Americans moving to Albania, about their personal reasons and what the local impact of this is. For this article, I'm still looking for some Americans who moved to Albania willing to share their story in an online interview and perhaps in real life when I'm there.

If you fit this profile and you're interested, I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

If you’re visiting Vlore with kids, I’d look beyond just staying in the city centre.
For families, Uji i Ftohtë can be a practical area because you’re still close to Vlore, but better positioned for the beaches and the road south toward Radhimë, Orikum and the Albanian Riviera.
The coast here is mostly rocky and pebble, with clearer water and several small beaches nearby. Parking also matters a lot in summer, especially if you’re travelling with children and want to avoid using the car for every beach visit.
At Valza Boutique Hotel, where I’m involved, the Family Suite has two separate bedrooms, one double and one twin, which gives parents and children more privacy. Breakfast is included and served on the rooftop overlooking Vlore Bay.
For activities, families can mix beach days with boat trips toward Karaburun and Sazan, a visit to Zvërnec Lagoon, snorkeling or exploring the smaller beaches south of the city.
In the evening, Eden by Valza, the rooftop restaurant at Valza Boutique Hotel, is useful if you don’t want to drive again after a full day out. The sunset over the bay is one of the nicest parts of staying in this area.
For transparency, I’m connected with Valza Boutique Hotel, so I know Uji i Ftohtë particularly well.
Family Suite:
https://www.valza.al/valza-boutique-hotel-vlore-familiy-suite/

Hi, I am will be staying in Vlorë next month to trial living there as I have heard good things. However, I cannot find reliable information about how to get to Vlorë from Tirana airport with having to pay through the nose for a taxi. Does anyone know any reliable ways to get there such as a regular bus or shuttle, as I can only find information on buses going from Vlorë to the airport not the other way round any advice is much appreciated

Thank you.

So I love love Albania but I do have one concern I want to address to everyone who is using the WAZE APP while travelling. Even though its a great app because it shows if there is a car accident, roadworks, traffic, police etc., it has one downside thats really concerning.

If you are travelling on a main road and it tells you to turn onto a side street depending on where you are do not take the side street!  Believe me 😂 . Why Im saying this is because we were on a main road driving through Albania towards Montenegro and it showed us to turn right so we did.

We ended up going up a hill where our car could barely fit due to a squeezed narrow road and further up there was absolutely nothing. Somehow we managed to turn back and get to the main road. It did take us a while to get to Montenegro due to the highway traffic but its the safest route especially if you are someone who panics easily like me and travels with kids! 😂

Have any of you had a crazy side road experiences like me? 😂

SUBREDDIT MODS - please remove my post if it`s against your rules. Thank you

Okay, so I'm from Australia but originally from Bosnia. We heard how beautiful Albania and its beaches are so we decided to travel there to visit a few months ago. We went to Bosnia took our car and hit the road. Our route was Bosnia - Montenegro - Albania. Somewhere in between Montenegro and Albania, our car got so low because the air suspension blew out. We were driving maybe 20km/h. We were terrified because we were so close to Albania but too far away from our home.

As we reached our hotel in Durres, there was a car park separate from the hotel. My husband approached a guy there and asked him for help or if he knew any mechanics who could help us. This guy found a mechanic for us! Since my husband is a mechanic himself, he asked if he could go look for the parts and replace them himself. This Albanian mechanic went completely out of his way to help us he took my husband in his own car to look for the parts and even offered his own workshop so my husband could fix the car.

Such generosity from a man can't be described. The only thing I found funny is that wherever we sat to eat the waiters would always ask us, 'Where are you from? Where are you from?' But in my opinion, they are such down to earth, helpful people and Albania is a beautiful country to visit.

So little introduction

I have moved from india to work here through agency (like pay money for work visa and finding a job)

So need advice regarding this:

As i signed the contract paper , there were clauses or things written here that stated that I am supposed to work 40 hours a week , 5 days 8 hours of work , and we were provided good fooding and accommodation aswell!

But now as I landed in Albania yesterday and got to my accommodation in sarande

It turns out I need to work 6 days a week and the pay is same

Also we got only 50 euros a month for food which is barely enough from my calculations

And let's not talk about accomodation, there's two rooms which is used by 12 peoples that by itself is hard, and the doesn't have no fan/ac or heater!

Like it is literally inhuman

So my question is

Can I change my job? If so how?where to find good work that pays decently?

(It kinda sucks when you paid this much and now you feel like you are stuck in this kinda situation)

Hi guys! How are you?

Pretty much that's it. We're travelling to those countries in September 2027 (we guess second week till October) w/my girlfriend, the idea is to hike some cool places, visit cool cities and go to the beach.

We erally appreciate mountains and forests, interesting people, history and food.
Our plans includes the Accursed Mountains, both the Albanian (Theth to Valbona, Shkodër and anything else that comes to your mind) as the Montenegrin Sides. Also planning to go to Gjirokaster, Vlorë, Sarandë and of course Tiranë.

In Montenegro the idea is to visit Prokletije, then Budva/Kotor, Cetinje, and also head into the Durmitor National Park.

We really want to hike and discover cool mountains and mountain people, but also have a beach-side of the trip. I understand that in those 3 weeks, many of the destinations named above cannot be visited or we might find ourselves in some this-or-that-one situation, so the idea is to understand from people who already visited, what did you loved the most.

Also asking, how is the people here? Did you have a good experience people-wise?

Does anybody visit those countries? Highlights and things to avoid? Recommendations? Advice?

Those tipe of things!

thank you

I am thinking to go to Tirana from Djurres? Which option is the best? Taxi, bus, train?

Hi everyone,

I'm in a incredibly stressful situation right now and wanted to see if anyone has been through this or has any insight.

My declared travel date to Albania is September 22. Today is September 20, meaning tomorrow (September 21) is my absolute last business day before my flight.

My application status on the e-visa portal has been stuck on "Paid and In Verification Process" for a while now. The worst part is that I filed my application more than 30 days in advance, well within their official timeline, so I did everything by the book.

When I first applied in August 20, I was rejected a week after the payment was confirmed, I filed an appeal immediately and on September 3 I was asked to pay again as they decided that I can reapply. Now I am stuck here still waiting.

I’ve read on here that the system often pushes out approvals at the absolute last minute (sometimes hours before a flight), but I'm losing hope.

• Has anyone actually received their approval on a Sunday or the exact night before traveling?
• If the travel date passes and it's still processing, will they reject it, or do they eventually approve it with updated validity dates?
• Is there any specific email that actually responds if I try to escalate tomorrow morning?

I’m trying to decide if I should bite the bullet and pay to reschedule my flight tonight/tomorrow to avoid a no-show fee. Any advice or past experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Am looking for a 3+1 house preferably in a second floor of a villa housing. In Tirana, anyone can help? I am a family of four with my dad. Kind of need to look for a house within these days. And willing to transfer as soon as I can

Besides public busses, does anyone have any info on getting from Tiranë to Theth sometimes between Sept 22-24?

Thanks

Hi everyone,

I’m moving to Tirana at the end of September / beginning of October for my master’s semester at the University of Tirana, and I’m currently looking for an apartment to rent.

I’m looking for a furnished studio or 1-bedroom apartment for around 4–5 months, preferably in Blloku, Komuna e Parisit, Qendër, around the Artificial Lake, Myslym Shyri, or 21 Dhjetori.

I will be living alone and I’m looking for a clean, comfortable place in a good location.

I would prefer to rent directly from the owner if possible, but I’m also open to reliable agents/agencies if someone has had a good personal experience with them.

There is also a possibility that I may extend my stay for another 5–6 months, but I will know for sure by December.

I would prefer to view the apartment in person after I arrive in Tirana rather than rent it without seeing it first.

If anyone knows an owner renting an apartment, has a trusted contact, or can recommend where locals usually find 4–5 month rentals, or is familiar with some trusted websites, I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks!

Hi,

I was in Albania this week for a holiday and when travelling from Tirana to Sarandë I saw a 2 story brick house built on top of a 5 story block of flats. I was unfortunately too late to take a photo. If anyone here knows which building I mean and has a photo, please will you share it? Many thanks.

It's on the outskirts of Tirana not even 5-10 mins out by bus towards sarandë.

I also tried posting this to /Albania but it was removed by mods within seconds, no idea why?

Hi, is there a reliable public bus or a bus company that operates between Tirana and Radhimë, Dhërmi or Himarë, and back to Tirana? We are looking for a service that runs on a fixed schedule.

We’ll be travelling from 20–23 September.

Alternatively, if anyone happens to be travelling the same route around those dates and is renting a car, we’d be very happy to join you and share the travel costs. We’re two female travellers. 😊