Albania: 2006 Budget Destination of the Year

Want to know when a cheap travel destination has jumped the proverbial shark? When the New York Times runs a piece on it proclaiming it the Budget Destination of the Year. This is the kiss of death for those of us who have longed to go to Albania but haven’t realized our dreams yet. Now a country that has long been a glorious mystery to so many is part of the mainstream media readers’ destination plans. Look out, Moldova, you might be the next cheap European destination to make the list.

In fairness to the Times, Albania is a great destination for the budget traveler. It might even be worthy of the Budget Destination of the Year label. It is also bloody hard to travel to. There is a reason why you have never heard the expression that all roads lead to Albania. They don’t. Very few roads do and the ones that do are so strewn with potholes that you’ll likely be sore for weeks taking them.

If you are overcome the challenge of getting to Albania, you’ll likely be rewarded by a visit to a country that is not overrun by tourists. Far from it, in fact. It is a poor place with no shortage of trash on the streets and pollution in the air. But it is cheap and it is an adventure and if you need any more reason that that to go there, you might be well served sticking to the tried and true Tuscany vacations that seemingly appear in the Times each Sunday.

By the way, if you are curious about Albania or you simply enjoy great travel tales, I highly recommend you read Biografi: A Traveler’s Tale, by Lloyd Jones.