Travel To Explore

There are a growing number of travelers who are fed up with the crowds that are visiting the more popular destinations and so they turn to seeking destinations where fewer are going.

Our world is a big one and there are many areas that are somewhat unexplored by the traveling public. And, there are multiple reasons some regions are not attracting many visitors.

Reasons can be: difficulty in accessing certain regions; political problems; countries promoting anti-American sentiments; poor climate; and more.

Some 20 years ago I was asked by an investment company to travel to Albania to see if it would be worth it to purchase waterfront property in order to construct tourist hotels. Albania is located just across the water from Corfu and next door to Greece, so it has a Mediterranean climate.

It has influences from Italy and Greece and it still is affordable. Some say it is Europe’s last frontier. In the past, it has suffered from a poor government and has not generated good news for travelers. Much of that has changed now and tourists are very welcome.

The word is getting out now about how nice Albania is for tourism and tourists have just begun to travel there. So far, it is still a hidden gem. It is probably best to be part of a tour rather than traveling there alone without a guide. If you speak Albanian, you should be OK.

The history here is very interesting and you should be in condition to do a lot of walking. It was a Communist state until 1991 and in 1967 became the world’s first atheist state. During this time hundreds of mosques and churches were destroyed. More recently religion has grown in importance. Approximately 70 percent of the population is Muslim, and the various religious groups seem to live in harmony.

In Albania you will find fascinating historical sites, stunning scenery and friendly people. Be sure to visit the towns of Gjirokastra and Kruja, both built in very scenic locations. The site of Butrint is also a very interesting architectural site.

The weather there is much as you would experience in Greece or southern Italy.

By Ken Brooks (source: www.paysonroundup.com)