By Francesca Lungarotti
The allure of Albania, the “Land of the Eagles”, became increasingly popular with travelers during the summer seasons of 2024 and 2025. Many visitors are discovering that this Balkan pearl is not just a more affordable destination, but a new land of hidden treasures, fascinating history, unspoiled beaches, and wild nature. Many of today’s travelers seek much more than just savings, and local hospitality has responded to this desire by significantly raising the quality of services offered, thanks to increasingly refined and comfortable facilities.
Albania. Balkan Peninsula. Ksamil. Beach (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Tirana. building in centre town (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Clock tower of the medieval Gjirokaster Castle. Kalaja e Gjirokastres fortress. citadel dominating Gjirokastra, Ottoman city in southern Albania (Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group) 
UNESCO World Heritage site, Ottoman architecture of buildings in the Mangalemi quarter on north bank of River Osumi, Berat, Albania, Europe. (Geography Photos/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Balkan Peninsula. Tirana. Hotel Plaza (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Tirana. local mosque (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Souvenir shops. Gift shops at the Old Bazaar in the historic old town centre of Gjirokaster. Gjirokastra, Ottoman city in the south of Albania (Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Balkan Peninsula. Progradec. Beach (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Ksamil. the beach (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Town of a Thousand Windows, old quarter with Ottoman houses on hillside along the Osum river in the city Berat. Berati, southern Albania (Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group) 
View over the city Gjirokastër. Gjirokastra. Girokaster. Girokastra in valley between the Gjerë mountains and the Drino in southern Albania (Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group)
Albania’s history, architecture, and archaeology boast buildings from the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Communist eras that vie for attention. The national capital of Tirana presents its brutalist Pyramid, historic buildings of Skanderbeg Square and the splendid Et’hem Bey Mosque, the original fortifications and the Albanian Parliament, and the underground of BunkArt, a bunker built by former Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha. The UNESCO World Heritage sites of Gjirokastra, an Ottoman-era city with cobblestone streets, and Berat, known as the city of a thousand windows, are among Albania’s must-see destinations. Surrounded by intact city walls, the stone houses are densely packed, giving the city its name. Near the Albanian-Macedonian border lies Korça, a city brimming with local bazaars, music, and the country’s largest Orthodox church. Butrint Archaeological Park, another UNESCO World Heritage site, encompasses over 2,000 years of history, with houses, amphitheaters, and monuments dating back to the Roman, Ancient Greek, and Hellenistic periods.
Giant sculpture head of Roman emperor Constantine the First (272-337 AD), Berat Castle, Berat, Albania, Europe. (Geography Photos/Universal Images Group) 
Defensive walls ramparts at entrance to Berat Castle UNESCO World Heritage Site, Berat, Albania, Europe. (Geography Photos/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Tirana. National History Museum (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Acropolis sign in citadel area of Berat Castle, Berat, Albania, Europe. (Geography Photos/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Vlore. Zvernecit. Fjetja Monastery (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Roman forum at Butrint (Rob Welham/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Berat. Local Castle. Saint Trinity Church (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Berat. Landscape (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Tirana. Local Mosque (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group) 
Albania. Berat. Chairs and Table (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group)
Today, the country has undergone a profound transformation. The new panoramic roads completed in 2025 have made traveling between destinations much more enjoyable, while the emergence of boutique hotels and high-end resorts has reshaped the hotel offering.
Albania has a strong Balkan tradition but also wonderful, distinctly Mediterranean influences. A land that is rapidly renewing itself, moving from an emerging destination to a mature and welcoming one, capable of captivating an increasingly demanding and knowledgeable clientele from all over.
All images featured in this post and on Kaleidoscope are available for licensing. Please contact us at info@universalimagesgroup.com
Sources:
Paesi Online
Scoprire l’Albania nel 2026: itinerario tra le bellezze di una destinazione in ascesa
Falstaff; “Why Albania is This Summer’s Hottest Travel Destination” June 28, 2023
https://www.falstaff.com/en/news/why-albania-is-this-summers-hottest-travel-destination