Couple visited 47 countries, then moved to their underestimated favorite

This test also filed is based on a conversation with Alicia Walter, 28, and Nathan Stark, 41 years old. The passport coupleA travel travel blog.

This interview has been modified for duration and clarity.

Alicia: My husband and I have traveled a large part of Central and South America, parts of Africa, a good part of Europe and most of the Southeast and East Asia.

We have visited 47 countries, but our favorite is Albania, a country underestimated in the Balkans.

Albania is absolutely magnificent and still does not feel affected by mass tourism, in particular compared to other European destinations such as Barcelona, ​​Paris, London, Rome and even Prague. The food is among our favorites anywhere, and the inhabitants are incredibly welcoming and have treated us like a family.

It’s not perfect. The country is still developing after the end of its communist era in the 1990s, you will therefore always see bunkers dispersed in cities. A major earthquake near Tirana, the capital in 2019, also destroyed many houses, buildings and businesses, so there is still a lot of construction in progress.

This is part of what makes it so unique – whenever we come back, is like discovering a new place.

Albania has an astonishing nature and a good weather

Alicia: Albania is on the other side of the Adriatic Sea of ​​Italy, bordering Greece and Montenegro.

It is a relatively small country, probably the size of Portugal. You can easily trip across the country in a week or two.

It has a light climate, typical of the Mediterranean region. The winters are generally soft and summers can become quite hot inside the land, but along the coast, the weather is much more comfortable.

The country is probably better known for the Albanian Riviera – an expanse of coastline along the Ionian Sea with crystalline blue waters. The National Park is also magnificent. We crossed it in the fall, and it was like a magazine.

Albania has mountains, including Albanese Alpes, Korab mountains and Tomorr mountains. Although there are no ski resorts, the mountains get snow and are ideal for hiking.

It’s so beautiful here. Whenever we head towards nature, far from the city centers, we are blown away by its superb and how much we had heard of it before.

The architecture of Albania is quite diverse. In cities like Berat, known as the city of 1,000 windows, you will find a well -preserved ottoman architecture – white stone buildings with dark tiled roofs and wooden windows, some dating from almost 2000 years.

On the other hand, Tirana’s architecture is a mixture of styles. There are remains of buildings from the Communist era and new modern developments with many green spaces.

Living in Albania is incredibly affordable

Alicia: We moved to Tirana in February 2023. We have been traveling full time for three years, living in suitcases and wanted to settle in Europe.

We live in a whole new complex of apartments in a unit of a bathroom entirely furnished with 740 square feet. We pay 450 euros, around $ 520, in monthly rent. Public services – Internet, water and electricity – cost us around 100 euros, or $ 115, monthly.

Housing in Albania is much more affordable than in the United States. In 2019, before traveling abroad, we lived in San Diego and rented a unit of 630 square feet, a bedroom and a bathroom about an hour from the city center for $ 1,250 per month – the cheapest rent that we can find.

The value for money here is incredible.

The city’s international food can be a little more expensive, but traditional Albanian meals are super affordable. You will generally get five or six shared dishes, served as a family, as well as a liter of wine or beers, and rarely spend more than $ 50.

Public transport is also great and affordable in Tirana.

Nathan: I was surprised to see how many electric vehicle taxis are here; They have become the main carpooling form.

Alicia: The city has recently been added to Google Maps, which made navigation even easier. Driving a bus in the city costs only 40 cents per journey. There are shuttles for trips to other cities – we took one to the port city of Durrës for about $ 10.

We can walk most places and we don’t really need a car in Tirana

Alicia: Our neighborhood is super accessible on foot, with cycle paths and sidewalks almost everywhere. Our daily needs are at a distance from walking, which is incredible from San Diego.

We have a grocery store just at the bottom of the street, a bakery where we can get fresh bread for about $ 1, and a product nearby for fruits and vegetables. There is even a bookstore that sells books in English on a walk 25 minutes from us.

There is not a lot of night scene in Albania. Although to be fair, we are not very people in nightlife ourselves.

Instead, people here really appreciate what is called “third space”. Many Albanians live in multigenerational houses, where expanded families live together. These third spaces are often green areas in apartment complexes, such as shared lessons, where everyone gathers, especially around sunset.

There is something called “xhiro”, which is like a social hour in the evening. At that time, everyone goes outwards: children play; Parents discuss; The neighbors catch up. People often go to cafes, which are part of culture here. They will order an espresso and a glass of water, and sit and relax for hours.

There are compromises in life in Albania, but the pros prevail over the disadvantages

Nathan: The money we save on food and subsistence costs in Albania has considerably affected our lives.

This allowed us to travel and invest more in our travel business. Part of the reason we left the United States to continue this dream is that we just couldn’t afford to do so there.

However, there are some compromises to live here. For example, we have to go to different places to get everything we need: a store for dry products, the product market for fruits and vegetables, a baked bakery and another grocery store just to have coffee. Convenience can be a challenge.

We also have no shipping here. There is no reliable way to have the packages delivered because we have no appropriate addresses – just a street name that everyone in the street uses.

However, there are many advantages to live here.

A large is the visa policy of Albania. American citizens obtain a 365 -day visa on arrival. In addition, our days of Visa Schengen are reset each time we leave Albania and we travel to the EU. For example, we can take a flight of $ 100 to Rome for the weekend, and when we return, we can start over time in the EU.

Alicia: Beyond that, the inhabitants were incredibly favorable and really useful for us to settle here.

In the end, our dream is to buy a house in Italy, but there are a lot of steps before getting there. Right now, we are really very happy here in Albania.