EASIEST Country to Live in EUROPE (as an American)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 มี.ค. 2024
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If you want to live in Europe, this country may be the easiest option!
It’s a popular vacation spot for Europeans because of its beautiful beaches and mountain adventures.
But it also has a low cost of living relative to the US and other places so it might be a good place to call home, too.
After spending 2 months here, we’re truly stunned and we’re excited to finally share it with you!
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Shhhhh dont tell too many people. We have spent two winters in Albania and love it. The people are so wonderful
Too late LOL.
What's the weather like in winter? I assume you go to Saranda?
It's SO Beautiful there!!! I am glad they made this Video!!! Sorry but I found MY PLACE.
I had culture shock in Albania - i was shocked how modern it was, how nice the people were, how nice the food was etc. For some reason in Ireland we have a negative few of Albania. So i was delighted to have visited and it turned out a great place and great value too
We, Albanians like Irish people bc we think they have gone through similar hell as us with our neighbors
Same in the US, it has to do with gypsies jumping the trains and stealing, while traveling Europe.
When I was in Croatia, a local told me “forget about Albania, it’s the armpit of Europe.” Naturally this made me want to go even more and I’m so glad I did! What a wonderful and beautiful country. Loved every minute of it.❤
a negative FEW ???? do you mean VIEW ??
@@edbarnard7157 obviously she meant "view' :)
We did a road trip all around Albania two years ago. From our experience, we found the people very friendly. We never had any negative experience.
Making sense! All their criminals end up in NY.
Thank you for doing a vlog on Albania! We rarely see anything on countries east of Italy!! Can you guys do a vlog on apartment options & prices; as well as general cost-of-living for 1 person?
These countries were Ottoman Turkish until recently or part of Ex-Yugoslavia.
What websites do you recommend for finding rentals?
@@tlacorp.3813
Never was Albania part of Yugoslavia!!
Vlora is cheaper than Tirana. Ocean front apartments $350 a month
@@adrianafernandez3935 Wow! Furnished or empty? I'm looking at options in Europe so I could spend 1/2 the year in Europe and 1/2 the year in Malaysia.
We love it here too! We stayed in Tirana for 10 weeks, Durres for 5 weeks, currently in Vlore, and then we go to Sarande before we leave. Albania is definitely not talked about enough.
If you'd like to share some info and/or links about Vlore, Durres and Sarande we'd love that!
We are currently in Vlore, as well, and head to Sarande in 3 weeks! 😮. We spent a week in Tirana and a month in Durres. We will be in Albania for a year. Maybe we will meet up somewhere along the way. 😉
I bought apartment in Saranda
Love it here. Large expat group too
A crown is $80. In Saranda
@@jimgurley1099 Going there this summer... can't wait.
Hello, I am seriously thinking about moving there. I'm 77yrs. and have a pension & Social Security. I really like your videos. Thank you
You must think ahead and you will find if you ever need it, in Albania you can get nursing care, at home care, etc. at a fraction of U.S.
If Biden is elected, I'll join yah !
A win/win for America!😂
This video is soooo helpful.
"It is very pedestrian friendly", just as a guy is climbing over the median in the street. Great timing! Priceless!
I’m still laughing! Timing is everything! Lmao
I thought we said “mostly” pedestrian friendly.
😆 saw that !
I nearly fell off my chair laughing!
Come to NYC and see how people cross the street and what they do. You would think you are in a 3rd world country but it is NYC.
I'm a US citizen and have been really on the fence about Albania (Tirana) because of concerns around accessibility of goods, services, and infrastructure. This video eased my mind QUITE a bit. Look forward to the cost of living video!
You should be more concerned with the restrictions in the US and the lack of freedom & healthcare it affords its citizens
@@theapavlou3030 agree with you about the healthcare. It is an absolute disgrace that the richest most prosperous country in the world would rather pour money into dumb wars then afford its citizen quality affordable healthcare.
I've been very blessed to have traveled quite a bit around the World for many years, but Albania was never on my Bucket List......it is now!!!! Thanks for the video and yes would like to see more videos about Albania, the rental cost, the climate, beaches etc.....
Some years ago, I was working north of Albania in Montenegro and decided to take a little trip to Tirane by bus. The bus was cheap, the (5*) hotel I stayed at was cheap but the traffic was manic. A taxi driver admitted it was a little crazy. But the food was excellent (way better than Montenegro), the atmosphere very pleasant and a guide told me about the city improvements that were going on including planting a lot of trees (in Montenegro, they just keep chopping them down and seeking shade in the summer in the capital is challenging). I really liked the place and have been considering moving down there from far north Europe where I now live.
Tirana is a very walkable city with a great restaurant scene, cool architecture, unique boutiques, Grand Park, Skanderbeg Square, a new zoo, and even a puppet theatre. We love it!
We have a puppet theatre too here in Washington DC. It's called the White House.
You guys make the absolute best videos. Hands down.
Amelia-as a skin care junkie and makeup artist, your face looks even more beautiful than it did 5 years ago.
I’d love to see your hair in a cool color as opposed to a warm color again. Be careful, you may end up looking 21!
Yes!
After 9 years of travel, I arrived in Albania in spring 2023. I loved it!
Mon Cherie coffee shop sells amazing coconut macaroons. Plus, the house salads in most restaurants were completely amazing!
I loved that Indian Restaurant as well. Went there many times when I was there.
I'm so glad you liked Albania.
I really enjoyed your video & would love to hear more about Albania. Looking forward to your cost of living video. I would have never considered retiring there - until now!
I shoulda tried those macaroons when I was there, darn it.
Albania 🇦🇱 is a cool 😎 country.
JP and Amelia, just the other day I found an Albanian restaurant in my neighborhood. I met the owner, and he was a big Albania booster, even showing me how a port was being redesigned to be a modern walkable neighborhood. His food was pretty great, so he succeeded in making me interested in Albania.
That’s so funny! Every time Albania comes up in a TH-cam travel video, I start singing “Albania, Albania, you border on the Adriatic!” a la Coach. Glad I’m not alone!
That has been going through my head for months! 😂
I was able to go to Albania two years ago and LOVED every part of it. The people were amazing, the food was delicious, and it was on par with SE Asia for cost. I can't wait to go back, I try to tell everyone, while half wanting to gatekeep how wonderful it is ❤
I've only heard Albanian once and was a mother carrying an infant and speaking to her 3-year-old. I could not understand what she said, but she spoke so sweetly and respectfully to the child. I was impressed. She gave me a good impression of Albanians!
*Albania has 2.8 Million population.
*Language does not have a lot of consonant clusters (like Slavic languages). It is a mono-syllabic language and day-to-day words are short generally. Some greeting words can be long because they are made of two or three words.
*Graffiti used to be all over the city but it took the Mayor a successful campaign to remove and replace with professional street art. There is a team of graffiti artists who go around recycling the street art. (Ref. Jordan Peterson.)
*Albanians are very fond of America & Americans because of their support in particularly during recent Balkan events.
*There is a significant development going on in infrastructure; trains, busses, new airports and bay marinas, accommodation, resorts and tourism activities.
*A country of water: 1,400 lakes; some of the oldest and most prominent in Europe. Many rivers, canyons, lagoons, waterfalls, natural spring sources, thermal baths and plenty of amazing beaches. Switzerland like mountain ranges in the north and many national parks. Very rich in flora & fauna; 30% of all European plants and flora are found in Albania.
A little box of gems that's being polished rapidly.
Thanks for sharing! It is a box of gems! Love that 👍🇦🇱
My wife and I spent 10 days in Albania in the fall of 22. We had a great time touring the country, and really enjoyed Tirana. I would love to see more videos from you on Tirana and the rest of the country.
Economical and not a lot of money to live in Albania. Budget friendly and great for Americans who want it to easy. They are like people in Southeast Asia and speak a lot of English.
Our daughter just got back from living there for a year and a half. She also learned Albanian. We also spent a few months back in 2018 in Durres. Also, best Fanta in the world is in Alabania. Get Fanta exotic, thank me later.
I spent two months there also in several cities. One thing that really struck me was the beauty of the mountains there. People were very friendly but met a few scalawags too. Hindsight being 20/20 I would've stayed in Tirana just for the restaurant options. A different aspect of life there in the smaller cities was the restaurant options were a bit limited but everyone spends time in coffee houses in the evenings.
Thank you, thank you for your impressions of Tirana! I will be headed there in June for an extended stay and really appreciate hearing all the positive commentary about adjusting to life and navigating the culture! Would love to get real time feedback about cost of living, impressions of different neighborhoods and overall livability. Thanks again for all the work you do - your videos are so valuable and much appreciated!!
They love Americans, many speak English, it’s wonderful!
It is like Dubai or anywhere in Asia. They love tourists and speak English.
I heard other youtubers say that Albanians speak English mostly in the city; outside, in the rural areas, not so much.
@@MrJx4000
True. If you want to speak with the locals in english always look for the younger people. English language is mandatory in every school in Albania in the past 20 years.
@@tlacorp.3813 No it's not the same. Albania & Albanians love Americans.
Oh, yes! More on Tirana! Tell everything you can think of....this could be the place for us. Suzi
Albania was definitely not on my radar. You guys presented it very well and made me want to visit. Thanks for the video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@AmeliaAndJP Hi, can you use Surfshark at home like you would any ordinary service provider as it mentions can connect to your router?
We were in Albania for almost a week about 18 months ago. We were so pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. It had good food and inexpensive too.
We were in Albania Aug/Sept 2023 (4 weeks) and enjoyed it very much. 2 weeks in Tirana and 2 weeks in Seranda. We felt comfortable there, liked the food and people. I enjoyed seeing your videos of areas that we visited.
My neighbor in Germany who speaks fluent Spanish went on vacation to Albania with his two sons who also speak Spanish. They had a wonderful time. He told me Albania is the new in destination.
How many people in Albania speak Spanish? I didn't know it was a thing in Albania to learn Spanish?
@@gunnar_langemark Albanian is not related to Spanish and I doubt they used it there. I think he must have used German or English to communicate. Many Albanians speak languages like German, Italian, Greek, French, English.
@@frauteacher so, why mention Spanish? It seems odd.
I know where Albania is and that Albanian is not related to Spanish.
How do you get along linguistically in Albania?
I am French and speak also Spanish and Portuguese. When I travelled around Albania for few weeks most people spoke some English.
Albanian is a unique language with influences from Slavic, Armenian, Greek and latin. Something like that.
Beautiful country and very cheap. Definitely up and coming in term of tourism as other destinations are just getting way too expensive.
I will add that, although it is a Muslim country, bars and restaurants everywhere offer beer and wine. And you can dress as you like.
I spent the month of February in Tirana and I would agree that it’s very pleasant, although I didn’t find it quite as cheap as Ecuador. Cheaper than Western Europe, certainly, but supermarket prices seemed pretty high considering Albanian salaries. Fresh produce and street food, coffee, etc. are definitely good value though. The one thing I would mention is that public transportation is not very well developed. It’s not really necessary in the city, but if one wants to take day trips or travel around the country, there’s not much organization. Hopefully they will improve infrastructure in the next few years along with all the building projects. I think it will be a very desirable place to live once it becomes easier to travel between cities.
It is a poor country so trains are not a thing. But, Ecuador and Albania are comparable.
EU is investing in developing a modern train system in Albania. Next year they will open the train connecting Tirana with the airport and the main port city Durres. Give it few more years and the train system will connect most of the Albanian main cities.
@@andin3720 On the EU budget just like Spain then. The EU met contributors are dwindling.
Do they drive on the right side of the road? Are car rentals available?
@@visitingsantafe7036 Yes they do drive on the right side and yes you can rent a car. It is fairly easy to find many car rental services everywhere in Albania.
My son learned to bartend at Duff the year we lived there! So fun to see all our familiar spots.
Your review of Tirana was spot on and very similar to our experience living there for 6 months. We loved Grand Park, the friendly people, walkable city and coffee shop culture. Our current location, Sarande, is equally nice and perfect if you prefer smaller cities.
Thanks for sharing!
I spent two months in Albania 🇦🇱 (January- February 2022). It is a nice 😊 country that will be eventually joining the EU in the coming years. Tirana is nice but Vlore is very cool 😎 on the Adriatic Sea 🌊. Outside of Italy 🇮🇹, Albania 🇦🇱 delivers on having good 😊 pizza & they also have some of the best honey 🍯 in Europe.
Hope not. Joining the EU destroys countries. Looking forward to netherlands and poland and greenland leaving the EU next..
Wow, totally surprised and impressed. Please do share more in another video.
Thank you for this video. Please do a cost-of-living video on Albania detailing rental accommodation options 😊
Enjoy your channel. Especially appreciate how you share "air time".
Love this and really appreciate hearing all the positive commentary
Some of those beach shots looked amazing!
Thank you for the video. Great to see you both glowing with joy.
Been to many countries and never considered Albania. Your excellent presentation has definitely piqued my interest.
This country wasn’t on my travel radar, but now it definitely will be on my list, thx!!
Following WWI, the Paris Peace Conference was held and the International community debated the partition of Albania. US President Woodrow Wilson intervened, vetoed the plans and supported Albanian territorial integrity by stating on May 6, 1919 that "Albania ought to be independent." - Wikipedia
Very useful to know , especially with the current Schengen rules on Visa stays .
Thanks for sharing all the Great research .
Yes, please do another video on things to do in the city! Good job on the video!
Sounds like a great place to visit! I have friends who lived there for a year or two, and they really liked that they weren't expected to speak Albanian.
Looks fascinating, especially outside of Schengen. I have had it on my to visit list, but now it looks even better. Thanks, from two Snowbird Canadians
I've been waiting for you two to do Albania...THANKS! Please do more outside of Tirana.
Yes! more on Albania please! Great video!
Any videos you make regarding Albania are always very appreciated!! I love your content and I am always inspired. I hope one day to travel as you do and even move from the US soon. Thank you both. 😍
Yes please do a cost video and sites. Loved your video sharing how Albania is for Am expats.
Wow surprisingly intrigued!
Heard great things about Albania. Can't wait to give it a try.
Thank you so much for this video! More and more, I'm seeing positive videos about Albania . I'm very interested! Looking forward to any other videos you may do about Tirana or any other places in Albania!
Love it, thank you. Albania is one of the countries on my list to consider moving to. Have seen other vids where it is highly spoken of as well. Would love to see a full video on this that you are considering doing. I was looking at Bulgaria too. It also is full of culture, history, beautiful areas for hiking and walking, and the food that was shown looked absolutely delicious and perfect for me as I'm a vegetarian.
Congrats on your participation at Nomad Capitalist annual event.. you two are such an asset to the community :)
Very interesting! Thanks you two!
I would love to hear more about this area!! looks amazing
I can feel your excitement! Hope you do compare and contrast with some other Adriatic countries. Cheers!
Mrizi I Zanave is a must visit for lunch & a farm tour.
Great video! This is a place we would like to see! Have fun! Looking forward to the next one and yes please to a whole video about Tirana!
I was there in 2008 and it was the wild west. No property rights, crazy building, gangs, blood fueds, etc. The river through tirana was full of trash. I hope it has improved as it had many great assets, location, ocean, mountains, etc.
@cyoungso My visit there in 2014 was about the same. I had the wildest diar***a in my life. It took me 10 days and one visit to the hospital to get better. Food was definitely not good. Not to mention it was mission impossible to leave the country by bus - towards Macedonia. Interesting how things have changed for 10 years.
Completely different country from 2008…
I didn’t think there was any gangs even in 2008 but I agree about the river.
@@ag5688 good to know. My main concern was land ownership rights as I considered buying at the time.
Albania has definitely changed in the last few years. In 2008 there were only 1.5 million tourists visiting the country, by 2024 is expected to reach up to 13 million.
@@andin3720 hope the infrastructure has improved tremendously to accommodate all these tourists. As well as the control over the food hygiene served at restaurants and on the street . These 2 are crucial for a BETTER travel experience for the tourists.
Pam here….was watching Snow & Curt’s Van Life YT and they love Albania too. They are taking the scenic route along the sea and the mountains…just gorgeous views. The hospitality and foods seem amazing!!
I visited there a couple of years ago and found this country a revelation. I'm glad that you find it a destination worth visiting and even settling in because I had the same feeling. Thanks for doing all the leg work to help us make our retirement decisions. Cheers.
I totally love this video and have been researching Albania recently. I’m a big nature and an outdoors person and was curious if you guys had explored outside of the city like you did an Ecuador? You mentioned video suggestions and I sure would love to see that. Oh yes, and what you think of the food .
❤ Big hugs!!
Hey: Your best video ever and one of the VERY best of travel vids available. You both seem more relaxed and at home. Thanks for visa info and comparisons with your life in South America. Yes, an entire vid on things to do will be so great. How long do you think you will stay? Maybe have an invitational event this summer?
JP & Amelia. Your shows keep getting better & better. Great job & thank you!
Glad you like them! Thanks!
Wow! JP and Amelia. A long way out from Cuenca and Olon. What you are doing now is the natural next step. You both are amazing!
Thanks! Much appreciated!
I would definitely love to see more videos on Albania. It looks very intriguing. Until I saw this video I would have never considered it. But now it's definitely on our radar.
Great job you two! I have friends in Kosova and I am really impressed with Tirana. Please do another video on the things to do in that area! I would definitely be interested in real estate there.
been wanting to check out Albania and Montenegro for a while. good to hear the positive report
Do the women all look like Dua Lipa.
@@harryrocco7591 No.
Yes, please do an additional video of things to do in Albania. I have always wanted to visit there as well as Montenegro. Thanks for the great videos.
I loved this video JP and Amelia. Thank you. As you know, it’s always so hot & humid here in Cambodia. When my apartment lease is up in December of 2024, I think I’m headed to Tirana and then Sarande down south on the beach near Corfu, Greece. From this and the other videos I’ve been watching, they all heartily agree with you on the friendly people and the low cost of living. What’s not to love? Thanks again for this great report. I’d love to see more!
I look forward to hearing more about this country!
I would love to see a video of things to do there! This video is wonderful! Maybe add optional ways to get to the city you're in? Adding to our bucket list!
There you are! After hinting about it a few times it’s good to see you there. Yes, yes, yes, more about places to see and do there. I also like my personal bubble space like JP does. Amazing to see the U.S. flag there as rare proof of the friendliness. Hope you also discuss travel options, including trains and planes, to get there from other Euro countries like Spain, Portugal and Italy. I wonder if the 1 year visa is given upon arrival or if paperwork must be done at an Embassy. Looking forward to the cost of living video.
The 1 year visa is granted on arrival for Americans. Tirana flies to several other cities in Europe but no direct flights to the US or another across the Atlantic.
I was delighted to see this video. Albania is on my list. I’d love to tour the Puglia region of Italy and then take the ferry from Bari to Durrës to explore Albania, so I’d love to see more videos about Tirana. Some day trips would be great too. 😊
One note, I did find the music on this video a bit loud and distracting but maybe that’s just me. Great video overall, though!
Thumbs up for Albania. I visited in 2023 and had a lovely time.
Looking forward to hearing more about Albania❤
You both look great! Another fantastic travel video. Albania looks lovely.
It really is!
So refreshing to watch you guys. Thank you
Great video and great overview of Tirana - thanks!
Yes, please do make a video about things to do in Tirana and give more specifics about the cost of living. Muchas gracias !! 🎉🎉🎉
Great video and wonderful news about the affordability of living in Albania. Thank you for doing this. I would love to see and hear more content about this beautiful country,
great video, guys need more about this country!
Yes please do a video on things to do in Tirana. Thank you! Great Video
Albania is at the top of my list for long term stay. I’d be interested in any videos you want to post about Albania. Thanks A & JP👏🏻👍🏻✌🏻🤙🏻
Your comments of about walking out at night reminded me of Serbia! We saw children playing in a park after dinner, as well couples and families walking
We also visited Albania a couple of years ago and were really impressed! Great video.. thanks so much for sharing!!
Awesome! Thank you!
Albania looks charming and refined. I would love to go!
Yes, please do a video about things to do in the city.
I’d love to see more about Albania! It seems lovely
I think we were in Tirana at the same time as you. We loved the city and the people were so friendly!
Thanks for showcasing Albania🩵
Great video and great to see your take on Albania! It's on my list and cannot wait to go some time.
New subscriber here and I loved the video. You have put Albania on my bucket list. Thanks!!!
Wow. Looks modern and comfortable! Thanks for sharing
As a native Torontonian we actually pronounce Toronto "Tirana". haha. Albania is on my list for retirement.
I would appreciate learning more about what to do in Albania in a future episode. This video make the country look much better than I imagined.
Amelia... Love the sun kissed new hair!! You guys love life and thank you for sharing your adventures
Excellent vid. Albania is now on my list, ty. Love you Amelia ❤❤❤❤