@@iamverylucky @Capt4nn Puff how can you claim a country when you have less than 4% of population there. I know is painful for you to accept that you occupied it through history and dont make go to the horrible things you have done to its population during the war but come on get a grip and move on. Sooner is better than later. DARDANIA 390BC. (aka kosova present day) has been there before you moved on its land. When did you move? Between 6-9 century. Oh are you crying know that you learned some facts? 🇽🇰 🇦🇱
You forgot the most important pro about Tirana and Albania in general. The friendliness of the people is at another level compared to most of other countries in Europe. One new pro is the fact that you guys are living in Tirana now 😁
In Tirana (40% of total Albania) people are more rich than other cities and wages are higher so the level of costs is high and wealth people live there as well ! Tirana has smth that in a small area you find all (farmacy , food , university , flower shop , phone , caffe , etc ) so it’s small and big in same time so the point is Tirana is higher level from other Albanian cities in some north Albania or South east Albani or east Albania with 20€ a family can live for 4-5 days ! And if some families don’t have to pay rent in this cities like Kukes Peshkopi Perrenjas Korce or Gramsh a family with 20€ can live for 6 days with minimal things ! I remember before when I was in school and high school (2000-2007) me and my friend spent in school about 0.30-.050€ (in the high repose during school ) that is what we spent and in a week about 3€ for only one (byrek) , today people are better and more rich and children have even 3-4€ për day only to spent (some families ) before I remember (in 1991-1999) people were payed for 120€ month (a teacher only 200€ per month ) now people like teacher or engineer or medical jobs have about 700-1000€ wages ! DONT FORGET :”half of Albanians today live in EU US UK or Australia etc and have busines there so many families here take money from remittances (Albania population is 2.8 ) but half Albanians are outside county and this people emigrants have made all this investments and don’t forget Albania in 1991 were such poor that don’t have normal shoes or clothes (we used the OPINGA TË SHKRIRA) and so after 1991 and fall of communism Albania get every year better until the pandemic Crise but it is a must to calculate that many people bring to families here in Albania every month 400-500€ , these are emigrants that help the parents or any other families ! To come to Ireland still need visa but to come to Germany and other schengen until 2009 Albanians were neccesary for visa and 98.9% were rejections so after 2009 many Albanians get outside and work or study ! Germany has helped Albania (western Balkans ) a lot with new law that help them for work visa , they were privileged from Merkel and this happens after 400,000 asylum asks from Albanians in Germany in the massive (2013-2015) when was the flux of Syrian time and many albanian were resend to Albania from Germany and so was created the Berlin process to make more possible for western Balkans to join in future EU! Today about 100,000 or more Albanians are coming like medicine industry workers in Germany and their family as well ! It’s a confuse time of story for Albania and people are living better than 2000 or than 1991 , Albania now seems more European middle income nation with huge potential ! Albania was always green energy (98% of Albania energy is produced by hydropower ) and Albania has not still yet wind farms and solar farms (lot of sun in Albania 300 days but not a panel industry of solar farm ) so Albania has much to learn but you see today Half of Albanians in Albania , the other half if in Europe emigrant , I have many many cousins in Italy (Milano ) Grecce , Scotland New York , Venezia , Galway and in many other cities , I don’t know any Albania that don’t have a cousin or familiar to outside county , Albanians are unpredictable and very loyal people and this is their strong point to achieve a lot ! And many of our people in EU or outside have their homes and restorant or busines there and so the food is good in Albania they have learn and bring the knowledge to Tirana etc to make such good food , but even our mother or grandmothers has make delicious food with small things (like byrek etc) I wish you a pleasure stay in Albania and a good time ! Visit the north and these cheap places ! University fees in Albania are high (compared to other places ) we pay for university fee from 300€-1000€ and private from 1500-4000€ only fee per year (this is very very high with our wages ) etc etc are many things !
Jesus couldn’t you make you description little bit shorter so we could have a feeling reading it lol . Anyway just a suggestion better for you to write your own book lol
Welcome back to Albania! Delighted to see your video, to get your take on Tirana. Loved the one on Pogradec just yesterday! Congratulations on your fine, informative work well done!
Thanks for the balanced views. And thanks for using the word "affordable" rather than "cheap." I wonder if you might get as a guest on a video one of the Albanians who can stretch $20 for four days. That would be cool to see Tirana from that perspecitve.
Day one Milk 1€ and one egg 0.15€ and one molto (small Briosh 0.2€) cafe 0.5€ TOTAL 1.85€ only breakfast Lunch (2€) chicken soup and cheese or pilaf Diner 2€ (egg yougurt qofte) Caffe afternoon (1.2€) kafe and water So one day you spent about 7€ 3 days 21€ spent
I appreciated your honesty on the cons, considering the amount of time spent, quite a cute eye you have fellows! Love! (I had not seen your channel before!)
Tirana at the moment is in a huge construction site where it is being built everywhere, with new neighbourhoods, new skyscrapers, new schools, new roads, new stadiums..etc. Yes is improving, but not there yet, in 10-15 years we will have a better view of what Tirana will be like. Btw great video and hope you enjoyed your stay in Tirana, and that hopefully we will see you come back in the future!!!
Thanks for informing people about our country.There is not a perfect place but there are some places that suit us better than others and Albania seems to attract many people for different reasons.There are many places unexplored thats the main reason most come.
I’m currently in Tirana for a few days and really enjoying the city so far. One thing I noticed is that while the cost of restaurants and local produce is really cheap, the supermarkets and groceries stores are insanely expensive. Like almost $3 for a litre of milk in some places
Yes - supermarkets are very expensive. You need to go to the small specified shops in order save money. So butchers for meat, market for vegetables, cheese store for cheese and butter etc. Supermarkets like Conad only import goods, which is expensive because of import taxes.
Great video guys 👍 For who doesn’t know much about Albania it’s easy to describe it. A mini world in a small country. Mountains, lakes, sandy beaches, rocky beaches, lagoons, canyons, mountain lakes, abundant and exotic wildlife, ancient history, exquisite cuisine, beautiful alps, many rivers, unique language, rich culture, hitchhiker’s paradise, different and unique cities, great for night life, unique modern architecture, full of ancient castles, cities and amphitheaters and many more things to see. In Albania you will find the Caribbeans sandy beaches, the alps, the marshland, the Greek rocky coastline, alpine lakes, Thailand river beaches. You name one thing and I guarantee you Albania has it except of course a desert😂.
You didn't mention clearly on blackouts .. how long is that in a day or days and the public transport issue- is it that there are no visible bus stops so how can one alight at one's destination without the assistance of a local? How cheap is a car in Albania and the insurance etc
Cons: The heat was oppressive, transport/moving around was challenging - even on the footpaths, and the noise from the traffic was maddening. Pros: Everything else was perfect. One other thing - I walked past the Mother Teresa Hospital a few times - there was quite a queue outside A&E. Unsure how you'd get on if you injured yourself, or fell ill.
Where did you learn that they stopped letting Americans stay for a year upon entry? I'd like to read more about it, wondering what caused them to change
Another very big pro on my opinion is : That it is a super positiv example to see muslims and christians in perfect harmony. Religion is important but it is something you do with yourself and family. Your opinion and religion will be tolerated. I was not seeing a mosk with ugly graphity or a church. This is a very nice atmosphere !
I think it's because in general modern Albanians do not practice religion. I am told that among Muslims only the grandparent generation still goes to a mosk and younger ones eat pork, drink, do drugs, have affairs, etc. like everybody else. It is probably the same with Christians.
@@TwoMadExplorers Thank you so much! It would be nice to see how much food $20 can last for a few days. And, are there any buffets in Tirana? If so, please let your audience know. 😀
Hospitality friendships of our ppl is one of the most pro to visit Albania. Albanian ppl migrated have helped a lot the country and we are so smart the majority of our children raised in migrated countries have done so well in every field art to sciences. We are hard workers. It’s true somehow the cost of living for Albanians might be expensive with their income but one emigrant retired let’s say in USA with the pension that can live very comfortably in Albania. There are more than 20.000 Italians retiree’s living in durres tirana with the Italian pension they live very very comfortable and mush better than in Italy. I have watched an Italian retiree explaining all that. I could eat in Italy meat once or twice in week or month if I recall that correctly but in Albania I can eat meat every day. He also was telling that didn’t feel was living in foreigner country bc ppl speak Italian are friendly. They have created their Italian community how amazing is that. I love your videos and I thank you for doing that helps to attract more tourists. Love you guys ❤️❤️
The best beaches in Albania are definitely south. Dhermi, Himara, Borsch, Saranda & Ksamil have the best beaches! Durrës is a great place too if you go the Golem area of Durrës 👍🏼👍🏼
Can you share your favorite spots for local organic produce? It took me some time but I have discovered a bakery/restaurant Mullixhiu that has the best bread in town (it is all sourdough and made on the premises) and other locally produce like eggs, honey, jams, pomegranate juice, etc., and a small shop Ferma Almathia (Rugga Emin Duraku right next to Luna Lounge bar) that has fresh milk, yoghurts, cheese of cow/goat/sheep directly from the farm. The farm owner is a young lady named Yona. For other items I always try to look for elderly people on the street corners and things that should be in season. I do not know how else to recognize locally grown. All sellers say everything is Albanian and bio but it is simply not true. Much of produce is imported.
How do you know much of the produce is imported? I was in Albania and saw myself the incredible development that has been done in terms of agriculture, as in, lots of newly built sera (greenhouses) and vast farms. The country is known for its organic produce so I find your comment surprising. Do you have proof of what you say?
@@IrsidaSheshi I read labels on packaging or a lot of shops have the origin listed in price - often it is from Greece, Italy, Turkey, and so on. Many smaller vendors whether intentionally or unknowingly say that everything they sell is from Albania when it is not. There are Albanian produce but I find the choice quite limited. In contrast to other Balkan countries, you can buy produce basically from your neighbors that they grow in their gardens or trees. The flavor is incomparable.
Great video guys, keep them coming please. Could you talk about the stray dogs in Albania, I was in Tbilisi Georgia recently and I loved the fact that there are a lot friendly street dogs everywhere, people feed them, the Georgian government vaccine them and make sure they are not aggressive before freeing them, I thought it is a wonderful idea. Is it the same in Albania ?
Hi. Nice amazing video for real. I will be glad if you answer my question: - I know US citizens don't need a visa to visit Albania. But I read that a certificate card for yellow fever vaccine is mandatory to visit the country. I am planning to visit it through Morocco. Do you have any idea? Were you asked to show yellow fever vaccine card? I will be grateful if you can help with that information. All answers will be appreciated. Thanks a lot for everything in advance
I couldn't agree more regarding cost vs value of food in Albania. Me and my friend visited last year and man, we ate SOOOO well. I think the food in Albania is actually even better than Italy and that is saying something, and the price is just TOO low. One time we had a three course meal + two drinks each and it came to like £12 each ,it was the best pasta I had ever eaten too, honestly ridiculous,. This country needs some love
Amazing beaches in Durres. That's overly generous. For us Durres is the lowest rated beach in Albania. There are few areas north and south of Durres that are remnants of the old coastline before the unregulated and very greedy construction ruined it. Durres is an example of how "development" can go wrong.
Golem is a beautiful spot! But yes, overall we agree it’s not the best beaches in Albania but it’s definitely worth checking out for a quick getaway if you live in Tirana for example. Absolutely agree that development can go very wrong.. a lot of cities and beach towns have been badly decayed by overdevelopment.
Loooove the video and the great content, but absolutely GUTTED to hear that Americans now only get 3 months as opposed to a year. 😩😩 This will really affect our planning, so thanks so much for the information. 💙
They have introduced the digital nomad visa, which you can renew back to back every year without having to leave the country for 3 months. You need to prove you have some sort of income though, less than $1,000/month.
Well it is still not fair. To visit the United States as an Albanian I would need to go through a very complicated Visa process, while Americans can just book a flight and stay for 3 months.
We are still a poor country and we don’t have the money to build better infrastructure!! Quality roads, public transport, underground, trains , airports, turist marines !! For me modern infrastructure is the main cons!! When Albania will build these infrastructure which is very expensive, then will be number one turist destination in ballkan 100%!
Hi Guys...thanks for this video. I am contemplating visiting ALbania, but can't seem to get info for travel from the US. For instance Covid tests etc for entry into Albania (and eventually Kosovo). I am doing WWII research, and am in desperate need to get over there. Anyway...you all take care. Thanks again for the video.
I’m looking into this in 2023 and Everything I’m reading says Americans can still stay up to a year without needing a residence permit. Did they change this law back in 2023?
@@TwoMadExplorers thanks for your videos. We have just returned from a stay in Albania and are thinking this may be a great place to relocate and retire. We loved everything about the place. We are from Canada.
@@TwoMadExplorers yes we are under the journey of now trying to understand for example the tax implications as there is no tax treaty with our country. We are keen enough to at least start looking and see if it makes sense. It's a journey to wrap your head around what it might be like.
One question and one request. Question - How long do the blackouts last when they happen? Request - Luke mentioned a lot of Albanians wrote you about your $20 video. Would love to see you invite one of more of them on your channel and show us how they would stretch/spend $20 over those several days.
Thanks for the comment! The blackouts are very short, they last for maybe 10-20 minutes max but it’s usually because people are upgrading the electricity grid. Yes! We are reaching out to local Albanians and looking to create more videos with locals if they feel comfortable to show themselves on camera. Thanks so much for your support! Happy Monday ☀️ Luke & Naomi
oh no! Depending on the Accommodation you're staying at they might be able to help you with an airport shuttle. If not, there are busses commuting. Taxis are also okay, would just ask for a price before getting into a taxi.... some might take more than others. Also if you arrive at a very late/very early time there might not necessarily be taxis, so please be aware of that.
Your video mentioned that US Americans can not stay in Albania for one year without a visa. I beg to differ. All the resources I have checked state it's one year
Yes we say that in another video. Albania decided this year for a few months not to give US Citizens the one year visa anymore and then reverted their decision shorty after. Which we mention in one of the next videos 🤙🏼
I agree with some but to be honest, your pros and cons of Tirana can be misleading. It’s surprising to me that the Albanian food is the best to you after living in Mexico because the variety, diversity and freshness of food in Mexico is incomparable (the country is so much larger and geographically and culturally diverse!). However food is certainty low priced in Albania and the cuisine is above average at best so it is a great deal but the main focus is on meat that might or sometimes not have high quality. Also how can you be certain that all vegetables are bio? A lot of venders for sure but the agriculture in Albania is very limited (the new generation is not interested in farming) so many items are imported instead of grown locally (in contrast to Croatia) and there is no guarantee that pesticides are not being used locally or on imported goods. In Tirana fresh fish is not cheap unless it’s farmed and some bio shops are quite expensive. Culturally there is not much to do in Tirana (very few museums, no concert venues nor theaters for foreigners, opera very limited when in season, etc.) and the city is only walkable because it’s flat but sidewalks are not very people friendly and the city can get polluted and very noisy (due to a large number of old cars and honking). Apart from the main city park that is large and beautiful but gets crowded on weekends, not many other big parks. But the city does have trees so it looks green. The blackouts in Tirana actually not too bad and don’t last long. It is much worse outside of Tirana but it is still manageable. Get a mobile internet hot point when the electricity is down (I have never had to use it).
It ain't a competition. They said the food is great, they didn't say THE best in the world. I believe they might have said one of the best. Also, what is your beef with Albania? I have been to Croatia and it had the worst food I have ever had in my life, so am not sure what you're on about. Your other points are valid, but still, they do not detract from Tirana's awesomeness as a city. For a tourist, it's still a pretty sweet place. I don't visit other countries to go to the theatre (unless it's NYC, and even then, I haven't, really lol). I visit to check out new things, a different culture, lifestyle. I find your comment quite negative and biased, quite frankly. I am not sure why you are so upset with the country. Care to elaborate?
@@IrsidaSheshi this video is about pros and cons of living in Tirana, not visiting, so it is not targeting tourists. I don't dislike living in Tirana, I actually disliked this video! I think the couple is very nice and they are trying but the video was done superficially, based on their limited personal experiences, and without any additional research. People watch these videos to make decisions whether to move to these countries and relocation is quite expensive, so superficial information or purely biased experiences just mislead the audience. Does a majority of international people find food in Albania amazing or just them? A lot of vbloggers travel around and always talk about how AMAZING everything is. Why fake it, why not to be real? I can add one more: a pro of living in Tirana is that the nature and costal line are nearby. Great, but why would you live in Tirana if you prefer the coast? If top 5 pros include going somewhere else, it shows that you have nothing else good to say about the place. It is not a pro, it is actually a con. p.s. driving to Vlore as was recommended is 2,5 hours one way.
I'm probably going to take my pension and moving there in a few years. However, I have different needs. Like ground level housing for my motorised chair. I'll need to have an endocrinologist to continue my transgender oestrogen/aldactone hormone prescriptions. Also, a decent LGBT community would be a big plus. Especially since I'm both trans AND Lesbian! The fact that I'm "different" is making me think twice about it. I guess if it's meant for me to be there, it will and can happen. With all that's happening with people like me here in the USA I'm probably safer there, still. Plus I'm sure there's no shooting of the week in any part of Europe like there is here.
The food quality is the worst in Europe. I came here last year and everybody was complaining . The food is expensive and people cannot digest. Public transport is the worst in the world .
Food is incredibly cheap here. Also there are thousands of Americans living here now. We understand you are full of hatred for Albania. But we love it! 🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱
@@ergyslugaofficialyoutube414 we’ve been in Albania 6 months in total. Not 2-3 days, which you can see easily from the amount of videos about Albania. Stop trying to comment so many negative things. This is not the place.
Pretty shitty of you to speak like this of your own country. I live in Canada and loved going back to Albania. It had improved so much in the 22 years I have been here. Pse e ul vendin keshtu? It goes to show that maybe you haven't traveled much. I have been to Europe, Middle East, South America, and I still loved Albania. Nuk me pelqeu fare komenti jot dhe doja te ta vija ne dukje sepse mendoj se is not conducive to helping our country or this conversation.
Heyy! I just watched your video and dm'ed u on IG. Im about to go there at friday with my non-english speaking cousin. Do you want to go for a lunch or dinner at Saturday? I also planned to go to the seaside in Durres. Maybe we could go there together!
Let us know your PROS & CONS below!
kosovo je serbia
@@iamverylucky come on,take it
@@iamverylucky @Capt4nn Puff how can you claim a country when you have less than 4% of population there. I know is painful for you to accept that you occupied it through history and dont make go to the horrible things you have done to its population during the war but come on get a grip and move on. Sooner is better than later. DARDANIA 390BC. (aka kosova present day) has been there before you moved on its land. When did you move? Between 6-9 century. Oh are you crying know that you learned some facts? 🇽🇰 🇦🇱
i was just trolling am not even serbs
@@banobani3787 and stop being so angry the war is over bro
You forgot the most important pro about Tirana and Albania in general. The friendliness of the people is at another level compared to most of other countries in Europe. One new pro is the fact that you guys are living in Tirana now 😁
Absolutely TRUE! haha!
@Kosta Records go for it @roshi 🍻🍻🎉🎉
@@TwoMadExplorers 😂😂😂 I'd rather enjoy your videos 🥂
@Kosta Records Cris is never boring. He just left our favorite place 😜
I lived there all last year and dealt with more people with attitudes than any other country.
Great video! According to the Albanian government website, US citizens still have a year there as tourists without needing a special visa.
Yes, they changed the rule back to 1 year for US citizens.
In Tirana (40% of total Albania) people are more rich than other cities and wages are higher so the level of costs is high and wealth people live there as well !
Tirana has smth that in a small area you find all (farmacy , food , university , flower shop , phone , caffe , etc ) so it’s small and big in same time so the point is Tirana is higher level from other Albanian cities in some north Albania or South east Albani or east Albania with 20€ a family can live for 4-5 days ! And if some families don’t have to pay rent in this cities like Kukes Peshkopi Perrenjas Korce or Gramsh a family with 20€ can live for 6 days with minimal things !
I remember before when I was in school and high school (2000-2007) me and my friend spent in school about 0.30-.050€ (in the high repose during school ) that is what we spent and in a week about 3€ for only one (byrek) , today people are better and more rich and children have even 3-4€ për day only to spent (some families ) before I remember (in 1991-1999) people were payed for 120€ month (a teacher only 200€ per month ) now people like teacher or engineer or medical jobs have about 700-1000€ wages ! DONT FORGET :”half of Albanians today live in EU US UK or Australia etc and have busines there so many families here take money from remittances (Albania population is 2.8 ) but half Albanians are outside county and this people emigrants have made all this investments and don’t forget Albania in 1991 were such poor that don’t have normal shoes or clothes (we used the OPINGA TË SHKRIRA) and so after 1991 and fall of communism Albania get every year better until the pandemic Crise but it is a must to calculate that many people bring to families here in Albania every month 400-500€ , these are emigrants that help the parents or any other families !
To come to Ireland still need visa but to come to Germany and other schengen until 2009 Albanians were neccesary for visa and 98.9% were rejections so after 2009 many Albanians get outside and work or study ! Germany has helped Albania (western Balkans ) a lot with new law that help them for work visa , they were privileged from Merkel and this happens after 400,000 asylum asks from Albanians in Germany in the massive (2013-2015) when was the flux of Syrian time and many albanian were resend to Albania from Germany and so was created the Berlin process to make more possible for western Balkans to join in future EU! Today about 100,000 or more Albanians are coming like medicine industry workers in Germany and their family as well ! It’s a confuse time of story for Albania and people are living better than 2000 or than 1991 , Albania now seems more European middle income nation with huge potential !
Albania was always green energy (98% of Albania energy is produced by hydropower ) and Albania has not still yet wind farms and solar farms (lot of sun in Albania 300 days but not a panel industry of solar farm ) so Albania has much to learn but you see today Half of Albanians in Albania , the other half if in Europe emigrant , I have many many cousins in Italy (Milano ) Grecce , Scotland New York , Venezia , Galway and in many other cities , I don’t know any Albania that don’t have a cousin or familiar to outside county , Albanians are unpredictable and very loyal people and this is their strong point to achieve a lot ! And many of our people in EU or outside have their homes and restorant or busines there and so the food is good in Albania they have learn and bring the knowledge to Tirana etc to make such good food , but even our mother or grandmothers has make delicious food with small things (like byrek etc)
I wish you a pleasure stay in Albania and a good time !
Visit the north and these cheap places !
University fees in Albania are high (compared to other places ) we pay for university fee from 300€-1000€ and private from 1500-4000€ only fee per year (this is very very high with our wages ) etc etc are many things !
Jesus couldn’t you make you description little bit shorter so we could have a feeling reading it lol . Anyway just a suggestion better for you to write your own book lol
@@elionpronjari8959 I enjoyed what he wrote 😉👍
Thanks to you guys, we'll be there in a little under two weeks. Very much looking forward to it.
Enjoy Simon! ♥️ 🇦🇱
I am coming now 30 .04 in Tirana I hope to see yours in the city !
Nice video informing ! Thank a
Thank you!!
Great video guys. Love your pros and cons about Tirana, spot on. Keep up the good vibe.
I loved you, you make up a happy team together
Welcome back to Albania! Delighted to see your video, to get your take on Tirana. Loved the one on Pogradec just yesterday! Congratulations on your fine, informative work well done!
Thanks so much Chauncey! happy to see you here!
_Luke & Naomi_
I am now in albanie! I think it wood be handy for the country if English wood be a needed school curriculum
Normaly i don't like watching videos that tourists make cuz they seem low quality and boring but you guys make them 1000x times better!
Thanks so much Jack!!
An another awesome video like all your videos and photos 😍 Love you too guys ♥️
Thank you so much Kristjana!!! ♥️
Tirana ❤
One more pro: The Albanian people. 🤗
The people are always the best ♥️🇦🇱
Thanks for the balanced views. And thanks for using the word "affordable" rather than "cheap." I wonder if you might get as a guest on a video one of the Albanians who can stretch $20 for four days. That would be cool to see Tirana from that perspecitve.
Yes we agree! that would insanely interesting!
Scotty Bones the only way to get an albanian live for four days with $20 is to lock him down for four days in your basement 👁️😂👁️.
Day one
Milk 1€ and one egg 0.15€ and one molto (small Briosh 0.2€) cafe 0.5€ TOTAL 1.85€ only breakfast
Lunch (2€) chicken soup and cheese or pilaf
Diner 2€ (egg yougurt qofte)
Caffe afternoon (1.2€) kafe and water
So one day you spent about 7€
3 days 21€ spent
When I was student I spent about 5€ per day !
Breakfast
Caffe water (1€)
Lunch (soup of chicken or tasqebap ) 1.5-2€ or 200 lek
Afternoon caffe 1€
Diner pilaf me qoftë
1.5€
Total 5€
I’m on my second trip to Tirana too. I’m in Blloku :) My pro- friendliest people on planet earth.
I appreciated your honesty on the cons, considering the amount of time spent, quite a cute eye you have fellows! Love! (I had not seen your channel before!)
Great video!!!
Thank you!!
Looks like a healthy lifestyle which is a big pro. AND they have an Olive oil shop.. Big pro
LOL so true ♥️♥️♥️
Hi guys, i've seen you in "Myslym Shyrri" street 2 or 3 days before.
Ahh nice!!!
Great list!
Thank you 🙏🏻
Electric system in Albania is old. They are making it better so that is the reason of blackouts. It will become better overtime.
Yes definitely true!
Thank you 🙏🏻 🇦🇱
9:59- I love traditional music from this region of the world.
Tirana at the moment is in a huge construction site where it is being built everywhere, with new neighbourhoods, new skyscrapers, new schools, new roads, new stadiums..etc. Yes is improving, but not there yet, in 10-15 years we will have a better view of what Tirana will be like.
Btw great video and hope you enjoyed your stay in Tirana, and that hopefully we will see you come back in the future!!!
A video that is worth watching.Good luck and God bless always.
Greetings from the Philippines...
Thanks for informing people about our country.There is not a perfect place but there are some places that suit us better than others and Albania seems to attract many people for different reasons.There are many places unexplored thats the main reason most come.
Great video
Great video. Thanks, guys 🧡👌
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Awesome people make great vids. Cheers guys.
🙏🙏😊😊
Welcome back to Albania ❤ you guys look like such a sweet couple ❤ amazing video, we hope you visit us forever and have a wonderful time 😚
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I’m currently in Tirana for a few days and really enjoying the city so far. One thing I noticed is that while the cost of restaurants and local produce is really cheap, the supermarkets and groceries stores are insanely expensive. Like almost $3 for a litre of milk in some places
Yes - supermarkets are very expensive. You need to go to the small specified shops in order save money. So butchers for meat, market for vegetables, cheese store for cheese and butter etc. Supermarkets like Conad only import goods, which is expensive because of import taxes.
Very useful and interesting video...thanks a lot 👍
The food in Albania Is unmatched compared with other countries , the best food fresh and organic .Glad to have you guys in Albania 🇦🇱😚☺🤗
Great video guys 👍 For who doesn’t know much about Albania it’s easy to describe it. A mini world in a small country. Mountains, lakes, sandy beaches, rocky beaches, lagoons, canyons, mountain lakes, abundant and exotic wildlife, ancient history, exquisite cuisine, beautiful alps, many rivers, unique language, rich culture, hitchhiker’s paradise, different and unique cities, great for night life, unique modern architecture, full of ancient castles, cities and amphitheaters and many more things to see. In Albania you will find the Caribbeans sandy beaches, the alps, the marshland, the Greek rocky coastline, alpine lakes, Thailand river beaches. You name one thing and I guarantee you Albania has it except of course a desert😂.
Amazing video 🖐🇦🇱
Thank you Albert!! Excited to see more of your Albanian content too 🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱
You didn't mention clearly on blackouts .. how long is that in a day or days and the public transport issue- is it that there are no visible bus stops so how can one alight at one's destination without the assistance of a local? How cheap is a car in Albania and the insurance etc
Awesome work you guys!! ❤️❤️
Thank you Ermal! 🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱
its good that turitsts point out the problems in albania so the government can try to improve them, meaby!
Thank you Bledar!! 🇦🇱
Cons: The heat was oppressive, transport/moving around was challenging - even on the footpaths, and the noise from the traffic was maddening.
Pros: Everything else was perfect.
One other thing - I walked past the Mother Teresa Hospital a few times - there was quite a queue outside A&E. Unsure how you'd get on if you injured yourself, or fell ill.
Absolutely agree
very Interesting Tirana, a city that has everything very complete, I see good food like Argentina, my like, very good inform, greetings from Argentina
Where did you learn that they stopped letting Americans stay for a year upon entry? I'd like to read more about it, wondering what caused them to change
The cut off between 1 year and 90 days is January 7, 2022.
Cheers Michael! 🍻
Another very big pro on my opinion is : That it is a super positiv example to see muslims and christians in perfect harmony. Religion is important but it is something you do with yourself and family. Your opinion and religion will be tolerated. I was not seeing a mosk with ugly graphity or a church. This is a very nice atmosphere !
Greetings from germany by the way ;-) Te Fala !
Yes this is very true!! We agree!!
I think it's because in general modern Albanians do not practice religion. I am told that among Muslims only the grandparent generation still goes to a mosk and younger ones eat pork, drink, do drugs, have affairs, etc. like everybody else. It is probably the same with Christians.
I always think your videos are great and I'm always happy when a new one comes. 👌🤙👍
ROY!
Beautiful 💅❤️
Can you guys do a video on where to find cheap food and expensive food in Tirana?
Amazing idea! yes we will do this soon!
@@TwoMadExplorers Thank you so much! It would be nice to see how much food $20 can last for a few days. And, are there any buffets in Tirana? If so, please let your audience know. 😀
@@maivaj3759 Really great idea 👍🏼 thank you for comments and support 🙏🏻🙏🏻🇦🇱🇦🇱
@@TwoMadExplorers By the way, you earned yourself a new subscriber, me! Thank you so much for putting these videos out!
Loved the video guys. Will you return to Albania one day?
We will be back for sure!!
Hospitality friendships of our ppl is one of the most pro to visit Albania. Albanian ppl migrated have helped a lot the country and we are so smart the majority of our children raised in migrated countries have done so well in every field art to sciences. We are hard workers. It’s true somehow the cost of living for Albanians might be expensive with their income but one emigrant retired let’s say in USA with the pension that can live very comfortably in Albania. There are more than 20.000 Italians retiree’s living in durres tirana with the Italian pension they live very very comfortable and mush better than in Italy. I have watched an Italian retiree explaining all that. I could eat in Italy meat once or twice in week or month if I recall that correctly but in Albania I can eat meat every day. He also was telling that didn’t feel was living in foreigner country bc ppl speak Italian are friendly. They have created their Italian community how amazing is that. I love your videos and I thank you for doing that helps to attract more tourists. Love you guys ❤️❤️
Thank you Zana! We absolutely agree!
Naomi, where is you accent from ? Ir sounds like a mix of Irish and something else. Love your vids keep them coming.
Half German Half Italian 👍😊
You mentioned Durres coast , does Durres has a nice beaches ? Cuz I heard and watched most of nice beaches are further in south ?
The best beaches in Albania are definitely south. Dhermi, Himara, Borsch, Saranda & Ksamil have the best beaches!
Durrës is a great place too if you go the Golem area of Durrës 👍🏼👍🏼
@@TwoMadExplorers thank you 🙏
All kindz of gains! All kindz!!
All kindzzzzz hahahaha
@@TwoMadExplorers my man !
Looks like your having a ball! Ireland is seriously depressing right now :(
@@Ethan-xf4or LOL yeah dude we are never going back to that dump, come to Albania G!
@@TwoMadExplorers I don’t blame you guys. I’m heading of to Spain soon I think for few months!
Thank you for taking the best abd the truth
Can you share your favorite spots for local organic produce? It took me some time but I have discovered a bakery/restaurant Mullixhiu that has the best bread in town (it is all sourdough and made on the premises) and other locally produce like eggs, honey, jams, pomegranate juice, etc., and a small shop Ferma Almathia (Rugga Emin Duraku right next to Luna Lounge bar) that has fresh milk, yoghurts, cheese of cow/goat/sheep directly from the farm. The farm owner is a young lady named Yona. For other items I always try to look for elderly people on the street corners and things that should be in season. I do not know how else to recognize locally grown. All sellers say everything is Albanian and bio but it is simply not true. Much of produce is imported.
How do you know much of the produce is imported? I was in Albania and saw myself the incredible development that has been done in terms of agriculture, as in, lots of newly built sera (greenhouses) and vast farms. The country is known for its organic produce so I find your comment surprising. Do you have proof of what you say?
@@IrsidaSheshi I read labels on packaging or a lot of shops have the origin listed in price - often it is from Greece, Italy, Turkey, and so on. Many smaller vendors whether intentionally or unknowingly say that everything they sell is from Albania when it is not. There are Albanian produce but I find the choice quite limited. In contrast to other Balkan countries, you can buy produce basically from your neighbors that they grow in their gardens or trees. The flavor is incomparable.
Great video guys, keep them coming please. Could you talk about the stray dogs in Albania, I was in Tbilisi Georgia recently and I loved the fact that there are a lot friendly street dogs everywhere, people feed them, the Georgian government vaccine them and make sure they are not aggressive before freeing them, I thought it is a wonderful idea. Is it the same in Albania ?
Hi.
Nice amazing video for real.
I will be glad if you answer my question:
- I know US citizens don't need a visa to visit Albania. But I read that a certificate card for yellow fever vaccine is mandatory to visit the country. I am planning to visit it through Morocco.
Do you have any idea? Were you asked to show yellow fever vaccine card?
I will be grateful if you can help with that information.
All answers will be appreciated.
Thanks a lot for everything in advance
We didn't get asked for anything when entering Albania other than our passports!
Thank you for watching us :)
@@TwoMadExplorers
Thanks a lot again for answering.
Keep up the best work like usual.
All the best.
I couldn't agree more regarding cost vs value of food in Albania. Me and my friend visited last year and man, we ate SOOOO well. I think the food in Albania is actually even better than Italy and that is saying something, and the price is just TOO low. One time we had a three course meal + two drinks each and it came to like £12 each ,it was the best pasta I had ever eaten too, honestly ridiculous,. This country needs some love
100% 🙏❤️
Amazing beaches in Durres. That's overly generous. For us Durres is the lowest rated beach in Albania. There are few areas north and south of Durres that are remnants of the old coastline before the unregulated and very greedy construction ruined it. Durres is an example of how "development" can go wrong.
Golem is a beautiful spot!
But yes, overall we agree it’s not the best beaches in Albania but it’s definitely worth checking out for a quick getaway if you live in Tirana for example.
Absolutely agree that development can go very wrong.. a lot of cities and beach towns have been badly decayed by overdevelopment.
Loooove the video and the great content, but absolutely GUTTED to hear that Americans now only get 3 months as opposed to a year. 😩😩 This will really affect our planning, so thanks so much for the information. 💙
They have introduced the digital nomad visa, which you can renew back to back every year without having to leave the country for 3 months. You need to prove you have some sort of income though, less than $1,000/month.
@@skerdimeta Thanks for the info.
Well it is still not fair. To visit the United States as an Albanian I would need to go through a very complicated Visa process, while Americans can just book a flight and stay for 3 months.
We are still a poor country and we don’t have the money to build better infrastructure!! Quality roads, public transport, underground, trains , airports, turist marines !! For me modern infrastructure is the main cons!! When Albania will build these infrastructure which is very expensive, then will be number one turist destination in ballkan 100%!
Hi Guys...thanks for this video. I am contemplating visiting ALbania, but can't seem to get info for travel from the US. For instance Covid tests etc for entry into Albania (and eventually Kosovo). I am doing WWII research, and am in desperate need to get over there. Anyway...you all take care. Thanks again for the video.
There are no requirements to entry. If you are US citizen you just scan your passport at the airport and you are in.
I AM TRAVELLING TO ALBANIA NXT MONTH.. CAN YOU SUGGEST ANY GOOD PLACES
I’m looking into this in 2023 and Everything I’m reading says Americans can still stay up to a year without needing a residence permit. Did they change this law back in 2023?
Yes Albania changed this. Albania keeps changing this for some reason, thanks for watching Jake 🙏
@@TwoMadExplorers thank you for getting back to me🙂
❤
Con - Unable to monetize youtube in Albania. Country is excluded from partner program.
Lol true!
@@TwoMadExplorers thanks for your videos. We have just returned from a stay in Albania and are thinking this may be a great place to relocate and retire. We loved everything about the place. We are from Canada.
@@JayandSarah no way! That’s so cool to hear! We’re thinking of relocating to Albania as well! ♥️🇦🇱
@@TwoMadExplorers yes we are under the journey of now trying to understand for example the tax implications as there is no tax treaty with our country. We are keen enough to at least start looking and see if it makes sense. It's a journey to wrap your head around what it might be like.
@@JayandSarah It will be a worthwhile process for sure 🙏❤️
Is there any option to lease car in Tirana?
One question and one request.
Question - How long do the blackouts last when they happen?
Request - Luke mentioned a lot of Albanians wrote you about your $20 video. Would love to see you invite one of more of them on your channel and show us how they would stretch/spend $20 over those several days.
Thanks for the comment!
The blackouts are very short, they last for maybe 10-20 minutes max but it’s usually because people are upgrading the electricity grid.
Yes! We are reaching out to local Albanians and looking to create more videos with locals if they feel comfortable to show themselves on camera.
Thanks so much for your support!
Happy Monday ☀️
Luke & Naomi
how are you
All good, yourself? Thanks for asking 🙂❤
What is the smartest way to get to city from airport in Tirana? Pooring rain all day
Taxi expensive/exploiter?
oh no! Depending on the Accommodation you're staying at they might be able to help you with an airport shuttle. If not, there are busses commuting. Taxis are also okay, would just ask for a price before getting into a taxi.... some might take more than others. Also if you arrive at a very late/very early time there might not necessarily be taxis, so please be aware of that.
@@TwoMadExplorers Thank you, i will try with my hotel
Americans can stay in Albania for a year on a passport. That is still in effect and has not changed.
Your video mentioned that US Americans can not stay in Albania for one year without a visa. I beg to differ. All the resources I have checked state it's one year
Yes we say that in another video. Albania decided this year for a few months not to give US Citizens the one year visa anymore and then reverted their decision shorty after. Which we mention in one of the next videos 🤙🏼
@@TwoMadExplorers thank you for the prompt reply! safe travels!
✝️🇦🇱☦️💪🏻 you should go to sazan island
SOON!
@@TwoMadExplorers ❤️❤️❤️❤️
💞👌
🇦🇱🇦🇱🙏🏻🙏🏻
Any water cuts?
Not when we were there ✌🏻 I think there are none
i live in albania im a pro
I just looked everywhere online and found nothing about the law changing for Americans only getting 3 mos.
This video was published 10+ months ago. A lot has changed since then 👍
After Arrival US or Canada Citizen go to almost any Albania State Police Station and they will Stamp 12 Month Visa .......
It appears that your advice on the US Visa change was erroneous, and has me scratching my head as to why you included that in the Pro column!
It’s called “additional information” or “added value” …
Sorry for the confusion caused 😊
It’s not a visa it’s a 90 day visa free stay.
1:45 as it should be
actually they changed the visa back
Yes, we mentioned that as soon as it was changed back in a later video 🙏🏻
🌟😁
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I agree with some but to be honest, your pros and cons of Tirana can be misleading. It’s surprising to me that the Albanian food is the best to you after living in Mexico because the variety, diversity and freshness of food in Mexico is incomparable (the country is so much larger and geographically and culturally diverse!). However food is certainty low priced in Albania and the cuisine is above average at best so it is a great deal but the main focus is on meat that might or sometimes not have high quality. Also how can you be certain that all vegetables are bio? A lot of venders for sure but the agriculture in Albania is very limited (the new generation is not interested in farming) so many items are imported instead of grown locally (in contrast to Croatia) and there is no guarantee that pesticides are not being used locally or on imported goods. In Tirana fresh fish is not cheap unless it’s farmed and some bio shops are quite expensive. Culturally there is not much to do in Tirana (very few museums, no concert venues nor theaters for foreigners, opera very limited when in season, etc.) and the city is only walkable because it’s flat but sidewalks are not very people friendly and the city can get polluted and very noisy (due to a large number of old cars and honking). Apart from the main city park that is large and beautiful but gets crowded on weekends, not many other big parks. But the city does have trees so it looks green. The blackouts in Tirana actually not too bad and don’t last long. It is much worse outside of Tirana but it is still manageable. Get a mobile internet hot point when the electricity is down (I have never had to use it).
It ain't a competition. They said the food is great, they didn't say THE best in the world. I believe they might have said one of the best. Also, what is your beef with Albania? I have been to Croatia and it had the worst food I have ever had in my life, so am not sure what you're on about. Your other points are valid, but still, they do not detract from Tirana's awesomeness as a city. For a tourist, it's still a pretty sweet place. I don't visit other countries to go to the theatre (unless it's NYC, and even then, I haven't, really lol). I visit to check out new things, a different culture, lifestyle. I find your comment quite negative and biased, quite frankly. I am not sure why you are so upset with the country. Care to elaborate?
@@IrsidaSheshi this video is about pros and cons of living in Tirana, not visiting, so it is not targeting tourists. I don't dislike living in Tirana, I actually disliked this video! I think the couple is very nice and they are trying but the video was done superficially, based on their limited personal experiences, and without any additional research. People watch these videos to make decisions whether to move to these countries and relocation is quite expensive, so superficial information or purely biased experiences just mislead the audience. Does a majority of international people find food in Albania amazing or just them? A lot of vbloggers travel around and always talk about how AMAZING everything is. Why fake it, why not to be real? I can add one more: a pro of living in Tirana is that the nature and costal line are nearby. Great, but why would you live in Tirana if you prefer the coast? If top 5 pros include going somewhere else, it shows that you have nothing else good to say about the place. It is not a pro, it is actually a con. p.s. driving to Vlore as was recommended is 2,5 hours one way.
No place is perfect 👍🏻
Wtf? Still blackout? I thought we were done with that.
Think they are working on stuff so it goes for like 20 mins or smth
Only temporary, they last for maybe 10-20 minutes maximum because there is some work happening or something like that!
I wouldn't say frugal living is a con. But thanks for bringing the issue of income up.
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I dont know if albania has the „alps“ too :D
Maybe google Albanian alps and find out. 🙈😅 that’s what the mountain range is called.
Update your visa stays. It is still 1 year for Americans.
This video is over 2 years old, maybe update yourself
I'm probably going to take my pension and moving there in a few years. However, I have different needs. Like ground level housing for my motorised chair. I'll need to have an endocrinologist to continue my transgender oestrogen/aldactone hormone prescriptions. Also, a decent LGBT community would be a big plus. Especially since I'm both trans AND Lesbian! The fact that I'm "different" is making me think twice about it.
I guess if it's meant for me to be there, it will and can happen. With all that's happening with people like me here in the USA I'm probably safer there, still. Plus I'm sure there's no shooting of the week in any part of Europe like there is here.
No 🇦🇱 and 🇧🇬 are most right wing countries in Europe, try your luck elsewhere
u are so right guys. pls another cons is no public wc 🥴
??????? ?
Night clubs is shit you must bring girl to enter
The food quality is the worst in Europe. I came here last year and everybody was complaining . The food is expensive and people cannot digest.
Public transport is the worst in the world .
Food is incredibly cheap here. Also there are thousands of Americans living here now.
We understand you are full of hatred for Albania. But we love it! 🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱
@@TwoMadExplorers in Albania are going passing tourists … those that stay 2-3 days . Let’s see if you can handle to work and to leave in Albania
@@ergyslugaofficialyoutube414 we’ve been in Albania 6 months in total. Not 2-3 days, which you can see easily from the amount of videos about Albania. Stop trying to comment so many negative things. This is not the place.
@@TwoMadExplorers I’m not talking for you because I do think you are there to make promotion .
I see You don’t like different mind.
Terrible sound
kosove je Serbia
Tirana = Baghdad! Dont understand why you like it so much! 😏
Pretty shitty of you to speak like this of your own country. I live in Canada and loved going back to Albania. It had improved so much in the 22 years I have been here. Pse e ul vendin keshtu? It goes to show that maybe you haven't traveled much. I have been to Europe, Middle East, South America, and I still loved Albania. Nuk me pelqeu fare komenti jot dhe doja te ta vija ne dukje sepse mendoj se is not conducive to helping our country or this conversation.
Keshtu flasin fshataret e Shqiperise.. ! O Buke e misrit, kurre mos e ul poshte vendin ku u linde !
Heyy! I just watched your video and dm'ed u on IG. Im about to go there at friday with my non-english speaking cousin. Do you want to go for a lunch or dinner at Saturday? I also planned to go to the seaside in Durres. Maybe we could go there together!
😊