The journey to Montenegro was one I will never forget. Despite buying our tickets in advance, our driver oversold the bus so we had to stand the entire 2.5 hour ride. That alone was not so bad, but the border crossing was a nightmare. He made the dozen people standing sit in isle of the…

After a particularly long bus ride from Tirana we were glad to get settled in a new place. Our lovely host met us and introduced us to his family, all of whom we share a floor of a small apartment building with. We were also welcomed later by the Nona who lives downstairs, she was…

There is no shortage of places to eat and drink at in this town; there are some really special places to enjoy a meal, coffee or cocktails. The best view in town is The Observator, located on the 13th floor above the Spar grocery on Rruga e Saraceve. It is apparently a piano bar, but…

After a long 5 hour trip from Sarande we were so glad to be back in the city. The two days in January were hardly enough to experience everything this place has to offer. June seemed like the perfect time to return, the coastal towns were preparing for the summer crowds, something we were happy…

If you are in Sarandë take a day trip to Ksamil, a sparkling jewel of the Albanian rivera. Known for its crystal clear waters, olive and citrus production, Ksamil is worth the short bus trip or cab ride from Sarandë. The bus runs throughout the day for 150 leks and takes a half hour, but…

Most of our time was spent on our patio after the daily promenade along the main drag in town. There are some great restaurants to eat at and a vibrant group of expats that meet at various places, our favorite being the Dick and Devil pub, owned by a lovely couple from Florida. We met…

We took a cab to the central bus station in Vlore, which is nothing more than a handful of busses parked along the street with destination cities displayed on a sign in the window. It is located outside a small cafe where you can get a coffee or cold beverage for your ride, just keep…

Other than the exquisite sunsets daily there are a few cool places to check out in Vlore. Kuzum Baba is the best viewpoint to take in the entire city. It was a short hour hike to get there from our apartment, winding through the back streets and getting to see the city from a different…

There is not a lot of things to do, with the exception of the national pastime of drinking coffee. The strip is packed with cafes, one next to the other and all will have patrons sipping espressos at every hour of the day. There are more coffee shops here per capita than anywhere in the…

After our first two days in Albania it was off to Vlore by bus, which is how most Albanians travel if not by car. The bus station in Tirana is buzzing with loads of people smoking, drivers awaiting their passengers or those for their buses to take off. There are no particular times for departure,…