Albania - Undiscovered Country


It seemed possible when glancing at a map but how feasible would a trip to Albania be from Corfu? Albania is one of those places etched on one's mind from the Cold War. Isolated, austere and alone. A little research showed that a day trip was possible and for UK nationals, no visa fee was payable. Obtaining a ticket was not straightforward. The departure port in Corfu directed us a a local travel agent, Ionian Cruises. They sold us a ticket but only for a one-way journey at €19. A passport was also required. A return ticket, we were advised, could be purchased on arrival in the Albanian port of Saranda. And so it proved with the Albanian company also accepting payment in Euros. A nearby bus took us to Butrint, home of some splendid Roman ruins. It cost 100 Leke or about €0.60 or £0.50 each way. Allow two hours and take to bus back to Saranda and you have plenty of time to catch the return boat to Corfu. While in the country we made this short video. We calculated at the end of our stay the two of us had spent a total of €30 ($42 - £25) on travel, postcards, gifts and a couple of snacks including some excellent savoury crêpes near to the ferry port. Return travel was €38 ($51 - £30) per person. Was it a journey worth doing? For a traveller of curiosity, it was most certainly

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