World Travel - Albania

Hello again!! My, much time has certainly flown by since my last post. So sorry for the delay! But I am back! And I have a new project for this year. Since my travel budget is greatly limited this year, I thought it would be fun to do another type of world tour! Join me as we travel to various countries and sketch sites along the way! It will be great fun to learn about the world and do a little sight seeing from the comfort of our chairs. Today we visit Albania. Why? Well, because it begins with A . . . there are so many wonderful countries to visit, I thought it would be easiest to start with A.


Our sketch takes us to Apollonia. The Albania Tourism website tells us: "The famous Roman orator Cicero, astonished by the beauty of Apollonia named it in his Philippics, magna urbs et gravis - a great and important city. Established in the 7th century B.C., by Greek settlers from Corinth and Corcyra, the ancient city is located 11 km to the west of the modern city of Fier.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that Apollonia achieved its zenith in the 4th - 3rd centuries B.C. In the first century B.C., Octavian Augustus studied philosophy there until he heard news of Caesar's murder in the Senate and went on to become the next Roman emperor.

The city had a 4 km long surrounding wall encircling an area of 137 hectares. It has been estimated that during the developed stages of the city, 60000 inhabitants lived inside its imposing walls."

In the heart of the Mediterranean, on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, Albania is fast becoming one of the world's most interesting getaways. Still relatively unspoiled by globalization, tourists will notice an inspiring mixture of civilizations and cultures - making this European country truly unique.

Nestled in between Greece, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro, and across the Adriatic from Italy, Albania boasts blue and turquoise seas, beautiful beaches, snow peaked mountains, rivers, lakes, and forests. As well as stunning nature, Albanians themselves are famous for their hospitality, and tourists are welcomed with heart-warming generosity.

Birthplace of both Mother Theresa and the great 15th Century hero Skanderbeg, Albania today offers not only beach and mountain holidays, but also a vibrant city life, a relaxing outdoor cafe culture and you will see that it's quickly evolving in a myriad of directions.

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Join me again soon. Our next country may be Andorra. Or somewhere else. Or maybe more of Albania. It seems to be a fascinating country!