Albania seems to be popular this year, with holidaymakers flocking to the Balkan country for its dramatic coastline dotted with seaside towns.
Last year, according to UN Tourism, the country received over 10 million visitors and I was lucky enough to be one of them, although I bypassed the popular coastal tourist trails to explore the roaming countryside, where farmhouses and family-run lodges make for a slow, cultural getaway.
Arriving late at night in Shkoder, an hour and a half north of Tirana International Airport, my Airbnb host welcomes me with a plate of petulla (traditional fried dough) served with home-made jam and feta. I instantly feel welcome, and it is a feeling that sets the tone for my entire visit.
With a population of about 200,000, Shkoder is often used as a pit stop for travellers between Montenegro and the snow-capped Albanian Alps, but the city is worth exploring with its bougainvillaea-lined pathways leading to the 400-year-old Rozafa Castle where two rivers form ribbons across the surrounding landscape. It’s also perfect for exploring on two-wheels, and I enjoy a few days cycling around its cobbled streets before heading to the countryside.
A 70-minute boat ride through the towering canyons of the Lake Koman reservoir brings me to Neomalsore, a quaint guesthouse in the northern mountains. The farmhouse has been in the Koceku family for generations and overlooks an emerald blue water lake flanked by rugged cliffs. A flock of chickens, a baby goat and a lazy cat keep me company during my stay.
The guesthouse is just one of a many new farm stays and family-run accommodation options that embrace Albania's rural way of life, culinary customs and traditional hospitality. The agritourism movement is helping to put rural Albania on the tourism map while creating new economic opportunities.
Neomalsore is run by a Molla tribal family belonging to one of Albania’s Highland clans. Marjana Koceku is the youngest daughter and welcomes me with a glass of home-made fruit raki. She tells me that many travellers visit for a day trip, but that spending a few nights allows people to really enjoy the slow, sustainable local lifestyle.
At night, we sit outside for a candlelit dinner with other travellers. Koceku’s mum whips up a feast: home-made cornbread, goat cheese, fire-grilled freshwater fish and farm-bred chicken served with garden-picked vegetables and wild honey.
Not to be missed off my itinerary is Berat, a 2,400-year-old Unesco World Heritage Site. Here, the Osum River snakes past the city, and the town’s old quarter houses Ottoman-era residences with red ceramic roofs, white walls, and wooden windows. So closely packed together, it almost feels like the wide windows are stacked upon one another, giving the town its nickname, ‘the city of one over one windows.’ On top of a steep hill nearby is Berat Castle, a 13th-century citadel with preserved ancient walls, churches, local houses-turned-homestays, and restaurants.
While Berat is charming, it can get quite crowded, particularly in Albanian summers. So I opt to stay at Alpeta Agrotourism, a winery and guesthouse that offers guided hiking and kayaking tours in Roshnik village some 15km from Berat. At the open-air restaurant here I dine surrounded by grapevines, and the staff serve a traditional lunch of grilled mutton and seasonal vegetables.
“The concept of agritourism helps locals to promote rural areas as attractive travel destinations,” says owner Petrit Fiska. “It also helps farmers embrace our age-old agricultural practices while earning extra income.”
Delights await for those in search of outdoor pursuits and a quiet retreat across the Albanian countryside. In Rubik, a small town south of Shkoder, I stay for almost a week in a cosy wood cabin at Baven Toven.
Owner Bajron Nikolli, who migrated to Italy at the age of 14, returned to his homeland nearly two decades later to open the secluded mountain getaway which has five independent cabins. Nikolli now runs the guesthouse with the help of his parents and grandmother.
“I worked for many years in Italy and invested my savings to build this place. It was a sacrifice,” he says. “But I’m happy everything worked out. It’s a beautiful thing to see people arrive here every day from all over the world. And we have now employed two people. We’ve created jobs.”
At the cabin, Nikolli’s grandmother greets me every morning with a smile and an espresso. Breakfast is local and seasonal with byrek (meat, spinach, and cheese pie), pispili (leeks and feta cheese cornbread), and deep-fried Albanian pancakes served with local fig jam.
Days are spent visiting the village church and hiking to a secluded natural pool along the river or enjoying a leisurely lunch at the nearby Bar Restorant Aleksi. Packed with locals, this countryside restaurant with alfresco seating serves traditional qofte (grilled and pan-fried chicken, mutton, and lamb meatballs), stuffed peppers, and tasty seasoned pilau rice.
Proud of his country, Nikolli has a positive outlook on Albania’s evolving tourism industry. “In my area, there are no other industries. So without tourism, I couldn’t stay here, and would have to return to Italy,” he says.
“Luckily, Albania is beautiful. Within a few kilometres, you find the sea, mountains, lakes, and so much more.”
Getting to Albania from UAE
Flydubai has direct flights from Dubai to Tirana while Wizz Air operates non-stop from Abu Dhabi to Tirana.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
Super Saturday results
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
Winner: Divine Image, Brett Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Old Persian, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
Fireball
Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.
A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.
"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Race card
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; 5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; 6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (PA) 1,400m
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
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SHAITTAN
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About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
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JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Sunday's Super Four matches
Dubai, 3.30pm
India v Pakistan
Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangladesh v Afghanistan
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
