Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is launching flights to Tirana, Albania and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, bringing its network to a total of 31 routes.
Inaugural flights to the new destinations will take off on September 11 and October 3, respectively.
The UAE airline will operate twice-weekly flights to Tirana on Tuesday and Saturday, and Sarajevo on Wednesday and Sunday. Fares start at Dh179 ($48) for both.
Tickets are already on sale on the airline’s website and mobile app.
Albania is based on south-eastern Europe’s Balkan Peninsula, with beautiful Adriatic and Ionian coastlines, stunning mountain ranges and myriad castles and archaeological sites.
Tirana, the capital, is a dynamic city, usually with buzzing nightlife, high energy and plenty to see, including the sprawling Skanderbeg Square, its National History Museum and the centuries-old Et'hem Bey Mosque.
Nearby Bosnia and Herzegovina, also on the Balkan Peninsula, is home to medieval villages, picturesque waterways and the Dinaric Alps.
The country is shaped by its history of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian influence, and capital Sarajevo offers a more modern experience in its malls, coffee shops and restaurants. It is also steeped in history, with must-see landmarks including old quarter Bascarsija, 16th-century Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, and Latin Bridge, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, sparking the First World War.
“Tirana and Sarajevo are fascinating destinations, rich in culture and both set amid impressive mountainous backdrops,” said Kees Van Schaick, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi's managing director.
"When we launched at the start of 2021, we committed to rapid expansion of our network as well as providing viable and ultra-low fare travel for UAE residents and inbound tourists. With 31 routes now on our roster, we continue to deliver on this promise and look forward to welcoming even more travellers onboard our aircraft.”
Covid-19 restrictions in Albania
Albania is open to international visitors, with no specific restrictions in place. Travellers from the UAE do not need to present a negative PCR test or antigen result on arrival, nor do they need to quarantine.
Albania is also on Abu Dhabi’s green list, and so anyone flying back into the capital will not need to quarantine after they land.
As of July 1, a curfew has been in place in the country between midnight and 6am, except for health reasons or emergencies. Nightclubs are closed, but music is allowed until 10pm, and activities such as sports championships, theatres, cultural performances and conferences have limited capacities of up to 30 per cent.
Face masks are also required indoors.
Covid-19 restrictions in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Unvaccinated travellers from the UAE must present a negative PCR or antigen test taken no fewer than 72 hours before departing to Bosnia and Herzegovina, while fully vaccinated people with approved certification do not need a Covid-19 test.
Children below 7 are also exempt, as well as the country's residents and citizens of Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia.
There are no quarantine requirements.
The country is not on Abu Dhabi’s green list, so quarantine on arrival in the capital will be required.
While restaurants, bars and shops across the country are open, nightclubs remain closed, and there is a nationwide curfew in place between 11pm and 5am.
Face masks are required indoors.
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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