"Express" writes about Albania: A country with special tourist destinations

2025-08-17 18:24:00, Aktualitet CNA

"Express" writes about Albania: A country with special tourist

The renowned British media outlet "Expres" has dedicated an article to a tourist trip through Albania.

In an article published this Sunday, the continuation of the tourism industry is highlighted, despite the country being one of the most affected in the Balkans by the fire situation.

Further, the journey to Gjirokastra, Saranda and the 'Blue Eye', which is considered a special tourist destination, is described.

Part of the article:

Europe is currently facing a severe wildfire crisis, with blazes raging since late July, fueled by an intense heatwave. This year, approximately 440,000 hectares have been burned by fires in southern Europe, with hotspots including Greece, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Albania. The fires have resulted in casualties: one person has died in Albania, along with several in other countries, with hundreds injured and tens of thousands evacuated.

In Albania alone, 30 active fires are raging, and there has been extensive damage to homes, crops and livestock, as well as evacuations from villages in the provinces of Elbasan, Vlora and Berat. However, as the fires ravage across Albania, the tourism industry is continuing as usual.

"We had heard before when we arrived in Albania about the fires, but we hadn't seen anything. In Saranda it was perfectly fine and we weren't aware of it, but as soon as we started travelling by bus to Gjirokastra, we saw some areas of smoke and fire in the mountains and we were a little more worried then because it was definitely closer than we thought," says a tourist.

Kayaking trip to the “Blue Eye” in southern Albania, a popular tourist destination where the water from the natural spring is so clear that you can see up to a depth of 50 meters.

"People in Albania are very nice and sweet; they're just very calm and go about their day, even in terms of the taxis we took, beyond the fires. They say it's bad, but they're still doing their job. So, it seems like it happens every year, they're used to it, but it's kind of a shock to us," the foreign tourists said. /CNA