While Albania may be known for its beaches, there are lots of interesting things about this Balkan superstar.
From Stephen Fry’s almost royal connection to the communist leader’s love for British comedy, here are 12 fun facts about Albania.
1. Albania is home to more than 170,000 bunkers
Communist dictator Enver Hoxha was a paranoid individual and wanted to fortify Albania in case of an attack. Between the 1960s-1980s, some 750,000 concrete bunkers were built across the country, which was equal to roughly 5.7 bunkers per square kilometre. There’s still about 170,000 of these concrete mushrooms around today, making Albania’s landscape truly unique.
2. Albanians descend from one of Europe’s oldest civilisations
Long before the Greeks or Romans arrived, the Illyrians were spread across the western Balkans from the 10th century BCE. Modern Albanians are thought to descend from these early tribes, with the country’s name itself coming from the Illyrian tribe of the Albanoi. The last and best-known Illyrian kingdom was in today’s Shkodër.
3. Albania has one of the world’s oldest languages
The Albanian language (shqip) is considered one of the world’s oldest living languages; it’s thought to be a direct linguistic descendant of Illyrian. The Albanian language is also truly unique, unrelated to other European languages.
4.Yes means no, no means yes
In Albania, a nod means ‘no’ and a head shake means ‘yes,’ which can confuse tourists. To make things more confusing, there’s only one letter difference between ‘yes’ (‘po’) and ‘no’ (‘yo’).
Related:
- Where is the Balkans anyway?
- Albania is not the “Maldives of Europe”—here’s why
- 7 things you can only see, eat or do in Albania
5. Albania was once the North Korea of Europe
Albania spent 50 years in total isolation under a strict communist regime between 1946-1991. Just wearing jeans or growing your hair long could make you an “enemy of the state” and land you in prison. There was only one TV channel and a few hours of programming each day; families secretly built antennas to pick up Italian TV and blacked out their windows to avoid arrest. That’s why so many Albanians over age 40 can speak fluent Italian.
6. More Albanians live abroad than in Albania
From neighbouring countries to America and Australia, the Albanian diaspora is huge. It’s estimated that more Albanians live outside of the country than the three million living in it after many fled the country during and after the communist regime.
7. Albania has the largest mosque in the Balkans
Tirana’s Namazgah Mosque, which started construction in 2015 and was completed in 2024, can hold up to 10,000 people. Its minarets soar to 50 metres and its dome rises to 30 metres and the design is inspired by classic Ottoman architecture. While that sounds like a big number, it’s still relatively tiny compared to the Masjid al-Haram in Saudi Arabia, which can hold up to eight million worshippers.
8. Islam in Albania is one of the most liberal forms of the religion
Many of Albania’s Muslims are Bektashi Muslim which is a very tolerant branch of Islam. They welcome women as equals, hold nature sacred, and even allow the odd alcoholic drink, making them one of the most liberal Muslim communities in the world.
9. Stephen Fry could have been an Albanian prince
In the 1920s, Charles Burgess Fry, Stephen Fry’s grandfather, was reportedly offered the vacant Albanian throne by the Albanian delegation. He was a famous cricket player and parliamentary candidate and at the time was working for the Indian delegation as a deputy and speechwriter. So, had he accepted the position, Stephen Fry could have been an Albanian prince.
10. Watching Norman Wisdom was kind of compulsory
Communist dictator Enver Hoxha was a huge fan of British comedian Norman Wisdom and insisted everybody sit down on a Saturday night to watch him on TV. He’s still adored there today—perhaps that’s why Albanians get the British dry sense of humour!
11. Mother Teresa is a national heroine
Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, which was part of Albania at the time (now North Macedonia), and she is considered a national heroine. In Tirana, there’s a statue and stained glass window of her at St Paul’s Cathedral and there’s also Mother Teresa Square. You’ll find roads and other places named after her in Albania and North Macedonia.
12. Edith Durham put North Albania on the map
Traveller and anthropologist Edith Durham spent years in Albania in the early 20th century and wrote her travelogue High Albania during her time in the north, including Theth, where hikers go to hike the high mountain pass between Theth and Valbona. In fact, if you read her book you’ll realise how little modernity has touched places like Theth and Valbona since her time there. Durham became a fierce advocate for Albanian independence and was nicknamed “Queen of the Highlanders.”
Albania adventure holidays
Whether you’re looking for a family adventure, a couple’s getaway or flying solo, we’ve got a range of unique off-the-beaten-path adventures in Albania, from Shkodër’s rich history and the soaring Albanian Alps of the north to bunkers and beaches in the south.
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