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Times
a day ago
- Times
The secret, scenic side of southern Albania
The cat's out of the bag. Almost 12 million people visited Albania last year, many of them heading to the riviera on the promise of an affordable, sun-soaked beach break. But the truth is that overtourism is already looming, prices are rising and international investment — including from Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law — means traditional villages are being developed into beach resorts. If the prospect of sunbathing a few yards away from the Trumps or being in a hotel that could be anywhere in the world puts you off, there's a part of the Albanian riviera that package holiday giants and hotel tycoons tend to miss. Undiscovered Balkans, a small British travel company that specialises in offbeat adventures, has introduced a small-group tour to highlight some of southern Albania's less-trumpeted treasures. I joined the trip in May and spent a week exploring lesser-known coastal towns before dipping into the hinterland, where I visited Unesco world heritage sites, swam in hidden waterfalls, stayed with farmers high in the mountains and rafted on one of Europe's last truly wild rivers. We finished on crowd-free pebble beaches 200m above sea level in a fishing hamlet on the shores of Lake Ohrid. I arrived in Qeparo, one of the quieter seaside villages in Vlore county, under darkness after a three-hour drive from Tirana. I woke to views of Old Qeparo, the original farming village in the hillside, spilling down the mountain to meet New Qeparo on the seafront, where beach bars and boat rental centres were gearing up for the season. The first of many feasts of the holiday commenced on the patio overlooking all of this. Our host was the lovely Mirella Kokedhima, an empty nester who runs the guesthouse at her hilltop farm somewhere between the two Qeparos. What she could cook up following a belter of a thunderstorm and resulting power cut was impressive, and done with a smile. Eggs, goat's cheese, yoghurt, salad, homemade chocolate pastries, sausages, and Turkish coffee so thick you could chew it, all came our way. • Read our full guide to Albania This early in the season, the sea was too choppy for kayaking, so we spent the first day hiking along the coast. Our group of eight Brits, ranging in age from thirties to sixties, rambled along karst limestone cliffs with epic views of traditional villages and sparkling water, Corfu a hazy mound across the bay. The scent of wildflowers and thyme hung in the air and birds chirped from nearby branches. Nine miles later we descended to Borsh beach and dipped our weary feet in the crisp Ionian water, a well-earned beer in hand. The next day we turned our backs on the seaside and joined our guide, Alfi Pepaj, in a 4×4 for a scenic off-road adventure through the mountains to Gjirokaster, a Unesco-listed Ottoman-era town. The scenery was all dramatic, green carpeted peaks and wide, open meadows, with nobody around for miles. Along the way, we pulled up seemingly in the middle of nowhere and followed Pepaj down into a canyon, where a waterfall cascaded. As we swam a chorus of Albanian water frogs spectated from their moss perch. An hour or so later we arrived in Gjirokaster and were immediately charmed. Our accommodation was a characterful hotel inside an Ottoman house with furnishings to match. Nowadays, most will know Gjirokaster for its traditional old town and bazaar, which draws similarities with Bosnia's Mostar or northern Albania's Kruje. But the town was also the birthplace of Enver Hoxha, the brutal communist dictator who ruled Albania for 40 years until his death in 1985. It's a wonder how such an evil man could come from such a beautiful and peaceful place. • 10 of the best places to visit in Albania Gjirokaster's remarkably preserved 13th-century fortress gives far-reaching views of the region and its cool stone walls offer respite from the summer heat. The town is very clearly popular with tourists, but prices were reasonable and an Aperol spritz set me back just £6. The following morning we once again headed for the mountains on another 4×4 tour where more of that spectacular karst scenery awaited. We drove along dizzying passes to the village of Hoshteve in Zagoria, the neighbouring county. Several photo stops later, we wandered down the hill to a 12th-century village church which houses some of Albania's best-preserved frescoes and icons, surviving several wars, the Ottoman Empire and Hoxha's dictatorship. We sauntered back up to Kristina and Ladi Telo's guesthouse for another Albanian feast. We ate on their wraparound porch, which was adorned with flowers, citrus trees and swallows nests, not a sound or another soul in sight for miles. I couldn't believe the amount of food (all fresh) that was coming from a kitchen no bigger than most people's pantries. • 16 of the best things to do in Albania Suitably stuffed and with Pepaj translating, I got talking to Kristina and found out they had converted their home into a guesthouse 12 years ago after spotting a market for feeding and sheltering hikers passing through. One thing led to another as Kristina showed me around and the next thing I knew, I was trying on her traditional shepherdess dress and modelling it to the rest of the group. Our next stay was at a 120-year-old restored farmhouse overlooking the Vjosa valley, where the Vjosa, one of Europe's last truly wild rivers flows. To get there we had driven up a rocky dirt track, just centimetres from a sheer drop at some points, but it was well worth the effort. Now a listed building, Kristaq Cullufe's family home was lucky not to have been seized by the communists and for a long time it lay abandoned. The village is a shadow of its former self, with many having left to find work elsewhere. Following the collapse of communism in 1991, Cullufe's family returned from nearby Permet city and set about restoring the farmhouse. In the first-floor bedroom stood his mother's peja, a wooden chest Albanian brides would fill with things to take to their marital home. On the patio, where we ate to the sound of the Vjosa gushing through the valley below, were more artefacts, including old farming tools, sewing machines and telephones. More of that bucolic mountain scenery filled our windows the following day as we drove to Lake Ohrid, our final stop. But not before we had some fun on the Vjosa, whitewater rafting, cliff diving and wild swimming. We arrived under darkness once again, leaving the lakeside views a surprise until morning. Straddling the border with North Macedonia, the Unesco-protected Ohrid is one of Europe's oldest lakes. We stayed in the sleepy fishing village of Lin, which is a tourism destination well and truly in its infancy and the kind of place where people own a boat rather than a car. Our final day was an active one, hiking and kayaking to secluded pebble beaches in the morning and cycling the length of Albania's share of the lake in the afternoon. There are no overpriced sunbeds to fight over here. The pleasant 12-mile ride took us past allotments, overgrown bunkers, quiet enclaves where ducks quacked from behind the reeds, and fishermen selling their catch on the roadside. We stopped in the larger town of Pogradec, which has a real British seaside feel to it: children giggled on the fairground rides, the smell of candyfloss and doughnuts wafted in the air and old men puffed cigarettes and sipped raki as they played checkers on the promenade. Pogradec is a resort town that's got the balance right with tourism — buzzing, but not too crowded. If you prefer to spend your holiday flopping on the beach sipping cocktails, this trip probably isn't for you. But if you're looking to experience a more authentic side to Albania, with outdoor adventures and priceless cultural exchanges, it just might Sanders was a guest of Undiscovered Balkans, which has seven nights' full board from £1,195pp on a South Albania Activity Holiday ( Fly to Tirana
Japan Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Cyclist hit by charging goat during third stage of Giro d'Italia
New Zealand rider Dion Smith survived a run-in with a stray goat before finishing the third stage of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday. Smith, who rides for the Intermarche-Wanty team, was on the 160-km stage that started and finished in the Albanian town of Vlore when he was broad-sided by the charging mountain goat. Video footage showed the animal breaking out of a herd that had been kept under control as the peloton passed before contacting the back wheel of Smith's bike. Smith somehow managed to avoid crashing by going on the grass verge while the goat appeared unharmed by its antics. "I didn't have too much time to think," Smith said. "I could see it 10 seconds before, the policeman was trying to keep them all in, and then one or two started coming across. "I mean, what can I say? I didn't know which way I was going to go, and everyone else went left. I chose right, but in the end it was fine. Luckily, I stayed up." Animal incursions are not uncommon in professional road cycling. Two years ago at the Giro a dog took down Belgium's Remco Evenepoel while at the 2022 Tour de France a loose dog caused a crash involving another Belgium rider Yves Lampaert. Despite his close call with local wildlife, Smith said that Albania's three stages had been a success. "I probably expected more of a wild dog, but I guess there's a lot more goats down here," he said. "Albania's been great and it's beautiful down the south here. They've done really well and I've enjoyed it. It's been a different experience — just watch out for the goats!"
RNZ News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Watch: Kiwi cyclist Dion Smith survives run-in with goat at Giro d'Italia
New Zealand cyclist Dion Smith. Photo: PHOTOSPORT New Zealand rider Dion Smith has survived a run-in with a stray goat before finishing the third stage of the Giro d'Italia. Smith , who rides for the Intermarche-Wanty team, was on the 160km stage that started and finished in the Albanian town of Vlore when he was broadsided by the charging mountain goat. Goat recognizes the GOAT Dion Smith is the chosen man for this Giro d'Italia Video footage showed the animal breaking out of a herd that had been kept under control as the peloton passed, before contacting the back wheel of Smith's bike. Somehow Smith managed to avoid crashing by going on the grass verge while the goat appeared unharmed by its antics. "I didn't have too much time to think," Smith said. "I could see it 10 seconds before, the policeman was trying to keep them all in, and then one or two started coming across. "I mean, what can I say? I didn't know which way I was going to go, and everyone else went left. I chose right, but in the end it was fine. Luckily, I stayed up." Animal incursions are not uncommon in professional road cycling. Two years ago at the Giro a dog took down Belgium's Remco Evenepoel while at the 2022 Tour de France a loose dog caused a crash involving another Belgium rider Yves Lampaert. Despite his close call with local wildlife, Smith said that Albania's three stages had been a success. "I probably expected more of a wild dog, but I guess there's a lot more goats down here," he said. "Albania's been great and it's beautiful down the south here. They've done really well and I've enjoyed it. It's been a different experience - just watch out for the goats!" Fellow New Zealander Corbin Strong finished second on the stage which was won by Dane Mads Pedersen. - Reuters / RNZ
Reuters
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Rider at Giro survives encounter with run-away goat
May 11 (Reuters) - New Zealand rider Dion Smith survived a run-in with a stray goat before finishing the third stage of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday. Smith, who rides for the Intermarche–Wanty team, was on the 160km stage that started and finished in the Albanian town of Vlore when he was broad-sided by the charging mountain goat. Video footage showed the animal breaking out of a herd that had been kept under control as the peloton passed, before contacting the back wheel of Smith's bike. Somehow Smith managed to avoid crashing by going on the grass verge while the goat appeared unharmed by its antics. "I didn't have too much time to think," Smith said. "I could see it 10 seconds before, the policeman was trying to keep them all in, and then one or two started coming across. "I mean, what can I say? I didn't know which way I was going to go, and everyone else went left. I chose right, but in the end it was fine. Luckily, I stayed up." Animal incursions are not uncommon in professional road cycling. Two years ago at the Giro a dog took down Belgium's Remco Evenepoel while at the 2022 Tour de France a loose dog caused a crash involving another Belgium rider Yves Lampaert. Despite his close call with local wildlife, Smith said that Albania's three stages had been a success. "I probably expected more of a wild dog, but I guess there's a lot more goats down here," he said. "Albania's been great and it's beautiful down the south here. They've done really well and I've enjoyed it. It's been a different experience -- just watch out for the goats!"
BBC News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pedersen wins stage three to reclaim Giro lead
Mads Pedersen reclaimed the leader's pink jersey at the Giro d'Italia by sprinting to victory on stage Dane, who won the opening stage, held off Corbin Strong to claim his second victory of the race in Vlore, claiming 10 bonus seconds for the win, Pedersen moved back ahead of overnight leader Primoz Roglic, who finished safely in the 29, now leads Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe rider Roglic by nine seconds in the general classification, with his Lidl-Trek team-mate Mathias Vacek five seconds further back in in the stage, Intermarche-Wanty rider Dion Smith managed to stay upright despite being clipped by a mountain goat running across the road., external Pedersen's win capped off a fine ride by his Lidl-Trek team as they controlled the peloton, preventing any decisive attacks on the last climb and reeling in the former world champion was well positioned in the home straight, kicking early and displaying impressive power to hold off the charge of New Zealand's Strong."Everyone in the team just did a super amazing job on the climb," said Pedersen."To have two stage victories already and now back in the pink, that's exactly what we wanted."Slovenia's Roglic, who won the 2023 Giro, will not be fazed by losing the overall lead at this point, with 18 stages to come and less pressure now on his team to defend the nearest main title rival, Spain's Juan Ayoso is 16 seconds back on Roglic in fifth overall. Britain's Max Poole is currently seventh, 33 seconds down on will be targeting a third stage win when the race resumes in Italy following Monday's rest stage four is a 189km flat stage for the sprinters from Alberobello to Lecce. Stage three results Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl-Trek) 3hrs 49mins 47secsCorbin Strong (NZ/Israel-Premier Tech) Same timeOrluis Aular (Ven/Movistar)Brandon Rivera (Col/Ineos Grenadiers)Edoardo Zambanini (Ita/Bahrain Victorious)Stefano Oldani (Ita/Cofidis)Andrea Vendrame (Ita/Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)Filippo Fiorelli (Ita/VF Group-Bardiani-CSF-Faizane)Christian Scaroni (Ita/XDS-Astana)Davide de Pretto (Ita/Team Jayco–AlUla) General classification after stage three Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl-Trek) 7hrs 42mins 10 secsPrimoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +9secsMathias Vacek (Cze/Lidl-Trek) +14secsBrandon McNulty (US/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +21secsJuan Ayuso (Spa/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +25secsIsaac del Toro (Mex/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +26secsMax Poole (GB/Team Picnic PostNL) +33secsAntonio Tiberi (Ita/Bahrain Victorious) +34secsMichael Storer (Aus/Tudor Pro-cycling Team) +36secsGiulio Pellizzari (Ita/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +40secs
