Albania

7 days in Albania

By Wander with Jill

June 9^th, 2022

Its been almost 2 years since I have made a blog post and although Covid changed the world I still did manage to stay traveling but I lost my inspiration to write. Now 2 years later with most countries easing their travel restrictions, I am back and ready to share my travel experiences with the world again. I have always loved live music shows probably just as much as I love to travel. There is something about music that connects people. My traveling style has always been quite unique because most times when I travel its because there is a festival, party or concert that I also get to attend as well. Ive attended over 20 big name festivals worldwide since my first one in 2006. Ive never quite stopped since. I would consider myself as a music enthusiast nomad wanderlust with an eclectic taste. I also like it all from EDM, minimal, hip hop, house, jazz, tech house, pop, rock, reggaeton, classical, country, etc you name It…I probably have a playlist for almost every genre. I make no judgements music really is the answer and I love that there is so much of it.

When I decided to start my traveling this summer I made sure to make it a point to check out a festival I had heard of from friends who attended last year. They raved about Unum festival in Albania so I had to check it out for myself and it did not disappoint.

Shëngjin

Besides the amazing talent on the festival lineup, another factor that played a role in me traveling to Albania was the fact that the festival took place in a beach town. Who doesnt like a festival on a beach? So I started my journey by flying from NY to Tirana, because it is the closest airport. Then I had a driver take me from the airport to Shëngjin which was about a 45 minute drive.

Throughout the festival it was nice to spend my days at the beach when I was not partying.

Unum Festival

I got to enjoy 4 nights of the 6 day festival dancing my little heart away. Overall I would give unum festival a 8.5/10 rating

Production was pretty good. There was 3 stages. Only the main stage had lights and visuals. Logistically it was very smooth as far as entrance with getting my band, security and the shuttle service from the beach hotel area to the actual festival which was about 15 minutes. Sound was my only issue. There was sound leaking between the Main and Pine stages which caused some annoyance.

Despite some big names cancelling such as Ricardo Villalobos, Sonja Moonear, Fumiya Tanaka, which I was very excited to see. The overall vibe and music quality by the artists who did play was amazing.

My Favorite overall sets were by Anthea, Jesse Calosso, John Dimas, Paco Osuna, Rhadoo, Seth Troxler, and TiNi b2b Dyed Soundorom.

I would definitely return! I hope more of my friends in the USA decide to give this new festival a chance and I look forward to returning again next year.

After the festival I decided to stay in Tirana but before heading back to the capital city, I made two stops along the way.

We had lunch along The Lagoon of Patok (Albanian: Laguna e Patokut) is a lagoon of the Adriatic Sea on the Mediterranean Sea in the central coast of Albania. I enjoyed a delicious seafood meal here with my friends.

Kruja

My next quick stop was at the Kruja Castle. The Kruja castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Krujës) is a castle in the city of Kruja, Albania and the center of Skanderbeg's rebellion against the Ottoman Empire.

Here I got to enjoy a beautiful view of the sunset and did some shopping in the market.

Tirana

In Tirana I stayed at the Black Diamond Hotel. This four star hotel is more expensive but highly recommended. After 4 nights of dancing I made sure to take advantage of the spa amenities to help my body recover.

Skanderberg Square

In Tirana, it seems that all roads lead to Skanderbeg Square. Once you’ve been there, you’ll understand why this main square, named after the Albanian national hero, is the heart of the city. A statue of Skanderbeg sits in the middle of the square. It’s an iconic place, which has recently been renewed, and is a must-see for everyone who visits Albania. With an opera house, the National History Museum, the Et’Hem Bey Mosque along the sides, this huge square is perfect for a stroll.

Bunk Art Museum

After the inaguration, in June 1978 by the dictator Enver Hoxha, opened to the public the anti-nuclear bunker built by the communist government. A 5 floor palace underground, with 106 rooms and an assembly hall, now turned into an historical and art center called "BUNK'ART". The passageways, the areas provided for the meetings of the General Staff of the Army in case of war, the rooms where was thought would sleep the communist exdictator Enver Hoxha and the former Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu in case of a nuclear attack. This is a ‘must see’ for all people visiting Tirana and who are interested in the history of the country.

I spent my final day taking a day trip to the town of Vlore. This beach town was a 2 hour drive from Tirana.

Vlore sits on a bay that marks the meeting of the Adriatic and the Ionain seas. This was the perfect place to end my week long trip in Albania.

Overall I really enjoyed my week in Albania. I am super thankful to have my friend who lives there show me around and give me a proper tour. I always prefer to travel with locals since they usually know whats best to see in their country. This country is highly underrated but I hope to come back to see more of what it has to offer.