Ready for a new adventure!
6 April 2024, Luxembourg β
βοΈ 12 Β°C
Departure at 1.30am for Charleroi Airport.
2 hours later!
6 April 2024, Belgium β
βοΈ 13 Β°C
New airport unlocked!
6 April 2024, Belgium β
βοΈ 14 Β°C
Flying over the Alps and along the Balkan Adriatic coast.ππ
Tirana-Albania! π¦π±
6 April 2024, Albania β
β
16 Β°C
After 8 hours of travel, I am in Tirana!
Skanderbeg Square
6 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 19 Β°C
The square is huge (40,000 square km) and is dedicated to the Albanian national hero.
Many buildings overlook the square (including the beautiful National History Museum and the National OperaBaca lagi
π¦π± Tirana - Et'hem Bey Mosque
6 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 20 Β°C
The Et'hem Bey Mosque is located in the same square.
Completed around 1800, il was closed for many years during the Communist dictatorship.
In 1991 almost 10.000 person entered again to pray,Baca lagi
π¦π± Lunch with local food
6 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 21 Β°C
Qofte (spiced lamb meatballs) and boiled liver in a very tasty cheese sauceπ.
To drink a very refreshing local beer and an amazing coffe (super good, italian style).
π¦π± Tirana city center
6 April 2024, Albania β
β
22 Β°C
The city center is extremely clean, tidy, full of restaurants and tourists.
Almost everywhere shops also accept the Euro and many locals speak Italian, a consequence of the great migration to ItalyBaca lagi
π¦π± BunkArt 2: Anti-atomic bunker β’οΈ
6 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 21 Β°C
Dictator Hoxha was terrified of an invasion by NATO, neighboring Yugislavia or the USSR. As a result he ordered the construction of over 200,000 bunkers nationwide, some of which still exist and areBaca lagi
π¦π± The funny traffic lights of Tirana
6 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 21 Β°C
The traffic lights in Tirana are very paricular.
The red light is a red "T" and also the traffic light pole lights up red or green.
The avenue in the photo leads to the Pyramid of Hoxha, the nextBaca lagi
π¦π± Pyramid of Tirana
6 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 20 Β°C
This concret Pyramid was built in honor of Hoxha 3 years after the death of the dictator. The cost was enormous, especially for a small country like Albania in a great economic crisis at theBaca lagi
π¦π± Tirana - National Stadium
6β7 Apr 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 20 Β°C
The super modern (2019) stadium of Tirana.
Inside there is also a bar, where it is possible to drink a good cocktail for just €7.
Inside the stadium is full of shirts of Roma players, team thatBaca lagi
π¦π± Tirana Modern & old buildings
6 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 17 Β°C
The curious thing about Tirana is the coexistence side by side of super modern skyscrapers and historic buildings from the 19th century.
The city is constantly expanding (especially around theBaca lagi
π¦π± Tirana - Car rented and ready to go
7 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 17 Β°C
3 high-school friends, one Skoda Fabia, many countries to visit.
π¦π± β‘οΈπ½π° Driving among mountains
7 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 20 Β°C
Beautiful snow-capped mountains and rivers.
The streets are very new and relaxing, but are full of people crossing the highway lanes on foot and walking along the sides π€― so it is important to payBaca lagi
π¦π±β‘οΈπ½π° Crossing my first land border
7 April 2024, Albania β
βοΈ 21 Β°C
For me this is the first border that I cross not by plane (excluding intra-European ones).
And the first border and stamp in the passport is that of a country with limited recognition, Kosovo,Baca lagi
π½π° Prizren: 2nd bigest city of Kosovo
7 April 2024, Kosovo β
β
21 Β°C
Super nice city, the center is quite small but it is a good for stopping and lunch during the Tirana/Pristina travel.
Many had many turists, the internal streets are not paved and the city has manyBaca lagi
π½π° Prizren - Sinan Pasha Mosque
7 April 2024, Kosovo β
β
21 Β°C
Another super beautiful Mosque in the center of Prizren.
π½π° Prizren lunch
7 April 2024, Kosovo β
βοΈ 21 Β°C
Excellent lunch with local food in a local restaurant.
Very tasty cheeses as a starter, chicken in tartar sauce for me and stuffed peppers for my friends.
As usual in this part of Europe, amazingBaca lagi
π½π° Prizren and its military statues
7 April 2024, Kosovo β
β
22 Β°C
The city if full of statues representing the heroes of Kosovar independence.
Kosovo is the second youngest state in the world (2008), and for this reason their heroes wear bulletproof vests and haveBaca lagi
π½π° Pristina: the Capital of Kosovo
7 April 2024, Kosovo β
βοΈ 22 Β°C
After lunch we moved towards Pristina.
In Pristina casually we parked our car near one of the buildings where EULEX forces operate.
EULEX is the largest diplomatic/military operation ever conductedBaca lagi
π½π° Pristina - The view from our room
7 April 2024, Kosovo β
βοΈ 20 Β°C
From the window of our room it is possible to see the famous national library, realized in brutalist style.
The squares of the Balkan capitals are surprising.
Large, full of children and people,Baca lagi
π½π° Pristina: Radio Kosova building
7 April 2024, Kosovo β
βοΈ 20 Β°C
In the city center the radio building stands out: on top of the building the logo of the UCK (National Liberation Army), the Kosovar flag and a writing on freedom.
π½π° Pristina - Cathedral of M. Teresa.
7 April 2024, Kosovo β
βοΈ 20 Β°C
Even if the majority of the population is Muslim (95%) and only a minority is Catholic (2.5%), in the center there is a beautiful church (partially under maintainance) dedicated to Mother Teresa ofBaca lagi
π½π° Pristina - National Library
7 April 2024, Kosovo β
βοΈ 20 Β°C
The buiding of the National Library is considered by many people as the ugliest builing in Europe.
It was realized by a Croatian/Yogoslavian Architect and was inaugurated in 1982 (when Kosovo wasBaca lagi