Closed to outsiders for much of the 20th century, Albania has long been the Mediterranean Europe’s enigma. Until fairly recently its rumpled mountains, fortress towns, and sparkling beaches were merely a rumor on most travel maps. A quarter of a century after throwing off the shackles of communism, Albania’s stunning mountain scenery, crumbling castles, boisterous capital, and dreamy beaches rivaling any in the Mediterranean continue to enchant. But hurry here, because as word gets out about what Albania is hiding, the still-tiny trickle of tourists threatens to become a flood.
