Albania

Capital City: Tirana

People: Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian)

Religion: Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%

Language: Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects

Currency: Albanian Lek

Electrical Voltage: 220 volts

How to get there:
By plane: Tirana's "Mother Teresa" International Airport is located just 15 minutes away from the city. It is served by numerous European flag carriers such as British Airways, Alitalia, Lufthansa, Austrian, and the low cost carrier Germanwings.

By bus: You can reach Tirana by coach from Istanbul, Turkey , Athens, Greece, Sofia, Bulgaria and Tetovo, Macedonia

By boat: Ferries to Durrës arrive from Bari and Ancona. A high-speed service operates from Bari. Flying Dolphins from Corfu to Agioi Saranda and Himara
There is also a reliable overnight ferry service operated by Skenderbeg Lines from Brindisi to Vlore Skenderbeg Lines

By car: You can reach Albania by car from: - Podgorica, Montenegro - Ohrid , Macedonia - Prizren, Serbia (Kosovo) where pass the main roads.
There is a 10-euro/person tax, which must be paid upon entering Albania. After payment of the tax to the police, the customs officer will issue a "road tax certificate", which you must keep until you leave the country. When you exit the country, you'll pay 2 euro/day and return the certificate.

Weather: Albania has a mild, Mediterranean climate. Many visitors will find that it never gets “cold” in the lowlands. The Ionian Cost, in particular, is very clement, with average winter temperatures of 8-10ºC (46-50ºF). In Tirana and in other inland cities on the plains, temperature sometimes drops below freezing, but this is usually only at night, and it is rare for ice or snow to last more than a day. The country enjoys a good deal of sunny weather, with an average of around 300 sunny days each year. Most of Albania’s annual rainfall occurs between late autumn and early spring; outside of the mountainous areas, it is unusual for it to rain in summer.

Travel Documentation and Custom Duty: Most European and U.S. nationals can enter Albania without obtaining a visa but you'll have to pay an entry and exit fee of €10. This is strictly enforced when entering the country by Air but land borders are less strict. The Albania guards are very nice and do their best to help out and will, on occasion, allow fees to be paid in dollar or will forget to charge you. It's worth making sure you've got the €10 on you as the customs officers at Mother Teresa airport don't give change.

Getting Around:

Tourism Website: http://www.albaniantourism.com

Medical Facilities:

Banks:

Emergency Numbers: