Albania
 

I shall be doing a month long tour of Eastern Europe next year, after having passed through Hugary, Romania and Greece we will be staying a few days on the island of Skiathos.

Our return leg will be back across Greece and then on to Croatia, the question is should we / is it safe to pass through Albania or do we get a ferry across to Italy and then another ferry to Croatia missing out Albania?

Anyone travelled in that direction, what are the border crossings like?

Safe?
Why do you think Italy can be safer than Albania?

I'm italian and I've been a few times in Albania.

It's Europe, and, as everywhere in Europe, you should only take the usual precautions.
Europe is not the safest place on earth.

Albania
 

Ridden through twice now no problems at all , just be aware the driving is terrible at times and roads surface can change good to bad .

Is Albania safe? It depends what you consider unsafe. I for one had no issues with being shot at so yeah seems safe to me.

Definitely safe. We went there September this year. Very friendly people.
Also a very nice country for off-road driving.

However, the normal roads can deteriorate quickly. So you think you're driving on some fine piece of tarmac, and the next moment it is going all over the place because the foundation of the road is gone and it just drops.
Also a lot of damaged tarmac, but at least you see that coming.
Driving style is also not the best, people complain about that. But it is doable, just a little bit worse than Montenegro and Bosnia when it comes to driving.

The nice beaches in the south can be full of tourists in the high season, coming from all the Balkan countries.

You are entitled to ask this question, because I'm ashamed to say that my thoughts about Albania were also once so misinformed and backward. The country, however, is definitely not full of thieves and mobsters, which is often the portrayal in western media.

The fact is that this once poorest relation of Europe, has, over the last 25 years, emerged blinking into the bright light of freedom from its communist slumber and isolation.

Tirana, the country's capital, is full of iPhone-toting well-dressed youngsters hanging out in bars. Its 'café culture' rivals, and even surpasses, anything I've ever seen anywhere around the world.

I would not hesitate to go back to Albania for another visit. AND it's right next door to Montenegro, the 'jewel' in the Balkans crown in my humble opinoin.

I do echo what Sinky57 says [above]. BUT there are far worse place to ride/drive, like: around the sub continent, parts of south-east Asia, former soviet satellite countries like Armenia, Georgia, etc.

I say: Go For It!

these days western Europe is much less safe then eastern Europe countries...

We found the border crossings no problem at all, although we met a German couple who'd had their camper searched.
Police were very friendly (so ignore all the crap about corruption imho) we were stopped 3 times. The first time they could have legitimately fined us for driving without headlights. Instead he reached in through the window and turned them on for me doh, he spoke zero English and my Albanian isn't up to much:innocent:
The driving standards are rubbish but the vast majority of people drive slowly. Most danger came from the tractors and donkey carts.
Some (lots) of the the county is stunning, some grim.
We had some of the best, and cheapest, food in all of Europe there if that's your thingbier

Haw bin in Albania three times and head great and wonderful experience with people and food ...some spectacular off road riding...:thumbup1:
Hope to go again ...soon.
Don't miss opportunity to see that country.

Safe ride