Other key cities include Durres, famous for its beaches and history as an ancient port; Shkodra, a gateway to the Albanian Alps; and Saranda, a popular coastal destination on the Ionian Sea.

Genc Krasniqi, a marketing advisor in Albania, said: "You have sandy beaches across much of the country, from the north all the way to Orikum in the south. "I like Velipoja, the country's ...