Albanian Music

One of the most famous Albanian singers is Parashqevi Simaku. Here are some of her songs:

For more of her songs, go here:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=parashqevi+simaku&aq=0

Albanian Culture

Being in the Balkan Peninsula, Albanian culture has its own distinctive character but is also influenced by its neighbors and the different people having lived in its territory over the centuries. Some famous aspects of Albanian culture and history are:

Byrek is a common food and could be made with spinach, among other things.

There are many bunkers in Albania built under the communist regime.

The traditional costumes are colorful and elaborate.

Like in many other Balkan countries, baklava is a typical dessert.

Çiftelija is the traditional Albanian musical instrument.

The majority of the Albanian population is Muslim
and there are many mosques.

A large portion of the population, however, is Eastern Orthodox
and there are also many cathedrals and Christian temples.

The Albanian Cities

Albania also has many beautiful cities. Here some of the largest and most famous ones:

Berat is a city with characteristic architecture.

Tirana is the capital and it is a modern city.

White facades and narrow stone streets are common in Berat.

Apolonia has Ancient Greek ruins. 

Durrësi is a common summer destination because it is on the Adriatic Sea.

Gjirokastra is a city built on the stone. It is the birthplace of two famous Albanians:

Enver Hoxha, the communist leader, and Ismail Kadare, the most famous Albanian writer. 

Tirana by night has a lot of lights.

Vlora is famous for its palm trees.

Find more pictures of people having visited Albanian cities here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/teveve/3975898467/in/photostream/

The Albanian Nature

Albania has a beautiful nature, which includes high mountains, vast fields, rivers, lakes, forests with different trees and animals. Here are some examples:

A filed with sheep close to Tomori mountain.

Albanian mountains tend to be rocky and barren.

A sunset over an Albanian field.

The Albanian mountains are very steep and look dangerous and dark.

Many eagles live in Albania. The eagle is also the national symbol.

The famous Albanian fiords in the North.

The Albanian Flag

The Albanian flag consists of a black two-headed eagle on a red background.

Albania in a Glimpse

Not many people know about Albania. It is a country located in South East Europe. It gained its independence from Ottoman rule in 1912, but Albanians have been living on the Balkan Peninsula from Antiquity. It was under communist rule for 46 years, from 1946 to 1912. Since the fall of the communist regime, the country has been struggling to adopt a democratic political system, but has not yet been successful in doing so. Nevertheless, Albania enjoys a rich cultural life and picturesque landscape and is a great tourist destination for an adventurous and unforgettable experience.

To read more about Albanian history and geography, visit this website:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albania