Tirana Airport, known as Nënë Tereza Airport, is the place you’ll be arriving at if you’re taking a flight to Albania. This is because it is the only international airport in the country, and that leaves you wondering about your options for getting to the place you want to go from there. If you plan on going somewhere besides Tirana, or even if you’re only there to visit the Albanian capital, car hire is probably what you should be looking into. There’s no need to look very far, fortunately.
Car hire at the Timisoara Airport
Being the central aviation hub in Albania sort of guarantees that visitors will be looking for transport to pretty much everywhere. And with such a broad area to cover, not busses, shuttles or taxi’s are going to suit your needs better than car hire. If you’re just going to Tirana, having a car handy saves on both expenses and lets you set your own tempo for touring. If you have kids along, then taking public transport or a taxi anywhere you want to go in Tirana is pretty much not really an option, is it? If you’re going to another Albanian destination, then taking advantage of the top of the line car hire services offered right at the airport saves you time there and then. Moreover, it gives much more freedom and puts all of the attractions near your eventual destination at your disposal.
Attractions
Arriving at Tirana Airport basically puts the entirety of the Albanian tourism experience at your disposal, especially if you opt for the car hire option. Tirana is the largest city around, and it’s a Mediterranean, yet decidedly eastern place, with plenty of churches and parks to show off. You can tell both Italy and Turkey have been around, if the names of the local architectural greats haven’t tipped you off already - Skanderbeg Square's, Et'hem Bey Mosque and the Sahat-Kulla all provide a taste of the orient surprisingly close to European heartland. The Peace Bell makes another sight to see, a monument constructed out of old cartridge shells as a reminder of troubling times Albania hopes are behind for good.
The countryside
A word of warning about driving through the Albanian Countryside – the roads used to be unmarked in places and driving in the winter may be tricky. Despite all that, car hire is still the best option if you want to enjoy the wonders and scenic spots of Lonely Planet’s number one destination in 2011. You can expect plenty of Archaeological sites from Illyrian, Greek, Roman and Ottoman times, undiscovered beaches, mountainous hiking terrain, unique traditions, warm hospitality and memorable cuisine. Having been closed off from the world during much of the Cold War, Albania has been properly styled as “Europe’s Last Secret”, and even if you just drive up to Durrës, Shkodër or the seaside resort of Vlorë you’re bound to have a good time.
