Lezhe

I lived in Lezha for two years in the mid-1990s. This is one of the most overlooked cities, in one of the most overlooked European countries, by travelers. But oh, what a place! Take the 2 1/2-hour train ride here from Tirana; note the train times, as you might need to plan to spend the night in Lezha. Presuming the restaurants haven’t changed too much, come for brunch at the Florida (on the main road), sip your Turkish coffee to digest a bit, then pack some bottled water for your easy half-hour hike up the hill to the castle ruins. This is the most magical spot in town, looking down across the mountains on one side and at the villages & the coast on the other. There are often sheep grazing inside the castle, which is carpeted with grass and surrounded by caladiums, sage, mint, and stinging nettles. This is where the national hero Skanderbeg fought off the Turkish invaders in 1444.

When you come back down, head just past the bazaar to the corner with the buses. Find one going to Shengjin (under 100 leke) for your lovely afternoon on the beach. (Be sure to find out when & where you can catch the bus back to town.) As summer is the best time to visit Albania, it’s also the best time for swimming and enjoying a watermelon picnic under the wind-bent pines on the dark gray, iodine-rich sand on the beach. For dinner, when the bus brings you back to the corner lot, choose either of the restaurants on the hill overlooking the buses (one is next to the Catholic Church). Both are excellent.