What are the health risks in Albania? Is it safe and where are the places with the highest crime rates?
Crime
Although Albania has a troubled reputation due to several crimes that have happened to foreign tourists in the past, Albania is actually a safe country for travellers.
Violent crimes in Albania mostly happen in the underworld of organized crime or in connection with blood feuds, so the average tourist will not come into contact with them.
In other words, crime in Albania is at a comparable level to all Balkan countries. According to the statistics, it is quite high in Europe, but it is not aimed at tourists.
As far as theft and robbery are concerned, make do with following basic safety guidelines - don't leave your belongings lying around unattended and in the poorest areas, especially on the outskirts of towns, don't put your cameras and other expensive items on display.
However, even in this respect, Albania is not a renowned pickpocket's paradise. For example, travelling on public transport is as safe as anywhere else in Europe.
Dangers on the roads
Perhaps the biggest risk for tourists is on Albania's roads.
Although the situation is improving slightly with the improvement of infrastructure, Albania is one of the worst countries in Europe in terms of accident rates. The will to obey the rules is also very weak, as is respect for the traffic police.
Always expect everything from other drivers when driving in Albania. Expect a car coming from the side of the road not to give you the right of way. Expect a car without a turn signal to suddenly turn. Expect others to overtake you in the most unlikely places.
In short, you need to be much more cautious on Albanian roads than elsewhere in Europe.
Stray and herding dogs in Albania
Albania is a Balkan country with all the trappings of a Balkan country, and that includes stray dogs. In general, however, there is not much danger from them. They are used to people and in the vast majority of cases will ignore you.
If by chance one of the dogs barks at you, you can usually just pull yourself up with an object, ideally a bottle, and the dog will run away.
You will come across stray dogs everywhere, including Tirana. Compared to Romania or South America, however, there are fewer of them here.
Herding dogs can be more of a problem, especially in the mountains with herds of sheep and cows.
Sheepdogs are not afraid of people, but rather see people as a threat to their herd and will defend it from you. The ideal is to avoid herds with sheep altogether, or wait until they move off your trail. If this is not possible, it is advisable to make contact with the shepherd and walk through the flock with or near him.
Health risks
You do not need any vaccinations to stay in Albania, proof of vaccination is only needed if you are coming from a country where yellow fever is present.
Albanian tap water is not up to European standards, so it is safer to drink bottled water.
You should also avoid drinking unpasteurised milk in Albania, as tuberculosis and brucellosis are common among Albanian cattle. However, you will almost always find UHT milk in cafes and restaurants and shops, and problems could only arise if you are offered milk by someone in the countryside.
Risk of disasters
The southern Balkans are located on the boundary between the Eurasian and African tectonic plates, so the area is seismically active. The last major earthquake hit Albania in 1979.
However, no major earthquake has hit Albania since then.
Important contacts
When in Albania you should know the following phone numbers.
- Police - 129
- Fire brigade - 128
- Emergency services - 127
- Traffic police - 126
The international telephone code for Albania is +355.
