Albania or Montenegro?
The practical differences, drawn from our own write-ups rather than from a brochure. We are not going to tell you which is better - they are different trips. What follows is what actually changes between them.
Places written up here 11 11
UNESCO listings among them 3 4
Cost level Budget Mid-range
Busiest month in our write-ups June June
Currency Lek (ALL) Euro (EUR)
Plugs and voltage C, F - 230 V C, F - 230 V
Everyday languages Albanian Montenegrin
Driving side right hand side right hand side
Region Southeast Europe Southeast Europe
Capital Tirana Podgorica
Albania
Besa - the code of hospitality - is real; guests are honoured, strangers helped.
What we have written up
- Apollonia archaeological site
- Berat old town
- Butrint archaeological site
- Gjirokaster old town
- Kruje fortress
- Llogara Pass viewpoint
Worth knowing before you go
- Tipping is rounding up or about 10%
- Furgons - shared minibuses - are the real intercity transport
- Prices are among the lowest on the Mediterranean
Montenegro
Small, steep and dramatic; coffee on the square can absorb entire afternoons.
What we have written up
- Biogradska Gora forest
- Budva and its Riviera beach
- Cetinje old town
- Durmitor National Park national park
- Kotor Old Town old town
- Lake Skadar lake
Worth knowing before you go
- The euro is used though Montenegro is not in the EU
- Tipping is rounding up or 10%
- The tourist tax is per night - small guesthouses may collect cash
Counts describe this site, not the countries: "places written up here" means how many pages we have finished, and it keeps growing. Currency, plugs and languages are practical facts and change rarely; check anything visa-related with the relevant official source before you book.