From 18 to 28 July 2024, the coordinator of our business initiatives, Miguel Muñoz, had the opportunity to visit Albania and Montenegro, two states on the Balkan peninsula that are currently in the process of joining the European Union. These two countries have an exciting history and culture and are promoting their development through tourism, industry and trade, taking advantage of the political and economic agreements they have signed with Europe. Our coordinator contracted his trip with the agency Alventus-Años Luz, located in Seville, which offers an excellent service with a very complete tourist package, including flights, hotels and programmed excursions with a guide.
Albania, since the dissolution of its communist regime in 1991, is a parliamentary democracy with a transitional economy, which has opened its doors to foreign investment. Its capital, Tirana, is the political, economic and social centre of the country. Albania applied for EU membership in 2009 and is currently in the process of completing its application process. Montenegro, which became an independent state after separating from Serbia in a referendum in 2006, has adopted the euro as its official currency and has achieved EU candidate status. According to statements by the EU authorities, Montenegro's accession to the Union could take place in 2025, although there is still no certainty in this respect. In fact, Spain has already offered its support to Albania to speed up the integration process, and the enlargement of the European common market is expected to bring benefits not only to these two Balkan countries, but also to the Union as a whole, which will be strengthened by increasing its sphere of influence.
-Article on the Balkan peninsula on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen%C3%ADnsula_balc%C3%A1nica
-Article on Albania on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albania
-Article on Montenegro in Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montenegro
-Article about Tirana on the Albania Tourism website:
https://www.turismoalbania.es/tirana/
-Article about Tirana on the Albania Travel website:
https://viajesalbania.com/tirana-la-capital-de-albania.blog
-Spain will support Albania in its process of accession to the European Union. Article published by Euroefe, dated 14 April 2023:
https://euroefe.euractiv.es/section/politicas/news/espana-apoyara-a-albania-en-su-proceso-de-adhesion-a-la-union-europea/
-Tirana Airport website:
https://www.tirana-airport.com/
During his stay in Tirana, our coordinator spent two nights staying at the Metro Hotel, a four-star establishment located in the centre of the Albanian capital. It is an excellent accommodation that offers great value for money and allows you to discover the city in comfort, thanks to its central location.
On the third day of the trip, our coordinator made a stop in Kruja, a town that houses the relics of Skanderberg, a soldier who fought against the Ottomans all his life, earning the title of the father of the Albanian homeland. He then visited the town of Shkoder, which lies at the foot of the Albanian Alps and whose historic centre has been declared a museum town by the Albanian authorities. On this day, our coordinator stayed at the Rozafa Hotel, located in the historic centre of Shkoder:
https://hotelrozafa.al/
–Gelateria Bell'Italia
Address: Kol Idromeno (Shkoder, Albania)
Phone: +355 69 207 9202
Link on Google Maps:
https://g.co/kgs/YeUfZRf
–Shkoder on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shkod%C3%ABr
-Rozafa Castle on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_Rozafa
–Rozafa Castle on Tripadvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.es/Attraction_Review-g303166-d2705349-Reviews-Rozafa_Castle-Shkoder_Shkoder_County.html
–Za Festival (music festival held in Rozafa Castle, usually in July, once a year):
https://www.instagram.com/zafestival?igsh=N2xsaTgzdGlyYmp4
–Purchase of tickets for Za Festival:
https://e-ticket.al/product/za-fest-edicioni-viii/
On the fourth day of the trip, our coordinator travelled to the village of Boga, located in the Theth mountain range, and drove up the roads that border this mountainous area. This brought him to the village of Theth, after which the mountain range is named. This is a rural area that has remained isolated over the years and has an unparalleled wealth of flora and fauna. On the fifth day of the trip, our coordinator continued hiking in the Theth Range and visited the natural monument known as the Blue Eye. On these two days, our coordinator stayed at Bujtina Harusha, an accommodation located in the Albanian mountains:
https://g.co/kgs/kpjtwZy
On the sixth day of the trip, our coordinator left Albania to enter Montenegro and visited Podgorica, the capital of the country, which is located at the confluence of two rivers and has a population of 180,000 inhabitants. Among other places of interest in Podgorica, our coordinator visited the Big Fashion shopping centre, which stands out for its modern and elegant facilities, and within it the restaurant Voda U Krsu, which is distinguished by its varied menu and excellent value for money. But above all these attractions, it is worth visiting the Resurrection Cathedral in Podgorica, one of the most important Orthodox churches in the world, whose construction began in 1993 and was completed in 2014. Its interior is decorated with 1,872 square metres of mosaics in traditional Byzantine style, among which you can find allusions to various figures from Montenegrin and contemporary European history.
-Voda U Krsu Restaurant
Phone number: +382 67 246 708
Website: https://g.co/kgs/657xZ6J
-The impressive cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ:
https://miviaje.com/catedral-resurreccion-cristo-podgorica-montenegro/
-The Montenegrin cathedral where communist heroes burn in hell. Article published by La Vanguardia, 1 January 2024:
https://www.lavanguardia.com/magazine/viajes/20240101/9468793/catedral-podgoria-montenegro.html
On the way to the town of Kolasin, he visited the Moraça Monastery, a jewel of Orthodox sacred art. Our coordinator was also able to see the statue of Veljko Vlahović, a Montenegrin politician who fought in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. On the seventh day of the trip, he visited the Biogradska Gora National Park, which preserves one of the few virgin forests in Europe and includes mountain peaks over 2,000 metres high and glacial lakes. On these two days, he stayed at the Bianca Resort Hotel, a tourist establishment located in Kolasin. The centre of this Montenegrin town, very close to the Bianca Resort hotel, is home to the bakery and pastry shop La Parisienne 6, a place to be recommended for the excellent quality of its products.
–Bianca Resort Hotel:
https://www.biancaresort.com/
–La Parisienne 6 Bakery and Pastry Shop
Address: Buda Tomovića, Kolašin (81210, Montenegro)
Website:
http://astoriamontenegro.com/la-parisienne/
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/unseRh8cG3Jfiof4A
–Locality of Kolasin:
https://www.biancaresort.com/
–Kolasin locality:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kola%C5%A1in
–Monastery of Morača:
https://g.co/kgs/EtmcoqL
–Biography of Veljko Vlahović on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veljko_Vlahovi%C4%87
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On the eighth day of the trip, continuing our stay in Montenegro, our coordinator visited the Durmitor National Park, which seems to come from an ancient Celtic language and means "place of waters". Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is home to impressive gorges, gorges, lakes, forests and glaciers. In this area, the Tara River has carved a 1,300-metre-deep gorge, the second deepest in the world after the Colorado Canyon. Before arriving at the park, our coordinator made a stop at the famous Djurdjevica Bridge, which offers magnificent views of the Tara River and its banks. This bridge is notable for its remarkable history, having been built between 1938 and 1940, and two years later, in 1942, it was crossed by Mussolini's tanks in the middle of World War II. Josip Broz Tito, then commander of the Yugoslav army, ordered the bridge demolished to prevent Italian forces from reaching the territory where the partisan soldiers were located. One of the engineers who designed the bridge, Lazar Jaukovic, set the demolition explosives so that the bridge would not be seriously damaged and would only prevent traffic from one end to the other, so that it could be easily restored when the war ended. Three months later, the same engineer was captured and shot on the bridge by Italian forces.
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On the ninth day of the trip, our coordinator went to the Skadar Lake National Park. This lake covers almost 500 square kilometres and offers permanent shelter for 270 bird species. He arrived in the town of Virpazar, from where he took a small boat to discover some corners of the park, and visited the historic village of Rijeka Crnojevica, a place chosen by many Montenegrins to enjoy the scenery. After the boat tour, he headed for Cetinje, the former capital of the Kingdom of Montenegro, and then on to Budva, a coastal town with a large number of visitors in summer.
-Information about Lake Shkodër on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lago_Shkod%C3%ABr
-Lake Shköder on the Montenegro Tourism portal:
https://www.turismomontenegro.es/naturaleza-de-montenegro/lago-skadar/
-Information about Virpazar on Wikipedia:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virpazar
-Visit to Skadar Lake from Virpazar:
https://www.ganasdemundo.com/visita-al-lago-skadar-desde-virpazar/
-Virpazar tourist attractions on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.es/Attractions-g1232143-Activities-Virpazar_Bar_Municipality.html
-Information about Rijeka Crnojevica on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rijeka_Crnojevi%C4%87a
-Rijeka Crnojevica on the Tourism Montenegro portal:
https://www.turismomontenegro.es/ciudades-de-montenegro/rijeka-crnojevica/
Finally, also on the ninth day of the trip, our coordinator visited Cetinje, the former capital of Montenegro and the seat of its now defunct royal house, which stands out for its buildings built in the European style at the end of the 19th century. Here you can admire the palace of King Nikola I of Montenegro (1841-1921). At the time of the visit, the Montenegro Beer Fest, a festival of concerts and beer stalls, was taking place in Cetinje on 26-27 July.
-Cetinje on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceti%C3%B1a
-Cetinje on the Montenegro Tourism portal:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceti%C3%B1a
-Cetinje: 10 places to see in the former capital of Montenegro:
https://www.krisporelmundo.com/cetinje-montenegro/
-Palace of King Nikola of Montenegro on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palacio_del_Rey_Nikola
-Cetinje, the royal and historical capital of Montenegro:
https://elatlasdemb.com/europa/montenegro/cetinje-la-capital-real-e-historica-de-montenegro/
-Cetinje culture and heritage:
https://www.cetinje.travel/cultureheritage
–Montenegro Beer Fest on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/montenegrobeerfest?igsh=cjh3eHI1Nm56MDhi
On the tenth day of the trip, our coordinator made a circuit that took him back to Podgorica, passing through the place known as "The mouths of Kotor", where the southernmost fjord in Europe is located. On the same day, he took a boat trip from Donja Lastva to Kotor, with several stops to enjoy the lakeside villages. During these two days, our coordinator stayed at the Queen of Montenegro Hotel in Budva:
https://www.eurostarshotels.com/eurostars-queen-of-montenegro.html
-Perast on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perast
-Kotor on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotor
-Kotor on the Civitatis portal:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotor
-Kotor, the beautiful bay in Montenegro that wanted to be a fjord. Article published on 23 February 2023, by Elena Ortega, in National Geographic:
https://viajes.nationalgeographic.com.es/a/kotor-preciosa-bahia-montenegro-que-queria-ser-fiordo_18129
-Bay of Kotor on the website Hormigas por el mundo:
https://hormigasxelmundo.com/bahia-de-kotor/
-Mouths of Kotor on Google Maps:
https://g.co/kgs/C75x1ht
-Montenegro on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montenegro
-Website of the hotel restaurant Conte:
https://hotelconte.me/
-Hotel restaurant Conte on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.es/Restaurant_Review-g304087-d2200654-Reviews-Conte_Hotel_Restaurant-Perast_Kotor_Municipality.html
Also, on the tenth day of the trip, our coordinator visited the town of Herceg Novi, located in the southwest of Montenegro, close to the Croatian border. Originally called "Castrum Novum" (i.e. "New Castle") in Latin, the town received its present name from the reign of "Herceg" (Montenegrin for "duke") Stjepan Vukčić Kosača between 1435 and 1465, thanks to whom the town experienced considerable progress. There he visited the Lokanda restaurant, where he tasted Montenegrin beer. From there he travelled to Dubrovnik airport, located 30 kilometres from Herceg Novi, which connects Croatia with numerous international destinations.
-Herceg Novi on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herceg_Novi
-Lokanda Restaurant on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g304080-d19882652-Reviews-Caffe_bar_Lokanda-Herceg_Novi_Herceg_Novi_Municipality.html
-Dubrovnik Airport on Wikipedia:
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeropuerto_de_Dubrovnik
From our business initiatives, we cordially greet Ramiro Rosón, our secretary, who has taken on the task of writing this article to promote Albania and Montenegro as emerging tourist destinations. We also invite travellers from these countries to visit the Canary Islands, a destination whose charms make it one of the top destinations in southern Europe, and we thank the Spanish travel agency Alventus, which organised this tour of Albania and Montenegro.
-The Canary Islands are waiting for you:
https://www.holaislascanarias.com/experiencias/las-islas-canarias-te-esperan/
-Viajes Alventus:
https://alventus.com/
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From left to right, the collaborator and lawyer Ramiro Rosón and the coordinator of our business initiatives, Miguel Muñoz, in the bar El Plan B del Goya.
El Plan B del Goya:
Address: Calle Patricio Anran de Prado (38007, Santa Cruz de Tenerife)
Telephone: 670 73 88 58
Location on Google Maps: https://g.co/kgs/VNiGNqz |
In La Laguna, 1 August 2024.
The coordinator,
Miguel Muñoz
–Tirana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Albania's main chamber of commerce):
https://www.cci.al/
–Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Montenegro:
https://komora.me/en
–Photos taken in Mother Teresa of Calcuta Square (Tirana, Albania) and its vicinities:
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