I went to Albania to escape.
I left feeling found.
This coast isn’t lined with luxury. It’s lined with life — Sicilian grandpas waving from cafés, fishermen tossing you peaches, and Aperol spritzes cheaper than a soda.
Come. Let me take you there.
The Beach That Made Me Cry
It happened on a quiet sandbar in Ksamil.
No signs. No crowds. Just warm, clear water stretching toward a tiny island. One lonely olive tree stood guard like a sentinel of peace.
I waded through silence. And something in me cracked open.
Tears came—fast, surprising. I hadn’t known I’d been holding my breath for years.
Then Agim rowed by in a faded blue boat.
“Sweet life, American girl!” he shouted, tossing me a peach still warm from the sun.
I bit in, juice dripping down my chin, salt on my lips. I laughed. I was free.
How to Get There (It’s Easier Than You Think)
From the USA:
1. ✈️ Fly to Corfu, Greece (~$450 from NYC)
2. ⛴️ Ferry to Sarandë, Albania (€25, 35 minutes – dolphin sightings included)
3. 🚐 Catch a blue furgon (minibus) up the coast ($1–$4 rides)
→ Sarandë (octopus grills by the dock)
→ Ksamil (your crying beach)
→ Himarë (where mountains meet the sea)
Where to Sleep Like Family
🛏️ Guesthouse Marini (Ksamil) – $28/night
Breakfast comes with a view and ocean sighs.
🍋 Villa Kolgjini (Himarë) – $32/night
Grandma Zara greets you with lemon cake and laughter.
Hidden Beaches & Wise Old Souls
Livadhi Beach at Sunset
Zara, 78, sat with her feet buried in the sand, knitting lace.
“You look lost, child,” she said. “Sit. The sea listens better when your belly’s full.”
She handed me cake warm from her oven. Then, her truth:
“Tourists run to churches. We pray here.”
Gjipe Canyon’s Whispering Cove
In a driftwood shack, Marco — silver-bearded and barefoot — passed me fig jam on bread.
“Why live here?” I asked.
“Why live anywhere else?” he smiled.
We swapped stories of heartbreak. Then sat in silence that felt like peace.
The €1.50 Miracle
Back in Sarandë, tucked beside the dock, sits Gjergji’s shack — peeling blue paint, walls steeped in salt and herbs.
“Texas! You came home!” he cried, sliding me a glowing orange drink.
Aperol spritz. €1.50.
We clinked glasses. The sun melted into the sea. Old Sicilian men played cards nearby and hollered, “Cheers!”
That moment still lives on my tongue:
Bitter Aperol
Sweet belonging
The quiet knowing that some places stitch your heart back together
Your Healing Roadmap
10 Days = $650 Total
Stop Eat Do
Sarandë Octopus on the dock ($6) Dance with Gjergji at sunset
Ksamil Noni’s honey dough balls ($0.50) Find your quiet island
Himarë Zara’s lemon cake (free!) Swim as the water turns gold
Getting Around:
Hop in blue furgon vans ($1–$4)
Say: “Plazh!” (Beach!)
Smile. You’re in good hands.
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Why This Place Changes You
Albanians don’t have much.
But they have:
Time to watch light dance on the sea
Hands that knead kindness into bread
Hearts that turn strangers into family
I came for the budget beaches.
I left with a piece of my soul I hadn’t known was missing.
Zara’s last hug:
“Nostalgia is love with no home. Give yours to the sea.”
So I did.
And the sea gave me back a new version of myself.
P.S. I still keep a little jar of €1.50 coins.
For the day I go home again.
No sponsors. Just a Texas girl who found her heart in a fishing net.
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