Brent Carnegie admits he wouldn’t likely have ever listed Albania on his travel bucket list. But the Canadian travel industry veteran recently found himself in what has traditionally been considered a rather mysterious Balkan enclave for a family visit – and he loved it.

Carnegie, who with wife Elaine operate Canlink Travel, spend a lot of time with clients in the Caribbean. They’ve also holidayed in exotic places like Vietnam, Iceland, Thailand, and Colombia. But even for the well-travelled Carnegies, Albania was a new one.

“We were sitting in a café in Tirana (the capital) having a drink, thinking we’ve both been in the travel industry for so long, and we don’t know anyone who has ever been to Albania,” he says.

And that, he adds, is a shame.

Nestled between Montenegro in the north and Greece due south, and hugging the Adriatic and Ionian seas across from Italy, Albania suffers from its legacy as a Soviet satellite state after World War II and decades under the authoritarian and isolationist regime of strongman Enver Hoxha (1944 to 1985).

After the collapse of communism, the mainly Muslim nation (due to previous Ottoman overlords) further struggled through a turbulent decade in the ‘90s, eventually stabilizing and joining NATO in 2009.

But impressions linger and nowadays too few consider Albania a to-do destination, say the Carnegies, who spent two weeks travelling throughout the country.

“It just blew us away,” says Brent, adding, “it was completely different than what we expected.”

From the mountains in the north to beaches in the south – both within a few hours of the centrally located capital – and dotted with fairytale cobblestone European villages, the country offers incredible diversity, which the Carnegies discovered by rental car – except when on a boat on the coast.

But what was most unexpected, says Brent, was the modern infrastructure, particularly in “phenomenal” Tirana, where the couple stayed in a Marriott, while enjoying the city’s lively restaurant and café scene.

After making a choice from amongst all the major rental car companies available, the Carnegies hit the road, travelling through a countryside that resembled Italy, Brent says.

Overall, the roads were first rate, he added, boasting that he even drove in Tirana. Indeed, he says the entire self-drive experience had “zero problems.”

On the coast, the couple joined family on a hired boat, which cruised along the coast on “turquoise waters like you’d see in the Caribbean,” pausing periodically to jump in for a swim.

The friendly captain knew all the best “hidden” spots to stop.

Indeed, the Albanian people were incredibly friendly, says Brent, recounting the story of an encounter in a flower shop where a good-natured but unintelligible exchange with the proprietor was aided by a passer-by in the street, who, observing the situation, ducked in to provide translation. Otherwise, English is widely spoken in the country.

Fabulous food and incredible wine were also highlights, says Brent, who’s quick to also praise the excellent local beer.

Kantina Enol is a winery/restaurant Elaine still dreams about.

“We spent a day (there), and it rivals anything you’d see in Niagara,” she says of the venue, found in a historical area just outside Tirana. “The place is incredible… surrounded by acres of vineyards and olive trees. We had an incredible lunch, and the hospitality is amazing – they treated us really well.”

For those who can’t get there, she notes that the Kantina’s vintages can be found in stores around the country.

Two towns that also especially stood out were beautiful Berat, located about 70 km. south of Tirana, and Gjirokaster, three hours south of the capital and 30 km. from the Greek border.

Berat is a designated UNESCO world heritage site, known for its old fortified city, and unique style of architecture that spans several civilizations, including churches and mosques, as well as a wealth of murals and frescoes.

Another UNESCO site, the stone city of Gjirokaster, dates to 1336 and is described as “a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town” overlooked by a hilltop fortress and the home of former communist dictator Enver Hoxha (in part ensuring its incredible preservation during the years of his long rule).

The Carnegies say their travel felt completely safe at all times, and the (low) prices were another eye-opener.

“The locals feel it is getting expensive, but to us the prices were great!” Brent observed.

He says a typical dinner for two plus drinks came to less than $30 – 10 times less than they spent on a meal in Vienna on the layover on the way home. (There are no direct flights from Canada to Tirana, but multiple connections through European gateways, including London).

With such prices underpinning the overall experience, Brent warns that others are starting to discover amazing Albania, and tourism is ticking and soon it won’t be “so unexpected.”

Moreover, with an increasing number of visitors, the country’s casual charm is undoubtedly bound to change.

With this is mind, Albania’s newest enthusiastic ambassadors urge: “See it while you can.”