The square at the heart of town named after the national hero against the Ottomans, Skanderbeg. He sits on a horse in the middle of the square, his face set towards the north where he had his castle in Kruja. As all capital city architecture, this one provides a digest of the country’s heroes – looking north is the long boulevard...

Spac was built as a prison on the model of the Stalinist gulag, combining imprisonment with forced labour in the nearby mines. It was just one of Albania’s prisons but the vicious conditions of the mine and the high profile of some of the political prisoners, many of them intellectuals, has given it a particular symbolic importance for Albanians. There...

Tepelena was the site of the castle built by Ali Pasha – the Albanian warlord who pushed back against the Ottomans and at whose castle Lord Byron stayed on his journey through Albania. The castle is now in ruins with families living within the site, so it is hard – but romantic – to conjure the world of luxury and...

Blood feuds are not an entirely historical part of Albanian life as there are still families ‘in blood’ with one another, and the ancient ‘Kanun’ law which requires revenge killings is still invoked. The impact of this can be well appreciated by a visit to this historical stone tower where families in blood could be protected. It was necessary for...

The Martyrs’ Cemetery (in Albanian ‘Varreza e Deshmoreve’) is just outside town, about a 15 minute drive along Rr Elbasan. It is dominated by the enormous and rather marvellous statue of ‘Mother Albania’ which can be seen from the city. Visit at sunset for particularly dramatic photographs of this landmark. She watches over the graves of 900 people killed during...

If you hadn’t heard about it in advance you might be bemused to see this random collection of old concrete on a corner of Tirana’s main boulevard. However, the concrete monstrosities here are reminders of even worse monstrosities committed in the name of Communism – in Albania and beyond. There’s a piece of the Berlin wall and some pit props...

During the spring, snowmelt swells the Osum river and creates waterfalls and a navigable rafting route along the 26km (16 mile) of this towering canyon. Rafting is possible between March and June. The river’s rapids don’t need prior experience to be navigated

Arriving in Theth, high in the ‘Accursed Mountains’, feels like you have just been let in on a secret. The plateau with its attractive shingled houses, church, school and water mill may seem like an ideal community – though it’s important to notice too the traditional kulla stone house for sheltering families in blood feud. There are many (perhaps too...

Fresh air, the sparkling water of the Valbona river, traditional shingled homes… You may find yourself so enchanted by your guesthouse in Valbona (the name means ‘beautiful valley’) that you never quite make it up the mountain. However, if and when you stir from the deep peace of this secluded gorge, you’ll find there are beautiful hiking and trekking trails...

In 1912 Albanian independence was declared in the port of Vlora and the city became the first capital of the new country. A small museum on independence and the work of the first government stands by the port and there’s a dramatic statue in town commemorating the struggle for independence. But Vlora has plenty going on in the present as...

It seems unbelievable that sleepy Voskopoja was once the largest city in the Balkans – bigger even than Athens – or that it had the only printing press in the region outside Istanbul. Seven churches remain as a legacy from that eighteenth century heyday and although they have intricate frescoes, it is not always easy to gain access to them....

Set inside a hotel – though it’s open to non-guests, as well – this 175,000 waterpark includes a lazy river, water slides, and wading pools. Some of the slides exit the building and reappear when they splash down inside. In a separate room, the FlowRider mimics the experience of surfing or bodyboarding, pumping some 30,000 gallons of water per minute...

The Balloon Fiesta began in 1972 as a birthday celebration for a local radio station. It was first held in a shopping mall parking lot. Since then, it has become the largest hot-air balloon event in the world, with more than 550 balloons flying the skies over Albuquerque each October. The nine-day festival includes a variety of events, including morning mass...

A beloved team in the Duke City and beyond, the Albuquerque Isotopes is the AAA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. In 2003, the minor-league team took the place of the Albuquerque Dukes—and you’ll still see fans wearing that team’s logo at the stadium. The intimate stadium is one of the nicest in minor-league baseball, with great restaurants, a specialty craft...

This interactive tour is a fitting jumping off point to explore Albuquerque. Riding in an open-air (during most seasons), stucco-covered trolley, on the “Best of Burque” tour you’ll visit several of the city’s top destinations as well as popular neighborhoods. On themed tours, visit “Breaking Bad” filming locations, holiday lights, and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Hot-air ballooning is a marvel for spectators, as the candy-colored envelopes dot the sky. However, hot-air and gas balloons have a far wider utility; they’ve been used for exploration, science, and espionage. With interactive exhibits, this museum delves into this history. Don’t miss the vessels that have made record setting flights, including those set over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

For a desert locale, the BioPark Aquarium is impressive for its quality and the diversity of the aquatic life you’ll find there. Although the shark tank is the blockbuster attraction, you’ll find sea turtles, a choral reef, and a mock-ship wreck teeming with creatures. The aquarium has a touch pool, though engaging with the creatures there will depend on volunteer availability....

The Albuquerque BioPark has four components, including the state’s largest zoo. The path through the 64-acre zoo meanders beneath a canopy of cottonwoods past lions, polar bears, and rhinos in large enclosures. The zoo is well known for its breeding program, which means one thing: baby animals! In the past few years, a baby elephant, snow leopard, hippo, and twin...

Departing from Old Town, this tour takes you to more than 20 Breaking Bad filming locations. Cast members and extras from the TV show lead the tours, sharing their insider knowledge of the set. The RV is tricked out with a mock-meth-cooking set and Hector Salamanca’s bell. The interactive tour shows clips from the TV show to remind riders of the scenes...

Cliff’s Amusement Park is the state’s only permanent destination with roller coasters and rides. It offers 23 theme-park rides, including the New Mexico Rattler, a wooden roller coaster, and The Wind Rider, the park’s newest addition. The park doesn’t just offer thrills—there are family friendly rides such as bumper cars and a carousel as well. In the WaterMania! park kids...