Safety in Albania

What the actual risks are

• Road safety. Albania's road fatality rate has historically been high by European standards. This is the most significant physical risk most visitors face.
• Petty theft in crowded tourist areas and on public transport — the usual precautions apply.
• Mountain terrain and weather, for anyone walking in the Alps.
• Sea conditions and currents at unpatrolled beaches; lifeguard provision is inconsistent.

What the reputation is about

Albania's reputation abroad is largely shaped by Albanian-speaking organised crime networks operating in other countries, and by 1990s coverage of the 1997 unrest. Neither describes what a visitor encounters. It is worth being clear about this rather than either dismissing or repeating it.

Practical points

The emergency number is 112. Tourist police operate in the main resort towns in season. Consular assistance is limited — check whether your country has an embassy in Tirana or covers Albania from elsewhere.

Check your own government's current travel advice before travelling; it is updated in a way that no reference page can match.