Albania, the Land of Eagles, is a small mountainous and developing country in the Western part of the Balkan peninsula, bordering the Adriatic and Ionian Sea between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north. With its unique language and Muslim majority, Albania has been considered a country of tolerance and religious freedom, as it is also one of the most ancient homes of Christianity. Consider a horseback riding vacation in Albania as your next equestrian adventure.
Albanians consider themselves to be descendants of the ancient Illyrtians who lived in central Europe and migrated southward to Albanian territory at the beginning of the Bronze Age about 2000 BC. Because of its location the country has served as a bridge for empires interested in conquering both mainland Europe and Asia dating back to Roman times 200 BC. By the 15th century Albania was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and cut off from Western civilization for more than 4 centuries. It was declared independent in 1912 but ruled as a monarchy between the World Wars and invaded by both Italy and Germany. Albania emerged as a communist state that protected its sovereignty fiercely and almost all aspects of life were controlled by the ruling party. After the 1989 collapse of the other communist regimes, new social and democratic parties emerged and with that Albania continued its orientation toward the West.
It is a country of contrast with its picturesque beaches and charming coastal towns, lush mountain valleys and UNESCO cities such as Beral, Butrim and Gjiirokaster. The capital of Tirana is the only bigger city with an International airport. It is a bustling, up and coming tourist destination.
The central mountain region extends north to south from the Drin River to the central Deroll and lower Osum rivers. It is more densely populated than the rest of the country and has a less rugged terrain. The UNESCO town of Gjirokaster lies in the Drino Valley, where the stables are also located.
