Can you drink water in albania

If in doubt, better to err on the safe side, of course. I usually drink tap water when in Albania, but because I'm most of the time in the streets or at the beach, I have to get bottled water along. Other than that it is safe to drink the tap water there in most places Durres is a bit suspicious since there are too many people during the summer and the water can get more polluted, but this is my personal opinion!

I think it's understandable why guidebooks and officials should "play it safe" by advising you to stick to bottled water, even if in reality the risks were not that big these days. Albania remains somewhat "exotic" and not so well-known destination, for a European country. Disclaimer: in every case, do it at your own responsibility. I just spent a week in Albania and did drink the tab water everywhere actually I've only been to Tirana, Berat, Saranda and Korca.

In Tirane the people at the hostel did drink the water themselves but didn't recommend it to me, just to be on the safe side. I don't yet know by which standard the water quality is better at these times, or if there are similar regimes in place in other parts of the country. In Tirana, as hippitrail says, you can safely drink tap water during a specific time of the day. However, this does not apply to every city.

It also depends on what neighborhood you are staying. In some cities, different neighborhoods have different water storage and distribution systems. My advice is to ask the locals living in your building, or the landlord. A third choice is to fill water from the fountains spring.

Most cities I know of, have fountains where many locals get their supply of drinkable water from. Locals filling water at "Uji i ftohte":. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams?

Learn more. These water resources are mainly used for energy production, irrigation, industry, drinking water etc. Albania is located at the northern part of the Mediterranean zone. In addition, the country combines a coastal plain in the West with fairly high mountains: the highest point reaches m at the triple border with Yugoslavia and FYROM, while many ridges exceed m in the northern, central and southern parts of the country.

The rain comes mainly with south-west winds and is affected by the relief. This gives a variety of climates and rainfall patterns in the different regions of the country.

Surface water include also the natural lakes of Ohrid, Prespa and Shkodra, a multitude of minor lakes, and reservoirs built along the main rivers: at Fierza, Komani and Vau Deja along Drini river, Ulza and Shkopeti on the Mati river, and Banja on the Devolli river. Several lagoons are situated along the sea coast, the main ones being the Karavasta, Narta and Butrinti. In the past, the exits of Buna and Drini rivers have been separated.

At present the old bed of the Drini, leading south to the city of Lezha, carries only a minor part of the discharge; the rest meets the Buna near Shkodra and follows its river bed along the border with Montenegro. These high values are mainly due to the very high yield of the Buna, which can not be much exploited - except for navigation. Keeping in mind the water use in Albania, the most important river is the Drini, with the following characteristics:.

Chemical analyses of samples taken from the Drini showed a good quality water, with stable mineral composition along the river course. Metallic ions are present in small amounts except for iron in some cases. It appears that no restriction for the present uses hydropower, irrigation could arise from the water quality in the Drini. A more difficult situation arises from the quality of the Kiri water, affected and possibly contaminating the local groundwater ressources also.

Its effects on the lake of Shkodra have not been clearly assesed. The main tributary of the Mati is the Fani that flows from the north east, while the Mati itself from the south west down to the confluence with the Fani and then to the West. Here follows some basic characteristics:. Chemical analyses of samples taken from the Mati before showed a high content of metallic ions iron, manganese and copper , which is not surprising in an important mining area.

It appears that for some uses hydropower, industry these characteristics should not cause problems, while the impact on irrigated agriculture is not fully assessed and the implications for marine coastal waters are also not clear.

This basin is characterised by a mean altitude lower than in adjacent catchments; indeed springs are not at high altitude and the part of the water curses in the plain is long. The Ishmi catchment has a particular importance for Albania because it includes the biggest urban center: Tirana, the capital of Albania. Basic characteristics are as follows:.

Chemical analyses taken from the Ishmi before showed high values for many parameters iron, manganese,nitrates, suspended solids, BOD5.

Leakage in supply systems and sewers is substantial and health risk for the population is significant. The government authority that controls the water supply in Tirana is UKT. And the UKT authority state that the tap water quality is up to the legal standard and that it can be consumed normally. According to UKT the tap water is safe for drinking and food preparation.

And the tap water is just as healthy as the bottled water. However, the Albanian people do not take the advice of the UKT or their government when it comes to drinking tap water. Instead the Albanian people rely on bottled water for consumption. Therefore, the Albanian people no longer take the advice of their own government.

Travelling to Albania is no more dangerous from a health point of view than any other country in South-Eastern Europe. Basic medical care is widely available in Albania. Almost all medicines can be bought at the local pharmacies everywhere in Albania.

Albania has a public healthcare system throughout the country, but the best care can be given in the capital city Tirana. Some of the health care facilities outside Tirana, are not of a high standard. Therefore, if you get any serious illness in Albania, it is best to travel to Tirana.

Because in Tirana there are many private hospitals and care facilities with English-speaking doctors. When you travel to Albania, it is recommended that you have a comprehensive travel insurance including medical coverage. Moreover, it is smart to have accessible funds to cover the cost of medical treatment. So that, in case of emergency, you do not have to worry about the costs of the medical treatment.

The prices for healthcare are generally low in the public facilities in Albania. However, as a foreigner you will probably choose to stay in a private hospital with English-speaking doctors. And obviously, the prices for a private hospital are higher. In a medical emergency, you can call the ambulance service at Sometimes the traffic can be busy in the holiday period, therefore, if you need to get to hospital very fast, you can get in the taxi.

Privacy Policy Albania Tour Guide. Therefore, you may only need an adult booster, so that you are protected for 10 more years. Hepatitis A is a liver disease, that you can get from infected food and water. The compete vaccination against Hepatitis consists of two injections.

The first injection protects you for one year. And the second injection protects you for 30 years. You might need these vaccinations, depending on your personal health and travel plans. Whether you need these additional vaccinations, can only be decided by the health professional. It all depends on your travel plans, your current health and the duration of your trip. A passport is required to enter Albania.

Moreover, the passport must be valid for at least 3 months from the date of arrival. You need a visa for Albania, unless you come from one of the visa exempt countries.

If you come from one of the below countries, you can enter Albania without a visa. You can enter Albania for a maximum of 90 days without a visa, if you hold a passport from one of the following countries:. Healthcare is available throughout Albania, but the best care can be provided in the capital city Tirana.

The level of healthcare outside the capital city varies by region. Therefore, it is recommended to have a comprehensive travel insurance including medical coverage for your trip to Albania.

Although many people believe a tanned skin, is a healthy skin. From a health perspective, a tanned skin was damaged by UV radiation and the skin is trying to protect itself. Make sure, you have sunscreen with at least SPF15 with you for your trip to Albania.

Moreover, you could save money by bringing sunscreen with you, because sunscreen can be pricy in Albania. It is safe to travel in Albania. Recent crime statistics show that the number of violent crimes in Albania has gone down. Moreover, there are some pickpockets in Albania, just like in any country. So it is always smart to keep your personal belongings safe.

It is surprising that so many people ask whether travel in Albania is safe or not. I believe this is because Albania is an unknown country for many people. If you ask ten people to pinpoint Albania on a map of the world, many of them will fail.