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Luxury Apartment Taiwani 2 - Three Weeks Ideally located in the heart of Tirana, everything is within walking distance. A supermarket is right next door to the apartment. You are steps away from a great strip of essential and clothing shops, including a great selection of cafes and restaurants. It is very convenient, with Blloku only a 10-minute walk away. The apartment is located on the second floor and can be accessed by a lift for those with lots of luggage. Recently renovated with modern and clean furniture, two bedrooms would suit a family with two kids. The beds are very comfortable and have high-quality linens. Fast Wifi is very suitable for remote workers. The apartment is fully furnished, with a kitchen with everything you need to cook meals. Perfect for extended stays, the balcony and bedrooms allow you to enjoy the sunshine daily from noon to sunset. You also have a view of Tirana's hills with beautiful sunsets. Luxury Apartments and the team are a pleasure to deal with and very responsive to all your needs. Excellent value at only €40 per night; we started with seven nights and extended it to 20 nights as the apartment felt like home and was perfect for a more extended stay.

Gzona Restorant - One Visit A restaurant where the service, food, wine and atmosphere all work perfectly. The way the food is presented is unique. Make sure you try the lamb dish if it's available, let's say I'm coming back just for that dish alone. Our waiter had initially lived in Dallas, Texas, which was a surprise, and his enthusiasm was infectious. While the room may seem a bit large when you enter, the food and service remove any concerns you might have about the level of quality and service you will receive. This restaurant is one of the up-and-coming destination restaurants in Tirana. We will be back to enjoy another serving of the lamb.

Radio Bar - Two Visits A great find in Tirana for those cocktail lovers (like us!). We felt like we were back home in Melbourne, from the eclectic design, unique decor to the fabulous cocktails. Large selection of cocktails and endless spirits, definitely you will find your preferred choice, the menu was some great light reading too. The service was incredible. A special thank you, Rei. We loved the cheeky shots and the friendly team. It was a very spacious bar with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor area was also covered with log fires to ensure you were kept warm and cosy. On our first visit, we left a designer scarf behind, and, true to the wonderful Albanians' nature, on our second visit, it was hanging up on the coat rack, waiting for us a week later. It seems popular with the locals and visitors, so you will also be sure to meet some friendly new faces. An outstanding cocktail bar in the heart of the Blokku in Tirana, you won't be disappointed.

Schweizerhaus This place is always full of locals sitting outside under all the chestnut trees. Watching everyone drinking freshly tapped Budweiser Budvar in "Kaisermühlen" was fantastic. It would be best if you tried the one-kilogram of roasted pork.

Christmas Day this year was all about reflecting on our Christmas Days and the destinations for the past 17 years from 2004. We have celebrated Christmas worldwide and a couple of precious ones at home in Australia with friends and family, which we hold very close to our hearts. It has been an incredible journey, and it was special reminiscing together. Australia (5) Fitzroy | 2006 & 2011 Southbank | 2008 &2015 Bendigo | 2013 & 2014 Germany (1) Frankfurt | 2017 Montenegro (1) Zabljak | 2020 Morocco (1) Essaouira | 2019 Cruises (2) New Zealand | HAL ms Oosterdam | 2012 New Caledonia | Celebrity Solstice | 2016 Thailand (4) Bangkok | 2004 Koh Samui | 2009 & 2018 Pattaya | 2010 US (3) San Francisco | 2005 New York | 2007 & 2014

Krushevska Odaja - Two visits It is an authentic Macedonian restaurant in Krushevo, from the delicious food to the decor and atmosphere. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted by the warm and friendly team, all born and raised in magical Krushevo. You can feel the community vibe, and you instantly feel part of the family. I enjoy all the traditional dishes, as they are all fantastic. We had to go back for seconds to try the slow-cooked beef and mushrooms; it was mouthwatering. You may need to ask for this, as it was not on the menu. We dined twice at this beautiful restaurant: once outdoors and once on the terrace. Both areas were enjoyable and comfortable. We felt very special when we were treated to local desserts, which were the perfect end to a perfect dining experience. Be sure to take a tour indoors to enjoy all the decor, traditional clothes, and items on display; it helps you understand the times. We were very impressed by the lovely Ratko, who is incredibly professional and ensures your lunch is a memorable experience. We were very grateful to have met Ratko during our time in Krushevo and to have created another special friendship on our travels through Macedonia. Excellent value for the exquisite cuisine, service, and selection of local Macedonian wines. You will not be disappointed if you are lucky to be in magical Krushevo and dining at Krushevska Odaja.

Club Planet - Three visits We stumbled upon Club Planet whilst exploring Krushevo; it was full of locals and exuded positive energy with great tunes. It is located at the base of the steps in the centre of Krushevo, with beautiful views of the church and surrounding architecture. We felt instantly welcomed by the warm and friendly staff. There was a wide selection of drinks available, all very well-priced. We opted for gin and tonics, and they didn't disappoint. A favourite with the locals, and was always busy as we walked by, we continued to visit a few times during our stay in Krushevo.

Pizza Skar - One visit Pizza Skar is in the heart of Krusheveo, in a little laneway, a great spot to feel part of the community. It is a quaint little cosy restaurant, busy with locals and beautiful decor. We sat down to enjoy a lazy lunch, and the lovely waitress sourced our favourite bottle of Bela Voda, which wasn't listed on the menu. The food was very good. The waitress managed the restaurant on her own, basically, and made sure we were always taken care of. She was incredibly kind to treat us to a delicious selection of desserts. The generosity of the staff is always unexpected. Upon receiving the bill, this was the first time we had been treated as foreigners, where they felt they could charge us double for our favourite local wine. We were very disappointed, especially after having this wine for the past two months. Many times, the highest we have been charged was 2500 denar, but here they thought they could take us for a ride and charged us 4000 denar. I recommend checking the bill closely. In hindsight, we should have questioned the price of the wine, as this left us feeling down on Krushevo. Fortunately, all faith was restored when we dined again at the fantastic Krushevska Odaja.

Gostilnica Marchelo - One visit We loved this little bar nestled in the cobblestoned laneways of Krushevo. It is a perfect spot for a quick drink on our last evening in his quaint village. We enjoyed a small bottle of local wine each, we were also tempted to try it with a slice of lemon, a local tradition we were told, we decided this was not to our tastebuds; it's like popping a strawberry in champagne; a definite no-no for us:-) The staff was incredibly friendly and went out of their way to ensure we were well taken care of. I even asked for a phone charger, and as they didn't have the correct one, he went to borrow another from down the road (unfortunately, it was the wrong one, too, but the level of service was heartwarming). Again, we wished we had more time to enjoy this lovely little bar with a positive vibe in the heart of Krushevo.

Makedonium Ilinden Monument - One visit Makedonium is a very interesting Yugoslavian architecture perched up on the hill in Krushevo, a memorial for the soldiers. Ilinden, also known as Makedonium, is a monument in Kruševo, Macedonia. Makedonium was officially opened on August 2 of 1974, on the 30th anniversary of the Second Session of the Anti-fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia and the 71st anniversary of Ilinden uprising. We enjoyed learning to fly our drone around this magnificent piece of architecture. It was very peaceful, tucked away with beautiful views and surrounded by nature. The locals bring their horses to feed, and the bells chiming around their necks as they trim the grass add to the ambience. Unfortunately, the monument was closed, so we could not enter to enjoy the stained glass windows as the sun set indoors. To learn all about the history of the Macedonians, click here.