• Albania in its own language is Shqipëria — "Land of the Eagles". Albanians call themselves Shqiptarët, "Sons of the Eagles".
• The Albanian flag — a black double-headed eagle on red — is one of Europe's oldest national symbols, used since the 15th century.
• The national hero is Skanderbeg (Gjergj Kastrioti) — for 25 years (1443-1468) he successfully resisted the Ottoman Empire's expansion.
• Communist dictator Enver Hoxha had about 173,000 concrete bunkers built across the country — most still stand today as a historical curiosity.
• Berat (UNESCO) is the "City of a Thousand Windows" — white Ottoman houses stacked one above another on the mountainside.
• Butrint (UNESCO) is the ruins of an ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian city by a lake — today a national park.
• The Albanian Riviera (Bregdeti i Joniut) stretches some 120 km from Vlora to Saranda — turquoise Ionian Sea and the Llogara Pass (1027 m).
• The "Accursed Mountains" (Bjeshket e Nemuna) in the north are one of Europe's wildest corners — the Theth–Valbona hike is a Balkan trekking classic.
• In Albanian, nodding your head means "no", and shaking it means "yes". Opposite to most of Europe — worth knowing before ordering coffee.
• After 2000, Tirana became famous for its colorful building facades — an idea by then-mayor (now PM) Edi Rama, an artist by training.