Vlora is one of the largest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durres, with a population of 79,948. It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912. The city was for a short time the capital of Albania. Founded as an ancient Greek colony in the 6th century BC by the name of Aulon and continuously inhabited for about 26 centuries, Vlora is home to the Port of Vlora and the University of Vlora as the most important economical and cultural city in southwestern Albania. Vlora remains a major seaport and commercial centre, with a significant fishing and industrial sector. The surrounding region produces petroleum, natural gas, bitumen and salt. The city is also the location of important installations of the Albanian Navy. Vlora has grown in importance as an agricultural center with very large-scale planting of olive and fruit trees, and as a center of the food processing, oil and bitumen export industries.
Jala beach, Vlora
Photo credits: Wikimedia / wstuppert
The surrounding district is mainly agricultural and pastoral, producing oats, maize, cotton, olive oil, cattle, sheep, sheepskin hides, and butter. These commodities are exported. Tourism has become a major industry in recent years, with many hotels, recreational centers, and vast beaches. It is a pleasant place to relax, to have a coffee and admire the beautiful view over the Bay of Vlora.
Photo credits: Wikimedia
Photo credits: Wikimedia
VLORA THE EUROPEAN PARADISE
The city offers high-quality style for its citizens and to foreigners. VIP vacations, multicultural and multilingual population give us a plus to enjoy the city and it’s beautiful beachside, furthermore a great Mediterranean diet food, with olive oil, organic food and a rich variety of seafood to the most exigent people. This city offers excellent locations and low taxes conditions to grow your manufacturing and/or commercial business. Made in Vlora is offshoring production, High Quality, Safety, Low cost, International sales support, Low Taxes, Ideal Business Locations, Bank credit support, Immigration Help, High life Style… to meet and exceed your business goals. Business recolation in Vlora offers the most exciting aspects of running your own company, consequently, it is not to be taken lightly.
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Nightlife
Vlora is known for its vibrant nightlife. Because of the development of tourism in recent years, pubs, nightclubs, restaurants, and bars have sprung up, especially in the area of ‘Cold Water’ (Uji i Ftohte), around 3 km (2 mi) distant from the center. The citizens of Vlora enjoy many kinds of sports. The most popular is football. Vlora has two professional teams: KS Flamurtari Vlora and Vlora City FC. Other sports played in Vlorë include basketball, volleyball, handball, athletics, and swimming.
Photo credits: Wikimedia / znz (myclctn)
Photo credits: Wikimedia / ZNZ
Saranda at night
Photo credits: Flickr / Antti T. Nissinen
Tourism is thus the major economic resource, while other resources include services, fisheries, and construction. The unemployment rate according to the population census of 2008 was 8.32%. It has been suggested that family tourism and seasonal work during the summer period help mitigate the real unemployment rate. Recently, the town has experienced an uncontrolled construction boom which may hamper the city’s future tourism potential. Since 2012, the Port of Saranda is undergoing an expansion to accommodate cruise ships at its terminal.
Delvina is a small town in Vlora County in southern Albania, 16 kilometers (ten miles) northeast of Saranda. Delvinë is the seat of the Delvinë District. Delvinë has lost over a third of its citizens since 1990, having a population of 4,200 (2004 estimate).
Photo credits: Wikimedia
The city is built on a mountain slope. It has a mosque, a Catholic church, a Protestant church, and an Orthodox church. Nearby are the remainders of a medieval castle. To the south-west of the city is the site of ancient Phoenice, which was declared an Archaeological Park in 2005. There is little local employment apart from that provided by the State, and Delvinë benefits little from the tourist boom in Saranda.