I went to hidden gem holiday destination once dubbed 'North Korea of Europe'

Albania is a beautiful place to visit, even though it's not your typical holiday destination

“Albania?” in a surprised tone, complimented by a pair of scrunched eyebrows, is the natural reaction to anyone who decides to holiday in the Eastern European country. At the risk of sounding like a holiday hipster, this is the response I got from some of my own friends and colleagues. But the Balkans nation is in fact one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in Europe, and for good reason.

It boasts stunning scenery, tasty food and, perhaps most importantly, cheap beer. These were the three things most desired by me and three of my mates (the lads) from uni. Our plan was simple. Fly to the capital, Tirana, make our way down the coast to Sarandë in the Albanian Riviera, and soak up some culture and early autumn sun.

While the first day was pretty much entirely lost to fun and games on the runway of Luton Airport, Albania soon made an impression on us. The views on the coach ride down the length of the country are enough to make you fall in love with the country on their own.

Mountains hugged by millions of verdant trees tower over crystal blue lakes and rivers, leaving passengers' eyes almost fused onto the window panes as we pass by. On arrival in Sarandë, we found a charming resort city with the skeleton of an upcoming apartment complex seemingly on every corner.

Its people - and weather - are warm and its beaches, while mostly pebbled, are peaceful. Yet it's clear from the number of sun loungers and surrounding bars that it has the capacity for a much wilder vibe. We're just here off-season.

The food is one of the highlights, with menus listing an array of traditional dishes and understandably packed with seafood. Its close proximity to culinary heavyweights Greece and Italy also provides a delicious influence.

While on the trip, we also visited Butrint, an ancient port city which has fascinating ruins dating back as far as the eighth century B.C. It's just a 25-minute bus from Sarandë, which costs under 200LEK (£1.70).

Of course, the country isn’t perfect, many of the roads are in poor condition and poverty still blights much of the population. It has a lot of catching up to do with the rest of Europe after all. Albania's borders only opened in the early 1990s after decades under authoritarian communism, when it earned its tag as the “North Korea of Europe”.

Even if you don't fancy spending a whole holiday there, if you happen to be in Corfu why not hop on a quick ferry to the south and listen to your friends say "Albania?".