I help the Americans move abroad – Country No. 1 that was ignored in Europe

Like many Americans, I always dreamed of moving to Europe. In 2015, in 35 years, I decided that Leave Texas for Spain.

Two years later, founded I hit updateA community helps women more than 30 years in a leap abroad. since then, I have helped hundreds One of the women is a new life in countries such as Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

The most popular destinations tend to women with warm weather and flexible visa options. Spain and Portugal Rot for the menu because it is relatively affordable in Western Europe, enjoy a comfortable pace for life, and it has residence paths that do not require you to be rich or retired independently.

One country can find a few Americans on the map, not to mention thinking about moving to it, is Albania. But this changes.

In recent years, I have heard about Albania from community members. A handful had moved there and did not stop delirium on this topic. I was fascinated, I spent a month in Albania in 2024, especially in the capital, Tirana, and along the coast. I wanted to see what the tinnitus was, and what I found really surprised me.

Albania may not be for everyone – there is no place – but for many Americans dreaming of soft landing, it checks a lot of boxes. Here is the reason for considering it No. 1 was ignored A destination in Europe For those who hope to move from the United States:

It is amazingly affordable

Albania is one of the few places in Europe where you can still rent a comfortable apartment for less than $ 500 per month, according to women in my net. This low cost of living is one of the biggest reasons that make Americans flow there.

Take Sherrill OrlovWho moved from Redondo Beach, California, to Tirana. “Although the cost of living rises in Tirana, it is still a small part of what I prompted in California,” she told me. Her rent for two bedrooms in Tirana, for example, is less than the sixth she was paying for two bedrooms in Redondo Beach before leaving California in 2023.

Grocery stores, eating abroad, health care are also affordable. For both digital nomadic Bedouins and retirees, Albania offers the quality of life increasingly Farlen in many American cities.

The beach in Saranda, Albania.

With the permission of Sibi Tabibian

You can stay for up to a year without a visa

One of Albania’s biggest advantages is that Americans can live there Free visa for up to 12 monthsRare benefit in Europe.

You can jump on a plane tonight and start your new life in Albania tomorrow, there are no required papers. This makes it ideal for those who want to “test driving” abroad without moving in complex visa systems.

While in Tirana, I met Denisa Kaka Bradley, founder Expatriates in AlbaniaTo learn more about immigration options. She explained that while staying after a year requires papers, it can help her new expatriate organization in this process.

In her weekly meetings, dozens of Americans met: single women, husbands and families. Many use Albania as a starting stone. They remain for a year or two before moving to another part of Europe once the visa mode is discovered elsewhere. Others choose to stay in the long run.

It is naturally amazing

From the rugged Albanian Alps in the north to turquoise waters in the Adriatic Sea in the west and the ion in the south, the country’s landscapes of breathtaking.

During my trip, I traveled to Albanian Riviera and visited Saranda, a living coastal city with a beautiful conflict. It was September, and the weather was still warm enough to swim and solar enthusiasm, but the beaches were practically empty – a rare treatment compared to places like Spain. On a clear day you can see Greece at the distance! Corfu Island is just a 30 -minute phrase journey.

I did not get the northern mountains, but it is high in my list the next time. Remote villages, long -distance walking paths and great landscapes make them a dream for outdoor lovers.

Cepe Tabibian with Albanian Vlorë in the background.

With the permission of Sibi Tabibian

It is a local feeling, but it has an increased expatriate society

Until the early 1990s, Albania was largely Closed to the world Under a communist system. Tourism is really really Picked up in The past decade or so. As a result, Albania still feels the original dairy.

At the same time, dairy is remarkably welcomed the Americans, which surprised many expatriates with whom I spoke. the Feelings supporting America The friendliness of expatriates makes it easier for new arrivals to feel at home and communicate with the local community.

In cities like Tirana and coastal towns such as VLorë, there are also an increasing number of foreigners who put their roots. Love Monica MirandaAnd an American who moved from Jersey City, New Jersey to Fuller in 43 with her dog. She told me, “I did not know much about Albania.” “But the moment I arrived, something was clicked. One month turned to two months.” Monica has now lived in Albania nearly two years ago and recently got a five -year residence card.

She said: “I have built a supportive society of expatriates from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Latin America,” she said. “We are riding several times a week. It was an incredibly founding experience.”

It may not be The first country to mindBut for many Americans I met, Albania has become the right place at the right time.

Sibi Tabibian He is the founder I hit updateThe community platform and resources that help women between the ages of 30 years to move abroad, and the author of the book “”I’m here! American final visa guide to live in EuropeAs the daughter of the Colombian and Iranian immigrants, Sibi originated in Houston, Texas, before becoming a migrant in Spain.

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