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NEW FLIGHTS

T e launch of easyJet flights from London Gatwick to Tirana’s Mother Teresa International Airport is just one sign that Albania is cropping up in travel plans as never before. Writers have wondered for centuries how a country located between Greece and Italy could remain one of Europe’s great unknowns. T e barrier of the Albanian Alps, also known as the Accursed Mountains, must explain some of Albania’s historic isolation. Now, though, these peaks are more ofen a reason to visit. Hiking specialist Walks Worldwide counts its three Albanian itineraries among its most popular tours, and with winter gone, the mountain paths are open again. Two of the tours head north to the peaks (pictured) that border Montenegro, while a southern coast alternative takes inspiration from the travels of Lord Byron – one outsider who did venture in, and fall in love with Albania. Eight days from £849; walksworldwide.com