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Valencia - Albania: Which Flight Would You Choose?

Posted by (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) on

Hi all! I was hoping to get some feedback regarding my flight options from Valencia to Tirana (Albania) in October. I'll be heading to Tirana so I can extend my total European stay without violating the Schenzen Zone rules (if anyone was wondering).

Here are my options:

•Valencia to Tirana with a long and mostly over night layover in Istanbul (flight options arriving between 10p and midnight and leaving around 8 the following morning).

•Valencia to Tirana with a 18-hr layover in London, and flight times that would allow an afternoon and evening spent in London (to which I've never been).

•Taking an Alsa bus from Valencia to either Madrid or Barcelona (between 4-6 hours) and flying to Tirana, where the layover would be about 2 hours in Istanbul.

The price differences are not great enough to be a deciding factor, but also keeping in mind that I would be returning to Valencia a few weeks later and have to deal with the same situation. I would be alone both ways (meeting friends in Albania though).

Which do you suggest?

Thanks for your input!

Posted by
7054 posts

I would pick the 2nd option because you'll at least have some time in London (too little but better than nothing) and it seems that this schedule is the easiest on the body (no disrupted sleep etc.). The only downside is the hotel expense, as London is a pricy city.

The first option (Istanbul) doesn't seem attractive because it seems like just a wasted opportunity, it's not as if you'll have much chance to see Istanbul - it's just a place to sleep and then get up early to hit the airport again. Plus you'd have to get a cheap e-Visa just to leave the airport before going to your hotel (~ 20 EUR). If you do pick it, try to get in at 10pm so you can at least get some sleep. Hotels in Istanbul are very inexpensive and you can be within 10 minutes of the airport for a very low price...that's an upside.

The last option just sounds like a painful, long bus ride and then waiting for two hours. I would personally find it tiring and, again, it doesn't seem like there's be much if an upside unless the scenery is nice (that could be worthwhile perhaps). It's hard to tell with this one because you didn't include the hours when you'll be traveling which could make a big difference.

Posted by
712 posts

Thank you! I am leaning toward the London option, if for nothing else just to see London.
Having a long layover in Turkey is my least favorite. I honestly doubt I would even want to leave the airport, although I haven't looked into if the Istanbul airport is "sleeper" friendly (I've done that quite a few times before at other airports when I had an overnight layover and an early flight)... I didn't even realize I would need a visa to leave the airport, and I would be uneasy doing all that alone in Istanbul for what would amount to a few hours sleep. Thanks again!

Posted by
7054 posts

Istanbul is not scary (although the political situation is definitely changed in a negative way) - I've travelled there alone multiple times and did not feel scared. The public transit is easy to get around in and there are some hotels literally next to the airport. The e-Visa is a Tourist Visa which pretty much all countries use against some other countries, while exempting others. Not a big deal. But honestly, there's no point in going there if you can't enjoy the city or feel nervous about it. I wouldn't try to sleep in an airport either, your body will feel "totaled" and then you're just going to suffer the next day. It's better to get good sleep on a real bed.

Good luck with whatever you pick!

PS. I love Pittsburgh! That's where I went to grad school, good memories.

Posted by
28083 posts

You can get from Valencia to Madrid in 2 hours or less by AVE train. That might make Option 3 more attractive.

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