Why Not Invest in Farmland? Rural Albania as an Opportunity

There’s a question I’ve been hearing more often lately:  

“Is there still any part of Albania left where you can invest without feeling like you’re late to the party?”  

My answer?  

Yes — look inland.  

While the coastline is booming with beachfront property and seaview apartments (and rightly so — the Albanian Riviera is still one of the most affordable gems in Europe), there’s a different kind of opportunity waiting just a few kilometers off the main road: farmland.  

A Shift in Perspective  

Not long ago, I took a small detour after visiting a construction site in Qeparo. Instead of heading back to Saranda along the main coastal road, I cut through an inland route — the kind with cracked pavement, olive trees on both sides, and an occasional herd of goats that forces you to stop and appreciate the silence.  

As I passed through a small village where the only shop doubles as a bar and a barber, I started thinking — why aren’t more people asking about land like this?  

This wasn’t empty land. It had stories. A few parcels had been farmed by the same family for three generations. Others were just waiting for someone with vision to turn them into agrotourism lodges, eco-retreats, olive farms, or even boutique vineyards.  

And the prices? Let’s just say… you won’t find anything this affordable near the sea.  

Why Farmland, Though?  

Most investors are drawn to Saranda apartments for sale or Ksamil villas — and of course, we help with those too. But farmland has its own quiet kind of magic. And for the right person, it can be even more rewarding.  

Here’s why I think rural investment is underrated :  

• Low entry cost. You can still find land under €10/m² in many areas — sometimes much less.  

• No overdevelopment. Inland villages like Fterra, Pllakë, or even the hills behind Borsh remain untouched, offering a sense of calm that’s hard to price.  

• Agrotourism potential. Albania is pushing hard on rural tourism. Government incentives, fewer building restrictions in some areas, and rising interest in “authentic experiences” make this the perfect time.  

• Long-term value. Once infrastructure improves — and it always does — these lands will skyrocket in value.   

But What Can You Actually Do With It? 

Let’s say you buy a 3,000 m² olive grove outside Lukovë. What then? 

You could: 

• Build a small eco-villa for personal use or Airbnb (imagine waking up to only the sound of cicadas and birds) 

• Start an organic farm — people are hungry for “bio” produce, especially visitors from Northern Europe 

• Partner with locals for a farm-to-table guesthouse 

• Just hold the land, clean it up, and wait. Seriously. Even untouched, it appreciates. 

Of course, it depends on the zoning , and you’ll want someone local to help you navigate that — which, luckily, is exactly what we do at VivaView. 

(If you’re more of a seaview person, check out this project in Borsh — four villas with private pools and full Mediterranean flair.) 

The Real Albania Is Inland 

Let me tell you something that’s stuck with me. 

A few months ago, a client from Belgium came for property hunting. After a long day viewing beachfront properties, we ended up having dinner in a small family-owned restaurant in Picar. No menu, just what the grandmother had cooked that day — freshly baked bread, tomatoes still warm from the sun, and grilled lamb with wild herbs. 

He turned to me mid-bite and said, 

“This… this is what people want but don’t know how to find.” 

He was right. People think they want glossy, seafront condos (and many do, no doubt), but what they really remember are the real moments — the food, the views with no fences, the sound of nothing. 

Those moments live inland. 

Tangent: The Village Water Tap 

A quick side note — one of the best cups of water I’ve ever had was from a communal tap in the village of Nivicë. No filter. Just cold, clean, sweet water straight from the mountains. 

You can’t bottle that. 

But you can buy the land next to it. 

Not For Everyone – And That’s Exactly the Point 

Investing in rural land isn’t for someone looking for instant returns. 

It’s for people who: 

• Have patience 

• Appreciate authenticity 

• Want to build something meaningful 

• Or simply want to own a piece of a country that’s still wild, still raw, still full of possibility 

And look, I’m not saying don’t look at the sea. If you want a ready-to-go, high-demand seaview apartment with rental potential, White Residence in Saranda is one of the best values right now — and I truly believe it’ll double in value in a few years. 

But if you’re someone who likes being ahead of the curve, rural Albania is calling . 

 

So, Why Not?

The irony?

Most of the foreigners I meet don’t even ask me about inland land — until I mention it.

And then? Their eyes light up.

If you’ve ever dreamed of having a place surrounded by olive trees, fig bushes, and the occasional tortoise crossing your path…

If you’ve ever wanted to build a stone house with a red-tiled roof that smells like smoke from the fireplace in October…

Maybe it’s time to ask yourself:

Why not farmland?

Why not a slower, deeper kind of investment?

We’re here to help you find it — not just the land, but the place that feels right.

—

Written from my desk in Saranda, with the window open and the sound of summer in the distance.

(The photo on this blog is captured in Dhërmi, Albania)