Have you ever visited Lezhë? If not, you're missing one of Albania's best-kept secrets. Where the Albanian Alps dramatically meet the Adriatic Sea, Lezhë offers a remarkable blend of history, nature, and beauty. The ruins of our national hero Skanderbeg’s castle still stand watch over the city, while the Skanderbeg Memorial Museum attracts visitors from around the world. Just to the west, golden beaches and deep-blue waters await—hidden gems that the rest of Europe is only beginning to discover. Lezhë has everything a destination needs. What it lacked were people ready to showcase it.
That changed with Marko Guri.
At just 25, Marko had followed the path many young Albanians aspire to: earning a degree in economics and dreaming of a successful career. But like so many of his peers, he graduated into an economy that had little room for him. Months of unemployment followed, and his potential remained untapped.
Then came the turning point.
Between January and March 2026, Marko enrolled in a Certified Tourist Guide course offered by the Professional School "Shën Jozefi Punëtor" in Mirditë, part of the Lezhë region. The training was made possible through a grant provided by UNDP in the context of the United Nations Joint Programme “Lifelong Empowerment and Protection in Albania” (LEAP), funded by the Joint SDG Fund and implemented by UNDP, UNICEF, and the ILO.
Designed specifically for young people who are not in employment, education, or training (NEETs), the programme did more than equip Marko with a professional qualification—it gave him renewed confidence and a new direction for his future.
"It wasn't only about guiding visitors," Marko says. "It showed me that tourism can be a real profession, a business, and an opportunity to create something of my own."
He moved quickly. Through the Youth Guarantee Programme—also supported by LEAP—he gained hands-on experience with a local tourism agency. Then, in June 2026, he and his brother took the leap and officially registered Hidden Routes Albania.
The name says it all. Today, Marko leads small groups on English-language tours to some of northern Albania’s best-kept secrets. His itineraries take visitors through the mountain village of Theth, along the crystal-clear waters of the Shala River, and into the rich history of the Mirdita region, with its ancient churches and the sacred spring of Dom Gjoni.
In just a few months, Marko has already guided hundreds of visitors from across Europe and Asia through these extraordinary landscapes.
“Working directly with visitors from different countries has been incredible,” he says. “The training gave me the skills, but more importantly, it gave me the confidence to believe I could build something myself.”
That confidence is transforming lives—and it’s exactly what LEAP was designed to create.
In a country where youth unemployment remains a major challenge, the LEAP Joint Programme is helping bridge the gap between social protection and real economic opportunity.
In a country where youth unemployment remains a major challenge, the LEAP Joint Programme is helping bridge the gap between social protection and real economic opportunity. Through interventions, 617 young women and men have received vocational training, 120 women and young people have secured jobs in the tourism, hospitality, and care sectors, and 493 households have accessed targeted social and economic support services. At the same time, 173 social service professionals have strengthened their skills, helping build more responsive and inclusive support systems for communities across Albania.
“We are very happy to see this Joint SDG Fund–backed project translate into tangible impact on the lives of people like Marko. Youth unemployment in Albania remains high, and behind every percentage point is a young person whose talent is sitting idle. Through LEAP, we are providing training, creating jobs for those most at risk. Hidden Routes Albania is proof that when we invest in young people, they don’t just find work—they create it for others too,” said Ingrid Macdonald, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Albania.
Don’t just read about Lezhë—go and discover it. Book a tour with Hidden Routes Albania and let Marko show you the hidden corners of northern Albania that most travelers never see. Whether you’re seeking mountain adventures, historical depths, or untouched beaches, your next unforgettable trip starts here.
Originally published by UNDP Albania.
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds, and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
