When talking about the Albanian diaspora in Europe, there's no way around Italy. With over 500,000 Albanian nationals — plus an even larger number of naturalised citizens — Italy is the country with the largest Albanian community outside the Balkans. This isn't a small minority, it's a true diaspora nation. And it has a history I deeply admire.
The Great Exodus — 1991 and Beyond
The year 1991 is a turning point in Albanian history. When the communist regime in Albania collapsed, tens of thousands of Albanians streamed westward. Many crossed the Adriatic by ship — some on overcrowded cargo vessels, under difficult conditions. The images from that time went around the world. Italy was the first country to receive them.
In the years that followed, wave after wave arrived. Albania's economic crisis in 1997, the conflicts on the Balkans — each time more people moved west, and Italy was close, reachable, known. What began as a refugee movement became the largest Albanian diaspora in Europe.
Rome, Milan, Florence — Where the Albanians Live
The Albanian community in Italy is spread across the entire country. In the north — in Lombardy around Milan, in Tuscany around Florence and Prato, in Emilia-Romagna around Bologna — a strong community has established itself. In the south, around Rome and Naples, thousands of Albanians also live.
What particularly fascinates me: many Albanians in Italy work in construction, agriculture, hospitality. They helped build the country — literally. The houses, the roads, the restaurants. Part of modern Italy was built by Albanian hands. That's a source of pride that deserves recognition.
The Arbëreshë — 500 Years of Albanian History in Italy
Here I must mention something special that most people don't know: the Arbëreshë. These are Albanian communities that have lived in southern Italy since the 15th and 16th centuries — in Calabria, Sicily, Basilicata and other regions. They came after the death of the Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, when the Ottoman Empire took over the Balkans.
These communities have preserved their language, their traditions and their identity for over 500 years. They still speak an old Albanian dialect, Arbërisht, and maintain Albanian customs. When I think about the resilience of Albanian identity — the Arbëreshë are the ultimate proof of it. Five centuries in a foreign country, and they are still Albanian.
Two Generations, One Identity
The Albanian community in Italy is today deeply rooted. The first generation that came in the 1990s has children who grew up in Italy. Many of these children attended Italian schools, have Italian friends, speak Italian without an accent. And yet: for many, the Albanian identity lives on.
I know this feeling well. Growing up between Kosovo and Germany, always with the sense of never being quite here and never quite there. But over time I understood: this dual belonging isn't a weakness. It's a strength. Those who know two cultures think more broadly, see more, connect better. The Albanian-Italian generation demonstrates this every day.
dua.com — Connection Across the Alps
With such a large Albanian community in Italy, the question of connection naturally arises. How do you find Albanian partners, Albanian friends, Albanian community — in a foreign country, with a different everyday life? That used to be difficult. Today there's dua.com.
The Albanian dating platform connects Albanian singles not just within Italy, but across Europe. Someone living in Milan looking for a person with Albanian roots who understands the life between two worlds will find people on dua.com from across the continent. From Germany, Switzerland, Austria, England — and of course from Albania itself.
As brand ambassador for dua.com I travel through Europe and meet this community. I see how important connection is. Not just romantic connection — but community, belonging, the feeling: I'm not alone with my story.
A Diaspora That Stays
The Albanian community in Italy is today a firm part of the country. They pay taxes, work, start families, open businesses. They're no longer guests — they're co-inhabitants. And at the same time they remain Albanian. That's the strength of this diaspora: it has integrated without giving itself up.
If you're part of this community or have Albanian roots and live in Italy — let's stay connected. Follow me on Instagram, watch my videos, and write to me. The stories of the Albanian diaspora deserve to be told.
Find out more about the Albanian diaspora in Europe in my pillar article on the Albanian diaspora worldwide.