Berat Travel Guide: One Day in the City of A Thousand Windows
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Another World Unesco Heritage site…man Albania has a lot of them. That’s right my next stop on my Albanian adventure would be Berat (also known as The City of a Thousand Windows). There were a lot of reasons I chose to go to this beautiful city. History and architecture being the big ones. There was, of course, the fact it was a good middle ground between Gjirokaster and Tirana (which would be the next stop). The city itself is a beautiful mixture of ancient and modern (although not too modern) as is most of the cities that I visited in Albania.
This majestic city is surrounded by lush green mountains and rolling hills and is cut in two by the Osum River. Like Gjoirkaster it has a rich and important history. It has been a Greek settlement, a Macedonian stronghold, a pivotal part of the Byzantine Empire and so much more. With a resume like that, I was sure that it was gonna be something I would never forget.
Accommodations…Berat Backpackers
Berat Backpackers is located on the other side of the river amidst the Unesco Heritage buildings in the Gorica quarter. The building itself is 300 years old and has a unique charm. This is due to the fact that the owners are not permitted to make any modern updates but must leave the basic structure alone. Along with the amazing architecture, it has a nice common area and an excellent kitchen (which is good if you are trying to save some money.)
The staff was very friendly, even suggesting some alternative things to do other than the star attraction, Berat Castle. As for the check-in process (minus the climb down some steep and very tiny stairs) was extremely easy.
The rooms themselves were comfortable and had all the amenities you needed including extra blankets. I will say the weather proved troublesome as it rained almost the whole time I was visiting. As you might imagine with a 300-year old house rain equals leaking ceilings. Other than that the stay was nice.
The hostel is beautiful, well managed and the perfect place to stay for easy access to whatever you want to get up to while you visit Berat.
Things To Do…
With only a few days in this magnificent city, the star attraction as I stated has to be Berat Castle. Other than that there are several magnificent churches and mosques to see as well as the old town. I however only got to see the castle and roam a little in the city streets because the weather was stormy almost the entire time I was there (boooo!).
Berat Castle
Atop the hill overlooking the entirety of the Osum River valley, you can see why so many wanted to make this their stronghold. Though there has been a fortress perched on top of this hill for over 1700 years, the Berat Castle you will be visiting actually originates from the 13th century.
That is pretty cool but what is even cooler is that the city within the walls is still inhabited. This makes it unique when compared to most other World Heritage sites. Better yet it only costs 100 Lek! That minimal entry fee is well worth the hours of roaming these ancient paths. You can walk along most of the castle's walls and the views are absolutely amazing.
The hike up to the castle itself much like the one in Gjirokastra is quite steep so make sure to allow for that with good shoes, plenty of water and time. I was there in the spring and feel like it is probably the best time to visit. The temperature was perfect and the flowers were magnificently bright. It was a great way to spend the day and then I strolled down to the city below and roamed around a bit.
Bulevardi Republika
If you want a taste of what modern Berat is all about then strolling down Republic Boulevard is just the ticket. Walking along the open designed boulevard with shops and restaurants lining one side and benches and tables along the other will give you a good glimpse at local life. From the old men very aggressively playing chess ( I mean aggressive! I saw one argument I wasn't sure wasn’t going to become a brawl!) to the teenagers grabbing a cup of coffee at one of the cafes, you will be immersed in the lives of the people who make this town even more special.
Eat Some Good Food
I ate primarily at the hostel but my one big outing took me to a lovely little restaurant just up the cobblestoned way from the hostel. Antigone is a beautiful restaurant with an even more beautiful view. I highly suggest sitting on the terrace if you can as you will have a stunning 360-degree view of the city. It is even nice when it is raining!
The view isn't the only thing that is scrumptious, the food is absolutely outstanding too (the image above is what I ordered — spinach pie with a greek salad). Just be warned the servings are quite generous so if you are traveling solo you may end up stuffed and barely able to make it back to your hostel. The service was very friendly and quick which is always good after a day of travel.
Things I didn’t Get To…
The weather only broke one full day so I spent that at the castle and roaming the streets of the city. Even with that though I truly enjoyed my stay in Berat and definitely plan to revisit it sometime in the future. Here are some of the other things you could get up to if the weather permits…
Churches/Mosques
There are a lot of churches and mosques you can check out. Berat’s Muslim and Christian communities have been coexisting for centuries. The church in the castle walls, St Mary of Vllherna is a 13th-century church with stunning murals. This is just one of the many religious structures you can take time to investigate.
You should also take some time to check out one of Albania’s oldest mosques. Situated close to the citadel, the Red Mosque is from the period of history just after the Ottoman Turks found their way to conquer this area. Like with the churches there are other mosques that are worth visiting as well.
Museums
There are several museums that I was bummed to not be able to take a look at. The first is the Onufri Museum of Icons. Though not super religious the beauty of these masterpieces still intrigues me. Museums like this are fitted with tons of unique works and will have information about the pieces and the artists. This is a good way to take a deeper look into the culture and history from a different viewpoint.
The other museum that I missed out on was the National Ethnographic Museum. The home this museum is housed in is from the 18th century and a walk through the rooms is like a walk back in time. Just like the Skenduli house in Gjirokaster, the museum gives you a look at how the people of the Ottoman rule lived.
So how cool is Berat! I loved my short stay in this ancient city. If I had more time there may have also been a few day trips to places like Apollonia and Timorr National Park. There is so much to do in this small city that it is definitely worth a few extra days. So until next time folks, safe journeys!
Check out my Berat vlog…
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