A Journey to the UNESCO Historical Center of Berat, Albania
Berat Castle, Berat, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/80 s)
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Berat is located in the south of Albania on the Osum river. It was designated in 2008 as a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique style of architecture from several civilizations, surviving by coexistence through centuries of history.
Archeological findings suggest that Berat was settled back in the 7th century BC by the Illyrians. It was then conquered by the Macedonian King Philip V in 217 BC and then became a part of the Roman Empire, before finally becoming a part of the Byzantine Empire after the Roman Empire split. The Ottomans then ruled it thereafter for quite some centuries. Iβm sure the history is MUCH more detailed but I will leave that to a historian.
While trying to figure out which cities we could see on our Albanian road trip, Berat stood out the most to us right away. All the history aside, the city looked so gorgeous while researching it that we just had to see what all the fuss was about. It being located in southern Albania in the mountains, we knew it was best for us to hire a car to reach it.
Check out my drone video of Berat, Albania below!
How to get to Berat
To get to Berat, first you need a flight to get you into Albania. Since Berat is located in the middle/southern part of Albania, the best airport to fly into would have to be from Tirana International Airport (TIA). The airport is the largest in Albania with many rental car agencies servicing it.
Once in Albania, there are just a few ways one can get to Berat, either by bus, taxi, or rental car. For us, we rented a car for a week from Tirana International Airport. We loved having this flexibility but understand that others may not have the ability or luxury to do so. The drive from Tirana to Berat takes less than 2 hours by car.
You can take a taxi to Berat, which will likely set you back approximately 70 Euros these days (Summer 2023). The journey should be the same two hours or less as driving yourself.
You can also take a bus to Berat, specifically from Tirana. The approximate cost is 500 Lek (or 4.4 Euros) and the travel time is about 2.5 hours. The Tirana bus station is not located near the airport, but closer to the Tirana city center. You can find the location of the bus station on this Google map. Once here, you can grab a bus to Berat, with about 2 departures an hour that go from 6am to 6pm.
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Once in Berat, here are just a few places that are worth checking out:
Berat Castle
Berat Castle is also knon as the Citadel of Berat. It is a fortress on the highest hill in Berat (elevation 214 meters), on the left back of the Osum river, that overlooks the sprawling town below. The origin of Berat Castle goes back to the 13th century and the complex features a number of Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques.
What is so cool about this castle is the complex of buildings inside of it, from living quarters to churches and to modern day restaurants and bars. These auxiliary buildings are considered cultural monuments as well as they also date back to the 13th century. Furthermore, though there are some ruined parts of the castle, a substantial portion of it is still standing and in excellent condition.
Park at ground level and make your way up to the castle height while exploring some of the alleyways and experience the great views that this citadel has to offer in Berat. The Berat Castle is also commemorated by being on the reverse side of the 10 Leke coin.
Entrance was free when we got there, however there was installed ticket booths and gates that we walked past that were not manned. Therefore I am unsure if we just arrived at a special time or they were planning on charging for entry later on.
Holy Trinity Church
This medieval Byzantine Church stands on a hill in Berat, overlooking the town as well. As with the time period of its construction, there are numerous Byzantine elements featured in its style (interior space usage and decorative elements).
A church inscription contains the name Andronicus Paleologus who served as Governor of Berat form 1302 to 1326, which suggests he is the one who supported and initiated the churchβs construction. If you got a great view of Berat from Berat Castle, you will also surely receive one from here too, albeit at a different angle. I just love these old old churches.
Berat, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/80 s)
Ruins of the Red Mosque
As one can expect, there are also some ruins of former mosques in Berat as well, this includes the Red Mosque. You can find it in the Berat Castle complex itself and given that location, it was bestowed with the Cultural Monument of Albania title in 1961. It is one of the oldest mosques in Albania as it was build in the 15th century. This coincides with the Ottoman conquest of Berat in 1417. The red in its name comes from its building materials, primarily red bricks and limestone.
Osum River, Berat, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/50 s)
Old Town Berat
Since Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can pretty much count on there being a sort of old town, that displays elements of the old Albanian style from centuries ago. The cityβs nickname is the βTown of 1000 Windowsβ, which makes sense after looking at the plethora of windows in many of the buildingsβ facade. This is also a nod to how close the houses are to one another.
The best vantage point of this area and architectural feature is from the Osum River, looking up towards the Berat Castle. You will be welcomed by the off white building exteriors, and orange roofs, with windows galore. This is just one of those places where walking around aimlessly will bring so much excitement and appreciation of your surroundings. If you want to stroll down a particular street, I suggest Bulevardi Republika.
Berat, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/50 s)
Bulevardi Republika
As one of the main thoroughfares of Berat, Bulevardi Republika should not be missed. On one side of the street, you have Lulishtja park and the other side, many cafes and restaurants. You will always find many people here, enjoying family time, eating popcorn, and listening to music, making for such a cozy atmosphere. You can also walk along the Osum river for some respite from the city itself.
Berat, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/50 s)
Cobo Winery
I was not aware that the Albanians had (many) wineries in the country. The Γobo family presides over the winery, as the name obviously suggests, with roots going back 2400 years. Every year, vineyards from the family give rise to nearly 100,000 bottles of wine. You can visit the winery to get more information into the family as well as the wine making process and history of the area.
Berat, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/50 s)
Osumi Canyon
Not too far from Berat lies the Osum Gorge/Osumi Canyon. This river gorge allows access of the Osum river through it, the same river that flows through Berat. Thought to have been formed 3 millions years ago by eroding water, the gorge is 26 kilometers long and is best visited in the Spring. This is because the melt from the snow feeds the Osum river for the entirety of its length. This creates parts of the river that are suitable for rapids exploration (Class II). You can also discovered a variety of small caves and rock formations along the gorge itself. You can organize a day trip to Osumi Canyon from Berat with local tour operators if you donβt have your own car.
Bogove Waterfall
This waterfall is also worth checking out and can be seen via a day trip from Berat. For those with a car, a new road has provided access directly to the waterfall as opposed to hiking. The Bogove waterfall is best seen in the morning and before noon since the sun recedes into the shadows afterwards. You are welcome to swim in and under the 20 meter high falls but be forewarned; the water is insanely cold, which I imagine is very much welcome on a hot summer day.
This list of Beratβs attractions is by no means comprehensive but should give you an idea as to what to expect and what to see while in this part of the world. Be sure to check out my blog post on Gjirokaster, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, not too far from Berat. Also stay tuned for my blog posts on more cities in Albania that are worth checking out.
