Sometimes ago I had the chance to visit Kosovo and lake Ohrid. The idea to visit Albania – the neighborhood country was born.

I landed to Tirana International Airport and took the taxi. The driver was super kind. He didn’t speak any of my languages but somehow I understood that he needs 5 minutes to pay for the parking. There was no kidnapping happening, only the used chewing gum stucked to my window shield. One would say the most epic welcome ever, but nothing beats the welcome by Cuba when I stepped into a dog shit in the very first moment I touched the cuban soil.

We arrived a bit late to the hotel. The accommodation was very shic and good price. But there was something wrong with the map in the lobby. Or is it just me?

We went immediately. The lovely receptionist recommended us the nearby restaurant. We were not in the mood to go any way further. It was italian cuisine. They served the local wine to die for! I spent the night puking. The hot and cold welcome continued.

Lesson learned: in the land of grilled meat, do not experiment. There is a reason why everything is grilled.

The next morning I was hesitating if I should cancel my tour or not but somehow I managed to push myself out of the bed. The driver Indrat was already there. The day was sunny and promising, We sat into a car. His seats were pushed and laid back so there was almost no place to sit behind. There was no seatbelts and the car had a strong stained taste on cheap car odors. I was holding on the puke. We passed next to some chic grandiouse building. So beautiful that I wouldn’t expect to see it here in Albania. Indrat said this was The Grand Casino built just recently and confiscated by the state. I started to like it! 🙂

Durrës

Our first stop was Durrës the second-most-populous city of the Republic of Albania and one of the most important ports in the Balkans. Durrës was founded under the name of Epidamnos around the 7th century BC, by ancient Greek colonists from Corinth and Corcyra and later taken over by the Ilyrian tribes and the super famous Queen Teuta.

Upon the arrival, I noticed the different layers of architecture. I started to pay attention to details. There were so many influences right in front of me. Indrat started to explain the past.

Also known as Dyrrachium, Durrës essentially developed as it became an integral part of the Roman Empire and its successor the Byzantine Empire. The Via Egnatia started in the city and led east across the fields, lowlands and highlands of the Balkan Peninsula to Constantinople.

We had a chance to visit the Roman amphitheater discovered only recently. I was not amazed by the site. The place to sell tickets was a shed. I side was a person lying on bed and playing with the phone with 0 interest to sell tickets.

The main square however was super nice. The white marble was shining back. We changed the money into Albanian lek and strolled down towards the sea.

In the Middle Ages, Durrës was contested between Bulgarians, Venetians, local Albanian noble families and Ottoman dominion. The Ottomans ultimately prevailed, ruling the city for more than 400 years from 1501 until 1912. One of the witnesses of the Ottoman rule is this hammam. The witness of the Venetians is this Venetian Tower of just a few meters away.

Following the Albanian Declaration of Independence, the city served as the capital of the Principality of Albania for a short period of time. Subsequently, it was annexed by the Kingdom of Italy in the interwar period and was occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II. 

From that period there is a statue of Mujo Ulqinaku. Born in Ulcinj, Montenegtom he was an Albanian sergeant of the Royal Albanian Navy, known for his resistance on 7 April 1939 to the Italian forces during the Italian invasion of Albania. He was given the People’s Hero of Albania award posthumously.

The walk continued towards the sea side. I needed the coffee. With the sea view – if possible. 🙂 Little did I know that I will be enjoying so many little moments happening around me. From the construction, loud Albano-Italian madams and the smell of the stained sea grass. I asked Indrat how come this is not used as the fertiliser. He told me that there is not much agriculture in Albania.

How come? – I insisted. – You gave so many tourists coming suddenly to Albania. You have to feed them!

He answered that the food is imported from nearby countries. Albanians do the other business.

Later we visited the port. I discovered what kind of business he meant. He also told me that Albania is the big producer of the diesel but due to EU regulations now has to export it to other countries (China, North Korea). For exchange, they get the diesel cars from North Korea – also forbidden in EU. For a country that has am EU status candidate – I was surprised about this praxis!

Neverthless, I had my coffee trying to ignore the surroundings. Most probably this was the last time in 2024 to see the sea. But somehow I wasn’t thrilled as I would be usual when having a coffee at the seaside.

Driving back, I tried to take photos of the buildings. Apparently these were all the new construction as Albania got hit by the earthquake in 2019.

Indrat then brought us to a more tourist place at the sea shore. This is far from being properly arranged tourist resort but it’s a start. To collect the garbage perhaps would be the best way to continue. I was perplexed: such a beautiful place with the view on the skyline of Durres but so poorly treated.

Berat

We continued the road towards the inner of the country. I did notice the traces of agriculture. There is hope – I said to myself. 🙂

Now, this city was something else. The complete opposite. What a beauty! It is surrounded by mountains and the two hills: Tomori and Shpiragu. According to a legend, there was a girl that was in loved with two guys that were actually brothers. When they found out, they dueled and both died. The hills were named after them. The girl died cried for days. Her tears created the river Osumi.

We do not know who won exactly, but we do know that during the winter time one of the hills is completely in the shadow.

Berat, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, comprises a unique style of architecture – the ottoman merchant 18th century houses.

Gorica Bridge over the Osum river is a landmark in the city. It is one of the oldest and most popular Ottoman bridges in Albania. It was originally built from wood in 1780 and was rebuilt with stone in the 1920s. According to local legend, the original wooden bridge contained a dungeon in which a girl would be incarcerated and starved to appease the spirits responsible for the safety of the bridge.

Like many cities in Albania, Berat comprises an old fortified city filled with churches and mosques painted with grandiose wealth of visible murals and frescos.

I absolutely enjoyed wandering the paths among the houses and discovering the local life. They mostly live of tourism as the houses have been turned into private accommodations and restaurants.

And if you want to see how the ottoman house looked inside, you just need to step into a restaurant. Everything is still well kept and maintained. Turned in such a charm!

During the socialist years, the leader Enver Hoxha built many tunnels across Albania, including Berat. As the city spreads over rocky hill with the castle on top – there were many to discover!

My feet brought me to the Pasha’s Palace, the destroyed building standing here since the 17th century. Indrat said it burned in flames due to 1997 civil conflict. The hotel (konak in ottoman) for dervishves and their horses survived.

The coexistence of religious and cultural communities over several centuries, beginning in the 4th century BC into the 18th century is apparent in Berat. The town also bears testimony to the architectural excellence of traditional Balkan housing construction.

Berat Castle is built on a rocky hill on the right bank of the river Osum and is accessible only from the south. After being burned down by the Romans in 200 BC the walls were strengthened in the 5th century under Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II, and were rebuilt during the 6th century under the Emperor Justinian I and again in the 13th century under the Despot of Epirus, Michael Komnenos Doukas, cousin of the Byzantine Emperor. 

It is very interesting to see that people still inside the castle. They built their settlements from the leftovers of the rocks. Even more, there are 4th century Byzantine churches and 12th century minarets.

Walking around, I had a breathtaking view on the city and the entire region. It is truly a special place. No wonder there were so many world staged battles happening around.

I mean, look at the giant head of Constantine the Great, 272-337 AD, Roman Emperor. How? What? Where? Who?

As I said, there are the churches from 5th century that were later in 13th century reconstructed. One of the examples is the Church of Saint Mary of Blaherna.

Church of Saint Kolli is yet another example of the orthodox church inside the castle walls. It has been renovated in the 13th century as someone brought the Armenian cross and press it in the column making a relief.

From the further walk inside the castle, I captured many interesting moments. This was a precious timeless journey through Albanian history. Magnificent moment!

Lake Belsh

 It has a magical view that amazes you by its serene blue color when siting to the nearby bars and coffee houses. The night was coming quickly so we had last moments to enjoy the romantic scenes.

Tirana

We retunred back to hotel full of experience. My stomach was recovered and desperately asking for food. Luckily, Tirana has more spares to offer. I was hoping for the Mediterranean fish and local wine.

That night, I slept like a princess. Tirana was patiently waiting for me to be discovered.

And yes, I liked the city. It is hectic, but somehow calm. It is clean but somehow dusty. I caught the black under my nails in less than one hour.

First stop – the coffee. As the river Lana gently spread through the city, I spent my first moments admiring the table clothes. There is something so old and charming in them. Perhaps my childhood?

So, Tirana – capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills.  It is among the wettest and sunniest cities in Europe, with 2,544 hours of sun per year. Who wouldn’t wanna live her? 😛

This classified gamma-world-city!

Tirana was founded in 1614 by Ottoman Albanian general Sylejman Pasha Bargjini. Few centuries later – the centre of Tirana was the project of Florestano Di Fausto and Armando Brasini, well-known architects of the Mussolini period in Albania. Brasini laid the basis for the modern-day arrangement of the ministerial buildings in the city centre. 

After the end of World War II, it was established the totalitarian regime. Albania was transformed into the country where the most severe and intolerant form of Communism originated and developed from, and which isolated the country from the outer world and put it in a state siege. Years went by and every power was concentrated in the hand of one single man, The Dictator Enver Hoxha.

Hoxha was controlling the state from the house that somehow everyone knew what was happening but no one exactly knew. People whispered when passing by – that’s why The House of Leaves or The Museum of Secret Surveillance. I have to admit, I had felt the stomach again passing these corridors. Not sure was it the fish from yesterday or the idea of what kind of tortures were actually happening here.

The museum is housed in a two-story villa with a courtyard that dates from 1931 and originally served as the first private obstetrics clinic in Albania, while during the German occupation, the building was used by the Gestapo. After the war it was used as the Sigurimi’s interception headquarters until the collapse of the communist regime in 1991.

And then just as normal as it could be, opposite of this epitome of democracy, stands the Resurrection Cathedral – an Albanian Orthodox church founded in 2012.

During his term from 2000 to 2011, the former mayor of Tirana, Edi Rama, undertook a campaign to demolish illegal constructed buildings across Tirana as well as along the river banks of Lanë to bring the area to its pre-1990 state. In an attempt to widen roads, Rama authorized the bulldozing of private properties so that they could be paved over, thus widening streets. Most main roads underwent reconstruction, including the Unaza, Rruga e Kavajës and the main boulevard. Rama also led the initiative to paint the façades of Tirana’s buildings in bright colours, although much of their interiors continued to degrade.

Ah, and I couldn’t forget the epic shopping in Albania. All the right colours of the trade for the best price. 🙂 And it lasts for the generations to come. Not. I rather spent the time going a bit more local and liquid.

The main square in Albania is called after a national hero Skenderbeg. He was an Albanian feudal lord and military commander who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in what is today Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia.

Skanderbeg was sent as a hostage to the Ottoman court. He graduated from the ottoman military school and entered the service for the next twenty years. His rise through the ranks. During the Battle of Nish (today Serbia) in 15th centiry, he deserted the Ottomans and became the ruler of Krujë and established the League of Lezhë, with support from local noblemen, and the Pope. He even became the chief commander of the crusading forces of Pope Pius II, but the Pope died while the armies were still gathering and the greater European crusade never took place.

At the Skanderbeg square there is a National History Museum but unfortunately it was closed. Nearby are the Et’hem Bej Mosque and the Theatre.

We had the flight late that night so we did not want to miss the last local flavours. One of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world, Albania is in the midst of a quality revolution as vignerons embrace native grape varieties. The restaurant was again chic Italian. I understand the influence but I am not a fan. However, this was one of the best chicken dishes I had!

The day finished in most probably the best place of Tirana: The Old Bazaar. This is not just a market; it’s a cultural hub that reflects the rich heritage of Tirana. Here, you can find artisan shops selling handcrafted goods. I bought the famous tobacco, skenderbeg cognac and a souvenir!