Overview

The upland city in south-central Albania, Berat is much more than just “the city of a thousand windows”. Berat’s appeal lies in its UNESCO World Heritage architecture and the fabulous mountain scenery that surrounds the city. The cityscape is part of Berat’s charm, where beautiful stone houses on the steep hillsides seem to be stacked on top of each other. The region is filled with stunning natural scenery and excellent hiking. The quant village of Old Berat is a perfect home base to explore what the area has to offer.

Despite being a smaller town, Berat has a surprising variety of activities. Whatever you’re into, you’ll find something in Berat that suits you. Whether you’re more into history and culture, or an adventurous thrill-seeker, Berat is the destination for you.

Things to Do

Visit The Kala. Sitting high above the newer part of the city, Berat's ancient citadel has been there since the 300s but the walls and towers as they appear today are from the 1200s. It is quite fascinating how this lofty defensive structure from medieval times still sustains homes and local businesses, including a number of bars to stop and enjoy a refreshing drink. The combination of historical significance and the elevated setting make the Kala the ideal introduction to Berat. A guided tour will provide the inside story about these defenses.

Explore Mangalem and Gorica. Situated on the either side of the Sumi River, these two old neighborhoods are just below from the Kala. On the north side is Mangalem, which is traditionally Muslim, while Christian Gorica is on the south bank. Both districts offer charming narrow alleys of ancient white stone houses with terracotta tiles, timber doors and fresh flowers all around. Both these areas are connected by the Gorica Bridge, from 1780, made up of seven arches and suffused with folklore. These two ancient neighborhoods are beautiful to spend a few hours wandering around.

Take a stroll down the Bulevardi Republika. This wide promenade is lined with al fresco cafes, and on the other side of the path there are rows of trees. Something that makes Bulevardi Republika so special is the stunning backdrop of the Tomorr Mountain in one direction and the citadel in the other, the view is particularly special when the architecture is lit up at night. This street is buzzing with locals on the weekends and evenings.

Explore the picturesque Old Town. Having an aimless wander through the historic streets can fill your entire day up. You've got plenty to see and explore here, from churches, mosques, museums, and an abundance of old houses to admire or snap photos of.

Stop in some of the Museums in Berat. With Berat being as historic of a town as it is, you'll find plenty in the way of museums and living history. The city itself is as historic as it gets. The Old Town of Berat is one of the important locations for religion and trade in the western Ottoman Empire. The most popular museum in Berat is the National Ethnographic Museum, an 18th-century stone building with wooden beams and stairways. This attraction offers an excellent overview of life in the city since its foundation. There are plenty of artefacts on display related to local artisan industry and domestic life.

Discover the local churches of town. Berat is a city where Islam and Christianity have coexisted for centuries. Within the citadel, the orthodox Church of St. Mary of Vllaherna is from the 1200s and has beautiful murals depicting saints from the 1500s. It's set on the side of the steep hill, within the Kala, and if you enter be sure to admire the wonderful floor mosaics. Be sure to stop in the Onufri Museum while visiting St. Mary's Church. The iconography Museum offers some background on one of the artists who worked on the churches in the 1500's. The Church of St. Mitri isn't in a perfect state of preservation, however inside large portions of the original murals are still there and date back to 1607.

Hike up to the Berat Castle this castle dates back to nearly 2,500 years ago, making it one of the oldest in the entire Balkans. Some of the earliest records of this castle were when it was invaded by the Roman Empire back in 200 BC - Now that's old! There are two ways to get to the Berat Castle. One involves a steep hillside hike, however a drive up or taxi is another option to the entrance.

Discover the Nature of Berat

Overlooking the town of Berat, the Tomorr Mountain National Park is the highest peak which soars to almost 8,000 ft. For much of the year the range is capped with snow. If you're here in the summer months then the high temperatures will make an ascent on foot difficult, but there are tour operators in the city offering 4x4 trip to the top of Mount Tomorr. At the top there's a shrine belonging to Shia Islam's Bektashi order. The route to the top is beautiful, passing olive groves, pine forest and highland pasture before entering a stark landscape of exposed rock.

Berat is a perfect spot for hikers. although most hiking in Berat lies outside of Berat city, there are some hikes in the area that you can do. One of the best hikes is the trail to Berat Castle. Across the river from Berat Castle is the other part of Old Town, also nestle on a hill. From there, there's a hike that you can do that goes up the hill opposite of Berat Castle, which offers stunning views of Berat and its surrounding landscapes, like the mountains, river, endless fields, and cute villages.

Explore the wonderful Osumi River that can trace back to the town of Çorovodë, where one of Albania's wildest natural wonders lies hidden. Just south of the Tomorr National Park is this gorge, the deep walls of which have eroded to create an odd assortment of caves, passages and ledges. The shelter created by the gorge brings its own microclimate that ensures creates year-round greenery. The best time to explore the gorge is in the spring, when snowmelt makes the entire 16-miles accessible by raft. There are guides that offer tours to the gorge.

Discover the Bogove Waterfall which is surrounded by untouched nature. It's about an hours drive from Berat, and a great stop over point on the way to Osumi Canyon. From Bogove bus stop, there's a dirt trail that leads directly up to the hills, and after a walk of about half an hour you'll come to a stream that you can follow until you reach the waterfall. It's a beautiful setting for pictures, with a cascade of water tumbling into a pool and lush green vegetation all around. You can jump into these ice-cold waterfalls, but it will definitely be a shock, to say the least.

Winery Tour in Berat

Large patches of the countryside around Berat are covered with vineyards, and wine production is starting to flourish in the region again after years of neglect during Communist times, as private enterprises like this were forbidden. We highly suggest exploring some of the wineries of the area. A wine tour is a great way to see the surrounding area of Berat and sample different wines and buy them directly from the source.

Winemaking has been one of Berat's primary industries throughout history, and for good reason. The winemaking process in Albania is truly unique and has been passed down through the generations since ancient times. Many of the wineries provide a chance to explore all the aspects of winemaking, from planting vines and harvesting grapes until they are brought into the cellar for fermentation before being bottled up and sent out into the world.

Food and Nightlife

Despite being a relatively small town, it is packed with excellent restaurants that really raise the bar when it comes to traditional Albanian cuisine. A great place to check out the local cuisine is at Homemade Food Lili, an experience that you can't miss out on. The entire strip of restaurants and bars along the river is great for dining options and nightlife.

Make sure to try the artisanal summer drink made from rose petals, lemon juice, water and sugar brewed over several days and served cold, a unique drink to this area. A beverage that is famous throughout the region is raki but in the Berat area it is made by distilling walnuts, similar to the Italian spirit, Nocino. When it comes to local food, the area is abundant with figs and olives, both of which are of excellent quality and enjoyed as snacks. Local dishes to try are Byrek, a meat and leek pie, baked stuffed zucchini. For dessert there's Kabuni, a friend rice dish with raisins and cinnamon, or the regional classic, baklava.