Berat (Albania): the city of a thousand windows listed as a UNESCO heritage site
After Gjirokastra, today we visit another UNESCO-listed city in Albania. We walked through it too quickly last time and didn’t get to enjoy its charm.
Part 1: Travel Journal
Part 2: Practical Tips
Part 1: Travel Journal
The road between Gjirokastra and Berat is gorgeous, but I just can’t focus on the beauty of the mountains hidden in the mist, the valleys that reveal themselves around a bend, the crystal-clear river winding and disappearing…
My mind is in Thailand, and I can’t live in the present moment. Ever since we decided to go to Thailand mid-May, planning the trip has been taking up a lot of our time. Bad news pours in every morning: number of new Covid cases, number of deaths, number of quarantine days going from 11 to 15… This morning I found out that Koh Samui (my main destination in Thailand) imposes a 14-day quarantine on any traveler coming from Bangkok. After some research and cross-referencing different sources, I’m finally relieved: this quarantine doesn’t apply to those who have just completed a quarantine in Bangkok and are heading straight to Koh Samui.
Despite a heavy heart with a thousand and one questions about Thailand, I notice more and more poppies along the roadside. It brings me instant joy and I immediately forget about Covid.
Albanian poppies are much redder and more vibrant than the Normandy poppies we saw last year during our road trip near Rouen. JB stops so I can pick 2 and study them carefully in the car (to recreate them in paper if I want).
And since they don’t seem to use pesticides, there are more and more poppy fields.
There are strawberry fields not far away. It’s still early so there are no vendors on the road, but usually there are plenty (we’ve crossed this road twice already). Albanian strawberries are huge, delicious, juicy, and incredibly sweet. I highly recommend trying them if you come here in April.
Arriving in Berat, a UNESCO heritage site, I’ve already forgotten Koh Samui, Covid, and Thailand.
We decide to spend a night in Berat to fully enjoy the city. JB spotted a hotel in the city center (Booking link), with a very large balcony and views over the old town and the new town (and the mosque). Here’s the view from our balcony:
At night, it’s also very pretty:
The old town is tiny, so the game is to get lost in the narrow, steep alleys. However, the best views are from the castle & the city’s two bridges : a modern suspension bridge and a super cute old stone bridge nearby. We’ll do this route twice because the day we go, the weather is a bit dull, and the next day it’s so beautiful that we decide to do the same route again to take photos that will make you want to visit Albania 😀
Let’s start with the castle, which we already visited last time. This time, with our automatic and more powerful car, we drive up the narrow, steep street leading to the castle without fear and even imitate the locals: we go through the main gate and drive straight up to the church.
Spring has definitely arrived, we see flowers everywhere everywhere. That feels good!
From here, the view is so satisfying, even though the wind is still blowing very hard
Last time, I didn’t have the courage to climb to the top and always wondered what was behind the walls, so we went up this time, only to discover… a big lawn and a café simply 😀 no other viewpoints to mention.
We get back in the car to head to the other side of the modern suspension bridge. Despite its size, the bridge trembles when you walk on it, which feels really weird (and a bit headache-inducing).
On the left, you see the old town, on the right the snowy mountains and this huge Capitol-style building, which is the city hall.
View from the bridge
The building that impressed me the most is the Muzaka Hotel , which seems to have a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows, but also a lovely terrace with a view.
If you look carefully, you can spot St. Michael’s Church, which seems to be squeezed against the rock face. It looks inaccessible like that, but there is indeed a path leading to it. We didn’t have the courage to climb that high.
By walking a bit, or taking the car, you can reach the old bridge Gorica Bridge. I much prefer this bridge. Not only because it’s beautiful, but because on the other side of the bridge, there’s a local café, with super laid-back people smoking, chatting, sipping their coffee. There’s a small supermarket always bustling with people, and lots of activity, even if you can’t quite tell who’s doing what. The vibe is always great, whether you’re there in the morning or the afternoon.
On both sides of the riverbank, the Ottoman houses compete in beauty. The whole scene is even more harmonious than what we saw in Gjirokaster. I absolutely love this town!
You can visit the Ethnographic Museum, just to see what an old Ottoman house looks like. Or wander through the alleys, hunting for hidden hotels and restaurants. On our end, we were content with dining at our hotel (Booking link). It’s fresh, delicious, perfectly seasoned, and very affordable. I highly recommend it! Breakfast is included and can be served in the garden.
Beach
We head towards Fier to reach the beach near Darëzezë e Re. It’s a 100% local beach. People are surprised to see us there. Luckily, the restaurants are still open on weekends. There’s no menu, but we’ve picked up a few keywords to order in Albanian. They tell us they’re out of shrimp, but they have fish and salad. Okay. Against all odds, it’s simple yet delicious. Even JB, who wasn’t hungry, eagerly tasted his grilled fish.
We then make the mistake of following Google Maps to get back to Vlorë. Google tells us to cross a bridge, where several amateur fishermen are busy, each with their car parked nearby. Seeing them with their cars, we don’t think twice and assume the road is safe. But the further we drive, the more we realize there are potholes on the road. Yet the fields, the birds, the nature on both sides enchant us, and JB manages to dodge from one hole to the next. Since it had rained all weekend, the holes are flooded, and we reach a hole deeper than the others. On both sides, there are water-filled fields.
Looking at the tire tracks and measuring the depth of the hole with branches from nearby trees, we conclude it’s doable. We only have a 7-minute drive left to reach the main road. I guide JB to take the ideal path.
And then, the rear wheel seems stuck. I smile at JB, encouraging him, but I’m already considering the option of having to call for help, and I calculate, in case they can’t locate us, how long it would take on foot to reach the fishermen we saw earlier to ask for assistance. Plus, after not sealing the water bottle properly, we only have 30ml of water left for the two of us. Our host doesn’t speak English, the car rental guy isn’t bilingual either—how are we going to manage? In that second that feels like an eternity, JB presses hard on the accelerator, and miraculously, the car manages to get through that tough spot.
We both shout with joy, thinking it’s over. But 3 meters later, there’s an even deeper hole.
And worse, there’s the trace of a tire that got stuck in there, creating a hole at least 60cm deep. We gather as many stones as we can nearby to fill the hole, but when tossed in, they make an ominous “plop,” and we just can’t fill it to an acceptable level. We start cutting the grass around, picking up branches… which just float… We consider different scenarios, run tests, to see if we could push the car together if it gets stuck. The main road is only 7 minutes away.
But having had a major scare in Montenegro, I’m not up for that game again. Who’s to say there aren’t even deeper holes ahead? And since absolutely no cars are coming from the opposite direction, it’s unlikely this road is passable as is.
Weighing the pros and cons, we decide to turn back. JB barely has room to make a U-turn without ending up in the ditch. But that means going back through the tricky hole we almost got stuck in moments ago.
This time, the difficult part is tackled by the drive wheels first, so JB gets through much more easily than the first time. I admit, the moment the tires touch the soft parts of the hole feels like an eternity, and my stomach knots up, but JB perfectly guided the car, doing what was needed so the tires landed exactly where they should.
We’re then consoled by about ten birds flying at eye level, right in front of the car. It feels like they’re accompanying us. It’s so beautiful and so touching. We drive under the gentle afternoon sun, with a soft breeze. The river water flows slowly, sparkling. It feels like we’re reborn, and we cherish this moment of grace with deep gratitude.
Passing by the fishermen again, they look at us with surprise, wondering how such an ordinary car could come from that side of the road. Anyway, if you take the same route, don’t cross the bridge, only aim for the good roads (the yellow ones on Google Maps).
We then stop at Vlorë at the pontoon café (which I mentioned here) to catch our breath, and then we discovered several water sources. What a memorable day!
Returning the car is super easy; we have an appointment at a certain time and place. The Sixt guy isn’t happy to see the car covered in mud. He asks why we took a “dirty road.” I give an awkward smile 😀
The rest of our adventure in Albania, is right here
Part 2: Practical Tips
Budget
- Hotel Rezidenca Desaret (€45/night, Booking link)
- Car rental: €22/day with Sixt
- Fuel: €15/day
- Dinner: 2700 LEK for two
- Lunch at the beach: 1800 LEK for two
Links
All my articles about Albania are available here
For excursions, guided tours in Albania, check out Civitatis or Viator (by Tripadvisor) here.
My best addresses in Albania are on this custom Google Maps. You can also access it here
