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Berat

Thought to be one of the oldest towns in Albania, it is a new member of the UNESCO world heritage list. Berat has long been known as the "city of 1001 windows" because of its unique Ottoman/Albanian architecture. It has a well preserved castle with residents still living inside its protective walls.

56km

40.719.95

Vlorë

Lively seaside city, nice beaches south of town. Passenger ferries to and from Italy dock here.

78km

40.466719.4897

Korca

Korçë (Korça) is the principal city in the district of Korçë in Southeastern Albania.

83km

40.616720.7667

Resen

town in North Macedonia

129km

41.0888888921.01222222

Shëngjin

A growing beach town located in northwest Albania known for its Adriatic Sea views.

157km

41.8119.59
Sights (40)

Gjirokastër Ethnographic Museum

Once Enver Hoxha's house, it is a well-restored Ottoman house which displays clothing, kitchenware, tools and other cultural artifacts. The guided tour (available in Albanian, English, and German though availability should be checked in advance).

677m

40.0755555620.13472222

Zekate House

It is the most visited of Gjirokastër's monumental stone houses. It is one of the largest of its kind, featuring three floors spread over two large towers. The house was recently restored again (having undergone earlier restorations during the Communist era) and is kept open by its owners as a museum house. In addition to providing an interesting primer of the characteristic architectural elements of the city's tower houses, it offers a beautiful view of the city below.

728m

40.0748420.13229

Gjirokastër Fortress

The historical and geographical center of the city, the Castle is billed as the second largest in all the Balkans, and is worth a look. The Armaments Museum is located in the castle (separate 200 leke entrance) and contains a collection of mostly post-War era weapons, photographs and artwork: the main gallery, with its eerily lit corridor, contains two columns of large German and Italian field guns, remnants of WWII. The Castle also contains two Bektashi tekes, the stage for the internationally-renowned Gjirokaster National Folk Festival, a prison (now part of the Armaments Museum and available with an extra charge) and numerous chambers, some in ruins, open to exploration. A second museum gallery, the Zenebishi Gallery, features occasional free art exhibits. Underneath the castle is the underground bunker built in the Cold War.

1.2km

40.07420.141

Labovë e Madhe

village in Albania

10km

40.2069444420.13611111

Kardhiq

Village in Albania.

12km

40.1216666720.0275

Blue Eye, Albania

15km

39.92361120.192778

Lëkurësi Castle

22km

39.865920.02567

Butrint

31km

39.7455555620.02055556

Çorovodë

main city of Skrapar District, Albania

36km

40.520.21666667

Porto Palermo Castle

fortification

38km

40.06219.791

Canyon of Gjipe

51km

40.1436111119.67027778

Lead Mosque, Berat

56km

40.704519.9554

King Mosque, Berat

56km

40.705619.9521

Bachelors' Mosque

56km

40.70468919.950051

Red Mosque, Berat

56km

40.707319.9457

Berat Castle

It was mostly built in the 13th century, but with origins going back to the 4th century BC. A very beautiful place with great views of the surrounding area. Getting to the Kala requires a steep walk up a cobbled path - take care, the stones are worn and slippery. The citadel is still inhabited, with many churches, and there are a couple of bars and shops in the Kala area.

56km

40.70819.945

Hysen Pasha Mosque

56km

40.7061111119.94027778

Vithkuq

municipality in Korçë District, Albania

62km

40.5166666720.58333333

Kaninë Castle

Built in the old center of Vlore in the 3rd century BC. This castle has an area of 3625 ha. It was rebuilt by Emperor Justinian in the 5th century BC. In Anna Komnenes' notes, she talked long about her father, Emperor Aleks', war against the Norman army.

74km

40.44319.52

Orikum

municipality of Albania

77km

40.3333333319.46666667

Muradie Mosque

78km

40.46904919.490932

Flag's Square

- Independence Monument - a massive socialist-realist monument celebrating the independence of Albania from the Ottoman empire in 1912

78km

40.470719.4913

Boboshticë

village in Korçë, Albania

80km

40.5541666720.76444444

Oricum

Ancient theatre of Orikum (1st century BC), Church of Marmiroi (Kisha e Marmiroit) - Here is also a small hotel

80km

40.3188888919.42861111

Andon Zako Çajupi Theatre

84km

40.618720.7771

National Museum of Medieval Art (Albania)

Fantastic collection; if the door is locked during opening hours, ring the buzzer.

85km

40.615820.7837

Fir of Drenovë National Park

85km

40.5833333320.8

Birra Korça

Famous throughout Albania, sponsors a week-long Beer Festival in the summer.

85km

40.611220.7907

Tushemisht

Village in Korçë, Albania

94km

40.9002777820.71916667

Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park

The Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park is a national park in eastern Albania adjacent to the border with North Macedonia. It encompasses 339.277 square kilometres (33,927.7 ha) and is specifically marked by a mountainous landscape supplied with glacial lakes, valleys, dense coniferous and deciduous forests and alpine meadows and pastures. Elevations in the park vary from 300 metres to over 2,200 metres above the Adriatic at the peak of Shebenik and Jabllanica, hence the name. It dwells a number of endangered species that are fast becoming rare in Southern Europe, including the brown bear, gray wolf and balkan lynx. The abundance in wildlife can in part be explained by the variety of vegetation types and remote location.

100km

41.1666666720.5

Aoös

river

102km

40.6427777819.31722222

Lake Ohrid

lake

103km

41.0372222220.71888889

Prespa National Park

One of Albania's national parks, Prespa, is mostly located within Pustec Municipality. The park covers 27,750 hectares (68,570 acres), consisting of Albania's share of the Prespa region. Established in 1999, it aims to conserve the wildlife of Prespa including rare species of bird like the white pelican, the white stork, and the Dalmatian pelican. Almost half of the area of the national park is forest.

103km

40.7520.91666667

St. Mary's Church, Maligrad

This Orthodox cave church was built in 1369 by Serbian nobleman Kesar Novak, though there is an older preserved inscription in the apse of the church dating from 1345. A fresco on the interior depicts Novak's family. The western facade was painted in 1607. The church is built within a cave overlooking the lake.

107km

40.79220.9317

St Mary's Church, Tuminec

Located east of Tuminec just inside the border with North Macedonia, this monastery got its present appearance in 1888, although a cave church of the same name just 100 meters (110 yards) north of the monastery complex dates from the 14th century. The cave church stands 10 m (33 ft) tall and contains many large frescoes. The monastery has not had monks since 1898.

115km

40.886920.9731

Lake Prespa

121km

40.921.03333333

Fatih Mosque, Durrës

Built in 1503.

128km

41.3111111119.44583333

Great Mosque of Durrës

128km

41.313219.4455

Royal Villa of Durrës

This used to be the most luxurious crib in all of Albania, but it was looted in the 1997 uprising and isn't open to visitors now. Reportedly prince Leka has plans to renovate the villa "in the near future", but this has been reported for quite some time. Endure the steep climb up the hill for one of the most spectacular views over the city.

129km

41.314719.4387

Castle of Rodon

Roman amphitheatre in Durrës, Albania

147km

41.585819.4482
Nature

we will see

Gjirokastër

Albania
Someday we will visit Gjirokastër or begin to dream about going there! However, for now its not on our radar. Let us know in the comments if you think that should change!

Gjirokastër

Gjirokastër is a town and a UNESCO world heritage site in Southeastern Albania.

17th-century Ottoman traveller Evliya Çelebi, who visited the city in 1670, described the city in detail. One Sunday, Çelebi heard the sound of a vajtim, the traditional Albanian lament for the dead, performed by a professional mourner. The traveller found the city so noisy that he dubbed Gjirokastër the "city of wailing".

The present municipality was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities of Antigonë, Cepo, Gjirokastër, Lazarat, Lunxhëri, Odrie and Picar, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Gjirokastër. The total population is 28,673 (2011 census), in a total area of 469.55 km (181.29 sq mi). The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 19,836.

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Climate

Average temperatures

Jan

9°C1
Precipitation: 290 mm

Feb

11°C1
Precipitation: 230 mm

Mar

13°C2
Precipitation: 190 mm

Apr

18°C6
Precipitation: 90 mm

May

23°C10
Precipitation: 50 mm

Jun

28°C13
Precipitation: 40 mm

Jul

32°C15
Precipitation: 10 mm

Aug

34°C15
Precipitation: 10 mm

Sep

27°C12
Precipitation: 60 mm

Oct

23°C8
Precipitation: 180 mm

Nov

15°C5
Precipitation: 400 mm

Dec

11°C2
Precipitation: 320 mm
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