The castle of Berat in Albania
The castle of Kruje in Albania
The neighbourhood inside the castle's walls still lives and breathes; if you walk around this busy, ancient neighbourhood for long enough you'll invariably stumble into someone's courtyard thinking it's a church or ruin (no one seems to mind, though). In spring and summer the fragrance of camomile is in the air (and underfoot), and wildflowers burst from every gap between the stones.
The highest point is occupied by the Inner Fortress, where ruined stairs lead to a Tolkienesque water reservoir. Views are spectacular in all directions, and guided tours are available from the entry gate for €10. It's a steep ten minute walk up the hill from the centre of town.
 Castle Pictorial in Antiquity
2,500 years ago the castle above the city of Berat began. This castle is one of the last castles in Europe to have residents living inside it's walls. It's a pleasure to show travelers this heritage site plus visits to the Ethnographic Museum, Onufri Iconography Museum, and UNESCO historical quarters of Mangalem and Gorica.
Tour Length: Approximately 3 hours.
1-4 people: 30€
5-20 people: 45€
20+ people: 50€
Note: 3€ are needed for Castle, Ethnographic, and Iconography Museum entry.
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Berat weaves its own very special magic, and is easily a highlight of visiting Albania. Its most striking feature is the collection of white Ottoman houses climbing up the hill to its castle, earning it the title of 'town of a thousand windows' and helping it join Gjirokastra on the list of Unesco World Heritage sites in 2008. Its rugged mountain setting is particularly evocative when the clouds swirl around the tops of the minarets, or break up to show the icy top of Mt Tomorri.
1000 Windows Tour in Mangalemi
The old quarters are lovely ensembles of whitewashed walls, tiled roofs and cobblestone roads. Surrounding the town, olive and cherry trees decorate the gentler slopes, while pine woods stand on the steeper inclines. The modern town is dominated by the incongruously modern dome of Berat University, while elsewhere the bridges over the Osumi River to the charmingly unchanged Gorica side include a 1780 seven-arched stone footbridge.
Traditional Albanian Folk Singers
In the 3rd century BC an Illyrian fortress called Antipatrea was built here on the site of an earlier settlement. The Byzantines strengthened the hilltop fortifications in the 5th and 6th centuries, as did the Bulgarians 400 years later. The Serbs, who occupied the citadel in 1345, renamed it Beligrad, or 'White City'. Albania, though it has managed to retain its easy-going charm and friendly atmosphere. Don't miss it.
Berat, Albania: Monuments
Museum Frescoes: Albanian Orthodox
