15 December 2018.
Pocket-sized Berat, the city of a thousand windows, is one of Albania’s most enchanting sights.
Cascading steeply to the banks of the Osum River, this Ottoman-era town is a veritable labyrinth of timeworn white-washed streets, uneven cobblestones and of course, the captivating mosaic of window frames that stare out from every wall, capturing Berat’s two halves, Gorica and Mangalem, in an eternal, unblinking staring match across the water.
After six weeks and what had been a fantastic summer in Albania, hiking the spectacular Accursed Mountains, basking on the pebbled shores of the Albanian Riviera and weaving between the impossibly pretty villages of the highlands, UNESCO-listed Berat was my last stop in the country. A bittersweet finale in one of Albania’s most beautiful and atmospheric cities.
However, trundling into town in mid-August when the oppressive summer heat was reaching its sweltering peak, the wonderfully cool respite of my hostel made it far too easy to put off exploring in favour mooching around indoors with the air-con on and an endless supply of cold drinks.
Still, while many suggest visiting Berat as just a day trip, with some of Albania’s most beautiful pockets of nature a mere stone’s throw away, it’s well worth spending the time to explore – temperatures permitting, of course.
* This post includes affiliate links and any purchases made through these links will earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. *
Maya Hostel | Set in a beautifully restored 16th-century Ottoman house, Maya Hostel is one of Berat’s best budget options. Big comfy beds, a charming outdoor space and a great breakfast make this an excellent base for exploring beautiful Berat. Check rates and availability here.
Vila Lili Guest House | On my most recent visit to Berat, I stayed at this wonderful family-run guesthouse where you’ll find the kind of warm hospitality for which Albania is famed. Set a short walk from the centre, the excellent-value rooms are simple but comfortable with a secure parking area ideal for those travelling by car.
Best of all though is Lili’s culinary wizardry which she serves with bundles of pride, love and joy. The included breakfast is varied and plentiful boasting a selection of homemade jams, preserves, baked goods and juices – don’t miss the rose petal lemonade which you’ll see seeping in the sun. The excellent-value multi-course dinner is also highly recommend and will send you into a blissful food coma. Check rates and availability here.
From Tirana, buses leave every half hour from the South Station near the Eagle Monument starting at 7 a.m. until around 5 p.m. The trip takes 2 to 3 hours and costs 400 lek (€3).
There are two daily services from Saranda departing at 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and taking around 6 hours, and just one daily service from Gjirokaster at 10:30 a.m.
Berat’s bus terminal lies 3km north of town with regular city buses – about every 10 minutes – connecting it to the centre for 30 lek (€0.25).
Perched high above the town on a scraggly pinnacle of rock, Berat Castle offers up fantastic views over the valley.
The maze of tiny buildings that peek through the trees at Gorica, the sea of terracotta rooftops that dress Mangalem and the sprawling streets of modern Berat that roll all the way toward the distant mountains.
Perhaps most unique, however, is that between the ancient crumbling castle walls, the tiny hilltop village is still very much lived in. Beside the souvenir stalls that spill across the cobbled laneways and tiny fridges serving up ice cold drinks to visitors that have made the steep climb to the top, washing blows in the wind, beat up cars sputter through the narrow streets and locals set off to begin their daily commutes.
Inside the complex you’ll find a number of mosques, as well as a few Orthodox churches scattered around the perimeter. But for the best views over the city, head towards the flagpole at the far end.
The castle remains open 24 hours a day so it’s a great place catch a sunrise or sunset. Between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. visitors do need to purchase a ticket for 100 lek (€0.80), but outside of these times it’s free to enter.
Bursting with cafes and bars that gaze across the leafy park, Bulevardi Republika is the place to go when the day begins to wind down.
Grab an ice-cream and stroll the pedestrianised street, or order a glass of verë and pull up a chair to see the goings-on along Berat’s liveliest street.
During my time in Albania, when it came to talking food, almost everyone I met agreed on one thing – Berat does it best!
Despite being a relatively tiny town, it’s jam-packed with fantastic restaurants that really raise the bar when it comes to traditional Albanian cuisine. These were a few of my favourites, plus some other suggestions for your visit.
Wildor | For delicious food, reasonable prices and a very welcome air-conditioned room, my absolute favourite place to eat in Berat was Wildor. Set right beside the river, this friendly restaurant serves up all the Albanian staples alongside a few unique dishes as well.
Antigoni | Gazing across the river toward enchanting Managlem, Antigoni’s setting simply lovely. The food’s pretty great as well.
Home-Made Food Lili | In the heart of Mangalem’s maze lies Lili’s, a humble, rustic eatery where you’re welcomed like an old friend to join the family feast. Stumbling upon this place for lunch mid-week, they were unfortunately fully booked, but online reviews are overwhelmingly glowing. It’s perhaps not for everyone, but if you’re looking for an authentic Albanian dining experience, it sounds like the perfect place. Reservations are essential and need to be made well in advance,.
Missing out on Osumi Canyon was one of my biggest regrets from my very first visit to Albania, so it was only fitting that on my third go around, it finally made it onto the itinerary.
Wedged between the national parks of Tomorri Mountain and Fir of Hotova-Dangëlli, Osumi Canyon, or Kanioni i Osumit in the local tongue, carves a dramatic tear through the lush countryside of central Albania and spans for 26 km south of Çorovodë.
Forged by the Osum River, the vertiginous cliffs of the canyon play host to tumbling waterfalls and stunted trees that cling on for dear life, undulating with the contours of the river into staggeringly tight passages and wide echoey spaces.
The water levels in Osumi Canyon change dramatically across the year and are highest in early spring when snowmelt trickles down from the mountains, the river swells and the vegetation is at its most vibrant. By summer, the intense heat is unforgiving and flow is massively reduced, forming numerous shallow channels that can only be navigated on foot.
Osumi Canyon can be explored on foot via the 18 km perimeter trail, though I wouldn’t recommend attempting this during summer when the extreme temperatures and non-existent shade make the hike somewhat unpleasant. Alternatively, it’s possible to visit Osumi Canyon on a variety of tours that focus on sightseeing, rafting or river trekking.
Located around 1.5 hours from Berat, Osumi Canyon makes an ideal day trip and is best combined with a stop at Bogove Waterfall. Read this Osumi Canyon guide for all my top tips to plan your visit.
Rising steeply beyond the twisting streets of Gorica, this forested hill serves up excellent views as a reward for those that make the steep and rocky climb.
Emerging between the trees, high above the rubble walls of Berat Castle, the scene opens up to reveal an ocean of rust-red rooftops that melt into endless folds of verdant countryside. It’s undoubtedly one of the best views in Berat.
The start of the path can be a little tricky to find, but if you turn up the small alleyway beside Hotel Muzaka and keep heading uphill and up a few stairs you should be heading in the right direction.
In the blazing heat of summer, few things sound more appealing than an icy dip in a natural mountain oasis.
Tucked away in the lush Tomorri Mountain National Park, Bogovë Waterfall gushes across a craggy ravine into an invigoratingly icy jade-coloured pool.
From the main parking area in the tiny village of Bogovë, it’s an easy half hour or 1.6 km walk to the falls mostly along a dirt road that hugs the banks of the river before crossing a bridge and meeting a narrow trail that guides you through sparse forest for the final 100 metres.
By car, it’s a slow and winding 34 km drive from Berat which takes close to an hour, otherwise there are fairly regular morning buses between Berat and Çorovodë (often labelled as Skrapar) where you can jump off at Bogovë from where it’s an extra kilometre to the start of the walk. Keep in mind though that the last bus back to Berat departs in the early afternoon.
Alternatively, there are plenty of tours that combine a visit to Bogove Waterfall and Osumi Canyon.
Read this guide for all my tips on visiting.
With the oppressive heat creeping into my bones and making me feel incredibly lazy, outings were often put on hold in favour of laying around the cool confines of the hostel until the overbearing warmth had begun to die off. And so when it came to set off to a winery in the countryside, as absolutely wonderful as it sounded, I just couldn’t be bothered, and that was certainly my loss.
Just 20-minutes from Berat, Çobo Winery is the area’s most famous winery with a lovely open-air terrace overlooking the river and a long-held family tradition of winemaking.
Tours here operate four times a day and include a walk through of the vineyards and winemaking facilities led by a family member. Their two-tiered tasting packages start from €25 and include a selection of white, red and sparkling wine, raki and appetisers.
