TIRANA, Oct 27 /ATA/ – The city of a thousand windows, Berat, is one of Albania’s popular gems and home to UNESCO sites, as well as 122 monuments of culture. From the Kalaja the looks over the city to the maze of cobblestone streets that run through the centre of the like veins, there are a lot of sites to see in Berat.
Swimming, rafting and hiking, is just some of what to do in Berta in summer, while many of the city’s landmarks are all open all year round, so there is no shortage of activities to keep you busy.
From the famous Gorica quarter to the King complex, here are the top 10 things to do in Berat.
The best places to visit in Berat.
It’s hard to pick just 10 things in Berat, as the city offers so much more. Here are our top ten picks.
Hike or drive up to Berat Kalaja or Berati castle
If your only see one of Berat attractions, this is it! Berat Kala is the most important among the top ten things to see in Berat. Once you enter the castle, you can see the homes that are still inhabited by the locals and wander through the old alleys with souvenir shops, cafes and BIzantine churches.
The entrance to Kalaja is open from 9:00am to 6:00 pm and costs LEK 100, but being a residential area, the castle quarter is open 24 hours.
One of the Berat tourist attractions within the Castle Quarter, aka Kala Quarter that’s often seen in the images of Berat, is the 14th century Church of the Holy Trinity with its red dome.
There’s an inscription inside the church with the name of Andronicus Paleologus, the Governor of Berat from 1302 to 1326, indicating that he probably supported the construction of the church.
Other sites to see within the Kala area are the Red Mosque, Church of St’s Theodhore, Church of the Dormition of St.Mary with the Onufri Museum inside it, and several small chapels are mostly locked.
From the Kalaja, you can get an almost 360 degree view of panoramic city with rooftops of the houses below.
Visit the Onufri Iconography Museum
Although it is located within the Kalaja area, it deserves its own place on the Berat top 10 places to visit the list. The red and gold colours of Onufri’s paints will capture your imagination and stay with you long after you have left.
The Onufri museum in housed in the Church of the Dormition of St.Mary. It also houses the paintings of Onufri’s son Nikola as well as David Selenica, Onouphrios Cypriotes, Kostantin Shpataraku and many others.
The museum is home to 106 icons and 67 liturgical objects and it is open til 6 pm in summer and 4 pm in winter and costs 200 LEK to enter.
Visit the National Ethnographic Museum
One of the biggest in the Balkans, the National Ethnographic Musuem, is one of the top places to see. Set in an 18th century Ottoman house close to the castle, its showcases clothing, tools, and furniture traditionally used by Albanians.
The higher floors include living rooms, bedrooms, sitting areas that give you an idea of life in the past. You can also see the bathroom and the shed holding the wine press nearby.
Wandering through the Mangalem or Gorica Quarter
Just like Buda and Pest from both sides of Budapest, the Gorica and Mangalem quarters occupy two different sides of the river. The Gorica quarter, on the Southern Side of Osumi River was the Christian Section, while the Mangalem Quarter of the Norther Side was the Muslim Section. The views of each side taken from across the river are simply beautiful as is the Gorica Bridge which is one of the topc tourist attracts in Berat.
Visit Winery
You can’t visit Berat and not go wine tasting. It’s right there on every list of things to do in Berat.
A visit to the traditional vineyards near Berat that have a long history of winemaking will have you sipping whites and reds and coming back for more. The Cobo Winery is about 20 minutes drive from Berat and arranges tours showcasing the family’s history of winemaking.
Visit the King Mosque Complex
The Sultan Mosque or King Mosque forms the centre of a complex of religious buildings constructed in the 15th century by Sultan Bayezid II. The mosque is reflective of the wealth of Ottomans during their golden period.
Anyone can enter as long as you are adequately dressed and take off the shoes. The murals on the walls and ceiling includes verses from Quran and a beautiful wooden ceiling. The Islamic library showcases wooden carvings , while the nearby teke where you can see dervishes perform is a must – see in Berat.
Drive to Bogove Waterfalls
If you are looking for things to do in Berat in June, or anytime in summer for that matter, a trip to Bogove waterfall will ensure you have some fun in Berat. An hour’s drive will get you to the aquamarine waterfall that tops the list of Berat tourist destinations.
Bogova meaning ‘of the Gods’ takes its name from the nearby Bogova village. With a plunge of 20 meters down to its beautiful blue waters, it’s one of the cool things to do in Berat, especially in summer.
Hike up Mount Tomorr
Set in the heart of the Tomorr Mount Park , hiking up Mount Tomorr is one of the must do things in Berat for nature lovers. The Christians go up on Assumption Day, which is August 15. The Bektashis go on an annual pilgrimage from Aug 20 to 25 in honor of Abba ibn Ali. In the old legends, Baba Tomorr with a long flowing white beard, stays in the mountain and watches over the city of Berat.
