On our first trip to Albania in 2017 we stayed only one night in Berat. It is the kind of town with a gentle vibe that immediately endears and it was with regret, but a room already booked, that we moved on. That is why we decided to revisit Berat, as well as Pogradec and Korçe in July 2025. We flew to Tirana and spent a day chilling in our favourite hotel, the Orchidea. The next day we had a coffee in the wonderfully quirky Hajmali Cafe Bar while we waited to pick up a car. It is a tiny joint but jammed packed with all manner of curious items, run by an English-speaking bloke and his tiny, non-English-speaking mother. If you happen to be nearby, do drop in.
The Royal Tombs of Selca
We set out for the Royal Tombs of Selca, which are tucked away behind trees on the top of a towering hill, and accessed by a winding gravel road that tests your patience and your tyres. It is signposted from the main road but from then on you have to follow your nose. You will come to a wide meadow with a single tree in the middle and the woods in front of you. There are 5 tombs but we were able to find only 4. Walk straight ahead and you will see 2 paths, each of which go to tombs. Here Illyrian kings were buried during 3-4th centuries BC. They are impressive if you are knowledgeable about Illyrians, if not, it is a long, albeit scenic, detour for a relatively short visit.
Lake Ohrid is simply stunning; a huge expanse of clear, blue water spanning two countries, bordered by impressive mountains. Last time we didn't stop, preferring to go on to Macedonia, so this year we stayed two nights, allowing a full day to relax by the beach and mooch around in the town. There isn't a lot to do, but there are a couple of churches with frescoes, the 14th Century Kisha Fjetja e Shën Marisë (Saint Mary's) and the modern orthodox church. Parking is a nightmare by the way. Luckily, we found cheap rooms with parking included. The main road along the river is lined with bars, typical restaurants and hotels. Maji Hotel had traditional live music on in the garden every night and watching the Albanian tourists dancing was great fun. Although the media rave about the Albanian riviera beaches, most of them are not sandy, whereas Pogradec boasts a kilometre-long stretch of sand. Be sure to try the koran fresh water trout. Pogradec is quiet, very pleasant, and extremely affordable. For these reasons, I am sure we will go back in the future.
Lake Prespa
Scenic Lake Prespa shares borders with Greece, Albania and Macedonia. We were keen to see frescoes of the medieval St Mary's church which resides on the island in Lake Prespa. The Panorama restaurant is situated just past Pustec village, at the end of the road, in a priveleged position overlooking the lake. There we had a snack and were given a business card for a boat trip operator - 30€ per person for an excursion aroung the lake. We were only interested in seeing the church and so declined the boat trip. Consequently, we didn't manage to see it despite our efforts to find another boat owner. We ventured further to the next village, but found nothing of interest. Maybe in the future, with more time available, we will do the lake boat trip.
Korçe and Vithkuq
Back in 2017, Korçe surprised us with its laid-back atmosphere, friendly natives, famous local beer and outstanding medieval art museum. We also put in a lengthy shift in a bar across the road from the museum, where we chatted to the locals and became friends. So taken were we that we returned a year later, and again this year. Our first port of call was the almost empty outdoor swimming pool (with bar) a kilometre or so north of the centre, hidden behind an abandoned hotel. It is listed as St. Tropez on Google maps and I think it cost 5€, although it is bit of blur as we were so hot and tired when we got there, but I would have paid ten times that. Once installed in our accommodation, first on the list was to go back to the medieval art museum. If you want to feast your eyes on a thousand paintings of Mary, Jesus and the saints, this is your place. Tickets cost 7€ and it is open daily 9am-7pm although I think it closes at lumchtime. It was closed the first time we went.
Korçe brewery
Korçe beer is sold all over Albania. The brewery was established in 1928. The original building still stands a few minutes walk from the medieval museum, but is now a bar and restaurant. An impressive new building was made next door and is where we took a free guided tour with Olen, who speaks pretty good English, and after explaining the whole process offered a couple of free beers to sample. On a hot day Korçe beer is light and refreshing, so we spent a couple of hours in the shady beer garden enjoying several drinks accompanied by typical sausages, local cheeses and chips. Here is the link to their website for more info : https://birrakorca.com.al/en/ I could be mistaken but I seem to remember a beer was 100lek (1€). Need I say more!
I highly recommend the small Gjon Mili museum if you are interested in photography. Gjon Mili had a fascinating life, born in Korçe but lived most of his life in USA and was friends with many international actors, artists (including Picasso) and musicians. He developed new techniques which made his photographs famous, leading him to work for Life magazine.
The compact Oriental museum, filled with all manner of artefacts, is worth half an hour, and afterwards you can have a beer in A2 bar-kafe across the road.
In search of more frescoes: Vithkuq
In 2017, we were fortunate to be shown around half a dozen wonderful churches in lovely Voskopoje village by an obliging young woman who worked in the tourist information office. This year we planned to visit neighbouring Vithkuq, and through yet another stroke of luck, a customer in the bar near the medieval museum (called A2 Bar) told us he knew the keyholder and arranged for us to meet him the next day. Located a couple of kilometres outside of Vithkuq, St Peter's monastery was bombed by Mussolini during the War and all that remains, remarkably, is the gorgeous 18th Century church, perched high on a hill, accessed by a winding narrow gravel track (signposted from the main road, bear right when you get to the next fork). We got a lift in a pick up truck, and I would suggest that a 4x4 is necessary. Inside, fascinating frescoes cover every space, mostly in fairly good condition. The church is at the time of writing undergoing restoration and entrance is prohibited, unless you have contacts!
Actually in the village of Vithkuq, stands the Church of St Michael Archangel, which is equally impressive inside
Berat
Berat is a faff to get to from the south, especially with the massive roadworks which go on for miles as the road is being upgraded. However, this charming town was top of our list for this trip. Known as 'the city of a thousand windows' due to the Ottoman style houses, the Osum River divides the town, with the delightful neighbourhood of Gorica on the south side, and the outstanding citadel and new town opposite. There is a lot to see: inside the walled citadel, there is the museum of medieval artist Onufri, several churches, and marvellous panoramic views. In the modern town, the old mosque and the teke are worth a quick visit. The ethnographic museum is currently closed. The main drag runs along the river and is lined with bars and restaurants. It gets lively at the weekend which is a contrast to weekdays when it is rather sleepy. Gorica's pretty narrow lanes, mostly filled with restaurants and hotels are a pleasure to wander. There are a couple of churches worth visiting, although we were not able to as one had a wedding on and the other was closed. Accommodation is cheap and plentiful; I would suggest 2-3 nights minimum to see Berat, and more if you are inclined to do a trip south towards the famous gorge near Çorovode.
From Berat we headed back to Tirana to spend one last night. On reflection, this trip was relaxing, partly because we had already been to all of the places, but also because we took things slowly in the knowledge that we will be back to Albania in the future.
Finally, here is our friend Ardi, owner of A2 bar-kafe in Korçe, on Boulevard Fan Noli, opposite the Oriental Museum, proudly showing the scarf I sent him. Do pop in.
