Foto: The old Ottoman houses of Berat (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Albania - In the center, most passengers leave the bus. A young man gestures that we should get out too. Outside, he points the way to the citadel. We quickly follow his directions and climb up to the citadel, located 214 meters higher. It’s quite a climb. The citadel is depicted on a 10 LEK coin. The sun is already low on the horizon, and we want to enjoy the view with sunlight still shining on the Ottoman houses. At the top, we walk along the old citadel walls. In the past, there were 42 churches within these fortified walls. Today, only a few remain. We don’t pay much attention to those, as we ask several times for directions to the viewpoint. From the top, we get a beautiful view of the lower district of Gorica. The light of the setting sun just touches the neighborhood. Back down, we settle on a terrace along a pedestrian promenade. Numerous Albanians are out for a stroll. It’s amusing to see the same people walking by again and again.
The Amphitheatre of Butrint
Albania - The weather clears up at Butrint. The sun is shining and it’s quite hot—no sign of rain here. The ancient city of Butrint was founded around 500 BC on a small peninsula. Over time, it was expanded by the Romans, the Byzantines, and eventually the ...
The Castle of Kruje
Albania - The historic town of Kruja is located 32 km northwest of Tirana. From Barbullush to Kruja, it is a one and a half hour drive. Kruja is a medieval town and was first mentioned as a Christian religious center in the year 879. Later, Kruja became the main ...
The Castle of Shkoder
Albania - We then drive back to Shkoder. The GPS directs us onto a cart path through the city toward the castle. We hesitate whether to take this route with our Land Rover, but decide against it. From the other side, the road is better. The final stretch is quite ...
The Central Square of Tirana
Albania - Cars drive five rows deep on a three-lane road, yet everyone seems to be considerate. We carefully maneuver “Brutus” through the busy roundabouts. The street of our hotel isn’t recognized by the GPS. When we drive along a nearby boulevard, we know ...
The Old Quarter of Gjirokaster
Albania - From Fier, we head toward Gjirokaster. Part of the route is on an old, rough road, but much of it is on a new highway. Around 1:30 PM, we enter Gjirokaster. A very steep and narrow road takes us up to the castle via GPS. In low gear, we slowly drive uphill. ...