Berat is a city in southern Albania, perhaps better known by the nickname “the city of a thousand windows.” It is often called the most beautiful Albanian city, recognizable by its maze of stone Ottoman houses climbing up to the ruins of the citadel above them. Due to its well-preserved Ottoman architecture, it is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and was declared a museum city back in the 1960s.
Berat is located about 120 kilometers south of Tirana and only 30 kilometers from the sea, surrounded by mountains that steeply descend towards the Osum River on whose banks it lies, and which are often in marked contrast with its white stone. The peak of Mount Tomorr, over 2400 meters high, guards it from the east, and the national park of the same name invites you to hike the Balkan heights you shouldn’t miss.
The charm of Berat is not only given by its twisted stone streets but also by the colorful people it attracts. Within the city walls, often decorated with tapestries, handicrafts, and a variety of trinkets displayed on the streets to attract tourists, you will always feel welcome and accepted because the locals are renowned for their hospitality. You may not understand a word they say, but you will feel like you’ve returned to a long-lost family.
The ruins of the citadel on top of the hill and the city walls, older than two and a half millennia, hold stories from ancient and Byzantine times, remember Ottoman heroes, and hide numerous mosques, churches, and monasteries. However, the biggest attraction in Berat is the Gorica Bridge, or the Turkish Bridge, which connects the Christian quarter of Goritsa on the west bank with the Muslim quarter of More-Tchelepi on the east bank of the river. It was first built of wood at the end of the 18th century and rebuilt in stone at the end of the 19th century. Numerous legends are associated with the bridge, sometimes cruel but fortunately untrue, such as the one about a girl walled up inside it.
In addition to its charming houses and kind people, Berat will also captivate you with the dramatic nature surrounding it and the flavors of its cuisine. In the Balkans, you certainly won’t stay hungry, and besides the traditional and nonexotic cuisine based on meat grilled on an open fire, pies, and dairy products, this tourist town offers a variety of restaurants of all types and concepts. Even the “fancier” or “more expensive” ones will still be quite affordable. Whatever you choose, don’t miss out on burek, cevapi, Bey’s soup, and baklava.
Accommodation can be found in luxurious or less luxurious hotels as well as private rentals, with prices for two people rarely exceeding one hundred euros and usually around thirty euros or less per person, N1 writes.
E.Dz.
