Vlora - What to See in Albania's Second Largest Port City

Vlora is a coastal city on Albania's Adriatic Coast. It is reputed to be one of the most beautiful places in the Mediterranean region and in recent years has become an important tourist center. With nice sandy beaches, the summer time is an ideal time to visit Vlora. You can swim in the sea beginning in May and the water is still warm enough in October to enjoy a pleasant outing at the beach.

Besides the beach, Vlora has a rich cultural history dating back to the 6th Century B.C. A stone wall was built around the city in the 4th Century B.C. and it was the main port of Illyria (the ancient name for Albania). During that era Vlora was well known for its olives, wine and for the production of salt.

In the medieval period Vlora was under the administration of several different rulers. The Normans conquered the region in 1081, and it later came on rule of Venice before being handed over to Germans. In 1272 it became part of the kingdom of Arbria and in the 1400s an Albanian feudal family dominated the city. Finally, in 1417 Vlora was the first port to fall to the Ottoman Turks. The Ottomans built mosques and fortresses and other monuments during their rule of 500 years.

In the modern era, Albania obtained its independence in 1912 and Vlora was the place where that independence was declared. Fittingly, there is a museum dedicated to the Independence movement in Vlora and it should be near the top of your list if you are visiting Vlora for cultural purposes.

Another important place to visit in Vlora is the Mosque of Muradie. It was built in 1542 and was designed by the architect Sinani. It was commissioned by Sultan Sulejman who was in Vlora and preparing a naval attack on Italy.

The castle of Kanina is another must-see place for any cultural tour of Vlora. This castle dominated the entire medieval period of Vlora and is located in the present day Kanina village near the city. If you like old castles, then you can go on to visit the castles of Porto-Palermo, Himara and Ilias which all lie in the area around Vlora.

There are a number of religious places that are points of interest for tourists and these include the Monastery of Saint Mary in Zvernec Village, the Churh of Saint Mitri in the village of Qepara, the church of Mesodhia in the village of Vuno and the Church of Saint Sotiri in the village of Vuno.

In addition to the previously mentioned Museum of Independence, the city also has a Museum of Ethnography and a Museum of History.

In case you are wondering about accommodations and other facilities, the natural beauty and cultural heritage of this city have made it a magnet for tourists; thus, the tourism infrastructure has developed rapidly in the past few years. So you should be able to find what you need to make your stay comfortable.

Whether you want to enjoy the pleasures of a sandy beach on the sunny Adriatic sea or take a first hand look at cultural artifacts stretching back to the sixth century BC, Vlora is the place for you.

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Albania - A Destination Not Spoiled by Tourism

For those that travel often, it is no secret that some of the most popular destinations to visit are tainted by the tourists that travel there. Many of these places begin to cater towards these visitors and much of the authentic vibe becomes quickly lost. However, there are places like Albania that escape this trap and remain true to their roots. These places are off the beaten path and remain unscathed by industrialization and tourism. If you'd like to visit a genuine destination, Albania is a great choice, just make certain that your passport is up to date. Keep in mind that you can get passports now online with little hassle.

Online services are a great way to get your documents because they offer many different services at the click of a button. For instance, you can often choose to renew an expired passport, replace a lost or stolen one, or even purchase an infant passport. Whatever your specific need is, the fact that you can do this 24 hours a day without having to stand in line is certainly going to save you time and stress.

When you visit Albania, you will quickly notice just how naturally beautiful the landscape is. This area is home to many different types of endangered species such as the Mediterranean Monk Seal and the Dalmatian Pelican. Since this country lies on both the Ionian and the Adriatic Sea, there are miles and miles of coast for you o enjoy yourself on. The coast is a great place to relax, get some sun, or even take a trip diving some of the underwater landscapes. If you think you might like a bit more exercise, you can always go hiking in the mountains for an afternoon picnic and look at the wildlife. Whatever your preference, you will find it in Albania.

Albania is full of many different archaeological sites for you to visit. Phoinike, Lissos, and Oricum are all places worth seeing on your trip. Phoinike existed long ago under the Epirus Kingdom. It was a very prosperous city for ten centuries and was even where the Macedonian War officially ended. Lissos was once occupied by Caesar and is a mountain top location overlooking a beautiful river. Oricum, also a city that thrived, has its own amphitheater that was used for entertainment. Regardless of where you go, you will not be able to help but appreciate the historical significance of almost every area you come across.

There are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are located in Albania. This recognition is only given to special areas in the world that have significant natural or cultural value. The fist area is a city called Berat. It is known as the "city of 1000 windows" due to the architecture. Many consider this one of the oldest areas of Albania. Gjirokastër is the other location. This city also has very unique architecture and its own castle. Here you can also visit a few different museums that are dedicated to the Albanian culture.

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Pongradec in Albania

Pogradec (Albanian: Pogradec or Pogradeci) is one of the finest tourist sites in Albania, because of its location near Lake Ohrid, famous for its crystal clear water, natural habitat of the Koran fish, similar to trout. Beyond the beautiful beach, a holiday in Pogradec is made more interesting by trips to the tourist center of Drilon (5km east), with crystal fountains that fill the beautiful canals surrounded by trees and ornamental plants, or to the beautiful villages of Tushemist and Lin, with lovely beaches and clear water, where wine production and agriculture are the traditions of each house.

The city of Pogradec lies along the mighty Lake Ohrid, 695m above sea level. It's bounded by the lake to the north and northeast. In the southern and western directions there are mountains and hills, mountains Mokra, which create a beautiful wreath to the city. The hills are covered with bushes most of chestnut, beech and oak trees, but also fruit trees and vines.

History

The archaeological excavations in the village of Lin at north of Pogradec and in the river Leka, show that this area has been inhabited since the late Neolithic period (from 6000 to 2000 years ago). The area of Pogradec, according to several sources, was inhabited by the Illyrians, and it was here that a powerful state was established, building castles and cities like Blace, Selce and Poshtme. 40 km away from Pogradec, in the heart of the mountains Mokra in the low Selca, there are 5 monumental tombs dating back to 2400 years ago, built near the end of the fourth century BC. They are unique in Europe for the way they are dug into the rock. The paleo-Christian church in Lin, located on the peninsula of Lini, was built in the fifth century BC and all the floors are decorated with mosaics. Other churches and other archaeological sites, such as bridge Golik, show the beginning of an ancient civilization.

The Castle of Pogradec is situated 689m above sea level, and is close to the city. It has been inhabited since the fifth century BC. In the second half of the fourth century BC, this Illyric residential area was fortified with bastions. It was a small castle, with small residential houses, and served as a fortress for the surrounding area. Archaeological excavations show that the inhabitants of this area are engaged in agriculture, fishing and other trades. Also they established relations with neighboring areas. The city and its houses were burnt by a huge fire in the second century BC during the Roman-Macedonian-Illyrian war. Pogradec Castle continued to be occupied during the invasion of the Romans, but without fortification did not have the same active life he had before. At the end of the fourth century, were built new ramparts and the castle began to be useful for the native population, this time to protect them from the barbarians. It continued to be a major residential area until the new invasions in the ninth century.

Things to do in Pogradec

• Take the 1maje, an avenue along the beach located in the eastern part of the city.
• Visit Drilon, 5 km from Pogradec. Among the freshness of the trees and the channels of crystal clear water, there are many restaurants where you can enjoy traditional cuisine and other Mediterranean specialties.
• The beautiful lake Lukova provides attractive opportunities for summer camping.
• Kabashi is positioned in the middle of a forest of chestnut trees, 3 km from the quarry. Here you can breathe fresh air and there are beautiful waterfalls.
• Visit the archaeological sites: the monumental tombs of Selca(40km away from Pogradec), the mosaics of Lini dated back to Roman times, the Castle of Pogradec, Golic bridge
• Visit the churches: the monastery of St. Thomas (an Orthodox church in Lin of the second century BC), the church of St. Dimitri (a small Orthodox church of 1154) and the church of Santa Marena (an Orthodox church rebuilt in 1744).

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Beach Holidays In Albania

Albania has a long coastline on the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Much of it is very pretty with many sandy beaches, virtually untouched by main stream tourism. Identifying beach resorts in Albania and obtaining sufficient information about them to plan a vacation is still not easy. The Albania beach holiday travel tips that follow are intended to help identify and describe three of the country's beach resorts.

Himara

The small port of Himara is situated at the foot of the Keravnia mountain in southern Albania, about eighty miles north of the Greek border and nearly opposite the Greek island of Corfu. As well as its close geographical proximity to Greece, the local inhabitants are mainly Greek speaking and the general atmosphere of the area provides an insight into how Corfu must have been in the days before mass tourism arrived.

Himara Travel Tip:

You will find several travel web sites listing accommodations in Himara. If you feel insecure about making your own arrangements in such an undeveloped country, holidays in this resort can also be booked through Sunvil, an ABTA tour operator.

Dhermi and Drymades Beaches

Several spectacularly beautiful beaches can be found in the Dhermi and Drymades area. There is even an over-sized, open air club called the Havana Bar on the main Dhemi beach. But otherwise the beach has made few concessions to tourism. The sea here is crystal clear and must surely be amongst the cleanest on the planet.

Between Dhermi and the next major beach at Drymades, there are numerous pebble beach coves located between picturesque, rocky outcrops. They are all totally deserted and most are ideal for swimming or snorkeling.

Drymades Beach is enormous, yet even at the height of summer, there are usually very few people to found on it. It has one relaxing little beach bar and behind it is a campsite and beach bungalows. There is also a holiday village complex offering good accommodation in the form of villas, cottages and hotel rooms. The complex has been developed tastefully and does not in anyway spoil this beautiful area.

Drymades Beach Travel Tip:

Consider staying at the Drymades Beach Complex if you are looking for a high standard of accommodation at very reasonable prices.

Golem Beach Mali Robit Resort

Mali Robit is a resort, situated on the Adriatic coast at Golem Beach. It is situated about 30 miles from Tirana, the capital of Albania and six miles from the port of Dures. The beach here is sandy and provides safe bathing. It is a resort with a spectacular backdrop of rugged mountain scenery but it has made more concessions to tourism than most, with its beach being one of those long, straight, sun-bed and parasol types you find all over the Mediterranean. The major provider of accommodation is the Mali Robit resort hotel. This offers modern facilities, forty five apartments and five villas. There are other modern hotels at Golem beach and plenty of other types of accommodation.

Golem beach travel tip:

Although there is plenty of unspoilt places to visit in the surrounding area, only consider this resort if you priorities high standards of accommodation and tourist facilities over staying in the "Real Albania"

Go to Albania now before it is spoiled.

Albania remains one of Europe's poorest countries and it may take some time to develop its tourist potential to the extent where it becomes a mass tourist attraction. However, development of beach resorts in a country that is desperate for income can often occur haphazardly and without official sanction or well thought out planning. A picturesque village one year can be turned into a mess of half built concrete shells the next. Sadly, there are already plenty of examples of this having occurred. The best travel tips for enjoying the tranquility and beauty of Albania's coastal areas is to go now before it is too late.

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Tirana’s main square

Tirana’s main square, Sheshi Skënderbej, is that vast expanse of asphalt where you‘ve got to dodge both Mercedes and plastic kiddie cars. The square was large even before World War II, but the Communists made it absolutely massive (and in the process, cleared away an old bazaar).
Started in 1958, the pompous Palace of Culture was built with Soviet assistance. But when Albanian-Soviet relations deteriorated, the chief Soviet engineer on the project gathered up all the blueprints and left the country. Chinese experts had to be called in to finish the job. Today this building contains the Opera and the National Library.
The mosaic on the facade of the National History Museum represents the flow of Albanian history. The Puppet Theater has a surprising past: before World War II, it housed King Zog‘s puppet parliament. Other sights here include the imposing red-brick National Bank, the Et‘hem Bey Mosque and Skanderbeg's statue.
As part of a complete makeover of Tirana’s city centre, the square is currently under construction, and when they finally finish (nobody dares to estimate when), it is to be green and pedestrianised, surrounded by 80m-high buildings to accentuate the core of the city.

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syri i kalter (blue eye)

Syri i Kaltër (the name is in Albanian, in English means "blue eye") is a karst spring located on the western slopes of Mount Mali Gjerë in Albania. It has a capacity of 6 m³/s, making it the richest source of the country. The water flows at a temperature of 12.75 °C, the depth of the source has not yet been established. Against the background of the clear rocks, the spring assumes a dark blue color which gives the name.

The blue eye is another wonder of southern Albania, it lies on the road between the towns of Saranda and  Gjirokastra, further inland. The water in the inner source is a very dark blue, like the pupil of an eye, and a lighter color of blue as an outer ring - the iris, which gives the impression of a blue eye. It is said that the source of the blue eye was prohibited to the population in the days of communism, only to be totally available to members of the government party in Albania.

Although it is possible, in theory, swimming and diving, the water maintains an average temperature of 10 degrees centigrade, which actually makes it difficult to bath more than a foot. Some visitors even like to throw stones in the center of the source blue eye, just to see the rock coming back to the surface after a while. Another pleasant, and perhaps more satisfying, site activity, is the lunch at the restaurant, located near the source of the blue eye. The restaurant is built on a balustrade above a river flowing fresh spring water, creating a cool breeze. The restaurant serves traditional Albanian food, such as roast lamb and grilled fish. Another option is to have a picnic in the designated area near the source of the eye blue. There are some tables in a wooded area, providing a pleasant shade.

Getting there: There is no public transport to the source of the blue eye. Located on the main road between Saranda and  Gjirokastra, about 3 km from the place indicated by a sign that says 'Tourist Attraction'. The short road that leads to the source is quite scenic as it runs along a beautiful lake. There is a parking just to get close to the source of the blue eye.

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Pyramid of Albania

The pyramid, as it's popularly known, opened in 1988 as a museum dedicated to the Albanian dictator-cum-pharaoh Enver Hoxha. Designed by Hoxha's daughter Pranvera, the building was reportedly the most expensive ever erected in Albania. After the regime collapsed, the place became a conference center and location of a club (called The Mummy, of course). Now semi-derelict, the government wants to demolish it to make place for new parliament buildings, though there's a healthy heated debate about the destruction of the past and preservation of the park going on. 
In front of the building, the Peace Bell installation was made in 1999 as a memorial to peace by the children of Shkodra. The bell's metal comes from thousands of bullet cartridges, fired off during the lawless 1990s.

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