Berat and Gjirokastër in Two Days by Car
A two-day road trip from Tirana to Albania's two UNESCO towns, and how to carry on to the coast afterwards.
Photo: Wolfgang Sauber, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Berat and Gjirokastër are Albania’s two old Ottoman towns, both on the UNESCO list, and they fit well into a two-day trip from Tirana. One is white houses on a green hill, the other grey stone roofs under a big castle. Here is how we would do it.
Day 1: Tirana to Berat
It’s about 2 hours from Tirana, mostly on good roads through Lushnjë. Arrive by lunchtime, find your guesthouse and spend the afternoon in the Mangalem quarter and the castle on the hill above it. People still live inside the castle walls, so walk around and look into the small churches. In the evening, the walk along the river is lovely.
Day 2: Berat to Gjirokastër
From Berat to Gjirokastër is about 2.5 to 3 hours, down through Fier and Tepelenë, following the Vjosa river for part of the way. In Gjirokastër, park at the bottom of the old town and walk up. The castle, the old bazaar and one of the traditional tower houses open to visitors are enough for an afternoon.
Then what?
From Gjirokastër you are only about an hour from the Blue Eye and the coast at Sarandë, so this trip works well as the start of a beach week. Have a look at our guide to driving to Ksamil, or book the car one way and leave it in the south.
Tips
- The old streets in both towns are steep and cobbled. Park and walk, and wear shoes with grip.
- Many guesthouses have their own parking. Ask when you book.
- Spring and autumn are perfect. In July and August it gets very hot in the middle of the day.
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