From Tirana: Berat UNESCO Castle City & Belshi Lake

Depart Tirana and drive south through the Albanian lowlands and river valleys toward Berat. Your guide provides background on Albania's layered history — Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Communist — and the unique position of Berat as one of the few Albanian cities to survive World War II almost intact.

Enter Berat Castle through its main gate and step into a lived-in medieval world: around 250 families still live inside the walls, their laundry hanging between stone towers. The castle was founded by the Illyrians, rebuilt by the Byzantines in the 13th century, and expanded by the Ottomans. The interior contains the ruins of over 20 Byzantine churches, cisterns, barracks, and the grand Church of the Dormition of St Mary housing the Onufri Museum. Panoramic views extend over the white-windowed houses of Mangalem below and the Osum valley.

Descend into the Mangalem quarter, the Muslim half of old Berat, where the characteristic layered houses with their large overhanging windows give the city its famous silhouette. Walk to the Gorica Bridge — a graceful Ottoman stone arch over the Osum River — and cross to the Christian quarter of Gorica, named after a small church carved into the cliff. Free time to eat at a local restaurant or explore the bazaar.

Stop at Belshi Lake on the return journey to Tirana. This artificial lake created in the 1950s is a local favourite for swimming, kayaking, and picnics. The pine-lined shores are peaceful in the afternoon and provide a refreshing contrast to the heat of Berat's castle hill.