BERAT
04/24/2026 - 04/26/2026
We left Vlore 2 days earlier than originally intended and spent those 2 nights in Berat (which was originally just going to be a day trip) and we were so glad we did. We really liked Berat a lot!
Berat has some pretty good wineries, so our first stop was a winery a few miles before town. We had beautiful weather and were loving the vibe!
Berat is divided into three sections, one of which is the castle/fortress which is still inhabited. You can only take a car up to the castle if you are staying up there and your name has been left at the gate. That’s where we stayed. The roads were very narrow and very steep cobblestone streets (so a bit stressful). But once we arrived, the view from our patio was spectacular. We loved staying up there … but didn’t love the walk back up the hill after venturing down to the lower town! Note: the last photo is taken from the lower town – the flag on the hill is where the castle is! As you can see, the walk up would be quite a workout!
Berat Castle, known locally as the Kala, is a massive Byzantine fortress, renowned as a "living castle" because around 100 families still reside within its walls. There are homes, shops, and restaurants up there that have been in families for hundreds of years. There are also Byzantine churches, and ruined Ottoman mosques.
While the fortifications date back to the 13th century, the site’s history spans over 2,400 years, with initial construction starting around 4th–5th century BC. It was built on a 214-meter-high hill to protect the city. It was fun wandering the narrow cobbled streets and exploring the castle area – and the views were incredible.
There are horses wandering around because they are used for transporting goods up the narrow, steep rocky slopes where trucks can’t fit.
The lower town of Berat is also really interesting and beautiful. It is divided by the Osum River into two historical neighborhoods: Mangalem (east) was historically the Muslim/Ottoman quarter, while Gorica (west) was the Christian quarter. The two sides are united by the historic stone Gorica Bridge. Berat is known as the "City of a Thousand Windows," for its distinct Ottoman-era white houses tiered up steep hillsides on the Mangalem side of town. We did a walking tour, hit a few mosques and churches, and just wandered around. It was fantastic.
This was an interesting monument (in our opinion)! It commemorates the year (1988) when Berat got running water! Yes, 1988! Only for a few hours a day, but still, running water is a pretty big deal. 24-hour running water was officially achieved in 2021. WHAT?!?!
We hit another winery not too far from town, and it was spectacular! The food and wine were both outstanding and the views were incredible!
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