Private One Day Tour of Apollonia and Berat from Tirana or Durres

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We will leave Tirana at 8:00 am and head toward the south of Albania where the Ancient Archeologic Park of Apollonia is surrounded by soft, picturesque hills and Olive Trees. In around 2 hours drive we will reach the site, and begin its exploration.

Now only an archeological site, it has been one of the most famous Hellenic cities in the whole Adriatic. This State – City has been one of the most well-developed Classic Cities. The city was also a very important education Center, where the glorious Roman Emperor will follow its tuitition.

We will leave the Site of Apollonia and head toward Central South Albania to the City of Many Windows, Berat. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 2008, Berat is an important city even today with more than 20 centuries of History. Surprisingly life has never been stoped throughout History and today, the Castle or “Kalaja” is the oldest neighborhood of the City. Inhabited by a mainly Christian Orthodox population, this part of the city has also the largest collection of churches dating from as early as the 14th century.

During the visit to the Ethnographic Museum of Berat  you will understand how a local family uses to leave their everyday life. This unique house, turn into a museum in 1979, is one of the most classic examples of the Ottoman style of Architecture, fused with local specifics and the charm that all the city of Berat glows. 

During the 17th and 18th Century Berat was one of the most important cities in Albania and it also attracted citizens from all over the country to create settlements around the city. In this way, Gorica was created mainly as a merchant quarter especially with citizens from Voskopoja of South East of Albania. The white color of the city and the style were preserved creating in this way a city with two similar faces on 2 sides of Osumi river, connected through the Stone Bridge of Gorica.

Mangalem is probably the most scenic part of Berat. Lied steply in the Hill, just under the castle, it is characterized by a typical Architecture, White walls and many windows seeing the its other copy, Gorica. Mangalem was structured mainly in the Ottoman period and was definitely shaped as today after an earthquake where some parts of the city were destroyed. The style changed from a heavy towers style with small windows and stone to a lighter structure, with more windows and way lighter.