Advanced Search

News

Home » About Albania» Visit Albania » Tourist attractions

Tourist attractions

Albania is home to three World Heritage Sites:

Butrint, Ancient Greek city and an archeological site in Sarandë, Albania, close to the Greek border. It is located on a hill overlooking the Vivari Channel. Inhabited since prehistoric times, Butrint has been the site of an Epirus city, a Roman colony and a bishopric.

The old town of Gjirokastër, a well-preserved Illyrian town. It is one of the most attractive towns of Albania, known as the City of One thousand Steps or The Stone City.  Located in the south of the country, at 300 meters above sea level, Gjirokastër is situated in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and the Drino River. The city is overlooked by a large castle (Kalaja e Gjirokastres) which dates back to Pre-Christian times.

The old town of Berat, known as the 'town of one thousand windows'. Berat lies on the right bank of the river Osum, a short distance from the point where it is joined by the Molisht river. It is remarkable Ottoman town, with a wealth of beautiful buildings of the highest architectural and historical interest. The pine forests above the city, on the slopes of the towering Tomori mountains, provide a backdrop of appropriate grandeur. The Osumi river has cut a 915-metre deep gorge through the limestone rock on the west side of the valley to form a precipitous natural fortress, around which the town was built on several river terraces. According to legend, the Tomorr mountain was originally a giant, who fought with another giant, called Shpirag over a young woman. They killed each other and the girl drowned in her tears, which then became the Osum river.

Durrës, the old port city is the gateway to many of the regions beaches, the town of Krujë offers magnificent Ottoman architecture, restored castles and a historic market, Tirana is often a tourist's first impression of the country. Surrounded by mountains, the Albanian capital is home to the 13th-century Petrela Castle, a site which has been fortified since the 4th Century. The beautiful Et’hem Bey Mosque, completed in 1823, is also a popular attraction of the city, as well as one of Tirana’s landmarks, the 1830 Clock Tower, which sits next to the mosque. A cable car to the top of Mountain Dajti offers a panoramic view of the city, while below, the centre offers plenty of room to stroll, free from vehicles, and lively nightlife around the Tajvani area.