IS BERAT WORTH VISITING? A SHORT GUIDE.
Berat is often hailed as one of the prettiest towns in Albania. With its distinctive Ottoman architecture, warm Mediterranean light, and proximity to both mountains and vineyards, it’s a destination that seems made for postcards. But is it really worth the detour, especially if you’re not hiring a car?
We spent a couple of days in Berat as part of a two-week trip around Albania, using buses and local transport to navigate the country. If you’re wondering whether to squeeze Berat into your itinerary (or even make it a central part of your trip), here’s everything we learnt and a few honest thoughts.
Is Berat Worth Visiting?
In short, yes. If you enjoy history, architecture, and slower travel, Berat will almost certainly charm you. It doesn’t have the buzz of Tirana or the wild beauty of the Albanian Riviera, but what it does have is a unique Berati charm.
For us, it was a real highlight of our Albania trip.
We hadn’t quite appreciated how beautiful Berat would be before we visited. But with that, comes popularity. It really is right on the tourist trail. In part, because of the location just south of Tirana. But also because of the history and cultural significance.
Don’t let the popularity put you off too much. There are still some little nooks of Berat that are less crowded, just avoid the main tourist draws.
For example, Homemade food Lilli, is the top rated restaurant in Berat and a very popular place. It seemed to us that every tourist in town was trying to eat there, suffice to say, it is difficult to get in without a reservation. But, you can cross the river and get away from crowds easily and find lots of authentic restaurants.
Why Visit Berat?
Berat is known as the “City of a Thousand Windows,” a reference to the tightly packed hillside houses with wide rectangular windows that seem to tumble down the slopes of the Osum River valley. In fact, it’s the windows that made Berat into a UNESCO heritage site. This creates a really unique setting unlike anything we had seen before.
But beyond the photogenic views, Berat offers an inviting mix of cultural depth, excellent local food and wine, and a more relaxed pace than the beach towns.
It’s not a party town or a beach resort. Instead, it allows you to slow things down for some quiet exploration. Take time to visit the hilltop fortress and get lost in the shaded alleyways.
One of the reasons that we really enjoyed Berat is that there’s lots of different layers to it. There isn’t just one main “bit”. There are lots of bits. The modern part of Berat has a surprising lowkey charm and the slopes of Gorica are inviting too.
How to Get to Berat (Without a Car)
We travelled around Albania exclusively by public transport, and Berat was one of the easier destinations to reach. Here’s how:
From Tirana
The bus from Tirana to Berat takes between two and three hours and costs 500- 600 LEK. It is a regular mini-bus, normally running once an hour or so. No need to book, just turn up and pay the driver. The tricky bit is getting to the bus station in the first place, which is not in the centre of town. You can find the location on Google Maps here.
When you arrive in Berat, you will also not arrive into the centre. the bus station is around 30 minutes walk or a short taxi ride from the historic centre of the town.
Tip: Local bus information changes often. When in doubt, ask your guesthouse host or a local cafe owner the night before. People are usually very helpful.
It is also possible to book tours from Tirana to visit for the day. If you’re short of time or using Tirana as a base, consider taking a tour. For example, this day tour includes transport to/from Tirana or Durres and includes a visit to a lake too.
Where to Stay in Berat
Before visiting Berat, we had read quite conflicting things about the price difference between Mangalem and Gorica, with many blogs suggesting that Gorica is much cheaper than it’s neighbour.
In our experience, there really wasn’t much difference at all. In fact, accommodation in Mangalem was very inexpensive. Berat in general is one of the cheaper places to stay on our two week itinerary, so you may want to splurge a little on a luxurious spot.
Budget: Try Old Town Berat Guesthouse, a low key family run space nestled into the cobbled streets of Mangalem.
Mid-Range: DD Villa 3 is a spacious and well located mid-range guesthouse in the heart of Mangelam with a supurb rating on Booking.com.
Luxury: If you are looking for a luxury stay in Berat, staying within the castle wall has to be the best option. Berati Castle Hotel is just that, a 4 star hotel inside the castle walls. Total romance.
Pragmatic tip: Avoid staying too far up the hill if you’re not keen on steep walks.
Things To Do in Berat
1. Climb to Berat Castle (Kalaja)
The castle is really more of a ruin of a citadel, than a castle – but that said, it is well worth a visit. Inside, you’ll find restaurants and hotels, as well as lovely little stalls selling brightly coloured artifacts. The bonus of visiting is that there are also incredible views from the top.
There are two routes to the castle, one more scenic and one short cut (found here.) . Spend an hour or so exploring up here, perhaps enjoying a coffee. Be sure to also see the ruins of the cistern and the Mosque too.
There’s no official entrance fee.
Top tip: Avoid climbing up in the mid-heat of the day if you can. The best time to visit is probably early morning or late into th evening, when the light and heat are softer.
2. Explore both sides of the bridge
There are two sides to Berat, Mangalem and Gorica. Each occupying their own side of the river.
You could spend a whole afternoon just wandering. Mangalem is all narrow cobbled lanes, sloping stone houses, and views down to the river. Gorica is more spread out, quieter, and feels more like a village.
Walk across the Gorica Bridge, which dates back to the Ottoman period, for the best view of Mangalem’s stacked windows.
For sunset, Good Vibes bar is a great spot to sit and enjoy a cocktail on the Gorica side of town.
3. Visit the Ethnographic Museum
Located in a traditional Ottoman house, this small museum gives a glimpse into daily life in Berat over the centuries.
When we visited Berat the museum was closed temporarily, and it looks to be the same currently. But check back before you visit because it may have re-opened. The entrance fee is minimal.
4. Wine Tasting
Berat sits at the edge of Albania’s prime wine region. If you’re interested in local wine (and we always are), local wineries are available and very willing to receive visitors.
Pupa Winery is a family run winery around 20 minutes from Berat. We visited for a delightful wine tasting and tour. For 150 Lek (around 15 Euros) we were treated to three wines and a glass or Raki, plus a spread of nibbles. It may not have been the best wine tasting we have ever been to, but we really enjoyed learning a little more about Albanian wine. And of course, the excuse for some afternoon wine drinking.
Nurellari Winery is a larger winery around 10 minutes walk from Pupa. We understand that they offer a wine tasting of five wines for 25 Euros. Unfortunately, you must book ahead and we weren’t able to call in for an impromptu tasting. Do book ahead if you want to to do the double and visit Nurellari as well as Pupa.
Tip: You can book a winery tour and tasting with transport included. It’s actually really good value at £32 (€37). We paid much more than this for taxis and the tour when we visited.
5. Join the promenade
In summer, the cafes along the Osum River are full of locals sipping espresso and playing cards. It’s worth taking a slow hour here yourself.
Once sun has started to set, head to the newer part of Berat to the promenade by the river. We sat in the park here for a while, watching the locals come out for an evening stroll, kids playing and the older gentleman engaged in some uber competitive board games.
Once darkness has fallen, grab drinks on the promenade. We liked Bazar Bar, but there are many others to choose from.
6. Visit Osum Canyon
If you visit in summer, you might want to consider a day trip out of town to cool off. Fortunately, Berat is close to some lovely natural attractions. You can take a tour to visit Osum Canyon and the Bogove Waterfalll. This includes transport to and from Berat.
7. Enjoy traditional Albanian food
Food is one of the reasons that we keep travelling to Albania again and again. Everywhere you visit you can find fantastic restaurants food that is so fresh, so wholesome and so well priced.
In Berat, there is no shortage of fantastic traditional restaurants. There are two that are very popular, Amalia Homemade Food and Homemade Food Lili. If you want to visit either of these, then you will need to make reservations.
There are also lots of smaller, less popular places, serving delicious food. We enjoyed the grill restaurant Xhimtiku Grill, which can be found across the river in Gorica. This is a very low key place, but popular with locals and tourists alike.
How Long to Spend in Berat?
We stayed for two nights, which felt just right. It gave us time to visit the castle, explore the neighbourhoods at a slow pace, and fit in a winery visit without rushing. You could do it in a single overnight stop, but we’d recommend at least 36 hours to really enjoy the town without clock-watching.
If you are travelling slowly, I’d say you could also stay for three or four nights and take your time. Berat is a very comfortable town to relax and enjoy at a mellow pace. Especially with the modern cafes, different sunset spots and ample restaurant availability. Plus, accommodation is inexpensive.
Where to next in Albania?
We love Albania and have written extensively about the different places to visit around the country.
You can find our guides to the towns and cities of Albania below:
- Is Tirana worth visiting?
- Is Bovilla Lake worth visiting?
- Best things to do in Durres
- A guide to the best beaches and beach towns of the Albanian Riviera
- Best things to do in Himare
- Ksamil or Saranda – which one is best?
- A three day circular itinerary for hiking in the Albanian Alps
Be sure to read these country guides too:
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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