Overview
€180 total for your group · 8 hours · departs from Tirana or Durrës or Golem or Melia Durres
Berat in a day: five hours in the UNESCO town of white Ottoman houses stacked up both sides of the Osum below a castle that is still lived in, then the short detour to Lake Belsh on the Dumre plateau before the drive back. Pickup at 09:00 in Tirana, Durrës or Golem.
Tour facts
Highlights
- Five hours in Berat, on the UNESCO list since 2008
- Kalaja on the castle hill, Mangalem at its foot, Gorica across the Osum
- The Gorica bridge: seven arches, 129 m of stone, rebuilt in the 1920s
- A fortress rebuilt in the 13th century, with about twenty churches once inside
- St Nicholas church in the castle quarter, and the Bachelors' Mosque of 1827 below it
- Lake Belsh on the Dumre plateau: 26.8 hectares, 18 m deep at the most
Berat has been on the UNESCO list since 2008 for the three quarters that make it: Kalaja on the castle hill, a fortress rebuilt in the thirteenth century that once held about twenty churches and still has houses inside its walls, Mangalem at its foot with the Bachelors' Mosque of 1827, and Gorica across the river, reached by a seven-arched stone bridge of 129 m rebuilt in the 1920s. The visit walks all three, with the viewpoint panorama and St Nicholas church in the castle quarter.
On the way back the vehicle stops at Belsh, where the lake on the Dumre plateau, 26.8 hectares and 18 m deep at most, is a short stop for photos before the drop-off in Tirana, Durrës or Golem. The air-conditioned vehicle and the guide are included; entries and lunch are paid on the spot.
The route
From Tirana, Durrës or Golem at 09:00. Pickup and transfer to Berat with air conditioned vehicle
Visit of Mangalem, Bachelors' Mosque, Gorica, Castle, Viewpoint Panorama, St Nicholas Church at the Castle
Transfer to Belsh 1 hour, photos.
Drop off, end of services
What's included
- Air Conditioned vehicle
- Guide
Not included
- Entry tickets
- Lunch and drinks
Good to know
Photos from this tour
Questions travelers ask
How long is the visit of Berat?
About five hours: Mangalem and the Bachelors' Mosque, the Gorica bridge and quarter, the castle with its viewpoint and St Nicholas church.
What time is the pickup?
09:00 in Tirana, Durrës or Golem; the pickup place is agreed when you book.
Is the castle entry included?
No. The price covers the air-conditioned vehicle and the guide; entries, lunch and drinks are paid on the spot.
What is Belsh?
A small town on the Dumre plateau with a lake of 26.8 hectares at its centre, about an hour from Berat; the tour stops there for photos on the way back.
Photo credits
- Old town of berat 2 albania 2016 by Pero Kvrzica - @Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pero_kvrzica/ · CC BY 2.0
- Liqeni i Degës 1 (OSCAL19 trip) by albinfo · CC0
- Berat Castle 1988 by Peter · CC BY 2.0
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