From Tirana: Private Berat Full-Day Trip, Private Guide/Car

The first stop of the tour is the Castle of Berat. The Kala fortress is an enormous castle on the top of the hill in Berat. From the castle, you will have amazing views in all directions and see the historical town and river below. Within the castle walls, you will see a village-like neighborhood, called Kala. Until this day, some people are still living within the castle walls. The castle dates back to the 13th century and there are many Byzantine churches within the walls and one Ottoman mosque.

The Holy Trinity Church is one of the best preserved churches inside the Berat castle. It will be one of the first buildings you see, as you walk up the hill towards the upper castle. The church is very beautiful and quite an eye-catcher. It was build in the 14th-century and still remains beautiful until this day.

The Museum of Iconography is a museum with religious painting from several Albanian monasteries. The museum is located within the castle walls in the largest church on the premises, called "the Church of the Dormition of St. Mary". The museum is named "Onufri" after the Albanian fresco and icon-painter.

Just down the hill from the Berat castle, we will visit the National Ethnographic Museum of Berat. The museum is inside a beautiful 18th century Ottoman house. On the ground floor, you can see a traditional medieval bazaar with embroidery, woodcarving and metalworking shops. On the second floor, you can visit a traditional house with a guest room, a kitchen and a work room.

Then in the afternoon, we will visit the Mangalem & Gorica Quarters. These are the traditional neighbourhoods build on the side of the hill. You will see hundreds of little white Ottoman-style houses. From the bottom of the hill, it looks like the little houses are stacked on top of each other. Therefore, Berat is called "the city of a thousand windows". In short, Berat is a very romantic city with an Italian atmosphere.

Free time to explore Berat In the late afternoon, you will have some free time to stroll through the old neighborhoods of Berat. You can buy souvenirs, sit down on one of the many terraces, take stunning pictures on the bridge and try some local food. Berat has many beautiful architecture and traditional houses, which have been turned into restaurants, shops and hotels. After seeing this beautiful city, you will no doubt understand why it is a museum city and a UNESCO Heritage Site.