The three major neighborhoods of the old city are Mangalemi, Gorica, and Kala, where the castle itself is located. In Mangalemi, below the castle, you can see the famous view of the facades of the houses, with windows that seem to stand above each other.
In general, a traditional house has two floors, where the second is prominent and has many cambered windows and wood carvings. With its houses built along the steep hill, the view of Mangalemi is the reason that another name for Berat is the City of the Floating Windows. Across the Osum River lies the Gorica neighborhood, whose houses face those of Mangalemi.
The arched bridge of Gorica, built in , is a beautiful architectural monument constructed to link Gorica with Mangalemi. The ensemble of the Byzantine churches in the castle of Berat is extraordinary. In addition Berat is known for its traditional dishes. We ordered a massive, authentically Albanian spread that included stuffed cabbage, cannelloni, beans, eggplant, chicken with rice, and okra. Of all the extraordinary meals I had over my twelve days in Albania, this one was one of my favorites.
I loved the addition of thyme in the moist and crunchy beans, and the juicy eggplant was simply heavenly. The flakiness of the byrek combined with the fluffy goat cheese inside had my taste buds dancing, and the moussaka was almost like an Albanian lasagna: hearty and homey, with a crispy layer on the bottom that added a nice, contrasting texture!
Eating there is easily one of my favorite things to do in Berat, Albania! In addition to the restaurant, there are several other things you must on Castle Hill in Berat, Albania.
One of them is visit Muzeu Onufri, an 18 th -century church that was later converted into a museum. The museum is dedicated to a 17 th -century painter named Onufri. He was famous for using a unique red hue in his paintings. Before you enter the museum, be sure to admire the beautifully preserved frescoes in the courtyard. They date back to and are absolutely breathtaking. Keep in mind that, while you can film video of the exterior of the church, filming is forbidden inside.
As much as I enjoyed the museum and the restaurant, the highlight of my time in Berat came after Erjan and I walked to Tabja, a watchtower atop the hill. You can easily reach it by following the ancient walls. Tabja is the highest point in Berat and rises high above the entire city. From there, you can also see mountains, hills, and vineyards in the distance.
I always gain a greater appreciation for the places I visit when I view them from above, and Berat is no exception. It is a stunner, and one of the things you must do in Berat, Albania!
In addition to its rich history and unique Balkan culture, Albania is also well-known for its agrotourism. This agrotourism farm and winery was founded in by the Fiska family, who still run the property today. That includes their white wine and their two reds, as well as the sana berries they use to make rakija!
Overlooking the property are beautiful open-air terraces, which have a distinct mountain feel and allow visitors to enjoy a stunning view of the Albanian countryside as they wine and dine.
There, you can enjoy a tasting of their dry and fruity pules wine, a white wine that is made from indigenous pules grapes. While you try the various wines and rakis, also recommend trying some of the other foods produced on-site. They include white cheese, walnuts, peaches, olives, and some truly massive figs! The general manager, Ardit, took me there and let me try some of their magnificent merlot cabernet straight from the tank.
I could tell that it was young and needed more time to mature, but even in an unready state, it was still very tasty. After trying the wine, Ardit showed me their bottling process. They bottle wine for their customers and label them by hand and let them store for at least three months before shipping them. If you love great wine, fresh food, and amazing people, be sure to stop by Alpeta Agrotourism and Winery when you come to Berat. The Fiska family will take good care of you.
There, the owner, Alma, and her staff treated me like a king, and took care of me from the moment I arrived until the second I left. The accommodations at Castle Park Hotel are some of the most immersive I experienced on my trip.
The rooms would not be out of place in a real castle! My room on the second floor contained a king-sized bed, as well as a separate twin bed. There was also a clean, modern bathroom with a toilet, shower, and bidet. I was welcomed to the hotel with a glass of fresh peach juice, which tasted like pure fruit.
Later, for dinner, Alma and her amazing chefs presented us with a massive spread that included olives, fig salad, chicken, stuffed eggplant, lamb with seven herbs, byrek with tomatoes and herbs, wild cabbage, stuffed grape leaves, cheese, homemade bread, wine, and rakija!
The eggplant, which had been stuffed with onions and red peppers, had my mouth watering from the jump. I also loved the crumbly but creamy cheese, the japrak grape leaves stuffed with rice , fig salad, and stuffed peppers.
You also must try their phenomenal tomato-and-onion byrek! But the highlights were their unreal roasted turkey and a fatty, juicy lamb that was perfectly cooked and melted in my mouth. It was to die for! Breakfast at Castle Park Hotel is every bit as tasty as their dinner. Before I got a chance to try it, Alma invited me back into the kitchen. There, I got to see how they make a fried dough dish called petulla, fresh bread with corn, and even how they churn butter!
I tried my hand at churning the butter myself. It takes a lot of upper arm strength to do it! The fresh butter was soft, tasty, and melted almost right away. Alongside it, we had eggs with herbs, petulla, and a whole fruit preserve called gliko. The gummy and syrupy fig gliko was a highlight for me, as it exploded in my mouth when I bit down. It was phenomenal! I loved the combination of the earthy peppers, fluffy eggs, and smooth but crumbly cheese.
Having it is certainly one of the top things to do in Berat, Albania! But like all the others I visited, Berat stood out and had a charm and a vibe that was distinctly its own. This one-of-a-kind city is like a time capsule, with echoes of the present and past at every turn. Book a trip to Albania today to experience the wonders of Berat for yourself!
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