By air
Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA), ~2 h by road
Europe · Albania
Berat, Albania
The town of a thousand windows above the Osum River
Getting there
Best time to visit
April to June or September to October — mild and green
Don't miss
Berat Castle
Mangalem
Gorica Bridge
Onufri Iconographic Museum
Things to do
Exploring the hilltop castle
Walking the old quarters
Wine tasting
Day trips to the Osum Canyon
Where to eat
What to pack
Comfortable walking shoes, sun hat
A quieter corner
The Osum Canyon, a dramatic gorge south-east of the town
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Berat?
April to June or September to October — mild and green. What to pack: Comfortable walking shoes, sun hat.
How do I get to Berat?
Fly into Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA), ~2 h by road.
What is there to do in Berat?
Exploring the hilltop castle, walking the old quarters, wine tasting, day trips to the Osum Canyon. A quieter find: The Osum Canyon, a dramatic gorge south-east of the town.
What should I eat in Berat?
Fërgesë, stuffed peppers, grilled lamb, local wines from the surrounding hills.
About Berat
- Riverside
- Hills
Where it is
Berat lies in south-central Albania, on both banks of the Osum River, with its old quarters climbing a steep hill crowned by a castle.
History
Berat has been settled since ancient times, and its hilltop castle was rebuilt many times in the Byzantine and later periods. Under Ottoman rule the town grew around its mosques, churches and white houses. Berat was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008, together with Gjirokastër.
People
Albanian is spoken in Berat, where Muslim and Orthodox Christian communities have lived side by side for centuries, and families still live inside the castle walls.
Known for
- Rows of houses with many windows
- A lived-in hilltop castle
- Byzantine churches and icons
- The Osum River
Did you know?
Berat is often called the town of a thousand windows because of the rows of tall windows on its Ottoman-era houses.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.