Berat, Albania, Saturday, the 1st of May.

Breda and I went Tuesday to the town of Berat in the center of Albania. 1st of May is day off in Albania, and we wanted to make the best of the day, so Monday after working hours, Vasil drove us to Berat, a 2½ hours drive from Tirana. Berat is a well-preserved Ottoman city (perhaps the best in the Balkans) with a lively lower town and a beautiful medieval citadel district on top of the hill. In July 2008, the old town was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The town of Berat, overshadowed to the east by mount Tomorr (2400m), is built on an ancient Illyrian dwelling site, which goes back to the sixth century B.C. Much of the city is built on terraces in the steep hills overlooking the Osum. The city has many historical monuments, including mosques dating from the 15th to 19th centuries and an 18th-century seven-arched stone bridge. A 13th-century citadel built along a ridge high above the river gorge houses a museum and several old churches. The houses date from the seventeenth century, have typically two stores, with the upper storey slightly overhanging and rich wood carving within. With their wide facades and large windows, they seem to be built almost on top of one another, giving Berat its name of : The town of a thousand windows.

View from the terrace of our hotel (it was warm enough to sit out there for both dinner and breakfast) to the Osum river.

The hotel squirrel.

The houses in the old town have typically two stores, with the upper storey slightly overhanging and rich wood carving within. With their wide facades and large windows, they seem to be built almost on top of one another, giving Berat its name of : The town of a thousand windows.

Osum river.

The 18th-century seven-arched stone bridge.

Batchelor's Mosque

We went for a walk in the narrow streets of the old town.

Kings Mosque

A canon called the "English Canon" welcomes you to the castle

The entrance to the castle – it covers 20 hectares, and has a whole small town inside

Many Albanians were spending their day off at the castle

Holy Trinity Church - originally there has been 20 churches inside the castle

There were many picnics at the castle

The “Red Mosque” minaret

A girl has climbed the “Red Mosque” minaret

At the center of the castle were a big mansion (only a few remains today) and the water cisterns

View from the castle to the surrounding landscape

View from the castle to the Tomorr mountain

Batchelor's Mosque

View from the Mangalemi Restaurant where we had our lunch

The Tomorr mountain According to an Albanian legend, the Tomorr mountain was originally a giant, who fought with another giant, called Shpirag over a young woman. They killed each other and the girl drowned in her tears, which then became the Osum river.