A Day Trip To Berat From Tirana: My Honest Review

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The beautiful, historic city of Berat is a must see for most visitors to Albania. When time is limited however, you need to find an option that will allow you to visit this Balkan gem without compromising the rest of your trip. And here’s where I can help!

I was in exactly that situation – based in the Albanian capital Tirana for a couple of days but wanting to visit Berat, I chose an organised day trip and was not disappointed.

This is my honest review of the trip I took. From the organisation of it to the itinerary and any drawbacks, I’ll share my thoughts and experiences with you. So let’s jump in and don’t forget your credit card…you’re going to want to book this day trip to Berat!

Where Is Berat?

The city of Berat is located in southern Albania, about 98 kilometres (61 miles) from the capital, Tirana. A direct journey by vehicle takes around 2 hours.

Described as the ‘city of a thousand windows’, Berat is the ninth largest city in Albania and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. The Osum River runs through the city.

Berat is divided into three parts:

Kalaja – the citadel (castle) located on the hill overlooking Berat
Gorica Quarter – the old Christian quarter located on the left bank of the river
Mangalem Quarter – the old Muslim quarter located at the foot of the hill on which Berat Castle is perched

Is Berat Worth Visiting?

Before we get into my day trip review, it’s important to say yes, Berat is worth visiting!

Berat offers visitors a window (a thousand even!) into Albanian history with its hilltop castle, Byzantine and Ottoman architecture, old town and incredible views of the surrounding Albanian countryside. Even if, like me, you can only make it to Berat for one day, it is totally worthwhile. It’s a unique place and the sight of all those houses and their windows is one you will be itching to see as you get closer!

A view of the houses of Berat with a bridge spanning the river in the foreground of the image. Some greenery from a nearby tree is captured in the bottom left of the image.

Why Join An Organised Day Trip To Berat?

Whilst visitors can get a bus, hire a car or take a taxi to Berat from Tirana, an organised day trip is perfect for those who, like me:

have limited time at a destination but want to visit popular spots outside of the city
aren’t planning on hiring a car
prefer to have the logistics taken care of

Deciding whether to choose an organised day trip or go it alone will also be dependent on location and budget. In some instances, using public transport and referring to a guide book may be the better option. It’s an entirely personal choice. In this instance however, an organised day tour was a perfect addition to my trip to Tirana.

Which Day Trip To Berat Did I Choose?

I chose this tour:

There are other day trip options available, however this was the tour I joined and therefore my opinions in this post are limited to my experience on that particular tour.

Day Trip Overview And Itinerary

The Berat day trip I chose is a full day trip estimated to last around 9 to 9.5 hours. As I mentioned earlier, a direct journey to Berat by vehicle takes around 2 hours. The total driving time there and back is therefore around 4 hours, although Tirana traffic is very heavy which can add to the journey time!

The trip includes:

transportation
pick up and drop off, at or close to your hotel
a tour guide and a driver
a stop at Belshi Lake
a stop at Berat Castle (with guided walking tour)
time in the city of Berat

The evening before my day trip, the company operating the trip reached out to me via WhatsApp with confirmation of my pick up time and location.

On the morning of the trip, I was picked up from the meeting point I was given and at the allotted time (9.30am). From there, a few more pickups were made before we headed out to our first stop, Lake Belshi. Expect to have around 30 minutes here.

Back into the van and our next stop was at Berat Castle where we had a guided walking tour. You can expect to be here for 1.5 to 2 hours. En route to the castle the tour guide gave a commentary on the various historic sites we passed.

After the Castle, we headed down to the city of Berat where you spend a little under 2 hours before heading back to Tirana. I was back in the city just before 7pm.

Overall, I felt that this trip was very informative and gave me a great overview of Berat and the wider region. The price I paid was very affordable making it a very worthwhile trip.

What Is There To See And Do At Lake Belshi?

The first stop of the day trip from Tirana is Lake Belshi. It’s a large lake, almost 27 hectares in size and I imagine it would be a popular holiday spot. Unfortunately, it was raining on the morning of my visit!

There are various shops you can visit and the lake to view but not enough time for any activities…other than buying an umbrella as I and a few others had to!

In reality, this stop is a chance to get out of the vehicle, stretch your legs, view the lake and buy a snack or your morning coffee!

A view of Belshi Lake taken standing on a wooden jetty that looks out over the lake to buildings beyond, close to the centre of the town. Two street lamps are visible on the jetty as are two wooden lattice covered seating areas. The jetty is wet as a result of rain having recently been falling. Dark clouds are visible in the sky.

A small blue dingy lies in the waters of Belshi Lake. Lilly pads are in the water beyond the dingy and a yellow jacket lies discarded in the dingy. Buildings around the lake are visible as are trees that line a pathway that snakes its way along the edge of the lake but is not visible in the image.

What Is There To See And Do At Berat Castle?

Berat Castle is a fortress dating mainly from the 13th century within which are various Byzantine period churches and mosques from the Ottoman period.

The castle was burned down in 200 BC by the Romans, but the walls were strengthened by them under Roman Emperor Theodosius II in the 5th century. The walls were rebuilt again under Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century and again under Michael I Komnenos Doukas, cousin of the Byzantine Emperor, in the 13th century.

The time at Berat Castle is an altogether different experience from Lake Belshi. The tour guide leading the trip will take you on a guided tour around the castle. The walk up to the main entrance is a bit steep and the cobblestone streets make for an uneven surface so do take your time and watch your step. Take note at this point of the impressive stone walls of the castle!

A map of Berat Castle located at the entrance gate into the castle shows visitors the location of the various points of interest within the castle walls. The map shows the boundary of the castle in bold black lines with greenery and shades of brown on the map indicating buildings and open spaces. The header of the map is red in colour and the map is affixed to 2 metal legs.

Once you’re inside Berat Castle you will get a sense of how large the castle grounds are. You’ll also see quite quickly that families still live within the castle walls and run businesses there.

Entrance into beret castle is through thick stone walls. An archway leads visitors into the castle grounds. Cobblestones roads and walkways are visible as is a small patch of grassed area.

A small cobblestoned roadway leads visitors within the castle grounds to the Berat Castle hotel, one of the business operating within Berat Castle.

Whilst some of the structures are in ruins, there is still plenty to see including:

1. Constantine the Great!

The head of Constantine the Great sits beneath a stone wall and stares out over the surrounding countryside. Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity and inside the castle is a church dedicated to him and his mother.

The sculpture is enormous and makes for an impressive start to your tour of the castle!

2. The Holy Trinity Church

Probably the most impressive of the buildings within the castle, this 13th possibly 14th century Church is located on a hill beneath the citadel so you will need to brave the height and look down! The church contains elements of Byzantine architecture and is a Cultural Monument of Albania. I did not attempt to head down to the church and was not aware that anyone else on the trip did either. However, there was time to view the surrounding countryside and take in the views over Berat.

A large stone sculpture of the head of Constantine the Great sits beneath an old stone wall within Berat castle. Small plants are visible having grown through the gaps in the stone walls.

The Holy Trinity Church in Berat Castle sitting on a hill with views out over the city of Herat. The Osum River can be seen snaking its way through the city. The church has red brick roofs and white and red brick walls. Green grass and stone pathways surround the Church.

3. Onufri Iconographic Museum

Inside the Church of the Dormition of St Mary is the Onufri Iconographic Museum, a national museum which showcases Byzantine art and iconography. The entrance fee is 400 Albanian Lek (€4), although on the day I visited it was actually free to enter.

There is quite a bit to see in the museum and you will only have a short time there, but it is worth visiting.

One large and two smaller iconographic pictures hang on the wall in the Onufri Iconographic Museum within Berat Castle. Bright reds and shimmering golds are the dominant colours.

Two iconographic pictures encased within a decorative wooden frame hang on the wall in the Onufri Iconographic Museum within Berat Castle. Browns, red and blue are the dominant colours.

4. The Red Mosque

The Red Mosque is thought to have been built not long after the conquest of Berat by the Ottomans in 1417. Used by the Ottoman army, the mosque was constructed from limestone and red brick. The remains of the mosque have cultural monument status.

5. The White Mosque

As with the Red Mosque, the White Mosque also lies in ruins. Located within the citadel, it was built from white limestone in 1417 and destroyed during the 19th century. It also has cultural monument status.

Red and white brick minaret which formed part of the Red Mosque within Berat Castle is the most prominent of the mosque remains. Parts of the old walls are visible as are some grasses growing through the old walls. — *Red Mosque*

White stone remains of the White Mosque within Berat Castle. Arched doorways and an arch roof are visible amongst the ruins. Grassed areas lie in front of the remains of the stone buildings. — *Red Mosque*

6. The Viewing Platform

A huge flagpole and flag will tell you that you have reached the viewing area! And what views they are!

Looking down onto Berat you will have immediately beneath you the Mangalem Quarter, the old Muslim quarter and on the other side of the river, the Gorica Quarter, the old Christian quarter. You will also see the old Ottoman era bridge, the Gorica Bridge and the modern forms of connection, namely cars and roads.

The view looking down from the viewing platform within Berat Castle to the city of Berat below. The houses, hill they are located on and the river are all visible in the image as is a small part of the Berat Castle walls.

The view looking up toward the viewing point within Berat castle. The tall flagpole signifying the location of the viewing platform along with the hill on which it is located, the ottoman era houses in Berat and the river running through the city are all visible in the image.

What Is There To See And Do In Berat?

On arrival into Berat, don’t forget to look up and find the flagpole and flag in order to see where you last stood! The main drawcard of course are the beautiful Ottoman houses…and there are a lot to see!

You will likely arrive into Berat in time for lunch. The tour guide helpfully provided recommendations for where to eat, however do keep in mind that time spent eating is time taken away from exploring.

I did choose to dine at a restaurant and enjoyed a traditional Albanian meal of lamb cooked in yoghurt. The meal and glass of red wine came to €14 and was delicious. It did only leave me about 30 minutes to see Berat though. I would therefore recommend that if you want more time to explore the city, take some snacks with you and graze on those throughout the day rather than sitting down to eat in Berat.

Stone steps lead up to a restaurant in the city of Berat. Red and yellow flowers in pots line up along the left side of the stairs whilst on the right is an iron railing. The steps feature the word Albania written in red and a black and white picture of the Ottoman houses that line the hills in Berat.

The tradition Albania dish of lamb cooked in yoghurt. It sits on a table in a brown cooking dish on a wooden board with a fork and spoon visible along with a white paper napkin. The tiles of the restaurant floor are visible in the top left corner of the image.

In the city, you can explore the Mangalem Quarter and/or the Gorica Quarter and wander along the pedestrianised Boulevard Republika with its shops, cafes and park.

Overall, you will be in Berat for around 2 hours.

A view of the city of Berat with the pavement and road visible in the image. Pedestrians can be seen walking on the pavements and a black car drives past. A tree on the pavement partially blocks a view of the car. The backdrop to the pavement and road are the houses of Berat with all their windows and high above them the viewing point within the castle and the flagpole can be seen.

A view from the park that runs parallel to the Boulevard Republika in Berat. Two wooden seats each set within a cast iron frame are visible in the park as is much greenery and mature trees. Also visible to the left of the image is part of the pedestrianised boulevard with its shops. A cast iron street lamp can also be seen along with several small square and rectangular blocks providing seating.

What Can You Expect From This Day Trip to Berat?

You can expect a well organised, well run day trip that allows you to see the key sights of Berat.

As it is a day trip, you are of course limited in the amount of time you can spend either visiting Berat Castle or in Berat itself, but if your visit to Tirana is short anyway, then a day trip is the perfect opportunity to get out of the city and discover more about Albania and it’s history.

Overall, I was really pleased with my experience on this day trip and definitely recommend it to anyone planning a trip to Tirana. It’s a popular option so book your seat now:

Visitor Tips

In addition to any advice I mentioned earlier, here are a few extra things to keep in mind when making this day trip:

wear comfortable shoes – the climb up to the castle is a little steep and the cobble stones make the surface uneven. In addition, as you walk around the castle grounds you will, at times, be on uneven, grassed surfaces
check the weather forecast! It was quite wet during the morning of my trip but I did not have an umbrella with me so had to buy one! Berat can also be hot in summer so wear a hat and sunscreen
take some snacks with you so you don’t need to stop and eat in Berat and can spend your time exploring instead
make sure you have some cash with you – LEK and Euros
make sure you have access to data as communication before the trip and during it will be by WhatsApp (download that too if you don’t already use it!). I would suggest purchasing an eSim before leaving your home country in order to avoid data roaming charges. I used and recommend Airalo. You can explore available packages and purchase one here:

The Pros And Cons Of A Day Trip to Berat

As is often the case when making any decision, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons. The organised day trip to Berat I joined has both:

1. the Cons

a fixed schedule and itinerary – you can’t opt to stay longer at one of the stops or eliminate a stop altogether
time limited – you only get a set amount of time at each stop so you need to consider beforehand how best to use that time
vulnerable to heavy traffic – Tirana traffic can be heavy meaning it may take longer to leave the city resulting in less time in Berat or longer to get back into Tirana resulting in a later than expected return
needing access to data – this will involve having to use data roaming from your provider or purchasing an eSim (I recommend Airalo)

2. the Pros

logistics are all taken care of – you just need to show up at the appointed place and on time
a fixed schedule and itinerary – you know beforehand what you will be seeing and when
time limited – you know it is only a one day trip and can plan the rest of your Tirana itinerary accordingly
reasonable price – it feels very good value for money

Overall, I felt that the pros outweighed the cons.

Final Thoughts

This day trip to Berat from Tirana is the perfect option for those with limited time in Albania’s capital or who like to have the logistics all taken care of! I am a fan of incorporating organised day trips into a city break itinerary and this one did not disappoint.

In addition to visiting both Berat Castle and the city of Berat, this tour provides you with a dedicated tour guide and a driver, pick up and drop off points, great communication as well as tips and advice for enjoying your trip. Although it is only a day trip and your time in Berat is limited, it remains a great choice for those whose schedule doesn’t permit a longer stay in Albania.

If you’re looking for suggestions of things to do in Tirana, make sure you read my post How to Spend One Day in Tirana, it’s full of options! If you need any further help in planning your trip to Tirana more generally, do check my Resources page.

Closer view of the many Ottoman era houses in Berat with all their windows clearly visible. The houses are all of a similar shade of white with reddish brown roofs.

Disclaimer – Information correct at the time of writing but do check before visiting.