Is Berat Worth Visiting? 7 Pros & Cons You Need To Know
Is Berat worth visiting? I visited Albania in 2023 and decided to see what it was all about. I loved it! Read along to see if it will be great for you too!
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Is Berat Worth Visiting?
Are you planning on travelling around Albania? Perhaps you’re already in the country and are trying to figure out your next step.
Chances are if you’ve done even a little bit of research about backpacking in Albania – you’ve probably heard of Berat. But is Berat worth visiting?
I actually spent a few days here in the scorching summer of 2023, and I loved it! But, of course – it’s not going to be for everyone. Each of us enjoy different things!
In this post, i’ll run through the main pros and cons of visiting Berat to help you make an informed decision!
So, is Berat worth visiting for you? Let’s find out!
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Is Berat Worth Visiting? The Pros!
1. It’s One Of The Most Beautiful Places in Albania
Berat is a stunning city, and incredibly unique. That’s down to its location within a valley, alongside a river, and its gorgeous architecture.
Berat is known as the City of a Thousand Windows, and one look at pictures will explain why!
Similar to the houses in Gjirokaster, the ones in Berat have a stone base – and then the upper level is painted white, overhanging the ground level. The main thing differentiating these from the houses in Gjirokaster is the red ceramic tile roofs.
Planning a trip to Bulgaria?
Admire them from the riverside, as they appear to be stacked on top of each other. Or, get lost within the historic Gorica and Mangalem quarters and explore that way.
Is Berat worth visiting for it’s visual beauty? Absolutely.
2. The History Of Berat Is Seen Everywhere
Berat is pretty bloody old. So old that you can see influences from both the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires!
In the Mangalem Quarter, as the most Ottoman-influenced area in the city, you will find mosques. On the other side of the river in the Gorica Quarter, you can check out many Byzantine churches.
From Wikipedia
The best place to see Berat’s history is none other than Berat Castle, where life continues to this day!
It’s definitely my favourite part of the city and in my opinion it is more worthwhile visiting than the Castle of Gjirokaster.
If you’re struggling to decide on whether to visit Berat or Gjirokaster, this is one of many reasons! I will however, go into a touch more detail in the next point!
So, is Berat worth visiting for the history? For sure!
See my list of things to know before backpacking Albania
3. Berat Castle Is Incredibly Authentic
Berat Castle is easily the most popular attraction in the city, for good reason. It’s sick.
It’s free to enter after 6pm and its so much more authentic than other castles in Albania. Families come out for a xhiro (afternoon walk), people sit around at restaurants and everyone seemingly loves life!
You can walk along the castle walls and go to a stunning lookout overlooking the historic Mangalem and Gorica Quarters down below.
If you only have one day in Berat, make sure you don’t miss this place! It really is amazing.
Is Berat worth visiting for the castle alone? I definitely think so, it’s a place you can hang out, explore and watch the sunset over the valley.
After reading this, check out my full guide to backpacking Berat!
4. It Is Close To Tirana
If you’re short on time, and looking for somewhere close to Tirana on your Albania itinerary, Berat is a decent place to go to without having to jump on a bus for hours on end.
Most people arriving in Albania will fly into Tirana (being the only airport in the country), so going from Tirana to Berat is naturally a lot of travellers’ next stop.
Just under 3 hours away, it can easily be done as a day trip – but I really recommend you stay there.
If you want to see more than just the highlights and not have to worry about getting back to Tirana, stay at least one night in the city.
So, is Berat worth visiting for its proximity to Tirana? I wouldn’t say this is the main reason, but it’s definitely an incentive!
Check out my guide to getting around Albania on a budget
5. The Locals Are So Friendly
I found that Albanians were generally very friendly people, once they let their guard down. Considering Albania’s dark past, it’s hardly surprising for them to have cold exteriors – especially the older generation who lived through Enver Hoxha’s brutal regime.
In Berat, I thought they were the friendliest of all the cities I visited during my time in the country.
There is no better anecdote for this than when I went to pay for my food with my new German friend at a restaurant within the castle.
I wanted to say “thank you” in Albanian, but wasn’t sure of the pronunciation so they helped me with it and even taught me some more Albanian words and phrases.
As we started walking out the door, they said “wait!” and they ran away for a couple of seconds before returning with some fresh fruit they just picked off the tree outside.
I have no idea what they were, but it was very tasty! That Albanian hospitality is something i’ll always remember.
Is Berat worth visiting for the hospitality? It’s definitely a plus! Local interactions can make or break a trip, and here – it definitely made it.
Making an effort to learn at least “hello” and “thank you” is a key part of travelling responsibly.
Is Penang Worth Visiting? The Cons
1. There’s not an abundance of things to do in Berat
Berat isn’t a massive city, and if you wanted to see the highlights – you can see Berat in one day.
Credit: Kladji Cena (Pexels)
Berat is the type of place where the way of life is very much the attraction, so you can actually spend your days just walking around, exploring the local restaurants and cafes, hiking up to the castle and Gorica Hill.
If you want to linger a bit longer than just one day, I have a guide on how many days in Berat you should spend, depending on the type of traveller you are.
In my opinion, is Berat worth visiting even though there’s not as many “attractions” as other cities? Absolutely! But if you value seeing the sights, it might not be for you.
2. It gets extremely hot in the summer
I have never, ever, experienced heat like this. I visited in summer during a heatwave and it was actually nuts.
So much so, that during the day I hid away in my dorm room with the air conditioning switched on.
Is Berat worth visiting in the summer? When backpacking Berat, I highly recommend visiting on either side of summer – or just as it is coming into and out of summer.
Travel Insurance For Berat
If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel – end of. I’m a big advocate for using travel insurance when solo travelling as it will save my arse if anything goes wrong. I use Worldnomads, easily the best company out there for long-term travellers. Get insured with these guys when backpacking Penang.
Is Berat Worth Visiting? Final Thoughts
Honestly, now that i’ve been to the city – asking myself “is Berat worth visiting?” before arriving seems crazy. I loved every second of it.
It’s the kind of place where you can chill out and simply enjoy the way of life. So, book the trip!
Check out all of my posts about Albania
- Backpacking Gjirokaster
- Is Gjirokaster Worth Visiting?
- 2 Days In Gjirokaster Itinerary
- How Many Days In Gjirokaster, Albania?
- 2 Days In Tirana Itinerary
Book Your Trip With My Favourite Resources:
Cheap Flights: I always use Skyscanner to browse for cheap flights. It offers so many options to help you find a good deal! It even allows you to search for “anywhere” if you haven’t decided where to go yet!
Accommodation: I start my hostel search with Hostelworld. Most hostels are now on this platform making it the place to find the best hostel for you.
Travel Insurance: If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel. It is so important to have when travelling as it will save you from illness, injury, theft and cancellations! I always use Worldnomads when travelling on a budget as they have the best deals for me.