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Berat Day Tour: Discover the UNESCO Heritage Town's Ottoman Houses and Iconic 'Thousand Windows'

5.0

15 Ratings

Berat

Experience the beauty of Berat, Albania's UNESCO Heritage Town, with its Ottoman houses and iconic 'Thousand Windows'. Explore the castle, visit museums, learn about religious tolerance, and capture stunning photos. Choose from a guided tour, cooking class, or wine tasting for a customized experience.

Duration: 10 hours

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Berat Castle - Visit Berat Castle \n Berat Castle, a fortress landmark in the city of Berat, Albania, lies high above the Osum River. The castle dates back 2,500 years and records of its first conquering were accomplished by the Romans in 200 B.C. After many centuries of stone reinforcement, the exterior (perimeter) was enlarged slowly over time, under Byzantine conquerors, in the 5th, 6th, and 13th centuries. Currently, the castle is in restoration due in part to a UNESCO World Heritage Site acknowledgment. (This is a welcome “gift” for the residents of the castle who have been left underserved as the city below has gotten much attention.)\n\n Inside Berat castle houses many historical elements. A Mosque, “Red Mosque”, which can be identified by its lonely minaret (a staircase inside provides access to the top), more than 20 Christian churches, and a central museum which surrounds one of the largest Orthodox churches with many 16th century paintings, by “Master Onufri”, and a decorative alter inside. (Many churches in Albania were destroyed during the Communist years as an “Atheist State” was declared during Enver Hoxha’s reign.) Other architectural elements are courtyards, a large cistern in the center, and numerous houses of stone in which the residents of the castle still occupy today; this is an absolute specialty in castle heavy Europe as it’s one of the last remaining!\n- Mangalem - Visit The Mangalemi quarter, better known as the “City of 1000 Windows”, dates back centuries to the Ottoman ruling period and the architectural elements of each home clearly illustrate this. If one was to compare the ancient construction of the Mangalemi quarter to present day, residential architecture, the differences of highly-placed windows to slow intruder advances, stairwells winding particular directions to allow sword strike advantage for the owner, and animal storage areas would be found\n\n- Bulevardi Republika - Walkthrough the famous pedestrian street of Berat\n- National Iconographic Museum Onufri - From 27 February 1986 Onufri National Museum is located in the inner part of \

What's Included

In-vehicle air conditioning
Expert Tour Guide
All fees and taxes included

What's Not Included

Lunch
Personal expenses

Additional Information

Experience the unmatched beauty of Berat, undoubtedly one of Albania’s most exquisite towns! Berat has its own unique charm, making it a must-visit destination in Albania. Its most noticeable feature is a group of white Ottoman-era houses that scale the hill leading to its castle, earning the moniker ‘town of a thousand windows’. The rough mountain backdrop becomes specially captivating when the cloud cover parts for glimpses of Mt Tomorri’s snow-capped peak. Embark on a journey through the castle and tour the renowned Onufri Museum. Discover the peaceful coexistence of multiple religions as you explore the King Mosque and Helveti Teke. Marvel at the Ottoman-style architecture and delve deeper into its history. Capture the best shots of the Old Bridge amidst a setting of ‘1001 windows’. The package includes a guided tour with a focus on History & Culture, Ottoman & Medieval era, Architecture & Heritage. The tour can be customized to include a cooking class or wine tasting session.

Location

Berat Castle

Rruga Mihal Komnena

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

5.0

(15 Ratings)

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1 star

951willemijnk

Jul 27, 2023

Review tourguide - The tour was incredibly well organized. For example, the tour guide took great care of everyone and that even though we were a very large group. There was enough consideration for rest periods and on the other hand there were also many fun and varied things on the schedule. The tour guide provided us with a lot of nice information and real Albanian facts. As a result, we learned a lot and saw a lot of the beautiful country!