Friday 31st May 2024 - Berat, Albania

 

I love nature and birds and I knew that the nightingale had a lovely song. We heard nightjars earlier in the holiday but this is the first time that I have knowingly heard a nightingale and it was a lovely song. However, when a nightingale perches in a tree directly behind the van, stays there all night and sings its heart out the whole time, it does get a bit much!
Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and I was determined to investigate it. Although Jane was on the mend, she didn’t want to do a long walk, so she decided to have a quiet day. The campsite is fairly close to the castle, although it is not in view from the site and it is quite a long way up, especially on a hot day like today. As I approached the castle, I heard folk music – perhaps the folk dance group from Korce were visiting? It turned out to be a group of three musicians playing traditional music in front of the main gate. A coach load of school children arrived and were clapping and dancing to the music – they obviously approved and it was very good.
The castle was very popular with a number of coaches parked in the limited area at the top of the hill and more parked down near the campsite. The site is extensive and still lived in with many houses, some in a poor state but others restored and converted to hotels and guest houses. There is an icon museum and some interesting churches but it is fun just to walk around the walls and the narrow streets. The far corner of the castle walls provides a view over the town and the Osumi River that separates Berat from Gorcia where there was another castle defending the valley.
I walked down the steep, cobbled street into the town, close to the magnificent-looking Ethnographical Museum. Unfortunately, this is currently closed for refurbishment and has been for some time – rumour has it that it might be open soon although probably not this year.
After coffee and an ice cream in the main square, I crossed over the bridge to Gorcia from where there is a lovely view over to the old, traditional houses of Berat.
Back then to the campsite, along walk around the base of the castle hill. On the way I passed another of those communist war graveyards and a couple more of those communist era monuments that are so prevalent in Albania.
Photos: The folk group playing in front of the castle; A view from the castle looking down on the Osumi valley and the old towns of Berat (bottom left) and Gorcia (right); The remains of the 14^th century Red Mosque with its minaret next to the castle wall; The castle vaulted cistern still has water in it but I wouldn’t water to drink any of it; A view from the Berat boulevard in the new town looking back to the old town and the castle above; A view of Berat old town from Gorcia.