Što raditi u Albania

Brze činjenice: Legend has it that the castle walls were built by sacrificing a woman, Rozafa, who was buried alive inside the wall to hold it together. From the hill where it stands, your eyes embrace at the same time Lake Shkodra, the Buna River, and the Albanian Alps.

Istaknuto: Inside the castle, among the ruins, you will find the remains of a 13th-century church as well as frescoes that are still preserved in some spots. Every summer its courtyard transforms into a theatrical stage and hosts the city's international theater festival, with performances under the starry sky.

Brze činjenice: Voda izvire iz dubine veće od 50 metara i izbija brzinom od oko 6 kubičnih metara u sekundi. Temperatura vode ostaje na 10-12 stupnjeva Celzijusa tijekom cijele godine, što kupanje ljeti čini posebno osvježavajućim.

Istaknuto: Ispod površine, ronioci su istraživali izvor do dubine veće od 50 metara, a da još uvijek nisu dosegli dno, čineći pravu dubinu nepoznatom. Impresivna plava nijansa nastaje zbog nevjerojatne bistrine vode koja odbija svjetlost na način koji podsjeća na živi safir.

Brze činjenice: The castle rises on a hill that offers panoramic views over the entire port of Saranda and the Greek islands of Corfu across the way. It is named after the Lëkurësi family, a local aristocratic family that held the area during the Ottoman period.

Istaknuto: Its real advantage is that it stands on a hill just a few minutes' walk from the city center, something rare for such well-preserved castles. From its walls you see both coasts at the same time, Albania and Corfu, in a unique viewing angle that takes your breath away.

Brze činjenice: Thousands of years of history fit into a single site, from a Greek colony of the 6th century BC to a Byzantine fortress and a Venetian tower. The 2,500-seat theater remains almost intact and you can still hear the sound of the sea from the upper seats.

Istaknuto: The 6th-century baptistery hides a stunning mosaic floor with peacocks and birds, colors that remain vivid after 1,500 years. Few visitors climb up to the Venetian castle at the top, from where you can see the entire park, the Vivari channel, and the island of Corfu in the blue of the horizon.

Brze činjenice: Dvorac se uzdiže na brdu od 336 metara, a prva utvrda datira iz 6. stoljeća, kada su je sagradila lokalna plemena. Toranj sa satom, dodan 1811. godine, ima mehanizam izrađen u Carigradu koji radi i danas.

Istaknuto: Unutar dvorca smješten je muzej ratnog zrakoplovstva s 45 zrakoplova, među kojima je i zarobljeni američki avion koji je prisilno sletio u zemlju 1957. godine i koji su zadržale komunističke vlasti. Talijanski zrakoplov Fiat G.50 koji je izložen, zajedno s ostalim izlošcima, nalazi se u podzemnim galerijama koje prolaze ispod temelja utvrde.

Brze činjenice: Prostrani otvoreni trg uokviruje konjanički kip koji se uzdiže u središtu, gdje se mještani i studenti miješaju među veličanstvenim zgradama i širokim šetnicama. Noć donosi ulične svirače i pop-up kafiće, dok blijedi mramorni popločanj hvata svjetla i pretvara prostor u svijetlu pozornicu za festivale.

Istaknuto: Visoki brončani konjanik dominira trgom, a mještani već dugo trljaju konjski desni stremen za sreću sve dok metal ne zasja pod turističkim fotoaparatima. Nakon obnove 2017. godine, otvoreni prostor popločan je s otprilike 20.000 svijetlih i tamnih granitnih ploča, tako da kada poslijepodnevno sunce obasja, dobivate topli mozaik zlata i ugljena koji mirisno podsjeća na kavu iz obližnjih kafića.

Brze činjenice: It holds about 15,000 spectators and is the largest Roman amphitheater ever discovered in Albania. Its arena lies at a depth of about 20 meters below the current level of the city, as centuries have buried a large part of it.

Istaknuto: Beneath the ruins, 10th-century frescoes were found in incredibly good condition, adorning an early Christian chapel within the seating area. Archaeologists estimate that it was used for gladiatorial games for over 300 years, before being converted into a Christian place of worship.

Brze činjenice: Unutar njegovih zidina i danas živi oko 1.600 ljudi, što ga čini jednim od rijetkih naseljenih gradova-tvrđava na Balkanu. Crkva Gospe od Blaherne ima jedinstvene freske koje datiraju iz 16. stoljeća.

Istaknuto: Stanovnici kuća unutar tvrđave stoljećima nastavljaju tradiciju proizvodnje vina i obrta, a mnoga dvorišta skrivaju stare preše za grožđe. Dok šećeš popločanim uličicama, vidjet ćeš starice koje pletu čipku na svojim pragovima i nude ti rakiju, kao da se ništa nije promijenilo od osmanskog razdoblja.

Brze činjenice: Inside the castle of Kruja, this 19th-century Ottoman manor houses over 200 objects of everyday life. Its stone walls reach 60 centimeters in thickness, keeping the cool even during the hottest summer month.

Istaknuto: On the ground floor you will see the original olive press that operated with the whole family, while the guest room has a ceiling decorated with painted flowers that have not faded in 150 years. The hosts of the house received up to 40 guests at once, and the special reception room shows exactly how they hosted so many people in such a compact space.

Brze činjenice: The castle rises on a 608-meter hill and offers panoramic views over the plain and the sea. Within its walls houses the National Museum of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, which honors Albania's national hero.

Istaknuto: The museum keeps the genuine sword of Skanderbeg, which is said to have weighed so much that only he himself could lift it. The clock tower inside the castle dates from the Ottoman period and still stands upright after five centuries.