Albania's Historic Cities: A Guide to 7 Must-Visit Destinations

Albania's urban landscapes are steeped in a diverse historical narrative, showcasing everything from Roman remnants to Ottoman structures and artifacts from the communist period. Durrës, established as the Greek colony Epidamnos in the 7th century BCE, boasts a Roman amphitheater erected under Emperor Hadrian and the Forum of Anastasius. Shkodër, with roots tracing back to the 4th century BCE Illyrians, is home to the Marubi National Museum of Photography and offers stunning views from Rozafa Castle over Lake Shkodër. The Skanderbeg National Museum in Krujë honors national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg's 15th-century resistance. Gjirokastër, a UNESCO World Heritage site, features Ottoman stone houses and the Ethnographic Museum in the birthplace of Enver Hoxha. Berat, also a UNESCO site, is known as the City of a Thousand Windows for its Ottoman architecture along the River Osum, with the 13th-century castle housing the Onufri Iconographic Museum. Vlorë was the site of the 1912 declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire, commemorated by the National Independence Museum. Tirana, the capital, includes Skanderbeg Square, the Pyramid of Tirana (originally a museum for Enver Hoxha), and Bunk'Art museums located in former communist bunkers. The article also notes the Albanian Alps near Shkodër and the Albanian Riviera close to Vlorë, featuring Porto Palermo's castle and an abandoned submarine base.