Hotels, motels and where to sleep
Restaurant, taverns and where to eat
Vlorë or Vlora is situated on the Albanian coast of the beautiful
Adriatic sea. The city officially was found in the 6th century
BC by the Greek colonists. Geographically, it has a coastline on
the northern shore of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and Ionian
seas, which forms the bay of Vlorë. Officially, the city would have
been built in the 6th century before the birth of Christ by
immigrants from Greece who founded their colony here. However, the
first human settlement existed here for 26 centuries almost
non-stop. The city played an important role in the history of the
country. Today it is the second largest city in Albania and for some
time Vlorë was the capital. It was here that Albania proclaimed its
independence from the Turkish Ottoman Empire on November 28, 1912.
Vlorë was established in antiquity as a Greek colony in Illyria.
His name was Aulon (Greek Αυλών), which means "channel" and,
perhaps, is a translation of another local name. The medieval and
modern Greek name is Avlonas (Αυλώνας) and is the source of the
Latin Aulona, the Italian name Valona (also used in other
languages). At the time of the Ottoman Empire, the city of Vlorë was
known in Turkish as Avlonya.
The Muradie Mosque (Albanian Xhamia e Muradies) is an
architectural cultural monument from the Ottoman past in the
Albanian port city of Vlora. The mosque was completed in 1542 and is
one of the oldest buildings in the city. In 1948 it was declared
part of the cultural heritage of Albania. The mosque stands in the
center of Vlora in a central square and is surrounded by streets on
all four sides. It is located to the west of Sadik Zotaj Street,
which is also the SH8 national road, south of Lef Sallata Street and
east of Atë Kristo Negovani Street. The main entrance is on the
north facade, where the vestibule or portico was.
The Muradie
Mosque is the best preserved testimony to the Ottoman history of
Vlora. Its builder was probably the most important Ottoman architect
Sinan, who had the building built in 1537 on behalf of the then
Sultan Suleyman I. The Sultan was on the occasion of a ship
expedition against enemy Italy in Vlora. In 1542 the construction
work was finished.
Enver Hoxha, the former dictator of
Albania, declared the country to be the "first atheist state in the
world" in 1967. Churches and mosques have been closed, destroyed or
repurposed across Albania. The Muradie Mosque escaped destruction
and was converted into the city and regional museum of architecture.
The structure consists of the main building and the minaret. The
former has an almost square floor plan measuring 10 by 11 meters.
Above the approximately 8-meter-high wall is the twelve-sided drum
and on top of it the dome, which is covered with dark red bricks.
With the exception of the northern one, all walls are equipped with
three pointed arches. The wall and the lower half of the drum are
made of alternating stone and brick, which gives the mosque its
characteristic striped pattern.
At the north-western corner
of the building is the approximately 18-meter-high minaret, which is
equipped with a balcony for the muezzin and a conical roof made of
lead. The whole building was made with stone. There used to be a
portico attached to the north wall, where the main entrance is, of
which only a few traces of the foundation have been preserved.
Address: L. Pavaresiya, st. Garden Zotay, Vlora
Telephone: 355
33 29419
Open: 8-12 and 16-18 Tuesday-Sunday
The National Museum of Independence (Albanian Muzeu Kombëtar i
Pavarësisë) is a historical, archaeological and cultural history
museum in the port city of Vlora in southern Albania. The museum is
dedicated to the independence of Albania, which was proclaimed on
November 28, 1912. It is a national symbol of the country and of all
Albanians and is home to a large historical and cultural history
collection.
The building in which the museum is housed was
built in the early 20th century. It is north-east of the port of
Vlora, bordering on this near the Adriatic Sea - at that time still
far outside the city, which had its center a few kilometers inland.
The international maritime health supervision had its seat in this
"simple but very nice villa of the quarantine" (Ekrem Bey Vlora).
In 1913, it served as the government building for six months
after Ismail Qemali (1844–1919), Albania's first prime minister,
returned from Western Europe and moved there. On November 28, 1913,
the celebrations for the first anniversary of independence were held
here.
In 1936, King Ahmet Zogu converted the building into a
National History Museum. In particular finds from archaeological
excavations in Apollonia were exhibited. It stayed that way until
the start of World War II when it was destroyed in 1939. The
building remained empty for a long time in the post-war period,
until the National Museum of Independence was officially opened in
1962 on the 50th anniversary of independence.
The museum has
a large and important collection of historical artifacts. Original
documents, photographs and objects, as well as many other relics
from the early 20th century, are housed in the National Museum of
Independence.
The building has two halls and two rooms.
Ismail Qemali's office and the Conference Room of the Provisional
Government have been recreated in the original rooms. The original
declaration of independence is in the office.
On the occasion
of the 100th anniversary of independence in 2012, the administration
will move out of the building in order to be able to use the full
interior space for the museum. The administration will move to
nearby premises. In front of the building is a garden with busts of
the first Prime Ministers of Albania.
The Historical Museum in Vlore is located in the very center, in
the former building of local government bodies and public
organizations. This museum was established in 1962.
Hundreds
of original objects are exhibited and preserved here, which
illustrate various historical periods, from ancient times to the
present day. In this museum, visitors can see archaeological sites
from ancient cities in the Vlore region - Orikum, Amantias, Ploce,
Olympia, Canina. The halls also contain historical artifacts from
the medieval period. Among them - the original documents of the city
of Vlora, weapons and personal items of famous historical figures.
The Historical Museum has a special department that reflects the
contribution of the population of the Vlore region in the struggle
for independence. There are two separate pavilions that tell the
story of the war in the region in 1920 and the democratic movement
in June 1924.
The museum building is located in the place
where the coffin with the body of the patriot of the country Avni
Rustem was found. The burial was found by accident in the mid-80s of
the last century, during the reconstruction of Vlore-Skele
boulevard. The body was later reburied nearby, and the original
hermetically sealed lead and glass coffin covered with the national
flag was moved to the Historical Museum.
The Ethnographic Museum is located in the center of Vlore, in a 19th century mansion. Here you can see exhibits made of metal, wood, stone, objects of decorative and applied art, garments, and embroidery.
Bektaschi-Tekke on the Kuz Baba hill
The Orthodox monastery of
Zvërnec is located on a small island in the lagoon of Narta.
Excursion destinations in the immediate vicinity are five kilometers
away on a hill and on the ancient path from Aulon to Amantia with
remains of walls from Illyrian (4th century BC), Justinian (6th
century AD), Byzantine (11th century) and Ottoman times (16th
century); after that the importance of the place declined by the
construction of the fortress in Vlora.
The ancient Oricum, near
which the port of Pashaliman was built in Ottoman times.
The first traces of a theater in the area can be found in
the ancient city of Oricum, which lies south on the Bay of Vlora.
In November 1962 the first theater was opened in Vlora on the
occasion of the 50th anniversary of Albania's independence in 1912.
It is named in honor of Petro Marko, a major Albanian author.
Education
The University of Vlora, named after Ismail Qemali,
was founded in 1994. As a result, the range of subjects has been
steadily expanded.
The Greek Conservatory has had a branch in
the city since 2008.
Kanin Fortress
Kanin Fortress or Kanin Castle is located outside the city of Vlora, 6 km to the South-East. He occupies a strategic position on Mount Shushitsa and reaches a height of 380 meters above sea level. The first human settlements here are dated by the Neolithic. The first military structure was built in the 4th century BC. Gradually the village grew and in the 6th century the Byzantine emperor Justinian I the Great built it here. This castle became an important starting point for the beginning of the seizure of the Apenninsky Peninsula and its liberation from the barbarian tribes. In the Middle Ages, the Kanin fortress was rebuilt and for some time served as the residence of Georgy Arianity, Prince Kanin. However, after the invasion of the Turks, the castle was destroyed, and its inhabitants were taken away by the local residents for their buildings. No large archaeological excavations were carried out here, so people still find coins and household items of those times.
Antiquity
Thanks to its strategic position at the entrance to
the Adriatic Sea, the Bay of Vlora, which forms a natural harbor,
was a trading center sought after by many peoples. For the
development of the city in antiquity, this sequence now results: a
change of location from Treport to Vlora around the 1st century BC
and an immigration in the 6th century AD
First there was a
settlement seven kilometers northwest near the tip of the Treport
peninsula. At the beginning of the 20th century, excavations were
carried out here, but it was only since the excavations by Vasil
Bereti around 1990 that various phases of settlement from the 7th
century BC can be identified. Until the 2nd century BC Prove.
Remnants of a 600-meter-long fortification wall running parallel to
the coast were exposed. The city, whose name Daulia is assumed,
experienced its heyday between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC. At the
same time, Byllis, which was developed into the capital of an Illyr
tribe who settled inland a few kilometers away, had its next port in
Daulia. The place was in the 1st century BC. Abandoned BC.
Roman sources from the 2nd century AD mention a stopover on the
trade route along the coast between Dyrrhachium and Buthrotum. Since
parts of a city fortification from the 4th century AD were excavated
near the Muradie Mosque in the old town in 1988, this Roman aulon is
believed to have been at the site of the present-day city. In the
5th century, Aulon became the seat of a bishop within these fortress
walls. The walls were reinforced under Emperor Justinian (527-565).
An immigration took place from Apollonia, which was abandoned in the
6th century.
Contested city in the Middle Ages
At the end
of the 6th century, Slavs ravaged the city and many residents fled
to the island of Sazan. In 1081 Normans plundered the city from
Apulia in the fight against the Byzantines. From Vlora they marched
over the Via Egnatia to Constantinople. In 1204 Valona came to the
despotate of Epirus and in 1258 the Hohenstaufen king of Sicily
invaded Epirus and occupied Corfu and some coastal towns of
Dyrrachium, Valona, Kanina, Buthroton. Michael II. Komnenos Dukas
Angelos, despot of Epirus, managed to persuade Manfred to form an
alliance by giving him one of his daughters, Helena, as a wife and
giving as dowry what Manfred had already conquered. The Staufer rule
in Albania was to be short-lived. After Manfred's death on February
26, 1266 in the battle of Benevento and the imprisonment of his wife
Helena by Charles of Anjou, the latter claimed the inheritance of
Manfred (Corfu and the coastal towns of Dyrrachium, Valona,
Kanina, Buthroton).
In agreement with Pope Clement IV, Karl
von Anjou concluded in the Pope's residence in Viterbo on May 24,
1267 and on May 27 with Wilhelm II of Villehardouin, the prince of
Achaia (Morea) and with the Latin emperor who had been expelled from
Constantinople Baldwin II of Courtenay signed an alliance of
friendship and an agreement, the Viterbo Agreement, in which Charles
received Helena's dowry, the lands between Corfu and Dyrrachium,
which he saw as a legitimate legal claim.
From February 21,
1272 Valona belonged to the Regnum Albaniae founded by Charles of
Anjou. Castellan was Giacomo Baliniano "[...] Iacobi de Baliniano
castellani castri nostri Canine et Avallone [...]"
In 1343
Valona was conquered by Serbs and in 1417 it was the first Adriatic
port to be plundered by the Ottomans. Subsequently, Valona was
recaptured by the noble Albanian family Arianiti and in 1478, ten
years after the death of the national hero Skanderbeg, Ottoman
troops conquered the city a second time.
Ottoman period
This is probably the reason why Sephardic Jews fled Spain from 1492
to Vlora and formed a larger community in the city. In 1520, 701
native and 531 Jewish families were counted under Turkish rule.
In 1537, under Suleyman I, the city was secured by fortification
walls in the shape of an octagon with an edge length of 90 meters,
partly with building material from ancient Daulia. Inside there was
also a mighty round tower; by 1906 all fortifications were torn down
and the material used to build the main road to the port.
The city was now called Avlonya by the Turks. The French nobleman
Jean Carlier de Pinon describes in his work Mon voyaige en Levant,
faict l'an 1579 (My journey to the Levant, made in 1579) the city of
Vallona (Vlora), which is inhabited by Muslim, Christian and Jewish
families . According to him, Vlora had five mosques with white
minarets at that time. The port was used by many pirates from the
area. In 1638 a Tunisian-Algerian corsair fleet invaded the Adriatic
and withdrew to the Ottoman port of Vlora. A Venetian fleet
bombarded the city, hijacked the pirate fleet and freed 3,600
prisoners.
Evliya Çelebi described Vlora and the surrounding
area in detail in November 1670. Within the fortified city walls
there were around 300 mud houses and a market square. Outside the
city fortress, around 1,000 other stone houses - some of them
multi-storey - were spread over a green level. Numerous different
fruits and plants were grown there on a large scale.
In
September 1690 Vlora went to the Republic of Venice and in 1691
again to the Ottomans. Under Ottoman rule, Vlora - now Avlona in
Turkish - developed into the most important port city in the area of
Albania and benefited above all from trade with Ragusa.
In
1810 Tepedelenli Ali Pascha was able to annex the city to his rule
for a short time until the Ottoman Sultan recaptured Vlora in 1822
when Ali Pasha was murdered.
Political center and military
base in the 20th century
The recent history of the city has
repeatedly been of great importance for all of Albania. During the
Balkan Wars, the city was attacked by the Greek fleet on December 3,
1912. But after Austria-Hungary and Italy asked Greece not to
interfere in the strategically important Vlora, she was excluded
from the war. In Vlora, Ismail Qemali proclaimed the independence of
Albania on November 28, 1912. Until the beginning of 1914, Vlorë was
the seat of the country's first provisional government. In December
of the same year, Italian troops occupied the port city. With the
help of this base, Italy controlled the southern exit of the
Adriatic. In 1920 the Italian troops were forced to withdraw by an
uprising by the Albanians.
From 1939 to 1943 the city was
again occupied by Italy, the submarine port on the offshore island
of Sazan was the reason for the Allied bombs during the Second World
War on the port and city. After the war, hardly any buildings from
the Ottoman era were preserved. From 1956 until Albania's political
break with Moscow in 1961, the Soviet Union maintained a naval base
in Pashaliman at the southwest end of the bay. In the 1950s, it was
the only Soviet military base in the Mediterranean.
Fighting
Crime in the 1990s
More recently, the attention of the whole
world has been on Vlora, when in January / February 1997 the unrest
that led to the overthrow of the government and anarchic conditions
spread from here to all of Albania.
In the 1990s, Vlorë
became a center of smuggling across the Adriatic. The Strait of
Otranto is only a little over 70 kilometers wide. With speedboats,
smugglers can reach mainland Italy in a few hours. The mafia thus
transported drugs and, in some cases, weapons, but in particular
people (refugees from Albania and Asia and women for prostitution)
to Western Europe. There were repeated accidents in which several
refugees drowned. The Albanian authorities are currently fighting
organized crime with the support of Italians, Germans and Americans.
From the 2000s the political situation in the
city improved enormously and numerous hotels, restaurants, bars and
discos emerged. In addition, beaches were created and roads
expanded. It is believed that most of the money for the tourism
sector came from drug, gun and human trafficking in the 1990s. Many
buildings were erected without building permits, so they were
demolished by a municipal action in the late 2000s.
Today
Vlora is the tourist center of southern Albania, next to Saranda.
Summer tourism in particular has become an important industry in the
coastal city. But other sectors, especially in the energy supply
sector, now offer more jobs.
By bus
Bus stop (Drop off point) (In the city
"centre" near the Muradie Mosque, or a couple of blocks west.).
As of September 2014, mini-buses left from Saranda to Vlore at the
following time: 05:30, 11:30, 16:30, 18:00.
Bus from Tirana -
the journey can be very slow! - furgons from Saranda or Fier), can
be faster than bus.
Daily two buses from Athens (over night
bus and day long bus, both €30).
Buses to Ohrid, North
Macedonia depart at 14:00.
By boat
Vlore Port. From
Brindisi with two overnight ferries, arriving in Vlore early in the
morning
By train
Vlora train station. A train arriving
after 12:00 on the once a day service from Rrogozhinë which connects
off again a daily train from Tiranë to Librazhd. The same loco
formed the 05:00 Vlorë to Rrogozhinë the next day.(2013)
By
car
If you are in Tirana, follow the way:
Tirana-Durres-Kavaje-Rrogozhine-Lushnje-Fier-Vlore. The roadway is
pretty good. From North Macedonia, you can follow: Qafe
Thane-Librazhd-Elbasan-Rrogozhine-Lushnje-Fier-Vlore
From
Greece, you can take three ways: (i)
Kakavi-Gjirokaster-Tepelene-Vlore; or (ii) Kakavi-Gjirokaster-Qafe e
Muzines-Sarande-Vlore; or (iii) Qafe Bote-Sarande-Dhermi-Vlore. The
last itinerary is the shortest
There are three
areas you might visit in Vlore - the beaches, the port, and the town
centre.
the beaches stretch several Km to the south/east of
the port, and there are numerous hotels and apartments in this
stretch. There are also good beaches north/west of the port, but
these are less easily accessible.
the port area - numerous hotels
and restaurants in this area, though the town beach and the sea here
are rather dirty
the town centre lies inland, about 2 km north of
the port. A long boulevard lined with palm trees joins the two.
There are many bars, shops and restaurants along this boulevard, but
it is spoiled by fast traffic with no controlled pedestrian
crossings. The town centre itself (around Flag Square) has a few
'tourist attractions', though unless you are in Vlore for the
beaches there is not much to detain you more than half a day. The
main reason for staying in this area is its convenience as a
bus/furgon 'hub' serving nearby towns.
There is a small tourist
information kiosk in Flag Square, next to the Independence Monument.
Accommodation on offer ranges from luxurious to basic with a good
choice of hotels in between. Friendly service and good hospitality
is usually encountered. Also available are private apartments and
homes for longer stays of 10-15 days, B&Bs and hostels. You can camp
in some areas.
Town centre area -
Vlore Hotel, Rruga
Justin Godar (Near to Flag Square). €30 for a double room with
breakfast [Sept 2011].
Vlora Backpackers Hostel, 24 haki isufi
kushtrimi vlore (rruga gjergj kastrioti north all way till the end
turn left on rruga e paqes and one more left in few buildings and is
rruga haki isufi), ☎ +355 696135752, e-mail:
vlorabackpackers@gmail.com. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 11:00. Vlora
backpackers in a old villa located in a city center close to flew
market grocery market and many historical museums best for stop by
travelers. Bus station is outside of Vlora the port to Italy is 2 km
easy with city bus. €10 per bed in dorm room.
Vlore's sea products are some of the best in Albania. The
Paradisa Beach Restaurant offers great seafood and is 5-10 minutes
(depending on traffic) with a car from the center of Vlore. Ask for
the right direction. Another great restaurant is "Makareshi", which
is less than 5 minutes from the center of the city (with a car). But
the most important thing to eat there is the Vlore traditiional
food. Vlore (together with Kurvelesh) is the center of Laberia - the
most famous and patriotic region of Albania. "Lab" people tend to be
very proud of themselves, but also of their food. Try kukurec,
qumeshtor and harapash. "Mish ne hell", which is rotisserie lamb, is
well-known. Try this around Karaburuni.
Vlore area cuisine is
typical of coastal and mountainous areas. The products are taken
from dairy animals which are raised in the mountains by the sea.
Here are some examples of traditional Albanian dishes:
Byrek
is a flaky pastry that is preferred by the people of Vlore to be
filled with either field greens or just as a milky pie. The most
important ingredients are fresh milk, flour, and field greens.
Grilled meat is characteristic of Vlore, and is found in every
restaurant. The nearness of the sea and the quality of pastures give
the meat in this area an incomparable taste. Lamb from Karaburun
cooked over an open fire is particularly delicious.
Yogurt in
Vlore is produced traditionally and is different than the yogurt
produced in most of Europe.
Harapash is similar to porridge and
is cooked with corn flour, the intestines of lamb, cheese and
butter.
Raki is the traditional alcoholic drink of Albania. The
drink is typically grape-based, but you can also find raki made from
blackberries and plums.
Another typical dish for Vlore cuisine
are plates with seafood, fish, mussels, shrimp, and lobster.
By the main beach where the Adriatic meets the Ionian sea, there is a natural mineral water spring that leads into the ocean. Locals fill up empty bottles to take with them to the beach, and larger containers to take home. You can have an aperitif always near the seaside or in the mountain of Llogora, a natural park (protected).