Vlorë

Vlorë is a city in Coastal Albania in Albania.

Understand

Vlora Shoreline at Cold Water (Uji Ftohte)

Vlore lies in the southwestern coastal region of Albania, at the southern end of the Adriatic Sea and the northern part the Ionian Sea. The Vlore coastline accounts for about 30% of the entire coast of Albania and in its proximity is located the Albanian Riviera. It is 135km from the capital city, Tirana, separated by only 72km from Italy (Channel of Otranto) and 123km from Greece (the island of Corfu). The surface area of Vlore is 1609km2 and includes 4 cities; Vlore, Selenica, Himara and Orikum. It has a climate typical of Mediterranean Sea, with mild winters that are generally wet, and summers that are dry. The Vlore region has three basic climatic zones: The coast has moderate temperatures, as the other countries of the Mediterranean, and does not suffer the cold winds like the western side of Albania.

The inland, hilly areas in the region have a cool climate with rains and similar to that of Central Europe with a relatively mild climate. The mountainous region, such as Llogara, possesses a dry continental climate. In winter it can be quite cold (though snow is relatively uncommon) and has fresh, cool air all summer long. Vlore receives more hours of sunshine per year than any other region of Albania - averaging over 2000 "sunny" hours annually. Vlore has the only peninsula in Albania, which is named Karaburun. It is roughly 16km by 4km in size, and an area of 62km². The peninsula of Karaburun is rich in natural resources (famous for marble), woodlands, and archeological remains. It is also home to a reserve for wild pigs. The only island in Albania, named Sazan, is located 17km from the port of Vlore and 9km from Triport (Three Gates) in the Vlore region. The highest point of the island is 342m. Sazan has a surface area of 5.7km² and 12km of coast. A rocky cliff breaks the beach. Vlore, long known for its olive production, at last count had approximately 280,000 olive trees. The olive trademark " Vlonjak" is one of the oldest in Europe and is known for its great oil production. The territory around Vlore comes from thriving ancient cities such as Amantia-Ploce, Olympe-Mavrova, Orikos-Orikum, Himera-Himare, Kionina-Kanine, Nymfeum-Selenica and Aulona-Vlora.

A lot of famous people in Albania were born in Vlore, including 6 former ministers (Xhafaj, Malaj, Angjeli, Gjinushi, Leskaj, Pango), a lot of famous singers (including Aurela Gace and Poni), and several other VIPs. Vlore is also known for being the head city for the 1997 revolution in Albania. Zani Caushi was one of the local leaders, although he later started to trade drugs. If possible, do not get in a discussion about 1997 while being in Vlore.

Dialect

The dialect of Vlore is difficult to learn, as it includes a special kind of speaking (slower than the rest of Albanians), difficult "r" and "l" ("r", especially when the first letter of a word, is severe, while "l" is something between "l" and "ll") and a lot of daily used phrases.They use "vlla" (brother) or "motra" (sister) like the Americans use dude or bro.The people are born with this dialect and if you speak Albanian you can understand where someone is from (especially Vlora dialect).

Get in

By car

If you are in Tirana, follow the way: Tirana-Durres-Kavaje-Rrogozhine-Lushnje-Fier-Vlore. The roadway is pretty good. From 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 but is the slowest because of many curves. And it's also really beautiful - Llogara Pass. Hundreds of curves, and the coast on the left side... Drive carefully, this road demands concentration and watch out for the car's cooling system :)

By bus

You can take a bus from Tirana - the journey can be very slow! You can also take a furgon(new laws prohibit furgons so you may not find one easy) from any of the nearby towns (eg. Saranda, Fier) which can be faster than bus. Buses and furgons drop off in the city "centre" near the Muradie Mosque, or a couple of blocks west.

You can also take a bus from Athens. There are over night buses and day long buses every day. It cost 30 euro for all bus companies, and there is a strip of bus companies in downtown Athens.

By boat

From Brindisi with two over night ferries since May 2015, arriving in Vlore early in the morning.

Get around

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 and the sea is amazing ( although we recommend the private beaches)
• the town center lies inland, about 2Km north of the port. A long boulevard lined with palm trees joins the two. There are many bars, shops and restaurants along this boulevard. The town center 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.

See

In the "town centre" area -

• Flag Square (Sheshi i Flamurit) - Independence Monument - a massive socialist-realist monument celebrating the independence of Albania from the Ottoman empire in 1912
• Ethnographic Museum (open 08.00–12.00 and 16.00–18.00 )
• Historic Museum (open 8.00–12.00 and 16.00– 18.00)
• The Mosque of Muradie

Port area -

• The Museum of Independence (open 8.00–12.00 and 16.00–18.00)

Surrounding area -

• The Castle of Kanina, in Kanina village
• Monastery of Saint Mary, in Zvernec Village
• Ancient theatre of Orikum (First century B.C)
• The Church of Marmiroi in Orikum

Between Tirana and Vlorë is the district of Fier, which boasts different historical sites of great interest.

• Kropisht Castle is situated in the place called Llutroi, built in the Roman period. It is composed of stones, 24x2x5cm. The fortress was built in the shape of a square with an area of 250x180meters. For the most part, the widths of the stones were 1.2meters.

• Kukum Castle is located in Qeparo, near Palermo, in the region of Vlore. It was built in the 2nd century BC.
• Vlore Castle was built in 1531 by Sultan Sulejman to protect Vlore from attack from the army of Venedik. This castle was documented by Dr. Auerbahu in 1847 and was saved in the library archive of Innsbruck.

• Kanina Castle is about 6km away from the city of Vlora[1] in the village with the same name. The castle is located on the side of Shushica's Mountain, around 380 above the sea level. The settlement covers an area of 3,625 hactares. The castle is believed to have been build in the 3rd century B.C. In the 4th century B.C. the castle was transformed into a fortress town. In the 6th century A.D the castle was reconstructed by Justinian I. The castle was the center of the Principality of Valona in the 14 century. In Anna Komnenes' notes, she talked long about her father, Emperor Aleks', war against the Norman army.

• Movrove Castle is situated in the Shushice valley and was built in the 4th century BC. The walls are built with a limestone blockade

• Caves - Cave writings-Lepenice is situated on the mountain and village of the same name, which has a height of 800 meters above sea level. Pictures found in this cave represent post-Paleolithic art, which is known as the oldest in all of Europe. In the cave you find 19 anthropomorphic figures and 8 geometrical pictures.

Velça Caves are part of the culture of the late Neolit culture of the 3rd millennium BC. Professor Marciani took notes about this cave, and speculated that it must have been lived in 1000 years before Christ. Haxhi Ali Cave in Karaburun is situated on the peninsula. Located in a cliff, it is the biggest cave in Albania at 30 meters long, 10 meters wide and 10-15 meters high.

Vlore is blessed with numerous natural springs because of precipitation and the mountainous landscape. Rivers The Vjosa River with the length of 76km, it has served as a natural border between Fier (in the north) and Vlore. It was very practical to navigate between the two cities because the river generally passes through fields and flat land. Shushica River has a length of about 80km and is also known by another name, Vlore River, because it traverses the valley of the same name. Lagoons: Vlore has two of the most important lagoons in Albania. They are Narta Lagoon and Pashaliman Lagoon. The lagoons are both connected with the sea by the way of a channel and, as such, are affected by the tides. Narta Lagoon is situated north of Vlore. It is well-known internationally because of the number of sea birds, which exceeds 48,700. For three species of sea birds, 1% of the total number find refuge here. In winter, more than 23% of the sea birds of Albania live in this area. Pashaliman Lagoon, although small in size, is known for different kinds of ducks and for winter seabirds that migrate through Albania

Do

• Enjoy the vivid night life of the city and suburbs.
• Aulona International Folk Festival [2]
• Albanian Open Paragliding Event [3]
• During the winter holidays or the winter months that predict snowfall in Vlora, it is always a nice idea to travel up the very treacherous Llogora, which during these winter months, has great snowfall, great food, fresh air, and the best possible views.

Eat

Vlore's sea products are some of the best in Albania. You must not forget to visit Paradise Beach Restaurant, one of the best sea food products in Albania. Its 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 (spinaches or leeks) or just as a milky pie or even meat. 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. Usually is served with a sauce made with Kos,cucumber and garlic (called simply Kos in most restaurants)
• Yogurt in Vlore is produced traditionally and is different than the yogurt produced in most of Europe:it's called "Kos" and is usually made without sugar,because people of Vlore usually transforms it in savoury sauce (with cucumber and garlic) or in a drink called "Dhalle" (similar to turkish "Ayran": kos,water,salt ).
• 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. It's considered to be similar to greek "Ouzo"
• Another typical dish for Vlore cuisine are plates with seafood, fish, mussels, shrimp, and lobster. Vlora has many of this, being near the sea.

Drink

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).

Sleep

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&B's and hostels. You can camp in some areas.

Notable Hotels to search for while in Vlore are Hotel Vlora, Hotel Martini, Europa grand resort,House of Sun Residence, Hotel Lungomare, Vlorë, Hotel Liro Hotel Ble Ble and Hotel New York.

• Vlora Backpackers Hostel ([email protected]), 24 haki isufi kushtrimi (rruga gjergj kastrioti north allway in and turn left on rruga e paqes one more left haki isufi), ☎ 00355 696135752. checkin: 1.00 pm; checkout: 11.00 am. vlora backpackers is on old villa loceded in city center next to a bus station and flea market many historical museums perfect for pass by price is reasonable 10 euros for dorm bed 10 euro.  edit

Stay Safe

To stay safe in Vlore while traveling, it is suggested you bring some sunscreen. As a little flourishing city the pollution is not as severe as it may be in others and that usually leads to a clear unpolluted and merciless sky.

Use your common sense, don't leave your car-keys in your car and don't leave your car open.

Be wary of the open roads, as many are very limited in size with dangerous curves, or some are completely riddled with potholes. Take into account that Albania's driver culture is relatively new and unrestricted. There are rare turn signals, and a lot of honking to be taken either as warnings or as a sign to move faster.

The main Police Station in Vlore; Policia Vlore is located at the very entrance of the city center, in the same entrance you enter the city from Fjeri either by car or bus.

Get out

You can try to head southwards to the picturesque village of Vuno, famous for its school-hostel Shkolla - a magnet for all passing-by backpackers. If you desire a long shoreline and shallow waters, the city of Orikum provides ample space for your own beach chairs, if you travel far enough. Cheap prices are a given, being so far away from the city of Vlora, however one must be careful to find swimming space that is not fed by one of their colder rivers or creeks. The bus station is Vlore on most sites show it as being in the old train station when in fact it is a block before that on the left hand side of the street facing away from the water. You will see the buses lined on the street with a sign in the window for destination. Note that other than to Tirana most busses only leave in the mornings.

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