For 500 lek cash you can catch the bus from Tirana to Berat.
I left at 10:45, arriving at the Berat bus station at 12:55.
What an eventful bus ride it was. I was seated next to a lovely poet who gifted me a signed copy of his book, which I ended up shamefully leaving in my accommodation side table drawer because I don’t understand Albanian.
It’s a 25 minute walk from the bus station to the outskirts of Berat old town. I stayed at Camping Villa Juri, but didn’t camp. They had rooms and I rented one of those.
eat
The highest rated restaurant is called Lili Homemade Food and you basically need your ancestor from 1802 to book a reservation for you because I WhatsAaped that morning (from the number on their Facebook page) and didn’t get a reservation. That’s how popular it is. Needless to say, I was a lili sad that didn’t get to enjoy the food.
I did eat at Eni Traditional Food Berat and it was good. I enjoyed the taste and prices.
I had some glasses of wine at Zgara te Dhelpra where we got served by a two year old (I’m being dramatic, I think he was 10).
I ate dinner one night at my accommodation. I had to reserve a spot in the morning and I don’t think you can eat there unless you are staying there. I was the only singular person. She doesn’t even go here.
I ended up getting a MonBlan dessert (two s’s because you always want double portions of dessert) that was more whipped cream tasting than meringue so it wasn’t my jam.
I recommend just going to Bakery & Food (on Rruga Antipatrea, Berat) for all your meals because everyone loves cheap baked treats. When I was there in June, there was some construction so the name may not match Google (I have so little faith that the construction is finished 4 months later), but it is the only bakery around there, so you will see it.
cheap things to do
Walking up towards the castle provided me evidence of why I need to take my fitness level more seriously along with a nice view.
I should have stayed at the top of the castle and wandered around a bit more because at one point I started on a slightly downward sloping trail and there was no going back. I didn’t even go to the actual viewpoint (Berat Viewing Platform or Panoramic Viewpoint on Google maps) because of this ill-fated decision.
I did stumble upon the Holy Trinity Church though on my walk/tumble down the cliff (Aragorn much?). It costs money to go in and don’t pull the rope to ring the bell because the guy who emerged from the shadows will get mad.
Walk around the alleyways/ streets on the Gorica side.
Apparently after dinner everyone in the town strolls down Bulevardi Republika, which I think was true- there were a lot of people strolling (not pictured because it was raining).
travel by bus to Gjirokaster
The owner of the campsite I was staying at said I could leave at 0700 and be fine to catch the 0800 to Gjirokaster, buying a ticket on the bus once I got there. Naturally, I left way earlier than he suggested and I had too much time to spare.
There was free wifi inside the bus station by the restaurant area, which I used as I drank my rancid (my fault) tea. I should have ordered something fool-proof like chamomile when instead I went for some sugary lemon monstrosity. Maybe this is why I like to arrive super early to places, so I can complain about the composition of their tea.
I came across this bus schedule checker but let’s be real, it is best to just wing it and look on the signs/ ask the drivers when you arrive. The schedule sometimes says there isn’t any bus running, when there is. It’s a fun time.
Since there was no direct bus, I got dropped off on the side of the road with two other people and a different van picked us up to take us to Gjirokaster. It’s a fun time.
I arrived at the side of the road in Gjirokaster at 1200. At the base of the steep hilled city.
