Vlora lies in the southwestern region of Albania, at the southern end of the Adriatic Sea and the northern part the Ionian Sea.Its coastline accounts for about 30% of the entire coast of Albania. 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).
It has a climate typical of Mediterranean Sea, with mild winters that are generally wet, and summers that are dry. 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.
Vlora receives more hours of sunshine per year than any other region of Albania – averaging over 2000 “sunny” hours annually.
It has the only peninsula in Albania, which is named Karaburun. It is roughly 16km by 4km in size, and an area of 62kmҮ 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 Vlora and 9km from Triport (Three Gates) in the Vlora region. The highest point of the island is 342m. Sazan has a surface area of 5.7kmҠand 12km of coast. A rocky cliff breaks the beach.
Vlora, 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 town is surrounded by gardens and olive groves. Valonia, the mass name for acorn cups obtained in the neighboring oak forests and (because of its chemical derivatives) used by tanners, derives its name from Valona, the ancient name of Vlora.
HISTORY
Vlora is one of the oldest cities of Albania. It was founded by Ancient Greeks in the 6th century BC and named Aulōn, one of several colonies on the Illyrian coast, mentioned for the first time by Ptolemy (Geographia, III, xii, 2). Other geographical documents, such as Peutinger’s “Tabula” and the “Synecdemus” of Hierocles, also mention it. The city was an important port of the Roman Empire, when it was part of Epirus Nova.
It became an episcopal see in the 5th century. Among the known bishops are Nazarius, in 458, and Soter, in 553 (Daniele Farlati, Illyricum sacrum, VII, 397-401). The diocese at that time belonged to the Patriarchate of Rome. In 733 it was annexed, with all eastern Illyricum, to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and yet it is not mentioned in any Notitiae episcopatuum of that Church. The bishopric had probably been suppressed, for, though the Bulgarians had been in possession of this country for some time, Avlona is not mentioned in the “Notitiae episcopatuum” of the Patriarchate of Achrida. Vlora played a central role in the conflicts between the Norman Kingdom of Sicily and the Byzantine Empire during the 11th and 12th centuries. During the Latin domination a Latin see was established, and Eubel (Hierarchia catholica medii aevi, I, 124) mentions several of its bishops. Several of the Latin bishops mentioned by Le Quien (Oriens christianus, III, 855-8), and whom Eubel (I, 541) mentions under the See of Valanea in Syria, belong either to Aulon in Greece (now Salona) or to Aulon in Albania (Vlor멮
The Serbian Empire captured Vlora, or Valona, as it was also called, in 1345 and formed the seat of an independent principality until it was captured by the Ottoman Empire in 1417. Under Ottoman rule, it became a sanjak centre in Rumeli Eyaleti as “Avlonya”; and after coming under Venetian possession in 1690, the city was restored to the Turks in 1691, becoming a kaza of the sandjak of Berat in the vilayet (province) of Janina. The city had about 10,000 inhabitants; there was a Catholic parish, which belonged to the Archdiocese of Durr쳻 it persisted nominally as a titular see, suffragan of Durr쳮 In the 16th century, it was an important center for Sephardic Jewish refugees from Spain and Portugal.
In 1851 it suffered severely from an earthquake.
Ismail Qemali declared Albania’s independence in Vlora on November 28, 1912, during the First Balkan War. The city became Albania’s first capital but was invaded by Italy in 1914 and occupied until 1920. Italy again invaded Vlor롩n 1939, following which Nazi Germany occupied the city until 1944.
During World War II, the island of Sazan in Bay of Vlora became the site of a German and Italian submarine base and naval installations; these were heavily bombed by the Allies.
After WWII, under communism, the port was leased to the Soviet Union as a submarine base, and played an important part in the conflict between Enver Hoxha and Nikita Khrushchev in 1960-1961, as the Soviet Union had made considerable investments in the naval facilities and objected strongly to the loss of them as a consequence of Albania denouncing the USSR as ‘revisionist’ and taking the Chinese side in the split in the world communist movement. The Soviet Union threatened to occupy Vlora with Soviet troops in April 1961, and cut off all Soviet economic, military and technical aid to Albania. The threat was not carried out, as a result of the simultaneous development of the Cuban missiles crisis.
ATTRACTIONS
Lagoons
Vlora 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 Vlora. 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.
National Parks
Llogara is one of the most picturesque places on the Albanian Riviera. Pine trees cover the land, but there are many box-wood trees there as well. The 1020 hectare area is covered by lush plant life. It is considered a classic place where a natural equilibrium exists between the world of animals and plants. The well known area of Llogara has a height of 1027 meters.
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.
Vel衠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.
Castles
Castle of Gjon Bocari is located in the village of Tragjas and was built in the 16th – 17th centuries. The walls form a rectangle, with a width of 1.25 meters and a height of 5.5 meters.
Himara Castle was fortified by the Kaon tribe and is mentioned in Byzantine documents. It was repaired in the 6th century. Emperor Justinian had the castle rebuilt to defend against the attack of the Barbars, Gots and the Hus.
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.
Porto Palermo Castle or Ali Pasha Tepelene Castle is near Himara. The width of the stones is 1.6meters. This castle was designed by a French engineer and was constructed in the shape of a pentagon.
Kukum Castle is located in Qeparo, near Palermo, in the region of Vlora. It was built in the 2nd century BC.
Vlora Castle was built in 1531 by Sultan Sulejman to protect Vlora 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 was built in the old center of Vlora in the 3rd century BC. This castle has an area of 3625ha. It was rebuilt by Emperor Justinian in the 5th century BC. 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.
Archeology
Mesaplik Mosaic is a very rare Paleochristian object. This mosaic is from the 7-8th centuries BC, and has a dimension of 11x10meters.
Stone with the Sky monument is situated in the mountain of Lipes in the village of Vranisht. It is a prehistoric monument known in the bronze era 4-9 thousand years ago. As the well known archeologist M. Zeqo said, “it’s a gigantic stone that was placed over two other stones by men with their own hands , and this way they created an alter to the Gods..”
Religious Temples
Muradia Mosque was built in the style of the sultans in the second half of the 16th century. The mosque was designed by the Albanian architect Sinani, who was one of the most important designers of mosques in the period of the Ottoman Empire. His most important creation was the Great Mosque “Sulejman” (the Blue Mosque) in Istanbul.
Zvernec Monastery is the most important cultural monument in the area of Narta. One of the reasons to visit the island of Zvernec is to see this monastery. It was built in the 13th century in Byzantine style and was dedicated to Saint Maria. This construction is in the center of the island. Every August 15th, there is an Orthodox celebration to remember the birthday of Saint Maria.
Museums
The Museum of Independence was founded in 1936 and was the first museum in all of Albania. Between the creation of the museum and today, it has collected important objects from both the city of Vlora and the surrounding region. The museum was declared a national museum at its 50 year anniversary. Albania was founded in this building and the museum, with all its contents, attempts to capture one of the most important moments in history for Albanians.
The Historic Museum was founded in 1962 and is located in the city center. There are historical and archaeological items of the entire district of Vlora. They date back beginning from the Bronze Age to documents of recent years, and include objects and relics from the medieval, renaissance and modern times. In this museum, visitors can see archeological objects that belonged to different ancient cities such as Vlora, Orikum, Amantia Plo襬 Olympia, and Kionina.
The Ethnographic Museum is located in the oldest building in the city, and was build in the middle of the 18th century. This museum was proclaimed a Monument of Culture. The museum is preferred by the visitors because you can see the unique traditions of Vlora. Displayed in the museum are hundreds of objects of artistic value, commemorating the long tradition of craftsmanship in metal, wood and the wide variety of the area’s traditional clothes. In the year 1908, within the Ethonographic Museum was created a patriotic club “Laberia” and whose honorary chairman was Ismail Qemali, the man who proclaimed Albania’s independence. Also, in 1909 the first school was opened in the Albanian language for the girls who lived in the city, directed by patriot Marigo Posi.
Traditional Cuisine
Vlora 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. Another important characteristic of the Vlora cuisine is cooking with seafood.
Here are some examples of traditional Albanian dishes:
Byrek is a flaky pastry that is preferred by the people of Vlora 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 Vlora, 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 Vlora is produced traditionally and is different than the yogurt produced in most of Europe. It is eaten only fresh. Harapash is similar to porridge and is cooked with corn flour, the intestines of lamb, cheese and butter.
Another typical dish for Vlora cuisine are plates with seafood, fish, mussels, shrimp, and lobster. The Narta Lagoon is famous for its eels and mullet dishes.
Raki is the traditional alcoholic drink of Albania, but it is especially good in the area of Vlora. The drink is typically grape-based, but you can also find raki made from blackberries and plums.
THE RIVIERA
The region of Himara, perhaps the most beautiful region in Albania, is just one hour drive south of Vlora. It is named after the county town of Himara on the shores of the Ionian Sea, currently commences at the village of Qeparo to the south and ends at the Llogara mountain ridge to the north. On the one hand lies the deep blue of the Ionian Sea and a continuous series of peninsulas, capes and bays, some of which, like Porto Palermo, are closed and sheltered from the wind, while others provide long and beautiful beaches; and on the other side lies the mass of the Akrokeraune Mountain Range, with high peaks. This strip of land between the mountain peaks and the sea is the beautiful and historic land of Himara, with its villages and their old, stone- built houses, the Byzantine churches and monasteries, the castles and other monuments, as well as the people of Himara, hospitable and proud, who have remained unbowed throughout history.
First of all, the county town of Himara, which includes the individual settlements of the Castle; the Old Himara with its monuments and its unique architecture; Spilea (Cave) on the beach which is the modern economic and tourist hub; Potami (the river) with its wonderful beach and its hotel rooms; even Livadhi (Meadow) with its wonderful sea; Zamari; etc
North of Himara the first village we encounter is Vuno, a wonderful place with old stone houses, and a wonderful beach at Jali. It’s famous for its overall architecture and the houses resembling to Venetian Palaces. Then there is the small village of Ilias and close by is the wonderful beach at Ngjipea that leads to a magnificent and steep canyon.
After Ilias, the road takes us to Dhermi, a large and particularly beautiful village, with old churches, lovely houses and, crowning the top of the hill, overlooking the village, the Monastery of the Mother of Christ. Further up in the mountain there is the monastery of the Holy Cross. The ravine of the river lies between the two slopes on which Dhermi is built, and at certain points the river bed forms waterfalls. The beach at Dhermi is one the most beautiful stretch of sand in the region.
To the north of Dhermi we come to the village of Palasa, the ancient town of Palaeste; then the road winds up the Akrokeraune Mountains (Thunder Mountains) along a breathtaking cliff edge, overlooked by ȩka, the highest peak. Along the mountain ridge, where the road starts to wind down towards Vlora lies Llogara National Park, and here there are a number of taverns in this woody region.
North of Himara there are two mountain villages that cannot be reached on the sea route. In order to get acquainted with these villages, one has to take other roads that scrabble up the Akrokeraune Mountains.
Piluri is at the highest altitude, built like an eagle’s nest, with magnificent views over the Ionian Sea. It lies above the clouds and above the circling eagles that are common to the area. Its name comes from being the Pyli or Gateway to the mountains; and its inhabitants have a long history of being mountain warriors who guarded the mountain pass into Himara. The second village is Kudhesi, located at a lower altitude on the slopes of the Akrokeraune on an inland valley that heads southward.
Heading south: after the beach at Llaman we come across the closed bay of Porto Palermo. In the centre of the bay is a peninsula on which lies the Ali Pasha Castle, which is still in excellent condition, along with an old little chapel. Further south we come
across the village of Qeparo. High on the hill Old Qeparo perches precariously, a veritable museum of local architecture with wonderful old houses and churches. New Qeparo next to the sea offers a wonderful beach. This is the end of the Himara region: A breathtaking place that could easily be compared to the likes of Costa Brava or the Cote D’Azure
