Albanian Museums and Sites to Set New Attendance Record in 2018

TIRANA, August 3

Official data from INSTAT confirm that the number of visitors in Albanian museums and castles increased by 73 percent during the second quarter of 2018 compared to the same period of the previous year. The monuments of culture and the archeological parks located in Vlora region, at the same time some of the most visited sites of cultural heritage in Albania, have witnessed a major increase in visitors this year. Vlora Regional Directorate of National Culture confirms that cultural sites drew more Albanian and international visitors compared to the previous years and especially to 2017. Hence, Oriku Archeological Park and the Castles of Kanina and Porto Palermo saw more visitors due to improved road infrastructure and better services. Vlora Region consists of seven municipalities Vlora, Selenica, Himara, Saranda, Finiq, Delvina, and Konispol. Each of the municipalities is home to numerous monuments of culture. Many of them include an entrance fee while many others can be accessed for free. There are many sites such as old churches, monasteries, bridges, castles, ruins, mosaics that can be reached only on foot or hiking trips due to the lack of infrastructure. Many of them are well-known such as Butrinti, and many others like Mehalla Castle are unknown even to the inhabitants of the region.

Museums that you can visit in Vlora Region

The National Independence Museum
The Historical Museum of Artifacts
The Ethnographic Museum
The Archeological Museum in Saranda

Castles in Vlora region

Ali Pashe Tepelena Castle in Vrina, Credit: Vrina

The Castle of Mavrova in Mavrova Village
The Castle of Kanina in Kanina Village
The Castle of Vranisht
Cerja castle in Brataj Village
Gjon Bocari Castle in Tragjas
Porto Palermo Castle in Porto Palermo
Borshi Castle
Boderi Castle in Smokthina Village
Himara Castle
Qeparo Castle
Ilia Castle in Vuno Village
Sofa’s Castle in Terbac Village
Delvina Castle
Skllapua’s Castle in Vergo Village
The Medieval Castle of Kalasa
Ali Pasha Castle or Mehalla Castle near Markat Village
Ali Pasha castle in Vrina
Ali Pasha Castle at Vivari Entrance, Butrint
Shengjini Castle
Vagalati Castle
Kalivo Castle
Lekuresi Castle

Porto Palermo Castle, Credit: Visit Himara

Ancient Sites and Monuments of Culture

On the way to Finiq Ancient Site

The Ancient Site of Butrinti
The Ancient Site of Orik in Pashaliman
The Ancient Site of Finiq
The Ancient Site of Amantia in Plloca Village
Armeni Citadel in Armeni Village
Paleomanastra Citadel in Karoq Village
Kamenica Ruins, near Delvina
The Painted Cave in Kostar Village
The Ancient Baths in Rexhepaj Village, Selenica

Read more on the Albanian Museums and Castles

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News Source: DRKK Vlore, INSTAT