Boboshtica, the ‘Forgotten’ Village of Korca

TIRANA, May 15

Boboshtica (or Boboshtice in Albanian) is a village in Korca county, in the south-east of Albania. Boboshtica is known for its amazing nature with fresh air and water, diverse bushy plants, centuries-old fruit trees, oak and coniferous trees, and many medicinal plants.
Small houses made of stone with particular architecture, churches, bridges, taps, cobbled streets, and squares offer the great possibility of cultural and historic tourism. Also, the rich terrain gives the opportunity for recreational and sports activities such as: walking, running, cycling, climbing, ski, and paragliding.

Boboshtica has two important elements that make it different from the other villages of the region. The language that older people speak and the centennial mulberry trees. There are many houses in the village where women continue to make carpets and kilims in handlooms like they did for centuries.
The village has several taverns where you can eat local delicacies that mostly consist of different types of traditional pies and meat dishes.

Demographics

It is documented that the early inhabitants were either Albanians or Bulgarians. During the early 60s Aromanians (Vlachs) settled in Boboshtica, thus changing the ethnic population of the village. Before the 90s the countryside had around 1,400-1,500 inhabitants, nowadays because of the massive immigration of the local people it has only 300 inhabitants. The remaining villagers are either Albanians or Aromanians.

Cult Monuments

–The Church of Saint Mary (in Albanian: Kisha e Shen Kollit)
–The Church of Saint John (or Kisha e Shen Jovanit)
–The Church of Saint Dimitri (or Kisha e Shen Dhimitrit)
–The Church of Saint Nicholas (or Kisha e Shen Kollit)

The churches aforementioned are declared Cultural Monuments of Albania.

Local Religious Celebrations

The Holiday of Saint Mary -held every year on 15th August
The Holiday of Pandelimoni -held every year on 27th July
‘Rosicat’ (also food)- the holiday of the Orthodox community, that anticipates the oncoming summer, the blooming of the flowers and is cooked with dough. It is celebrated the third day of the going of Christ to heaven.

To try and see while there

‘Rakia e manit’- an alcoholic drink made of mulberry, with yellowish to a greenish color, which is a unique plant in those parts of Albania.
The diverse cuisine – the traditional cooking of the meat-based dishes, dough-based dishes like: local pie called ‘lakror’, different marmalades made from fruits, etc. There are many restaurants in the village that offer local cuisine.
Handicrafts – in Boboshtica there are still left old houses, where rugs are knitted with a loom.

 

 

Outdoor Activities 

Boboshtica is located about nine kilometers away from Fir of Drenova National Park (Bredhi i Drenoves).  The park It lies in an area of 13.80 hectares in Morava mountain range. It includes numerous sites of natural, historic and cultural importance such as Guri i Capit, Bozdoveci, Saint Peter and Saint Ilia churches.

The park gained its status in 1966 and it was named after the fir trees. It is visited by Albanian s and international tourists and enthusiasts of hiking, mountaineering and great outdoors. This area has a vast potential for sustainable tourism development. It comprises a rich flora and fauna with rare endemic species.

 

You can read also:  Best Destinations for Winter Holidays in Albania

The Best Korca Bike Tours

 

Article Source/ City Hall of Korca

Photo Credit/ Boboshtica (Facebook), Deskgram, Jorgji Sidheri, njeshizzle87