How to Spend a Weekend in Korça, Albania

The Cathedral of Resurrection, Korça
The Cathedral of Resurrection, Korça | ©Eser Aygün/Flickr
Francesca Masotti

Albania is full of surprises. Despite the gorgeous Riviera, with its pristine beaches and secluded bays, and the vibrant and lively capital city Tirana, the Land of the Eagles offers to its visitors many other places that are worth a visit, such as Korça. It is a must-see destination in the country and a weekend is perfect to discover its enchanting city center.

Day One

Morning

Start your day with a great breakfast. The best place to do that is Komiteti Kafe Muzeum, a cozy café located in Pazari I Vjetër, the old market, which is the coolest area of Korça. Once here, order a typical Turkish coffee and a slice of homemade cake with nuts. Then, you can consider yourself ready to discover the town. Do you know that Korça is also called the “little Paris of Albania”? It’s not difficult to understand why: Korça is charming, plenty of old buildings and has many cultural options to offer visitors. So, after a visit to a Pazari, the liveliest neighborhood of the town, eat something traditional in one of the several restaurants located in this area and prepare yourself to explore the city.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgT7CsnBLvg/?taken-at=1027324355

Afternoon

Reach the Pedonalja, a nice pedestrian street, and go straight to the Cathedral of the Resurrection. It is the largest Orthodox church of Albania and the most important too. The church was rebuilt in 1992, after it was demolished during the communist era. Today, it’s a beautiful and majestic religious building worth a look, not just outside, but also inside, where you’ll find painted depictions of the Holy Bible. To relax yourself after the visit, go head into the Sky Café, an elegant bar just a few steps from the church, which offers beautiful views over the cathedral and town.

Cathedral of the Resurrection, Bulevardi Shën Gjergji, Korça, Albania

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgtKAxIDKsJ/?taken-at=240739261

Night

When it comes to food, there is only one place you must go in Korça: Taverna Vasili. This restaurant offers traditional dishes and is considered the best place to eat in town. We strongly suggest you to try byrek, the typical meatballs of Korça, kërnacka, and kaçkavall cheese cooked with tomatoes and oregano. Then, end your day with a glass of raki, the typical Albanian aromatized liquor.

Taverna Vasili, Rruga Kostandina Gace, Korça, Albania

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg0lrZTAo4O/?tagged=albanianfood

Day Two

Morning

Korça isn’t considered the cultural capital of Albania just for its beauty: This enchanting town is important to Albanians because the first official school (under the Ottoman rules) was built here. The school is located inside an Ottoman-era house turned into a museum: Reach the first floor and admire the copies of the first books written in Albanian. Every year on March 7, Albanians celebrate Teacher Day, th day the school was officially opened to the public.

Museum of Education, Rruga 10 Dhjetori, Korçë, Albania

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgBHcZAHvtx/?taken-at=281589306

Afternoon

After a break, we strongly suggest you to head to another not-to-miss museum of Korça, the Museum of Medieval Art. The museum is a must for every history enthusiast and is home to unique pieces of arts, including some works of Onufri, one of the most famous and important artists of Albania.

If you want to discover the secret side of Korça, you have to explore the hidden streets. The town is flush with stunning French-style villas, with elegant gates, lovely small gardens, and ancient columns all worth a look. Most of them are located behind the Cathedral and near Bulevardi Republika, the large boulevard that connects the church to the stadium.

Museum of Medieval Art, Rruga Sotir Peçi 2, Korça, Albania

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXJIQYyH-ph/?taken-at=1008659298

Evening

The best place to spend your last night out in Korça is Life Gallery Hotel, the coolest and most elegant hotel in town, which is home to a restaurant, which offers a combo of typical and modern cuisine, and Avenue 55 Bar, the only American-style bar of Korça, which offers excellent cocktails and has live music — it’s also perfect for chatting with locals.

Life Gallery Hotel, Bulevard Republika 24, Korça, Albania

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbmcvtnhfGR/?taken-at=538450389571514

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Winter Sale Offers on Our Trips

Incredible Savings

X
Edit article