Checking Out Vlorë Old Town

We grabbed the bus to the Vlore main bus station this morning to scope out how things work for getting to our next destination. Lots of minibuses were lined up on the street going to various places—it all seemed pretty straightforward.

From there, we wandered just a short distance to the old town area. A few streets had been beautifully restored with bright colours and charm. They’ve clearly had a recent facelift—they looked more "new old" than genuinely old. Just one street over, though, we found the real old town—run-down and a bit neglected, much more in line with our preconceived ideas about Albania. That said, the newer parts of Vlore could easily pass for a typical town back in New Zealand.

As we exited the old town, we found ourselves right across the street from a large sculpture memorial celebrating Albania’s 1912 independence from the Ottoman Empire. Right beside it were excavated city walls dating back to the 4th century—only discovered in 1985 during renovations to the memorial square. A cool bit of unexpected history.

Looking up, we noticed some flags on a nearby hill. It looked like a small climb, and we could see steps heading upward. Sarah suggested we check it out even though it was already 32°C (on its way to 37!). Is she crazy?! Still, if she was game, so was I.

The steps just kept going... and going. Eventually, we came across wide terraces extending to the sides. Turns out we were in a cemetery—rows of graves set into the hillside. It had a good view, so we continued to the top. After checking some gravestones, Sarah noticed that most of the people had died around 1943–44. A war memorial cemetery. A surprising and moving discovery.

Back at street level, we passed by the old city mosque, built in 1537 during the Ottoman period. A beautiful building in the heart of the square.

From there, we strolled back toward the modern main street and stopped at a supermarket for a few supplies. We also went to the bank again—this time getting €50 notes instead of €10s. Still, I’ll be glad when we don’t need to keep pulling out cash for accommodation. The ATM fees are ridiculous.

Before heading back, Sarah wanted to check out a shop she’d found online that might have shorts. After trying on eight pairs we left empty-handed. 😞

We bused back to the apartment for morning tea: coffee, hummus, crackers, and biscuits.

With the temperature being so high we waited until after 4pm to go for a swim. It was still blimin hot, but the sea was refreshing and well worth it.

For dinner, we went to a nearby spot with excellent reviews. They served both pizzas and traditional Albanian dishes. We had a delicious Italian-style pizza and a tasty goulash with rice. 

On the way back to the apartment, we were treated to one of those magical sunsets where the sun disappears slowly into the sea. The kind that’s especially beautiful when there’s a touch of smog on the horizon! 😂