ALBANIA – KORCE

APRIL 18, 2025

Korce was basically a rest stop for us. After our host had checked our Airbnb ratings he asked me if we stayed in Berat, with a fellow named Ylli. I said we did. He said that Ylli was an old family friend. What a small world!

In one of the shops we saw a portable electric oven. It was bigger than an air fryer, yet small enough to fit on a counter top.

As it turned out we were there for Good Friday. We walked to the Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral.

There were hoards of people inside the church and hoards more trying to light a candle. It was quite obvious that there are lots of candle lit at all times. There was a huge metal trough filled with sand, to stand your candle upright. Over the fire pit was a large exhaust fan, like you would see in a commercial restaurant. We placed our lit candle but did not linger, as there were people waiting to do the same.

In the plaza in front of the cathedral was a market. They were selling decorated candles, rosaries, and other religious items.

We went across the street and had a coffee and pastries at the Mon Cheri coffee shop. This particular cafe was as popular as Tim Hortons back in Canada. We saw them everywhere and felt we could not leave Albania without trying them. We were lucky enough to be at the cafe when the noon bells came to life at the Cathedral.

We carried on down Bulevardi Shën Gjergji, a pedestrian walkway,

until we came to a square with a fountain and panoramic tower.

Across the street from this was the Andon Zako Cajupi Theatre. It had huge comedy and tragedy masks on its front.

Even though it was a holiday we took a chance and went to the Museum of Medieval Art. It was not only open, it was free due to the holiday. It was filled with old religious items that were hidden away by people during the communist regime. When communism fell this museum took in many of the previously hidden artifacts to display.

We drove up to the Martyr’s Cemetery. There was not much to see, just a lot of tombstones on a hill with a statue of a victorious soldier guarding them.

We then carried on to see if we could access the steep hill with switchbacks that we had seen on the way into town. It turned out to be a series of white stones with no real path in sight. We decided not to attempt it.

Nearby we saw a tiny little church perched alone on a lone hill.

Overall, not a bad overnight stop. We saw and did more than we had ever expected; as is usually the case when we don’t really have a plan. LOL

We were now headed to Pogradec, where we were to enter North Macedonia.