Durres Travel Guide Ancient City by the Adriatic


Durres is a city of beautiful contradictions, a place where the ancient and the modern coexist in a vibrant, sometimes chaotic, but always fascinating embrace. Founded in 627 BC by Greek colonists as Epidamnos, it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on the entire Adriatic coast. For centuries, it served as the gateway to the Balkans, the western terminus of the great Roman Via Egnatia that connected Rome to Constantinople. Emperors, crusaders, merchants, and invaders have all passed through its port. Today, Durres is a bustling, modern seaside city, Albania's main port, and a beloved beach escape for the residents of Tirana. Yet, woven into its urban fabric are astonishing remnants of its glorious past. A colossal Roman amphitheater lies hidden among residential streets. Elegant Byzantine columns stand in the city center. Venetian towers guard the harbor. This guide will take you deep into the layered history and the lively present of Durres, revealing a destination that rewards the curious traveler with unforgettable experiences.

Many travelers dismiss Durres as a mere transit point, a place to pass through on the way from the airport or the ferry terminal to the more famous attractions of the Riviera or the mountains. This is a profound mistake. Durres offers something increasingly rare in Europe, an authentic, ungroomed urban experience where you can explore a world-class Roman monument in the morning, eat the freshest seafood on a sandy beach in the afternoon, and walk a beautiful promenade as the sun sets over the Adriatic. The city does not package its history into a neat, sanitized tourist zone. You discover it yourself, turning a corner from a busy street, seeing ancient ruins behind a modern cafe, and feeling the thrill of genuine discovery. This article will solve the puzzle of how to find these treasures and how to structure your time for a deeply rewarding visit to Albania's second city.

First Impressions of the Ancient Port

Arriving in Durres, your senses are immediately engaged by the city's raw, maritime energy. The smell of salt air, diesel from the ferries, and roasting coffee from countless cafes mix in a uniquely urban perfume. The wide sweep of the bay, with its long, sandy beach stretching south towards the distant hills, provides a sense of openness and light. The city's architecture is a jarring but fascinating collage. Elegant, if faded, Italian rationalist buildings from the 1930s stand alongside utilitarian communist blocks and the brand-new glass towers of a city in rapid development. The streets pulse with life, with vendors selling everything from fresh figs to mobile phone accessories, and the sound of animated conversation and car horns fills the air. Durres is not a quiet museum city. It is a living, working, and sometimes noisy Mediterranean port that wears its history casually, integrated into the daily flow of urban life.

The center of the city is compact and can be explored on foot, though you will need to be comfortable crossing busy roads assertively. The main square, Sheshi Liria, is a large, open space dominated by the Town Hall and serving as a central meeting point. From here, the main streets radiate outward, leading to the port, the beach, and the archaeological sites. The juxtaposition of eras is strikingly visible here. A modern coffee chain might occupy the ground floor of a building from the 1920s. A street-side vendor selling traditional petulla, fried dough, might have his cart set up directly opposite the remains of a 2nd-century Roman bath. This is the charm and the challenge of Durres. It requires you to be an active, observant traveler. You must look closely, and the city will reward you with glimpses of its ancient soul, hidden in plain sight. The warmth of the locals, the immediacy of the sea, and the tangible depth of time underfoot make Durres a city of intense character.

To orient yourself, start by walking towards the sea. The long, curving Volga Promenade runs along the waterfront, a beautifully landscaped walkway lined with palm trees, cafes, and gelaterias. This is the social heart of modern Durres, the place for the evening xhiro, the leisurely promenade that is an essential Albanian ritual. Walking along the Volga, you can look north towards the cranes of the busy commercial port and south towards the endless sandy beach. The promenade gives you a clear geographical sense of the city's relationship with the sea, the defining force of its history and its character. It is also the perfect place for a first coffee or a cold drink, simply sitting and watching the parade of families, couples, and groups of friends enjoying the sea breeze and the convivial atmosphere. This modern, joyful life is the top layer of a city with many, many layers beneath it.

The Roman Amphitheater A Colossal Discovery

The Roman Amphitheater of Durres is a monument of staggering scale, one of the most impressive Roman structures in the entire Balkan Peninsula, and its story of discovery is as remarkable as the building itself. Built in the 2nd century AD during the reign of Emperor Trajan, it could seat between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators, making it the largest amphitheater in the region. For centuries, it lay completely hidden, buried under the earth and seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the city. Houses were built on top of it. Gardens were planted in its arcades. It was a local legend, a half-remembered story, until 1966, when a fig tree in a local garden suddenly collapsed into a deep hole. The hole revealed a section of the massive subterranean structure, and the subsequent excavation unburied this sleeping giant from its long slumber. Today, you can walk through the same tunnels that gladiators and wild beasts once traversed, and climb the stone seating tiers to imagine the roar of the ancient crowd.

The interior of the amphitheater is an atmospheric, partially excavated space. The steeply raked seating, the cavea, encircles the oval arena, and you can clearly see the structural logic of the radial corridors and staircases, the vomitoria, that allowed thousands of spectators to enter and exit efficiently. Walking the dark, vaulted passageways beneath the seating areas is a haunting experience. These tunnels were used to house the animals, the condemned prisoners, and the gladiators awaiting their fate. The rough stone walls seem to absorb sound, creating a profound, echoing silence. The arena floor itself is partially buried, but enough is visible to imagine the violent spectacles that were once the city's main entertainment. The atmosphere within the amphitheater is one of immense age and somber power.

What makes the Durres Amphitheater truly unique and deeply moving is the small chapel hidden within its western galleries. In the 5th century AD, after the amphitheater had ceased to be used for gladiatorial games, a Christian community created a small, secret place of worship within the vaulted stone passageways. The walls of this chapel were covered with exquisite frescoes, and, most remarkably, a series of stunning mosaic panels depicting saints and angels in the Byzantine tradition. These mosaics, the only wall mosaics of their kind to survive in Albania, are a treasure of world importance. The chapel was a place of clandestine faith during a time of persecution, and the beauty of its surviving artwork, hidden for centuries in the dark, is genuinely awe-inspiring. The combination of the brutal, pagan entertainment structure and the fragile, beautiful Christian sanctuary within it encapsulates the complex transition of the late Roman world and makes a visit to the amphitheater an unforgettable historical experience.

The Byzantine Forum and the Roman Baths

A short walk from the amphitheater, in the very heart of the modern city, you encounter the serene and beautiful remains of the Byzantine Forum. This circular, colonnaded plaza was the civic and commercial center of the city during the 5th and 6th centuries AD, built on the ruins of earlier Roman structures. Today, a ring of elegant marble columns, many with intricately carved Corinthian capitals, stands within a sunken, paved enclosure in a small park. The setting is wonderfully surreal. You descend a few steps from a busy, modern street, and suddenly you are standing in the heart of the Byzantine city, surrounded by the cool, white marble of its central marketplace. The columns frame views of the surrounding modern buildings, creating a visual dialogue between past and present that is deeply evocative. The forum is particularly beautiful in the late afternoon, when the golden sunlight catches the marble and the shadows of the columns stretch across the ancient paving stones.

Surrounding the forum on three sides, you will find the remains of the Roman Baths, or Thermae, a large bathing complex that was one of the most important public buildings in the ancient city. The baths are a fascinating example of Roman engineering and social culture. The different rooms of the complex are clearly identifiable. The caldarium, the hot room, is marked by the pillars of the hypocaust system, the underfloor heating that circulated hot air beneath a raised floor. The tepidarium, the warm room, and the frigidarium, the cold room, with its plunge pool, complete the sequence. The scale of the complex indicates the wealth and sophistication of Roman Durres. Walking through the connected spaces, you can imagine the daily ritual of socializing, exercising, and bathing that was central to Roman urban life. The combination of the forum and the baths provides a wonderfully complete picture of the civic heart of the ancient city, a place where business, politics, and daily life all intermingled.

The area around the forum is also dotted with other, smaller relics of the ancient city. Sections of the Roman road, worn smooth by the passage of carts and feet over centuries, are visible in a few places. Scattered amongst the modern cafes and shops, you might notice a fragment of a carved marble architrave, a headless statue silently watching the passing crowds, or a Latin inscription built into a later wall. This casual integration of antiquity into the modern urban landscape is what makes Durres such a fascinating city for those who enjoy historical exploration. It is not a sterile, cordoned-off archaeological park. It is a living city where the ancient stones are part of the everyday environment, offering constant, delightful surprises to the attentive eye. A slow, meandering walk through the streets near the forum, with eyes wide open, is a treasure hunt through the centuries.

The Venetian Tower and the City Walls

Dominating the entrance to the modern port, the Venetian Tower is a powerful symbol of Durres's long history as a fortified maritime city. This squat, round tower, built in the 15th century by the Venetians who controlled the city at that time, was part of a massive fortification system that enclosed the entire medieval city. Its thick stone walls, battered by centuries of storms and sieges, have a raw, uncompromising solidity. The tower is built directly on the foundations of much older Byzantine and even Roman fortifications. Climbing to the top of the tower provides a magnificent, panoramic view. To one side, you look down onto the bustling commercial port, with its giant ferries and cargo ships. To the other, you see the city, the sweep of the bay, and, on a clear day, the mountainous coastline stretching away towards the south. The contrast between the 15th-century stonework and the 21st-century port activity is a vivid illustration of Durres's enduring maritime function.

The walls that connect to the tower, though much reduced from their original grandeur, can be traced in sections through the city. Some stretches have been incorporated into later buildings, their massive stone blocks forming the lower walls of houses and shops. Other sections stand proudly restored, giving a sense of the defensive circuit that once protected the citizens from pirate raids and invading armies. Walking along the surviving sections of the wall is a journey through the layers of military architecture, with Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman modifications all visible. The walls are not just a single monument but a complex physical archive of the city's long defensive history. They speak of a time when Durres was a coveted prize, the key to controlling the Adriatic, and needed formidable protection.

Near the Venetian Tower, the entrance to the port is marked by a modern statue of a Roman soldier, a proud symbol of the city's ancient heritage. The area around the tower and the port is a fascinating zone to explore, full of the energy of a working harbor. You can watch the ferries docking and departing, connecting Durres with the Italian ports of Bari and Ancona. The surrounding streets are filled with maritime-related businesses, simple cafes for dockworkers and travelers, and a constant flow of traffic. It is a gritty, authentic part of the city, far removed from the manicured Volga Promenade. The Venetian Tower stands as a sentinel at the intersection of this modern maritime life and the ancient, fortified port, a perfect symbol of Durres's continuous role as Albania's gateway to the wider world.

The Archaeological Museum A Treasure Trove

The Archaeological Museum of Durres is one of the most important museums in Albania, housing a collection of extraordinary richness that spans the entire history of the city, from its Illyrian origins to the Byzantine era. The museum was unfortunately damaged during the 1990s and has undergone a long process of restoration and re-curation, but its treasures remain breathtaking. The collection is beautifully displayed and contextualized. The star exhibits are the stunning Hellenistic and Roman sculptures found in the city and its surrounding necropolis. You will see exquisitely carved marble statues of gods, goddesses, and prominent citizens, their faces frozen in idealized beauty or realistic portraiture. The most famous piece is the beautiful statue of the Goddess of Butrint, a masterpiece of Hellenistic art, her draped garments carved with astonishing fluidity and grace in the marble.

The museum also possesses a world-class collection of funerary stelae, carved stone grave markers from the Illyrian, Greek, and Roman periods. These stelae provide an intimate insight into the lives and deaths of the ancient inhabitants, with depictions of the deceased, their families, and scenes from their daily lives. The collection of pottery is vast and beautifully varied, from delicate, painted Greek vases to robust Roman amphorae used for transporting wine and olive oil across the Mediterranean. Coins, jewelry, and glassware further enrich the picture of a wealthy, cosmopolitan city with trade links spanning the entire Mediterranean. One particularly poignant exhibit is a collection of children's toys, small terracotta dolls and animals, a universal reminder of the unchanging nature of childhood across the centuries.

The museum also covers the early Christian and Byzantine periods, displaying exquisite carved marble altar screens, fragments of frescoes, and the beautifully sculpted capitals from the columns of the forum. The collection of amphoras recovered from the ancient harbor and the seabed is particularly evocative, silent witnesses to the maritime trade that was the lifeblood of the city. The museum provides the essential context that brings all the scattered ruins of Durres to life. A visit here is strongly recommended before, or after, exploring the archaeological sites. It allows you to understand the scale, wealth, and sophistication of the city that produced the amphitheater, the forum, and the baths. The quiet, contemplative atmosphere of the museum is a perfect complement to the vibrant, chaotic energy of the streets outside, offering a space for focused historical discovery.

The Beaches and the Volga Promenade

Durres is not just a city of history. It is also the closest beach escape for the capital, Tirana, and its coastline is a defining part of its character. The main beach, Plazhi i Durresit, is a long, broad sweep of fine, golden sand that stretches for several kilometers to the south of the city center. This is a classic, bustling urban beach, lined with hotels, restaurants, and beach clubs. During the summer months, it is packed with families, groups of friends, and visitors from Kosovo and North Macedonia, all enjoying the warm, shallow waters of the Adriatic. The water is generally calm and safe, and the gently shelving seabed makes it ideal for children. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available for rent, and waiters from the beachfront cafes weave between them, delivering cold drinks and snacks directly to your spot. The atmosphere is lively, social, and deeply convivial, a true Mediterranean beach scene.

Connecting the city center to the beach and running its entire length is the Volga Promenade, or Sfinksi as it is sometimes known. This is the masterpiece of Durres's urban regeneration. A wide, beautifully paved walkway, shaded by palm trees and flowering shrubs, runs parallel to the sand. It is the perfect place for a morning jog, a leisurely afternoon stroll, or the essential evening xhiro. The promenade is lined with a brilliant array of cafes, gelaterias, and restaurants, offering every level of dining, from simple pizzerias to sophisticated seafood establishments. Children play on the small playgrounds, couples sit on benches looking out to sea, and the whole city seems to be out enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful view. The atmosphere is universally happy and relaxed. The Volga Promenade is the social heart of modern Durres, and it is impossible not to be charmed by its joyful energy.

For those seeking a quieter beach experience, the coastline to the north of the city, towards the Cape of Rodon, offers wilder, more secluded coves and rocky shores. The area around the town of Golem, further south, is a continuation of the sandy beach, slightly less crowded than the immediate city beach. Durres's beach culture is deeply embedded in the city's identity. It is a place where history and holiday mix seamlessly. A day in Durres can effortlessly combine a morning of exploring 2,000-year-old ruins with an afternoon of complete relaxation on a sandy beach, followed by a sunset seafood dinner on the promenade. This unique combination is what makes Durres such an appealing and accessible destination, a place that offers genuine depth alongside simple, sun-drenched pleasures.

The Royal Villa of King Zog

Perched on a hilltop overlooking the city and the Adriatic Sea, the Royal Villa of King Zog is a poignant and beautiful relic of Albania's brief monarchy. Built in the 1920s for King Zog I, this elegant, neoclassical villa was designed to be a symbol of the newly independent nation's modernity and its aspirations to European sophistication. The villa, with its clean lines, white stucco walls, and terraced gardens, has a distinctly Mediterranean elegance. The view from its grounds is magnificent, a commanding panorama over the entire city, the port, the bay, and the distant mountains. It is easy to see why this hillside was chosen for the royal residence, offering both a sense of seclusion and a regal overview of the kingdom. The villa is, today, in a state of faded grandeur, a beautiful, melancholic shell awaiting restoration, but it is open to visitors and its atmosphere is deeply evocative.

Walking through the empty rooms of the villa, you can trace the layout of the royal household. The grand reception rooms, with their large windows designed to capture the light and the view, speak of official functions and diplomatic gatherings. The private quarters are smaller, more intimate. The tiled floors, the marble fireplaces, and the remnants of the decorative plasterwork hint at the luxury that once filled these spaces. The villa fell into disuse and neglect after King Zog fled the country following the Italian invasion in 1939. The communist regime, which abolished the monarchy, had no use for royal palaces, and the building was left to slowly decay. The atmosphere is therefore one of a lost era, a dream of modernity and monarchy that was abruptly shattered by the forces of 20th-century history. Standing in the silent ballroom, looking out at the view, you can almost hear the echoes of a jazz-age garden party.

The gardens of the villa, now overgrown in places but still retaining their structural terraces, are a lovely place to wander. Cypress trees, olives, and fragrant Mediterranean shrubs frame the views. The villa is a short but steep drive or taxi ride from the city center, and the visit provides a complete change of pace and perspective from the archaeological sites and the bustling beach. It adds a vital layer to the understanding of Durres's history, the story of its 20th-century attempt to forge a new, independent identity. The Royal Villa is a hidden gem, often overlooked by visitors rushing to the amphitheater or the beach. But for those who take the time to visit, it offers a uniquely personal and atmospheric encounter with a fascinating, tragic, and little-known chapter of Albanian history.

Coastal Cuisine Flavors of the Adriatic

The cuisine of Durres is a generous, flavorful celebration of the Adriatic Sea and the fertile coastal plain. Seafood is, naturally, the dominant theme. The restaurants along the Volga Promenade and in the side streets of the city center offer an extraordinary abundance of fresh fish, shellfish, and crustaceans, often displayed on ice outside, allowing you to choose your own dinner. The classic Durres meal begins with a plate of fresh mussels, steamed in white wine, garlic, and parsley. The mussels are plump, sweet, and intensely flavorful. This is followed by grilled squid or octopus, tender and lightly charred, drizzled with local extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. The main course is a whole, grilled fish, sea bass, sea bream, or the highly prized local red mullet, its skin crisp and its flesh perfectly cooked and flaking. The fish is served with the classic Albanian salad of ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, green pepper, onion, and olives.

A beloved local specialty is tavë peshku, fish baked in the oven with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a generous amount of olive oil. The long, slow cooking melds the flavors into a rich, comforting, and deeply satisfying dish. Another staple is the seafood risotto or linguine, reflecting the historical and geographical closeness to Italy. The Italian influence is strongly felt in Durres's cuisine, with excellent pizza, pasta, and gelato available everywhere. After your meal, a glass of the local raki, Grappa-style brandy, is the traditional digestif, often offered on the house. The restaurants in Durres range from simple, family-run establishments where the grandmother is in the kitchen, to stylish, modern eateries on the promenade. The quality of the ingredients, the simplicity of the preparation, and the warmth of the service are the common threads.

Beyond seafood, the cuisine of Durres features excellent lamb from the hills behind the city, and a wide variety of vegetable dishes showcasing the incredible produce of the coastal plain. Fergese, the baked casserole of peppers, tomatoes, and salty curd cheese, is a delicious vegetarian staple. Byrek, the flaky filo pastry pie with spinach and cheese, is a perfect breakfast or a quick, savory snack from a street-side bakery. The city also has a flourishing cafe culture. The long promenade is ideal for a morning espresso, a mid-afternoon macchiato, or a late-night drink. The gelato from the Italian-style gelaterias is exceptional, rich, creamy, and intensely flavored. A meal in Durres, whether a simple street food snack or a full, multi-course seafood feast, is a direct and delicious expression of the city's identity, deeply connected to the sea and the land.

Day Trips from Durres

Durres's central coastal location makes it an excellent base for exploring a number of fascinating destinations within an easy day trip. The most popular and straightforward is a day in the capital, Tirana, just a 40-minute drive or bus ride away. You can spend the morning exploring the colorful streets, Skanderbeg Square, and the Bunk'Art museums, and return to the calm of the Durres promenade for a sunset dinner. The contrast between the intense urban energy of the capital and the relaxed pace of Durres is a wonderful way to experience the diversity of modern Albania. The frequent and cheap bus and minibus connections make it a very easy journey.

To the north, the dramatic Cape of Rodon is a wild and beautiful peninsula that feels a world away from the busy city beaches. Here, you will find the ruins of the Rodoni Castle, built by Skanderbeg in the 15th century to protect the coast from Ottoman attacks. The castle, with its thick stone walls and its remote, windswept setting by the sea, is deeply atmospheric. The cape is also home to the beautiful, restored Church of St. Anthony, a peaceful sanctuary on the water's edge. The coastline here is wild and rocky, with small, secluded coves perfect for a quiet swim. A day trip to the Cape of Rodon combines history, nature, and a sense of escape into a rugged and beautiful landscape.

Further afield, but still accessible in a day, is the historic city of Kruja, the hometown of Skanderbeg. Its iconic castle, the excellent Skanderbeg Museum, and the restored Ottoman bazaar make it one of the most essential cultural destinations in Albania. The journey from Durres to Kruja takes about an hour and a half. For a more relaxing day, the vineyards and wineries of the rolling hills behind Durres offer wine-tasting experiences. The region is known for producing excellent white wines and robust reds from indigenous grape varieties. A winery visit provides a lovely, leisurely contrast to the historical and urban sites. These diverse day trips, combined with the rich attractions within Durres itself, make the city a surprisingly versatile and rewarding base for a multi-day stay on the Albanian coast.

Ancient Durres at a Glance Key Sites
Site Period Key Feature Approximate Visit Time
Roman Amphitheater 2nd Century AD Colossal arena and early Christian chapel with mosaics 1 to 1.5 hours
Byzantine Forum 5th to 6th Century AD Circular colonnaded plaza with Roman baths 30 to 45 minutes
Venetian Tower 15th Century AD Round tower with panoramic port and bay views 30 minutes
Archaeological Museum Modern museum Exceptional collection of Hellenistic and Roman sculptures 1 to 1.5 hours
Royal Villa of King Zog 1920s Neoclassical villa with a poignant, faded grandeur and stunning views 45 minutes to 1 hour

Practical Tips for Your Durres Visit

Durres is a straightforward and rewarding city to visit, and a little practical planning will ensure a smooth trip. The city is the main port of entry for ferries from Italy, with regular services from Bari and Ancona. If you are arriving by ferry, the terminal is a short walk from the city center. The Tirana International Airport is only a 30 to 40-minute drive away, and regular buses and taxis connect the airport to Durres. This proximity makes Durres a very convenient first stop on any Albanian itinerary. The city is the gateway to the Albanian Riviera and the south, and buses to Saranda, Himara, and Vlore depart frequently from the bus station. Transport connections to Tirana are continuous throughout the day, taking about 45 minutes. The city is very walkable for its central attractions, but taxis are plentiful and cheap for destinations like the Royal Villa or the Cape of Rodon.

The best time to visit Durres is during the shoulder seasons of May, June, and September. The weather is beautifully warm and sunny, the sea is pleasant for swimming, and the beaches and promenade are lively without being overwhelmingly crowded. July and August are the peak summer months. The beach is very busy, and the atmosphere is at its most vibrant and festive, but it can be hot. The winter months are mild and quiet, an excellent time to explore the historical sites without crowds, though many beachfront restaurants will be closed. As elsewhere in Albania, cash in Lek is the most common form of payment, especially in smaller restaurants and local shops. ATMs are readily available throughout the city center. Durres is generally a safe city, but standard precautions against pickpocketing in crowded areas, particularly on the beach and promenade during the peak season, are wise.

As a final recommendation, embrace Durres for what it is, a real, working city with a profound history, not a polished tourist resort. Its charm lies in its authenticity, its contrasts, and its unexpected discoveries. Do not be put off by the traffic or the modern buildings. Look closer. The ancient stones are everywhere, woven into the fabric of the present. The enthusiasm of the locals for their city is infectious. Allow time to sit on the Volga Promenade as the sun sets, to enjoy a long, unhurried seafood dinner, and to wander the streets with your eyes and your curiosity wide open. Durres is a city that has welcomed travelers, traders, and invaders for over two and a half thousand years. It knows how to host. It is a city of layers, of stories, and of a generous, enduring spirit. Give it your time, and it will give you memories of a truly authentic Adriatic city.

A Perfect 24 Hours in Durres

This itinerary helps you capture the essence of Durres in a single, well-paced day.

  1. 08:30 AM: Start with a coffee and fresh byrek at a cafe on the Volga Promenade. Enjoy the morning sea breeze.
  2. 09:00 AM: Visit the Roman Amphitheater. Explore the tunnels, climb the seating, and see the hidden chapel with its mosaics.
  3. 10:30 AM: Walk to the Byzantine Forum and the Roman Baths. Explore the elegant colonnade and the ancient bathing complex.
  4. 11:30 AM: Visit the Archaeological Museum to see the exquisite sculptures and artifacts that tell the story of the city.
  5. 01:00 PM: Lunch at a traditional restaurant. Order fresh mussels and grilled squid with a glass of crisp local white wine.
  6. 03:00 PM: Relax on the sandy beach. Swim in the warm, shallow Adriatic and soak up the sun.
  7. 06:00 PM: Drive up to the Royal Villa of King Zog. Explore the faded grandeur and enjoy the panoramic views over the city.
  8. 08:00 PM: Return to the Volga Promenade for the evening xhiro. Enjoy a gelato and watch the city parade by.
  9. 09:00 PM: Sunset dinner at a seafood restaurant on the promenade. Order a whole grilled fish and toast to Durres.