Berat is one of Albania's most beautiful towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its nickname — the "city of a thousand windows" — comes from the rows of tall windows on the white Ottoman houses stacked up the hillsides of the Mangalem and Gorica quarters.
Above them stands the castle (Kala), unusual because people still live inside its walls among Byzantine churches and the remains of mosques. The views over the Osum river valley are superb at sunset.
Good to know: Berat sits inland, about two hours from both Tirana and the coast — an easy and rewarding day trip or overnight stop.