Korça, the City of Serenades

Korça, a city rich in beautiful intellectual and artistic traditions, is one of the largest and most important cultural and economic centers in Albania. Located in the southeastern part of the country, the city is famous for its typical neighborhoods composed of low houses and villas and streets paved with cobblestone.

Surrounded by numerous hills and mountains, Korça is bordered to the east by the Morava mountain, to the west by the Gora area, Voskopoja, and Vithkuqi; to the south by the Qarri mountain and to the north by the Dry mountain.

Founded in the 5th-6th centuries, Korça is one of the earliest settled cities in Southeastern Europe, based on excavations and the discovery of Illyrian fortifications.

Each season offers its unique beauty for a trip to Korça. In winter, the city presents a marvelous panorama covered in white. Autumn in Korça, besides enjoying the city’s beauties and autumn colors, offers the chance to taste the region’s marvelous fruits.

For those preferring a mountain climate during the hot summer, Korça and its surroundings offer coolness, clean air, and magnificent nature. Throughout the year, Korça hosts numerous cultural activities, festivals, and fairs that enliven city life. The city witnesses a large number of visitors, especially during holidays like Easter, Christmas, Carnivals, or the Beer Festival.

One of Korça’s most unique attractions is the Old Bazaar, where the city’s well-preserved traditions, as well as its old and modern architecture, are best displayed. This historic area is home to beautiful bars, restaurants, and shops.

Korça, known as the “Little Paris of Albania,” is famous for a range of museums that narrate the art and traditions of the city and are some of the most visited attractions by local and foreign tourists. These include the National Museum of Education, in the building where the first Albanian school opened in 1887; the National Museum of Medieval Art; the Prehistoric Museum; the house-museum of the renowned painter Vangjush Mio, the Oriental Art Museum “Bratko”, the Gjon Mili Photography Museum, and more.

Çajupi Theater is the place to watch concerts or theatrical shows according to the cultural calendar of the season. Besides museums and monuments, Korça is the city where the most beautiful carnivals in Albania are organized, a few days before Orthodox Easter.

Love serenades are characteristic songs that symbolize Korça as a city of love and beautiful, romantic traditions. The city has numerous taverns offering delicious traditional dishes, like different types of byrek, perfectly accompanied by good music and traditional drink, raki.

Korça is an excellent starting point to discover many tourist spots located in the nearby mountains such as Voskopoja, Dardha, Vithkuqi, and Boboshtica. These tourist villages are known for offering opportunities to practice various sports and outdoor activities. The Korça region is also known for the beautiful Byzantine churches of Vithkuqi and Voskopoja, with frescoes painted on their walls by medieval Albanian painters. Near Korça, you can visit Prespa Lake, the largest National Park in the country, Drenova National Park, the Illyrian Tumulus of Kamenica, and more.