Tepelena, the City of Ali Pasha of Tepelena and Vjosa – the Queen of European Rivers

Tepelena is located in the Derven region, in southern Albania. The city is traversed by the Vjosa River and is bordered to the northeast by the Shëndëlli Mountain, in the center by the mountains of the Kurvelesh area, and to the south by the Golik Mountain and the Mezhgoran Gorge, which distinctly separates the Shëndëlli – Lunxhëri – Bureto and Trebeshina – Dhembel – Nëmërçkë mountain ranges. The Vjosa and Drinos Rivers, two of Albania’s largest, create a majestic landscape popular with both foreign and domestic tourists.

The city holds a strategic and spectacular position with its walls clinging to the rocky sides, crowned by the castle of Ali Pasha of Tepelena. Beyond this small but historically interesting city, one can find villages with rich histories as well as the highlands of Kurvelesh, along a forested mountain road, where you can also see Ali Pasha’s aqueduct in Bënçë.

Tepelena is an ancient settlement linked to the construction of a fortress in the 7th century, strategically situated at the crossroads of the Vjosa, Këlcyra Gorge, Drinos, and Mallakastra. In 1789, the city was led by Ali Pasha of Tepelena, who built his palaces there, remaining one of the most visited attractions of the city.

Uji i Ftohtë (Cold Water) in Tepelena is not only a tourist destination that leads to the south of Albania but also an asset of tradition that continues to spark curiosity among nature lovers and tourists.

The culture of Tepelena is impressive as it encompasses all the regions located to the right of the Vjosa River valley and the Labëria region.

Some recommendations to visit in the city of Tepelena:

1. The last wild river of Europe, the queen of rivers Vjosa
2. The Castle of Ali Pasha of Tepelena
3. Ali Pasha’s Aqueduct in Bënçë
4. Uji i Ftohtë (Cold Water)
5. The Canyons and Waterfall of Nivica
6. Sacred places such as mosques, churches, and tekkes.