The city played a leading role in Albania’s national awakening: the first school teaching in the Albanian language opened here in 1887, and the building now houses the National Museum of Education. Korçë is also known for its music, its serenades and its art, with a fine collection of icons in the National Museum of Medieval Art.
At the centre stands the great Orthodox Resurrection Cathedral, while the restored Old Bazaar fills with restaurants and cafés in the evening. Nearby, the Mirahori Mosque is one of the oldest in Albania. The local brewery has made Korça beer since 1928, and its summer beer festival draws visitors from all over Albania.
A short drive into the mountains leads to Voskopojë, once a great trading town, with its frescoed churches and cool summer air, and to the stone village of Dardha. To the north and east lie Lake Prespa and the lakeside town of Pogradec on Lake Ohrid, with the villages of Tushemisht and Lin close by. With its food, its history and its relaxed pace, Korçë is one of the most rewarding cities to discover in Albania.
Korçë is reached by road from Tirana via Elbasan and Pogradec, a scenic drive past Lake Ohrid. Summer brings festivals and pleasant evenings, autumn is ideal for walking in the surrounding hills, and winters are cold and often snowy, with a festive atmosphere in the city centre at the end of the year.
Gallery photos: joepwijsbek (CC0 1.0), Marmontel (CC BY 2.0), Leeturtle (CC BY-SA 4.0), John Loach (CC BY-SA 2.0), Meriboo (CC BY-SA 4.0), Leeturtle (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
