Albania - Durres

Durres

It is the second largest city of Albania in terms of size, but also the largest most important port in the country. Durrës is one of the oldest towns in Albania with a long and turbulent history. According to ancient sources Durrës was founded in year 627 B.C by colonists from Corcyra and Corinth and settled in the territories of the Illyrian tribe of Taulantii. Initially, it was known by the name of Epidamnus, while later, by the name of Dyrrhachium.

Durres is one of the biggest towns and seaports in Albania. It has a population of 95.400 inhabitants. Durres is 39km from Tirana (capital of Albania). Durres is one of the most ancient cities in the country. It was founded by Epidamnos, the Illyrian King of the area, who called it by his own name and named the port area after his grandson- Dyrrah. From 1914-1920, Durres became the capital of Albania. Only 5 km away from Durres town is the beach area of Durres. Of great interest to visit are: The fortress of the city, the Amphitheater, Roman Thermal Baths, Archeological museum. It is the second largest city of Albania in terms of size, but also the largest most important port in the country. Durrës is one of the oldest towns in Albania with a long and turbulent history. According to ancient sources Durrës was founded in year 627 B.C by colonists from Corcyra and Corinth and settled in the territories of the Illyrian tribe of Taulantii. Initially, it was known by the name of Epidamnus, while later, by the name of Dyrrhachium. Later Durrës became the seat of the Illyrian kings of Taulantii, first, King Glaukias, and later, his sons, Monounios and Mytiles. In 314 B.C. the city was occupied by the Cassander of Macedonia, while in 229 B.C. it was conquered by the Romans. During the Roman rule, the amphitheater, the aqueduct, and other objects were built there. Mbreteresha Teuta DurresDuring the 7th to the 12th centuries, Durrës developed into the most important port of eastern Adriatic. In 1368, the city fell under the influence of Albanian prince Karl Topia, who in 1386, was forced to surrender the city to Venice. The latter held the city under its domination for 108 years. In 1501, Durrës was captured by the Ottomans. After that, the city began to decline and lost its importance. On the eve of independence, Durrës was occupied by the Serbs, who fled from it in May 1913. Unfortunately, during their withdrawal, the Serb forces plundered many rare archaeological exhibits which today are displayed in the Belgrade museums. Today the city of Durrës is the largest and most popular holiday resort in the country. It is a sandy and shallow beach, which makes it a favorite beach for families and their children. The city hosts very important sites, favorable for cultural tourism, such as the Amphitheater, the Byzantine forum, the archaeological museum which displays the Greek and Roman periods, the Venetian tower, the Fatih mosque, the Monument of Resistance, which is dedicated to the armed struggle against the fascist occupation of the country by fascist Italy on 7 April 1939, the Ethnographic museum. Through its harbor, the city has regular links with ferryboats to the Italian ports of Bari, Ancona, and Trieste. Durrës Beach Plazhi i Durresit 2Perhaps the most famous Albanian beach, it lies to the south of the town of Durrës, only 39 km away from the capital. This is the most popular beach in the country. It is 6 km long and the sand belt is wide. The waters are quite shallow close to the shore, which makes the beach very suitable for families and children. Its position in Durrës Bay protects it from winds. Durrës Beach has the largest concentration of tourist facilities, such as hotels, motels, villa compounds, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, bowling alleys, fitness halls and gyms, game parlors, etc. In addition to day tourists from the capital, Durrës beach is the number one destination for tourists from Kosova and Macedonia. To the north of Durrës, at the foot of the hills, is the well-known Plazhi i Currilave, where the waters are deep and the rocky beach is well protected from the hot winds coming from the land. Activities: sun and sea tourism, rowing, motorboat tours, water sports, etc