Elbasan

City of Elbasan is located in central region of Albania, 45 km away from its capital, Tirana. River Shkumbin passes through the city.

One attraction noticeable in the city is the Castle of Elbasan. This medieval castle of old Skampa city is a lively area with some restaurants and coffee shops operating inside its walls, making it a great place for a visit or a coffee.

Elbasan is in the crossroads of many tourist destination cities of Albania, from there you can travel to Pogradec, Korca, or take the Rrogozhina way and visit cities of Durres, Berat or the nearby Belsh. Going for a day at the fabulous Gjinar town is one experience worth trying, relaxation and nature giving the therapy for body and soul.

To get to Elbasan from Tirana takes less than 1 hour of driving, the road is a highway with very good conditions, it was only built lately, with a more than 2km tunnel connecting the road.

One particular destination in Elbasan that we recommend is tourist village of Gjinar. You will be amazed by the nature, big pine forest, fresh climate, amazing traditional foods in Gjinar.

It takes approximately 40 minutes of driving time to get to Gjinar from center of Elbasan city, this village has a distance of 23 km from the city. It lies on a mountainous area.

This village has become a popular destination for locals during the last years, people love it because of its beautiful nature, climate, proximity from Tirana and Elbasan, and traditional foods served in the hotels and guesthouses of Gjinar. It becomes a lively place during the weekends while on Thursday this village has its own bazaar day where mostly foods are sold by the farmers of Gjinar.

Touristic village of Gjinar, is located around 60km from Tirana, In 1 hour and 15 minutes you can reach Gjinar from Tirana.

Another interesting place to visit from the city of Elbasan is Belshi. This small town is a relaxing site which can be visited during the day from the city of Elbasan or Tirana. It takes only 35 minutes to get to Belsh from Elbasan and almost one hour from Tirana. It has a panoramic view with a lake in front of the town.

Another attractive site to visit from Elbasan is the city of Gramsh, enjoy some traditional local restaurant by the lake and for nature enthusiasts Gramshi offers an amazing natural attraction like the Sotira Waterfalls.

Elbasan is 124 km away from Korca and it takes 2 hours to connect these cities.

Elbasan is 90 km and less than 2 hours from the lake city of Ohrid.

Elbasan and Berat are closer to each other than you might think, it takes little more than 1 hour to travel the 65 km that separate these cities.

Elbasan is known for its diverse culinary offerings, with various traditional Albanian dishes that are worth trying. Here are some interesting dishes or foods to consider trying while in Elbasan:

1. Tavë Elbasani: This is a popular dish named after the city of Elbasan itself. It’s a hearty casserole made with layers of sliced lamb or beef, rice, and vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, all cooked together in a rich tomato sauce and baked until tender and flavorful.

Elbasan is most famous for the making of Ballokume, this traditional food is massively sold especially during the ‘Summer Day’.

When traveling from Tirana towards Elbasan, you may notice the smell of sulfur when nearing Elbasan. This city is noted for its baths which are used only for curative purposes, do not enter this baths without the recommendation of a doctor, as overstaying can have side effects for the body.

If you are looking for a traditional restaurant, visit the touristic villages of ‘Gjinar’ where you can enjoy nature beside your meal, or other popular locations like ‘Labinot Fushe’. Also for those who prefer seafood , there is a very good fish restaurant in ‘Fushe Labinot’ which serves seafood products. Another interesting location to spend you lunch is on the ‘Old Road’ to ‘Krrabe’.