Lezhe (Albania)

Lezhë (Albanian: Lezha or Lezhë; Italian: Alessio, Greek: Λισσός) is a city in northwest Albania, in the district and county with the same name. It is located at 41.79°N 19.65°E and has a population of about 27,500 (2009 est). In ancient history it was an ancient Greek colony named Lissus. The latter is an Archaeological Park of Albania.

Korce (Albania)

Korçë (Definite Albanian form: Korça, other names see below) is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people (2009 census),[1] making it the sixth largest city in Albania. It stands on a plateau some 850 m (2,789 ft) above sea level, surrounded by the Morava Mountains.

Puke (Albania)

Pukë is the capital of the Pukë District in northern Albania. The town has a population of 6,495 (2005 est.). The local football club is called KS Tërbuni Pukë.

At 838 metres above sea level, the town is one of the highest in elevation in Albania and a well known ski area. It is 150 km from Albania's capital, Tirana. Situated on the road from the Adriatic to Kosovo, the town developed during the 4th–2nd centuries B.C. In ancient times, it was known as Picarea. The ancient town was destroyed by a barbarian invasion. The town has also been known as Pezhve. This area has a 2,000-year-old tradition of resin sculpture. The remains of this tradition are located in a quarter of Pukë town. In the 20th century, Pukë was expanded as a military base and a centre of Catholic Education. The distinguished Albanian poet Migjeni worked there from 1936 to 1937. The school where he worked as a teacher is a tourist attraction. The town is surrounded by a 400-hectare massif covered with pine trees. Since the end of the communist era, there has been a spread of disease in the pines caused by pine processionary moths, whose nests are conspicuous.

The hotel standing in the town square has been upgraded and now boasts a micro brewery producing Puka Beer, which is a lager in draught form.

The name Pukë comes from Latin via publica "public road" as it was located on an old trade route.

Shkodër (Albania)

Shkodër (Definite Albanian form: Shkodra; see the etymology section for other names), is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Population of Shkodër is 74,876, while Shkodër County has a population of 217,375.

Saranda (Albania)

Saranda or Sarandë is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a population of about 30,000 (2001 estimate).[2] Near Sarandë are the remains of the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Alongside its ethnic Albanian majority, Sarandë is home to an ethnic Greek minority and is considered one of the centers of the Greek minority in Albania.

Gjirokastër (Albania)

Gjirokastër (known also by several alternative names) is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County. Its old town is inscribed on the World Heritage List as "a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town, built by farmers of large estate." Gjirokastër is situated in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and the Drino River, at 300 meters above sea level. The city is overlooked by the Gjirokastër Castle where Gjirokaster National Folklore Festival is held every 5 years. Gjirokastër is the birthplace of former Albanian communist leader Enver Hoxha and notable writer Ismail Kadare. It hosts the Eqerem Çabej University.

The city appears in the historical record in 1336 by its Greek name, Argyrokastro,[2] as part of the Byzantine Empire.[3] It became latter the center of the local principality under the Albanian lord, Gjon Zenebishi (1373-1417), before falling under Ottoman Empire rule for the next five centuries.[3] Taken by the Greek Army during the Balkan Wars on account of its large Greek population,[4] it was eventually incorporated into the newly independent state of Albania in 1913. This proved highly unpopular with the local Greek population, who rebelled and after several months of guerilla warfare established the short-lived Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus with Gjirokaster as its capital in 1914. It was definitively awarded to Albania in 1921.[5] In more recent years, the city witnessed anti-government protests that lead to major political instability in Albania (1997).[6]

Alongside Albanians, the city is home to a substantial Greek minority.[7] Gjirokastër, together with Saranda, is considered one of the centers of the Greek community in Albania,[4] and there is a Greek consulate in town.[8]

Berat (Albania)

Berat is a town located in south-central Albania and the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat. As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of around 71,000[1] people. In July 2008, the old town (Mangalem district) was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.