Albania's historic sites see surge in visitors

The historic stone bridge known as Ura e Vashës in Klos has become a popular weekend destination after a new road cut travel time from Tirana to just 35 minutes. Local residents note the change, saying, “Më parë doje një ditë të vije, tani për gjysmë ore.” Visitors from across Albania and abroad now arrive multiple times a week, drawn by the bridge’s three‑century‑old architecture and surrounding scenery.

At the National Museum of Medieval Art in Korçë, the number of tourists recorded from January to June reached around 16,000, the majority of them foreign. Ukrainian visitor Anastasia said, “Unë jam Anastasia dhe vij nga Ukraina… Muzeu është shumë i bukur, me një histori të pasur.” The museum houses more than 8,000 cultural objects, including thousands of Byzantine and post‑Byzantine icons dating from the 13th to the 20th century, making it a key cultural attraction in the country.