Berat, well-preserved Ottoman town between Tirana and Gjirokaster, Albania

Now having visited both Gjirokaster and Berat, I can say that it is well worth visiting both towns. Berat is a well-preserved city with its own castle and historic quarters and its location on the Osum River is nothing less than breathtaking when seen from above. An interesting curiosity about Berat is that its castle has been lived in by "common folk" for a long time. Today there are restaurants and rooms available within the castle walls... alongside a number of private residences. It makes for an interesting contrast, i.e. historic castle with current living quarters side-by-side. As some have remarked, it is its own village inside the greater village of Berat. After partaking in a great lunch with an Albanian family and exploring many of the castle ruins on the mountaintop, I made my way over to the Berat overlook. What a gem! The first views were absolutely breathtaking. One can see the snow-capped Tomorri Mountains in the distance as well as the bulk of Berat city below. From the viewpoint, one has an excellent vista over the historic Gorica Quarter on the opposite side of the Osum River. Upon getting down to river level, I was more able to explore and enjoy the Mangalem Quarter (which is tucked into the mountainside on which the castle sits) and the aforementioned Gorica Quarter (on the other side of the Osum River). The day involved a lot of walking... but what a gorgeous and interesting place to do it. The songs here are (1) "Fryj Moj Ere", a dance-beat offering with a haunting aesthetic by Albanian singer Sheila, (2) "Vertigo" by Sophie Ellis Bextor, which was appropriate for when I was standing up at the viewpoint over Berat, (3) "Kush Jam Une" and (4) "Xheloz", two tunes sung by Albanian artist Elvana Gjata, who is held in high regard in her homeland.