Përmet: The Complete Guide

Përmet is a city in south-eastern Albania close to the Greek border in the heart of the Vjosa valley. It is also known as the “city of roses” and claims to be the cleanest and greenest little town in Albania. It is certainly a pretty small town in a lovely setting, surrounded by mountains and flanked by the River Vjosa. The road to Përmet, runs along the river valley floor and there are great views of gorges and waterfalls. Permet is renowned for its folk music, fine white wines (from white debine grapes), raki (a fruit brandy) and traditional foods, particularly ‘gliko’ (compote or preserves made from whole fruit).

You can visit the small village of Benja to see its beautiful Ottoman bridge and its natural thermal springs. From the middle of the bridge, there are great photograph opportunities of the surrounding countryside. This bridge is also called the judge’s bridge (Ura e Katiut) from the story that while the village was under the Turkish occupation a judge fell of the bridge and died.

When here you will not fail to see the giant stone in the middle of the town called the ‘City Stone of Përmet’. A popular activity is to climb to the top for great views of the town and the river.

Përmet has a beautiful square in the center of town dedicated to Abdyl Frashëri an Albanian hero.

History of Përmet

In the 15th century Përmet was a Ottoman administrative center. During the 18th century there was a push to convert Albanians to Islam this was strongly resisted in Përmet. In the 19th century the town was a key part of Albanian Nationalism movement.

Visiting Përmet for the first time and wondering what are the top places to see in the city? In this complete guide, I share the best things to do in Përmet on the first visit. To help you plan your trip, I have also included an interactive map and practical tips for visiting!

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