Pogradec: The Complete Guide

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Pasztilla aka Attila Terbócs

Pogradec is a town on the shores of Lake Ohrid in eastern Albania. The lake is one of the oldest and deepest lakes (300m) in Europe and dominates the town.

On the south and west side, this city is surrounded by hills and its northern and eastern sides the lake.  The other side of the lake is the North Macedonia own of Ohrid.  Tourism in Pogradec is minimal but the town is nice enough to stroll around,  especially it’s park alongside the lake, which has several benches to sit on. At the eastern side of town is the long and sandy Pogradec Beach.

Some of the restaurants have built jetties over the lake so people can swim off them and they often will server traditional fish dishes, especially the baked speckled trout (Koran).

On a hill above Pogradec, there are the ruins of an ancient Illyrian village which is called the Castle of Pogradec . The name of the town comes from this settlement. Po means ‘beneath’ and Gradec ‘town’, so it literally means  “under the town”.

Popular places to visit  around Lake Ohrid are Lin, Pojskë, Hudenisht and Tushemisht.

History of Pogradec

The area around the lake was inhabited by the Illyrian tribe of the Enchelii and became the center of the First Illyrian Kingdom led by king Bardylis during the 5th and 4th century B.C.

During Roman times the town was well situated as the Via Egnatia, which connected the Dyrrachium (Durrës) with Byzantium (Istanbul), passed close by.
By the 7th century the area was occupied by a Slavic tribe known as the Berziti. The 8th until the 14th century was a period of turbulence where Bulgarians, Byzantines and Serbians and Albanians fought over the lands until the Ottoman empire eventually took control.

The city was popular with both the Albania’s ex-king Zog I, and the communist dictator Enver Hoxha.

Visiting Pogradec 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 Pogradec 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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This complete guide to Pogradec not only tells you about the very best sights and tourist attractions for first-time visitors to the city but also provide insights into a few of our personal favorite things to do.

This is a practical guide to visiting the best places to see in Pogradec and is filled with tips and info that should answer all your questions!

Illyrian Royal Tombs

CC BY-SA 3.0 / Albinfo

The Illyrian Tombs of Selca e Poshtme are located near the village of Selcë e Poshtme (Lower Selcë) in Albania. The tombs are from the necropolis of the ancient city of Pelion which is situated on a hill between the village of Selcë e Poshtme and the river Shkumbin. The settlement is thought to have […]

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Location: Mokër Municipality of Pogradec Albania | Distance: 15.2km

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Visiting Illyrian Royal Tombs

Lin, Korçë

CC BY-SA 3.0 / Pudelek

Lin is a quiet fishing village situated on a small peninsula on Lake Ohrid, just south of the border with Macedonia and 22 km north of Pogradec.The village has narrow lanes and old women dressed in black sat in doorways, quietly chatting or knitting. Archaeological findings from the nearby hilltop include foundation walls and mosaics […]

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Visiting Lin, Korçë