Durres
Durres
This is one of the largest cities in Albania, situated on the shore of the Adriatic Sea. Durres is the main port in the country and was also the capital until 1920. It is located in the central part of the country, 33 km west of the metropolis of Tirana and approx.30–40 minutes drive from Tirana Airport, along the northern edge of the Draca Bay. Durres was founded in the 7th century (627) BC by Greek colonists from Corinth and Corfu who fled the Peloponnesian War. Durres is an ancient city, previously known by the name of Epidamnus and later Dyrrachium. It is the largest city on the coast and is the most visited tourist resort in Albania. Durres maintains regular connections with Italian ports.
Monuments
Roman Amphitheater – an outdoor theater from the 2nd century AD, which is the largest of its kind in the Balkans and has a capacity of up to 15,000 people. The amphitheater was opened in 1966 and currently hosts a regular summer film festival. Roman baths – originally from the 2nd century AD
Forum – the remains of the ancient forum from the 5th century, which also served during the first centuries of the Byzantine Empire.
Orthodox Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Astia
Monuments
The preserved part of the walls – a part of the walls from the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries has survived to the present day.
Venetian Tower – located near the port, at the southern end of the preserved city walls.
The summer villa – the residence of the Albanian king Zog I. It was built in the 20s of the 20th century and is one of the landmarks of the city, it is not open to the public.
Climate
Durres has a warm Mediterranean climate. The number of sunny days here is around 300 per year.
Durres is one of the most visited cities on the Albanian Riviera.
The warmest month is August, when the average maximum temperature reaches 33°C and the average minimum temperature 22°C. The coldest month is January with an average maximum temperature of 16°C and an average minimum temperature of 8°C.
The new port of Durres
We wrote about the newly emerging marina on the site of the current port in this article
The investor has committed to building a new port for 600 to 800 million euros outside the city and will invest another 2 billion euros in the new marina project and the surrounding area.