The Durre's cultural and archaeological heritage draws tourists

 

 As one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean, it also attracts tourists with its cultural heritage, numerous archaeological sites and testimonies, not all of which are open to tourists this season.

The director of the Durres Museum Center explains why and what it's all about.

"Currently, only the amphitheater, the Byzantine square and the Roman baths located behind the Palace of Culture can be visited," said Arban Ramohitaj, director of the Durres Museum Center.

That doesn't seem to deter tourists, who have expressed interest in the ancient seaside city before the peak season officially begins.

“We will welcome tourists again. There are many requests, tour groups are already booked and we will have another great year,” Ramohitaj said.

The good news comes a year after the 2022 season, which was the most successful in recent memory, and the numbers look set to remain high this season as well.

“Last year we had a very good tourist season, but most of the visitors to our sites were from May to September. We had a significant number compared to the previous year. They were almost 50% more than a year ago, than 2021,” he said.

According to official statistics, there was a "boom" in visits to archaeological sites, and the number of people entering and exiting the country's largest port was 14% higher than in 2021.

More than 28,000 tourists have visited the Archaeological Museum and amphitheater, which is twice as many as in 2021.