Dardha

Dardha sits at about 1,300 metres in the Morava mountains south of Korca, a village of stone houses with slate roofs on a steep slope, with cobbled lanes, a church, springs and beech forest running up behind it. It was prosperous in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries from emigration and trade, which is why the houses are substantial, and it has become a weekend destination from Korca, with guesthouses in restored buildings, restaurants serving the mountain food of the region and a small ski slope used in winter. The walking in the beech forest above is good and the air is a marked change from the plain. Snow lies for much of the winter and the road can be difficult.

What you actually see

• Stone houses with slate roofs - the substantial village building.
• Cobbled lanes on a slope - the layout up the hillside.
• Beech forest above - walking routes into the Morava range.
• A small winter ski slope - the village's cold-season use.

When to go

May to October for walking, December to February for snow. Half a day, or overnight in a guesthouse. Weekends bring Korca visitors and the restaurants fill. The road up is winding.

Honest expectations

It is small and half a day covers it. Weekend crowds fill the few restaurants. The ski slope is very small with basic facilities. Winter road access can be difficult. Prices are high for Albania.

Nearby

Korca is north; Voskopoja lies north-west in the same hills.