Petrela Castle

Petrela sits on a rock above the Erzen valley south of Tirana, a compact triangular castle with three towers whose fabric is largely fifteenth century on earlier foundations, held during the resistance to the Ottoman advance by Mamica Kastrioti, Skanderbeg's sister, according to tradition. It is small: a walled enclosure with a courtyard and towers, taking twenty minutes to walk. Part of it houses a restaurant with a terrace, which is why most Tirana visitors come, and the view runs over the valley, the olive terraces and the hills. It is the easiest castle trip from the capital and is combined with the Erzen gorge and Pellumbas cave on the same road.

What you actually see

• A triangular plan with three towers - the compact fifteenth-century castle.
• The Erzen valley view - olive terraces and hills from the walls.
• The Kastrioti association - the family tradition attached to the site.
• The terrace restaurant - the reason most local visitors come.

When to go

April to October. Two hours including a meal. Weekends bring Tirana families and the restaurant fills. The walls are open at all hours and free.

Honest expectations

It is very small and the visit is short without the restaurant. There is no interpretation. The restaurant dominates the site. Parking below is limited at weekends. The Skanderbeg connection is traditional rather than documented.

Nearby

Tirana is north; Pellumbas cave lies east along the Erzen.