They love each season in its own way, but they put the queen’s crown in winter. This is Voskopoja, the place with intriguing history, boundless hospitality and endless surprises would describe THE GUARDIAN or “Paris of the Balkans” according to National Geographic
Voskopoja is one of the tourist villages with good road infrastructure and quality facilities and service. Over 30 guesthouses and 2 hotels welcome the highest number of visitors, mainly on weekends. They come mainly from central and northern Albania to get to know the history of this area.
“Prices are the same as years, alternative prices for rooms. During the week we give it cheaper on the weekend more expensive. The flow of tourists is concentrated in winter, especially when there is snow. And in summer in July when it is very hot people come here. During the week there is no influx, they come on weekends,” says Antoni Falo, tourist operator.
Voskopoja, once a center of economic, cultural and artistic development, full of prosperity, recognized the rhythm of trade of the time with other important centers of Albania, the Balkans and beyond. Trade with the west and the east, as a crossroads where the cultures of the time met, gave the city comprehensive development.
Its foundation is thought to be around the year 1330, by a Vlach community, also inhabited by Albanians, while the Saint Friday Church, built on a hill, was the oldest church (today rebuilt on the ruins of the burnt church ), around which the first houses were built. The architecture of the churches, the masters of icons and frescoes such as David Selenica, the Zografi brothers from Korça, Konstandin Hieromonaku, the master of the iconostasis is still this wealth, which has resisted time, wars, damage by human hands, as a unique witness of that civilization, are the ones that show its unique values.
Voskopoja developed over the years and continued to preserve the customs, history and traditions created long ago. Its twenty-four churches turned into important centers of liturgical education, preservation and spread of the Albanian language, preservation of cultural heritage, customs and customs.
In this area there is no guide, who is responsible for guiding the tourists, but in most cases it is the residents themselves who lead the foreign groups.
You can travel through Voskopoja by car, but you will feel better if you visit the churches on foot. You will have the chance not only to enjoy the old church stories, but also to enjoy the real life and nature of Voskopoja. Today’s churches of Voskopoja are:
Monastery of Saint Prodhrom
Saint Athanasius Church
Cathedral Church “The Dormition of Saint Mary”
Church of the Archangels, Gabriel and Michael
The Church of Saint Kolli, this is the most visited church as it is located in the center of Voskopoja, at the same time the most important church for its architecture with all the elements of the post-Byzantine basilica type, which has survived until today. This church has it all: nave, narthex, arcade and belfry. It was built from June 1721 to September 1722, while the bell tower is thought to have been built later. Its last reconstruction was done around 1936.
With a library, with an Academy, with sidewalks, with cobblestones, with many prominent painters of the time such as David Selenica, Kavalioti, Grigori, etc., with a rich folk tradition and craftsmanship, Voskopoja is already an important economic and cultural center.
“Tourists come here for the climate, for the natural beauty, for the history, as Voskopoja was an ancient city, but also for the cuisine,” says Antoni Falo, tourist operator.
Voskopoja is distinguished for the preparation of handicrafts based on local craftsmanship and natural resources, especially for woodworking, weaving of woolen clothing and many other valuable works. All these can be easily found in Voskopoja artisan shops.
One of the lacks of the tourist village is the ski track, which would give the area greater development and attention from tourists. While for the summer period, entertainment activities should be added to attract more tourists every day of the week.