Amazing ALBANIAN SEAFOOD!! Exploring Ancient Attractions | Durrës, Albania

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My second full day in Albania continued after I arrived in the seaside port city of Durrës, the second-most populous city in the country! I hit the ground running immediately to dive right into the incredible sites and flavors of this beautiful city. Join me as I try some amazing Albanian seafood and explore the ancient attractions of Durrës, Albania!

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Durrës is an ancient city with Hellenistic roots that was founded on the Illyrian coast back in the 7th century BC. There’s so much history there and I couldn’t wait to explore it all with my friend Ani from Balkan Pearls Tour Operator.

We started at the Venetian Tower, which was built in the 15th century on top of the ruins of a Byzantine tower. It’s is connected to the Roman Byzantine walls, which had been built and rebuilt several times. There’s only a small section of wall left.

Through part of the walls is an arch leading to the Amphitheatre of Durrës, built by Emperor Trajan in the second century. It used to seat 20,000 people and was converted into a church in the 5th century! Underground, we saw some of the original stairs and the interconnected hallways, as well as a chapel and some beautiful mosaics.

In the center of the amphitheatre is a grassy area, which also serves as a graveyard for members of the church. Parts of the amphitheatre have been restored, but most of the seats are weathered and worn. The amphitheatre was completely covered until 1966!

Then, we visited the Emperor’s entrance tunnel, which had super high ceilings and was really wide. You can get great views of the amphitheatre from the street above the theatre.

Next, we went to eat at a small restaurant called Ferra Shijak. Along the way, I could see lots of restaurants, bars, lounges, and businesses. It was super hot out, but Ani told me it gets even hotter! Luckily, the restaurant was on the boardwalk right next to the beach!

I could see lots of seafood on ice including fish, mussels, shrimp, clams, and crab. They also have pasta because of the Italian influence. In the kitchen, I watched them cook clams, mussels, risotto, bruschetta, and more! It only costs 400 leke (about $4 USD) for a massive plate of mussels! It was an Albanian seafood extravaganza!

At our table, we had seafood linguine, octopus and shrimp crudo, steamed mussels, grilled and fried fish, and bruschetta! The linguine was overloaded with shrimp, squid, and mussels. It was insanely good and one of my favorite pasta dishes ever. It was so creamy, fresh, and salty!

I enjoyed it with some amazing white wine called Duka. Then, I went for the raw shrimp crudo, which just had an oil-and-lemon marinade on it. It was the most succulent thing I’ve ever eaten! It was tangy and citrusy and so unbelievably fresh! The crudo octopus also had some nice oil on it. It was super basic but so phenomenal!

Then, I jumped on the mussels and ate about 20 of them in a row. The broth at the bottom of the platter was the best! I went non-stop!

The bruschetta topped with tomato and cheese was also amazing. I also loved the fried fish. You have to be careful removing the spines, but the crunch and oiliness are so worth it! The baked fish was beautiful and so meaty. It tasted different from the fried and grilled fish! Then, I ended my meal with a lot more mussels!

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About Me:

My name is David Hoffmann. For the last 12 years, I have been traveling around the world in search of unique culture, food, and history! Since starting David’s Been Here in 2008, I have traveled to over 1,100 destinations in 77 countries, which I welcome you to check out on my YouTube channel, travel blog, and social media sites.

I focus a great deal on food and historical sites, as you probably have seen! I love to experience the different flavors that each destination has to offer, from casual street food to gourmet restaurant dining. I’m also passionate about learning about the local history and culture.

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