Albania does not have so many cities which keep an urban style of life. Korca is one of these.
It is a middle sized, cozy cosmopolitan city situated just in the southeastern corner of the country. Some kilometers far from borders with Greece and Macedonia.
Traditionally Korca has been an old business city, in the main road of caravans and traders. In Albania it is famous also because of its delicious food, its traditional songs played with guitars and, of course, its beer.
The city is divided in some parts: behind the cathedral of annunciation (a modern big building that not everybody likes) is the old neighborhood, full of ottoman houses and with village atmosphere. Streets are narrow, the houses made on wood and stone. People lives in the street and chickens run around.
Then, in front of the cathedral starts the long boulevard, perfect for walks and enjoyment, framed by beautiful villas of the twenties. In the evening people of the city walk up and down in this luxury avenue and its easy to feel as in a elegant European city of the old times. With the same glamour and quietness.
Just a bit more towards the road coming from Pogradec is situated the communist center. It is just the end of main road presided by a big Hotel still in use. As in many other communist cities. There is also the post office, some offices for money changing and even few kiosk where the daily newspapers are displayed so that people of Korca stand around for reading it, as in the communist times.
In the side of this area is situated the famous old bazaar.
