Fier County: Apollonia, Plains, and Lagoons
Travel guide · editorialFier County takes in the fertile Myzeqe plain, Albania's vegetable garden, and stretches all the way to the lagoons of the Adriatic. A trip to Fier County is worthwhile above all for Apollonia, one of the country's most important ancient cities, and for a national park full of pelicans.
Fier and Lushnja
Fier is a young, bustling city that grew in the 20th century thanks to oil extraction and industry; around Patos and Roskovec, pumpjacks still stand in the fields today. Lushnja to the north is historically significant: in 1920 it hosted the congress that strengthened Albania's independence and designated Tirana as the capital. The region's markets offer vegetables, fruit, watermelons, and cheese from the plain. The Myzeqe is also known for its folk music and dances, which are still performed at weddings today.
Sights in Fier County
Apollonia, founded around 600 BC by Greeks from Corinth and Corfu, was a famous center of learning in Roman times; the young Octavian, later Emperor Augustus, studied here. What remains includes the bouleuterion with its columned facade, an odeon, city walls, and remnants of the theater. The medieval monastery with the Church of St. Mary next door houses an archaeological museum. To the southeast lies the ancient city of Byllis, high above the Vjosa Valley, with its mosaics. In the north of the county lies Divjaka-Karavasta National Park, home to Albania's largest lagoon, pine forests, and a colony of Dalmatian pelicans that you can watch from observation towers. On Divjaka beach, you'll find simple fish restaurants serving mullet and eel from the lagoon. A bike or hiking trail leads through the pine forest to the beach.
Getting There and Best Time to Visit
Fier lies on the main road from Tirana to Vlora, about a two-hour drive from the capital. Spring and fall are ideal for exploring the ruins and watching birds, while in summer the beaches of Divjaka and Seman are the draw. Apollonia is only about twelve kilometers from Fier, most conveniently reached by taxi or rental car.