Pogradec Sightseeing

The word Pogradec is of slavic origin, meaning 'below the small town', and the scant ruins of a 5th-century castle high up on the hill indicate there was once an Illyrian settlement here.

Modern-day Pogradec is pleasant enough for a stroll. Just west of the Enkelana hotel is a newly pedestrianised street with old houses that show something of the fishing village that was once here. Nearby, the modern concrete  Ebu Bekr mosque has an unusual double-balconied minaret.

Further east, the Church of the Resurrection (Ringjallja e Hyjlindëses) at the end of Rr. Kajo Karafili I sthe main Orthodox church in town. The St. Mary Dormition church (Kisha Fjetja e Hyjëlindëses) can be found in the Lagja e Toplecit area.

A sandy beach fringed by a well-tended park stretches for over a kilometre along the lakeshore from the centre. However, it's not recommended to swim here until the new sewage treatment plant is functional.