Farm to Table

FARM TO TABLE

A GUIDE TO ALBANIAN FARM STAYS UNDER THE AGRITOURISM CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME 1ST EDITION, 2019

FARM TO TABLE A Guide to Albanian Farm Stays under the Agritourism Certification Programme

1st Edition, 2019

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he development of the Albanian economy is inextricably linked to agriculture and tourism, two sectors that have grown in recent years, have created new jobs and increased incomes for hundreds of thousands of families.

When it comes to the rural economy, agro-tourism is widely perceived as a sector of sustainable development.

Agro-tourism is a way of attracting people to the countryside.

It is an excellent opportunity to stimulate employment in rural areas and to attract the attention of Albanian diaspora to their homeland and thus become potential investors. Albania today offers tremendous resources for the development of agrotourism such as a wonderful nature, climate and rich culinary experiences.

Albanian production and traditional local products are among the most appreciated and sought after by foreign visitors. Our common objective is to exploit the market for these products in agro-tourism units that operate in the country and expose them to various festivals and fairs.

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MARD supports investments in agro-tourism through grants that are available under the National Scheme of Agricultural Investment, as well as through the IPARD programme, supported by EU funds. We have some already certified agro-tourism projects throughout the country and further expansion will come. The ‘100 Villages’ programme, which is also part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, will create inspirational models for rural development in our country. These 100 villages will be a focal point for other surrounding villages.

Since 2018, because of our supportive policies, the interest and preparation of businesses has doubled in the agro-tourism sector. This trend continues throughout 2019. I believe time will show that we are doing the right thing with the support we are giving to agriculture as the key sector for sustainable development in rural areas in our country.

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grotourism stands for Albanian hospitality. It’s not only about culinary. It is not just and simply about accommodation. It doesn’t have to do only with agricultural production, livestock or aquaculture activities. Also, it’s not only about nature. Agrotourism is all of these in one!

It is about traditional food and accommodation, products that are authentic and typical, and above all the interaction within the activities in it. In times of rapid industrial and technological development, that increasingly creates a gap between people and natural land, when only the sea or the mountains, as forms of classical tourism, remains seasonal offerings, agrotourism, as interaction with and within nature, is an activity that can offer all year-round tourism.

Given the particular importance of this activity and the specific relation it has with rural development, its effect on the

expansion of opportunities for more jobs in these areas, while increasing the value of our products, agrotourism has received the broad support of the Albanian government through direct financial and fiscal support, that have directly influenced the growth of local tourism. This also goes hand in hand with our all efforts to expand the touristic offer throughout all seasons all over the country.

Understanding and embracing these initiatives, the map of Albanian agrotourism is rapidly expanding across the country.

In this trip through Albania, in every agrotourism spot, you will find and experience the unique hospitality, traditions, and culinary delights. The only thing left to do is to give it a try, experience the Albanian taste and take the Albanian smile with you. #smilealbania Blendi Klosi Minister of Tourism and Environment

Bledi Cuci Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

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Contents Introduction

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Map

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Northern Albania Mrizi i Zanave (Fishta, Lezha County)

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Bujtina Dini (Katund i vjeter, Mirdita)

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Central Albania Kantina Enol (Preza, Tirana County)

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Agroturizem Huqi (Rade, Durres County)

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Agroturizem Gjepali (Shijak, Durres County)

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Kodra e Kuajve (Shkallnur, Durres County)

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Southern Albania

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Kantina Alpeta (Roshnik, Berat County)

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Kantina Nurellari (Fushe-Peshtan, Berat County)

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Farma Sotira (Leskovik, Kolonja)

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How to get certified?

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Introduction In today’s fast-paced and globalised world, more of us are looking to leave the bustling city life behind, turn off our smartphones and reconnect with a simpler way of life, living off the land around us - at least temporarily. For this reason, it is no wonder that agritourism has been gaining popularity in recent years. Italy’s Tuscan villas, surrounded by vineyards and fields, with standards from simple, rustic farm stays to full-on luxury developments, have come to be well known. The idea of merging agriculture and tourism resonates, as it lets us as consumers reconnect with where our food comes from.

Historically, Albania was a country where most of the people lived off the land and subsistence farming was still the norm into the mid-20th century. After the 1940s, its communist and isolationist policies made self-sufficiency inevitable. Working in agriculture was hard, manual labour, and planting crops in inhospitable landscapes was often linked to incredibly tough conditions. The most famous example would probably be the tiresome feat of arduously terracing hills and mountain sides. Shepherds would leave their villages and move with the herds for weeks at a time, in all weather conditions. With the fall of the communist regime and arrival of freedom of movement, people who could afford to leave the countryside did so, and with it, the taxing life of living off the land. Those who didn’t chase a new life abroad flocked into the cities by the hundreds of thousands.

Now, almost 30 years later, a slow return to the simple life in the countryside has begun. Increasingly, Albanians are drawn to the places of their ancestors and are reviving old local customs, recipes and traditions; they are also inviting visitors to enjoy this rural, slower-paced lifestyle with them. A visit to one of these farm stays comes with a renewed appreciation for the food that keeps us healthy, making a holiday not only recreational, but 6

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MAP Bajram Curri

Shkoder Puke

Lezhe

educational at the same time. Being connected to the land that feeds you is also simply just a deeply grounding, humbling and satisfying experience.

In this journey of connecting tourism and farming, a couple of individuals have led the way, building successful examples of farms with attached restaurants or guesthouses, a lot of them with the help of expertise or experience gained abroad. With more entrepreneurs inspired by these models, other farms, restaurants and wineries have followed suit, which is bringing income and employment back to rural regions, potential also recognised by the government. In addition to fiscal and financial incentives, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have created a certification programme for farm stays in order to set standards, and to promote this type of tourism throughout the country.

During a stay at one of these farms, visitors, both foreign and domestic, can learn about the story of those who provide their food. With a focus on local produce, regional dishes, and seasonal food, the money tourisms brings in is guaranteed to reach local communities and small-scale producers. Products such as wine, olive oil, raki, fresh organic fruit and vegetables, responsibly

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farmed meat, artisan cheese, free-range eggs, and homemade jams can all be enjoyed in a tranquil and picturesque setting – and taken home to be enjoyed later or shared with loved ones.

A stay at a farm is naturally great for food lovers, and also highly recommended for families. It’s also a great choice for those seeking more interactive holidays, as most farms offer a range of activities, be it a farm tour, wine degustation, help with the harvest, hiking in the surrounding countryside, fishing, horseback riding, cooking classes or taking part in a food processing workshop to learn how to make cheese, jam or bread.

This 2019 edition of certified farm stays is only the beginning, with more farms to be certified in the future. All farms, restaurants and lodges are diverse businesses and have something different to offer to their guests. With the help of this brochure, we hope that you’ll discover new destinations, choosing a farm and host that suits your needs and interests, and which enables you to truly connect to your surroundings. After all, it is the authentic experience and connection that sets agritourism apart from a simple visit to a restaurant or overnighting in a hotel, producing memories that you’ll carry long after returning home.

Rreshen

Kukes

MRIZI I ZANAVE AGROTURIZEM

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BUJTINA DINI

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KANTINA ENOL

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KODRA E KUAJVE

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KANTINA ALPETA

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KANTINA NURELLARI

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FARMA SOTIRA

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Peshkopi

Burrel

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Kruje

AGROTURIZEM HUQI

Tirana

AGROTURIZEM GJEPALI Durres

Librazhd Elbasan Lushnje Gramsh

Fier

Pogradec

Berat Corovode Vlore

Korce

Erseke Tepelene

Permet Gjirokaster

Sarande

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Mri z i i Zan ave Fishta, Lezha County

“IT’S EASY TO GO ABROAD AND BRING SOMETHING BACK TO SELL IT IN ALBANIA, BUT IT’S MORE CHALLENGING AND REWARDING TO RETURN AND WORK WITH THE LOCAL SURROUNDINGS TO CREATE SOMETHING ORIGINAL”

o compilation of Albanian agritourism farms would be complete without mentioning Mrizi i Zanave.

The poster child of Albanian agritourism is the brainchild of chef Altin Prenga, who established the restaurant and adjacent farm in the village of Fishta in northern Albania.

Altin, together with his brother Anton, emigrated to Italy as a teenager in 1998, and started out washing dishes. Soon, he started training as a chef, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a chef in the village’s mensa (large cafeterias serving traditional food) under communist rule. Returning to his roots in Fishta after 11 years, he was determined to put his experience to use and open his own restaurant. Inspired by the famous Albanian poet from his village, Gjergj Fishta, he named it Mrizi i Zanave, the fairies’ hideaway, and set out to create a magic venue to match Fishta’s epic tales in the eponymous anthology.

Arriving at Mrizi i Zanave, the vibe is buzzing. No wonder, as 100,000 guests are served here annually. A total of 70 workers are involved in all aspects of the farm’s production, food processing and restaurant.

Produce, dairy and meat products are additionally gathered from 400 nearby families, who in addition to what they grow themselves, forage for food such as berries or greens.

The road to the premises leads past a field with a couple of greenhouses on the right and several rows of olive trees on the left towards the parking area, covered by grapevines and decorative squash vines. From there, the entry to the restaurant is located a few steps up. If you’re looking for a meal composed of only the freshest and most local ingredients, make sure have a table reserved 10

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beforehand, as even during weekday lunches, the place is packed and you might need luck to secure a free table.

When Mrizi i Zanave opens its doors at exactly 12pm for their lunch guests, a sheer army of wait staff pours out of the kitchen to personally present the menu (as nothing is written), take orders, and bring course after course of various appetizers, hardy main courses and imaginative desserts.

The restaurant is a member of the international Slow Food Convivium, and focuses on regional dishes and seasonal variations, so the menu is continuously adapted throughout the year. Depending on the season, the starters can include dried tomatoes, different kinds of pickled vegetables like okra or aubergine, olives, dried meats, sausages, plates of different homemade cheeses accompanied by pineflavoured syrup, byrek, a filo pastry with various fillings, deep fried zucchini flowers and grilled vegetables. The food is not only flavourful, but also beautifully and creatively presented.

Overall, one finds traditional and well-known Albanian dishes with a modern spin, reflecting the composition of kitchen staff of both local women as well as professionally and often internationally trained chefs.

Pulling off this task requires some courage, but also allows Altin to maintain sustainable farming and sensible business practices. Few places in the country would refuse to offer canned soft drinks, but at Mrizi i Zanave they are nowhere to be seen. Instead, there is a variety of freshly squeezed fruit juices on offer. This way, rather than producing heaps of trash from soda cans, the leftover pulp from the juice goes back to the farm to feed the 500-600 geese living there.

To get a deeper view of the workings of the farm, visitors can take a tour around the fields and workshops. The latter are housed in the former village prison, which Altin renovated and transformed into food processing workshops in 2018. A few minutes’ walk, past vegetable patches and a vineyard

However, Altin, who works together with Anton as head chef, are not intending to sacrifice the authenticity of their dishes in order to please everyone’s taste. While some businesses might choose to include restaurant staples like spaghetti, at Mrizi you will find only homemade pasta, known as jufka, served with mushrooms or a blueberry sauce. This emphasises Altin’s view that it’s easy to go abroad and then bring something back to sell it in Albania, but it’s more challenging and rewarding to return and work with the local surroundings to create something original, which truly suits the place. This follows Mrizi i Zanave’s motto “Think globally, eat locally!”.

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of Kallmet grapes, the cluster of buildings are arranged in a rectangular shape, forming an inner courtyard with flower beds and some large olive trees. To the right is a brand-new winery, where the Prenga family started production in 2019.

The visibly engaged and enthusiastic workers are supervised

by Anton, who oversees the process together with a local and a foreign consultant to ensure the quality of the finished product. Next to the winery, meat is being dried and smoked, and processed into sausages.

In yet another building a handful of workers are preparing every conceivable kind of jam, lĂŤng thane (a type of juice made from the Cornell cherry) that restaurant guests receive upon arrival, as well as jarred dried tomatoes in oil. Opposite this, milk from surrounding farms is made into different kinds of cheese, ranging from something like ricotta to hard, aged cheeses.

While the production facilities are state-of-the art, Altin still likes to fall back on traditional methods and materials, like the wooden barrels used during the communist period for storing cheese in water, the likes of which are currently hard to find. Similarly, the old stone mill used for milling wheat

or corn into flour is time-proven, though with a modern update. It is located at the end of the parking area below the restaurant, and while solar-generated electricity replaced the original water power used to run it, visitors can get a vivid view of how grains were traditionally ground (and in some remote villages still are) in Albania.

Last but not least, the Prenga family have given yet another part of tradition and family history a contemporary spin. The old stone house on the highest point of the farm property that once belonged to Altin’s grandfather was restored in 2018 by the family and converted into a guesthouse. A ruined corner of the building has been creatively turned into a floor-to-ceiling glass window, creating an eye-catching mix of the traditional stone and wooden elements with modern materials, both inside and out. Rooms are rustic and cosy, with contrasting sleek, glass-paneled bathrooms, and decorated with lots of attention to detail.

It’s this mix of tradition and modernity, the attention to detail and the authentic experience that makes Mrizi i Zanave a truly special place for local and foreign visitors alike.

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MRIZI I ZANAVE at a glance...

Heart of the business: Restaurant, farm and production workshops Location: Village of Fishta, Lezha County, (coordinates: 41.899088, 19.673008) Opening hours: Restaurant is open from 12 to 4pm and 6 to 10pm Nearby: Shkodra, Lezha Transport: No public transport; approach by SH1 national road between Shkodra and Lezha, turn off to secondary road to Fishta, follow signposts to Mrizi i Zanave Lodging: 9 rooms, from €40/night What to do: Tour around the farm and food processing workshops What to bring back: A gift basket (made by local artisans) with selected products from the farm’s souvenir shop; pottery, jam and cheese, among other products, are also for sale here Contact: +355 69 210 8032 / info@mrizizanave.al Further information: https://www.mrizizanave.al/

“WHILE THE PRODUCTION FACILITIES ARE STATE-OF-THE ART, ALTIN STILL LIKES TO FALL BACK ON TRADITIONAL METHODS AND MATERIALS”

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B ujt i n a D i ni Katund i vjeter, Mirdita he guest house of Kol Marku and his family is located about 5 kilometres from Rubik, in the county of Mirdita, perched in a small valley that’s characterised by lush greenery and tranquillity.

Despite being just a few kilometres off the main highway that connects Tirana with Kosovo, the setting is very rural.

Driving along the small asphalt road that leads to the village of Katund i vjeter, past stone walls and along a stream, there are a surprising number of cars, despite it not connecting to any larger town. However, the picturesque surroundings and fresh air have led to a surge in roadside restaurants in the area that attract plenty of patrons from towns and cities in its vicinity.

Katund i vjeter is part of the government’s “100 villages” project, which aims to revive villages and rural areas and create new prospects for those who have not yet left, or have returned. And Bujtina Dini, run by Kol and his family, is contributing to the success of the endeavour. Kol is originally from the village, and grew up in an old stone house that stood in the very spot of the guesthouse today. Before the 1990s, he worked as a miner, later in a factory, and then tried his luck going abroad for work. He returned after four and a half years on Crete, Greece, to find another job working in road construction.

He had plans to open a restaurant and lodge for over six years, and when other businesses that opened down the road started drawing in increasing numbers of clients, he decided to follow his own dream. He reused the stones from his ancestors’ old house for 18

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“SOME NICE DETAILS LIKE THE HANDMADE CURTAINS AND ETHNOGRAPHIC ELEMENTS GIVE THE ROOMS A PERSONAL TOUCH”

“The restaurant h a s seating i n s ide and in f ront of the restauran t, bu t the mo st plea sant tables, es pecial ly in the mid-su mmer heat of Ju ly and Aug u st, are fou nd in the slope b ehi nd the hou se , surrou nde d by wood s . ” Agritourism in Albania, 1st Edition 2019

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the new lodge, as well as for the adjacent house recently built for himself and his family. As the works went on, it became clear the costs exceeded the calculations, and so only the restaurant on the ground floor was finished, with the remainder of the plan left unfinished for a number of years.

Eventually, with a grant from the Agency for Agricultural and Rural Development, two more floors with guest rooms covered in wood panels on the interior and exterior were completed in April 2019.

Bujtina Dini, named after the old family name, lies at the bottom of the valley surrounded by 700-metre mountain ridges; behind the house, the forest climbs up the steep slopes. There is a signpost which points out the steep driveway to visitors just a few metres behind the village’s school and local health centre. The land leading up to the house is used by the family for growing tomatoes, beans, squash and hazelnuts, among other products, and has a small stable for a few goats and an enclosure for the 50 or so chickens that roam around the farm.

Throughout the property and around the guest house there are more fruit trees, supplying the family with peaches, Cornell cherries, apples, figs, lemons and walnuts, in addition to a few grapes and herbs. Whatever Kol Marku can’t produce himself, he buys at the local market of Rubik, the small town nearby, as the valley has suffered from mass emigration. Very few remain in the village in farming or animal husbandry. For the same reason, the wait staff and other workers come from Rubik, too.

At the core, Bujtina Dini is a family business though. While Kol’s wife Hale is one of three chefs in the restaurant kitchen, his son Arjel, who finished his business studies in Tirana, helps with the finances and accounting of the restaurant, and waits 20

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occasionally as well, too. He has an interest in the old kullas in the area, traditional fortified tall stone houses that used to serve as refuges, and was involved with the renovation one of them in a neighbouring village.

The restaurant has seating inside and in front of the restaurant, but the most pleasant tables, especially in the mid-summer heat of July and August, are found in the slope behind the house, surrounded by woods. The menu features the usual kid meat, byrek and salads, but also has dishes on offer that are more original, like potatoes filled with kaçkavall cheese or dried meat, or dhallë, a refreshing yoghurt drink, prepared with goat milk. The meat and milk come from a village high up in the mountains on the route towards Kukes, while their house wine is bought from a local winery in Bukemira near Rreshen. One highlight to end a meal at Bujtina Dini with is a special, homemade dessert, a kind of torte made with parfait and jam, sandwiched between two layers of biscuit. With its fresh and tasty food, the restaurant has made a name for itself and guests come from throughout the region during the week, and from further cities like Fier, Elbasan, Durres and Tirana on the weekends.

When spending a couple of days at the guesthouse, the surrounding mountains and forests offer great hiking opportunities, and information on the extensive trail network in the region can be obtained at the InfoKulla tourist information point next to the highway near Rubik. The InfoKulla in itself is a worthy destination, as it hosts a small museum about local flora, fauna and history, as well as an exhibition of ethnographic items from the region.

For visitors who would like to stay at the property, the guesthouse offers six rooms with wooden interiors and simple, private bathrooms. Some nice details like the Agritourism in Albania, 1st Edition 2019

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handmade curtains and ethnographic elements give the rooms a personal touch. In addition to the central heating that keep the rooms toasty warm in winter, the family is also planning to install air conditioning units in the near future.

To further improve his guests’ experience, he is planning to create a small stand to sell produce and food products for people to bring home, and to try and produce his own wine.

While the business is going well, it brings a new set of problems with it for Kol. The infrastructure of the village is hardly suited to the large number of visitors, and problems like unannounced electricity cuts, or fluctuation in voltage that damages electric appliances are the result. The small road gets crowded easily on the weekends with day-trippers moving in and out of the valley, and mobile phone coverage can still be patchy. Lastly, street dogs come all the way from Rubik due to the lack of infrastructure for food waste disposal of the area’s restaurants leftovers. The family is hoping for the municipality to take action to improve the situation for guesthouses in Katund i vjeter soon so that tourism can continue to grow and bring back life to the village.

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BUJTINA DINI at a glance...

Heart of the business: Restaurant and guesthouse Location: Katund i vjeter, Rubik, Mirdita (coordinates: 41.773790, 19.747153) Nearby: Rubik Transport: No public transport; by private car, follow the A1 national highway from Tirana/Shkodra towards Kukes/ Kosovo, until the turnoff for the centre of Rubik. Before reaching Rubik, turn left after the bridge, then turn right towards Katund i vjeter; Bujtina Dini is not immediately signposted, but follow the main road, past the school and small clinic, and you’ll see a signpost after a few metres on the right.

Lodging: 6 rooms, from €30/night What to do: Hiking – information with regional maps available at the InfoKulla along the highway near Rubik, or online at https://hikingmirdita.com/trails-maps/ - see “Rubik_Map” Special event: Mid-May festival of the nearby Kisha e Shelbuemit, Rubik’s monastery church, located on a high rocky hill at the entrance of the valley (near the town of Rubik). Even on regular days the church is worth a visit.

Contact: +355 68 46 52 952 Further information: https://www.facebook.com/bujtina.dini

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Ka n t i n a Enol Preza, Tirana County ne finds Kantina Enol just a short 30-minute drive away from Albania’s capital Tirana, not far from the airport, in the village of Preza. The 14th-century Preza Castle overlooks Tirana and the plain framed by the Kruja and Dajti mountains. During battles against the Ottomans in the 15th century, the castle served as a major stronghold and strategic and communication point for the national hero Skenderbeg, linking the castles of Kruja and Petrela. Currently the castle draws numerous tourists for day trips to the village to enjoy a picnic and great views in the fresh air.

“IN RECENT YEARS, HOWEVER, PREZA HAS BEEN FREQUENTED BY VISITORS FOR ANOTHER REASON: KANTINA ENOL”

In recent years, however, Preza has been frequented by visitors for another reason: Kantina Enol.

A short drive from the village square near the castle, and after a steep driveway leading to the property of the winery and farm, the well-kept garden of the restaurant invites you to relax and smell the fresh products from the large outdoor brick oven and grill.

Enol is a portmanteau of Eni and Olsi, the children of the owner and founder of the winery, Qemal Alushi, reflecting the family nature of the farm, restaurant and winery. As the only one of four brothers without higher education, he tried his hand at a number of professions before deciding to follow his long-standing passion for wine and his dream to produce it himself.

From 2002 to 2004 he planted the grape vines you see today, and the family property along the slope of the hill proved to host perfect growing conditions. It took another few years of hard work to establish the business, but in 2007 the winery building was 26

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completed and a year later Kantina Enol’s wine was sold officially for the first time.

Some bottles from the early years are still stored in the restaurant’s wine cellar, where bottles are stacked in wooden shelves up to the ceiling. The bottles hold various vintages, while the large stainless steel tanks on the opposite wall contain wine yet to be bottled. The winery produces around 10,000 bottles annually, mainly its house wine blend of cabernet, sangiovese and merlot, but also trebbiano. A long wooden table stands in the centre of the room, where guests can take part in a degustation of the wines to enjoy the aroma and flavour in a complementary atmosphere.

Olsi, Qemal’s son, shares his father’s love for winemaking and can explain the grape varieties grown, how they are processed and different characteristics of their wine. In addition to teaching physical education at a high school in nearby Vora, he completed his Master studies in agriculture with a focus on winemaking. Within the family, he is responsible for experimenting with and creating new products, one of which is a special, and delicious, type of raki (similar to grappa) flavoured with honey, cinnamon and cloves he’s named rukomel.

From the wine cellar, a wooden staircase leads up to the restaurant. Large, family-sized wooden tables with redcheckered tablecloths give the room a homely feel despite its large size, while bouquets of fresh wildflowers on every table add a nice touch – a detail that Qemal devised together with his daughter Eni. She helps Qemal manage the restaurant, and is involved with the accounting, too.

The dishes at the restaurant are not only cooked using local and organic ingredients, but they are presented exceptionally 28

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beautifully, featuring yet more fresh flowers. For a good sample of local offerings, try the antipasta e shtepise, a mixed antipasti platter, as well as the highly recommended homemade cheese and byrek selections. Typical dishes and favourites for meat lovers are the tave dheu, spit-roasted lamb or kid. A complementary sweet platter with fruit and typical desserts completes the meal.

The ingredients for the dishes are partly grown on the farm, which comprises a total area of about 5 hectares, half of which are vineyards. The remainder of the land is planted

with olive, apple, plum, pomegranate, fig, cherry, chestnut and walnut trees, among others. At the lower end of the slope, a spacious enclosure contains up to 150 chickens which provide fresh eggs for the farm.

Other meat and milk products are sourced from the local villagers, though finding suppliers who could offer the necessary quality was difficult when the Alushi family started the restaurant in 2014, Qemal notes. By now, their supply chain is well established, and the kitchen staff, headed by Qemals’s wife Shpresa and two other chefs, are experienced in making their own butter, cheese and yoghurt from milk supplied by the villagers, as well as jam, compote and juice from their own produce.

In 2018 the family added yet another scope of activities to their business by adding some guest rooms above the restaurant. While most of their patrons are Albanians from nearby towns and cities, such as Tirana, Durres, Lezha or Shkodra, who visit the restaurant and winery on day trips, some guests are also eager to soak in the tranquil and green surroundings for a few days. Three of the four double rooms feature large balconies that share the beautiful view you can see also from the restaurant below, overlooking the long rows of grapevines. Preza castle towers on top of the hill across from the small stream below the property.

To explore the surroundings on a small hike, visit the nearby reservoir. Furthermore, if you visit at the beginning of September during the harvest, you can participate in the winery’s festival, during which visitors can pick grapes and crush them with their feet in the traditional way. In any case, even those who’ve come for a meal and a drink will leave with a memorable experience of Kantina Enol’s beautiful surroundings, delicious food and great wine.

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KANTINA ENOL at a glance...

Heart of the business: Winery, restaurant Location: Preza, Tirana County (coordinates: 41.428116, 19.666722)

“THE WELL-KEPT GARDEN OF THE RESTAURANT INVITES YOU TO RELAX AND SMELL THE FRESH PRODUCTS FROM THE LARGE OUTDOOR BRICK OVEN AND GRILL”

Nearby: Tirana, Kruja, Tirana Airport Transport: Public transport to Preza (Kala) from Vora, from the centre of the village it’s a 15-minute walk to the restaurant. By car, driving up the main road to Preza, follow the sign at turnoff on the left shortly before arriving at the village square, then follow the signs. Take care on the steep driveway to the parking area!

Lodging: 4 double rooms, from €30/night What to do: Wine degustation, walk around the vineyards and farm, hike to nearby reservoir Must try: Home-made, flavoured “Rukomel” raki Special event: During the wine festival at the beginning of September: visitors can hand pick grapes and crush them with their feet the traditional way Contact: +355 67 404 2711 /+355 68 203 6634 Further information: https://kantinaenol.com/

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A g rot ur i z em Huq i Rade, Durres County he restaurant of Gezim Huqi could hardly lie in a more idyllic location. Off the main road to Gjiri i Lalzit (Lalzi Bay) and only half an hour from the capital Tirana, it is located right along the shores of a small reservoir, surrounded by terraced hills, and with views all the way to the Adriatic.

After a successful career in the military and Ministry of Defence, while in a leading position of a large insurance company, Gezim felt drawn back to the land of his ancestors and thought of building himself on the family property in a rural part of Durres County, near the village of Rade. He and his family had been working the land they owned there even up to that point in 2015, so there were already plenty of trees and some vegetables planted. Eventually his son Rogert inspired him to change his plans, instead starting a small farm and restaurant on the property.

Arriving at Agroturizem Huqi, it is striking how immaculately wellmaintained the site is despite its size. Even the parking area is nicely arranged and has olive trees interspersed between parked cars. A long staircase leads up from the parking lot to the restaurant, which is located right at the shore of the small liqeni i Huqve, “lake of the Huqi family”. The buildings and canopied sitting area are covered in plenty of greenery, and upon entering the restaurant, in the summer you can sample irresistibly ripe and juicy blackberries and raspberries as a quick appetizer even before sitting down.

“AGROTURIZEM HUQI IS LOCATED RIGHT ALONG THE SHORES OF A SMALL RESERVOIR, SURROUNDED BY TERRACED HILLS, AND WITH VIEWS ALL THE WAY TO THE ADRIATIC”

The farm is a perfect destination for families. Long tables with wooden benches offer plenty of space for larger groups, and in addition to the main restaurant area, there are more tables in small, separated patches along the lake shore. Booths cater to 34

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those who want a more private and intimate setting, despite the restaurant’s total capacity of 250 people. Overseen by manager Selim, up to 40 wait and kitchen staff take care of this number of guests, especially during peak times on the weekends. In his mid-50s, Selim received food management training during communism, equipping him with decades of experience under his belt, on top of his great eye for detail. The farm and restaurant employ workers from the surrounding villages, and finding committed and welltrained staff is challenging.

The restaurant offers a variety of traditional dishes, like lakror, a two-layered pastry pie filled with tomato and onion, spinach, or yoghurt and egg; homemade cheeses, including a salted goat’s cheese and unsalted young soft cheese similar to mozzarella; as well as baked local farm chicken with different sides, prepared in the traditional saç, the Albanian version of a Dutch oven. All food is exquisitely accompanied by the house wine, a red wine from the village of Gose near Kavaja. The blend of the Italian teroldego grape and local varieties is very palatable and has a distinctly pleasant, mild sweetness to it.

While waiting for the food to arrive, children will enjoy exploring the restaurant garden and animals around, including dogs and cats, rabbits, chickens, ducks and swans.

The main vegetable patch is behind the restaurant, where one finds tomatoes and a small variety of other vegetables.

Agroturizem Huqi mostly cultivates fruit and nut trees, as well as olives and grapes. The property is surrounded by grape vines along its borders, while the slopes of the hill near the entrance and the small hill behind the restaurant comprise the farm’s orchards. Production is still far from meeting the restaurant’s demands, so additional produce is bought from the nearby villages.

On the same hill, in between plenty of greenery, lies the accommodation that the farm offers to its guests. The seven wooden cabins have been constructed in 2018 with a government grant, and are partly on stilts given the sloped terrain. While their design looks somewhat futuristic from the outside, the inside has a warm, cosy and welcoming feel to it, equipped with double beds, modern interior and private bathrooms. Their decentralised arrangement creates a sense

The main specialty of the house, however, is lamb or kid baked a truly unique way: Wood is burned at the bottom of the roughly 3-metre deep, dry, brick-lined well just a few metres from the restaurant.

Once the fire burns down to coals, a large metal container with water is hung inside to create steam, while eight to ten lamb or kid, previously skinned, gutted, and marinated in salt and water, are also hung in the well from the top. With the opening of the well covered, the meat is then cooked for 3 hours until tender, a process that is usually done very early each morning.

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of privacy for guests, and you’ll enjoy great balcony views of the lake from every cabin.

Visitors travelling with a campervan or on a tighter budget can make use of the campground and car park, which has suitable electric outlets in place. Water supply and toilet and shower facilities are planned to be added in the near future, in order to make the stay for camping guests more comfortable. Furthermore, more huts along the lake shore are foreseen to be built on the other side of the lake to increase the farm’s hotel capacity.

The large, open building across the lake is the farm’s event hall. It is reached by a paved walkway that runs on top of the reservoir’s dam, decorated with arches of heart-shaped greenery, which are illuminated after dark. The event hall is particularly busy during the summer months, hosting wedding parties regularly. Equally popular are the barbecueequipped picnic spots along the shore of the lake that the farm rents out to families who prefer to bring and cook their own food but who would still like to enjoy the beautiful setting. A reservation for these picnic areas is particularly recommended on weekends.

“IN THE SUMMER YOU CAN SAMPLE IRRESISTIBLY RIPE AND JUICY BLACKBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES AS A QUICK APPETIZER EVEN BEFORE SITTING DOWN”

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Other activities around the premises include a tour around the 15-hectare farm, a walk in the surrounding hills, or trying your luck fishing in the lake. A boat ride on the lake with one of the farm’s paddle boats also makes for a fun afternoon activity, not only for young guests. Last but not least, the nearby beaches of Lalzi Bay (Gjiri i Lalzit) and Rodon Cape (Kepi i Rodonit) are superb day trips for guests that stay for more than a night. No matter how long you stay, the fresh organic food and tranquil setting will be sure to stay in your memory for a long time.

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AGROTURIZEM HUQI at a glance...

Heart of the business: Restaurant Location: Rade, Durres County (coordinates: 41.410607, 19.609710) Nearby: Lalzi Bay (Gjiri i Lalzit), Rodon Cape (Kepi i Rodonit), Durres, Tirana Transport: No public transport; signposted from the main road from the Tirana-Durres highway towards Gjiri i Lalzit (Lalzi Bay), the 800m on a well-maintained dirt road to the property suitable for all cars Lodging: 7 detached wooden cabins with double bed, from ₏50/night What to do: addle boat ride on the small lake, barbecue at one of the picnic areas, fishing Must try: House wine, a blend of teroldego with local varieties; meat prepared in the farm’s well-turned-oven Contact: +355 67 509 9909 / info@agritourismhuqi.com Further information: https://www.agritourismhuqi.com/

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A g rot ur i z em Gjepali Shijak, Durres County he story of the Agriturizem Gjepali started, in the broadest sense, 23 years ago, when Fundim Gjepali, then only 14 years old, left his village and immigrated to Italy in search of a better life. He initially started at the bottom of the restaurant “food chain”, but over the years worked his way up to become a successful, renowned chef. Apart from heading a kitchen in one of Rome’s most well-known restaurants, he has established and coowns another in central Tirana.

However, Fundim was longing to create something truly for himself, while reconnecting with his own roots, at the place where he grew up, which nourished him and his love for food.

The village of Gjepalaj lies south of Shijak, a small town near Durres, characterised by the common communist-era brick apartment blocks mixed with traditional small family houses. While the rest of the Gjepalaj village lies on top of a small hill, the Gjepali farm restaurant is located to the east of the village, in a river loop surrounded by nature, with no other houses in its vicinity.

When arriving at the property, the Italian influence on the owner’s life manifests in the architecture of the newly constructed restaurant and guesthouse, which was designed in the style of a typical Tuscan villa. The number of diners and overnight guests Agroturizem Gjepali already draws in after just opening in April 2019 is surprising, but stands as a testament to the owner’s reputation.

Yet, the setting and the philosophy differ from Fundim’s previous projects. Instead of the haute cuisine offered in his inner-city restaurant, the focus here in the countryside is on traditional dishes and local ingredients. In order to ensure the highest quality, Fundim 42

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has set out to the nearby villages, meticulously cataloguing the produce, meat and dairy sold by the local producers at the markets, and chooses the very best suppliers for his kitchen. This approach of collaborating closely with villagers ensures that everything that lands on your plate has travelled less than 10 km.

For now, the restaurant offers a set tasting menu, including local specialities like byrek me qumesht, a savoury pastry prepared with milk, homemade meatballs, slow ovencooked veal ribs, fresh homemade feta-like cheese, lamb baked in yoghurt, and a cake-like dessert called revani made with plum juice, accompanied by fresh green salads and local olives. The recipes have been refined by Fundim Gjepali himself, and are executed by his kitchen staff, who he trained over months to serve up to 170 diners. A choice of mostly Albanian wines as well as a few select Italian wines are displayed on a dedicated wall of the restaurant and can accompany your meal.

Besides Fundim, who still resides in Italy with his wife Elida and their two daughters most of the time, other members of the family are involved in running the farm, restaurant and guesthouse.

While Reti, Fundim’s niece, runs the restaurant and hotel, Agim, who is her father and Fundim’s brother-in-law, takes care of the agricultural and facility management of the business. As the farm just started in 2019, it still only produces relatively little, but supplies the restaurant with tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, peppers, aubergines and watermelon. Furthermore, behind the house the family has planted fruit trees, including figs and pomegranates, with a greater variety to come. Just like the kitchen and wait staff, the 10 farm workers come from the surrounding villages, bringing employment to the area.

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Everyone involved with the business have come along way in the year leading up to the opening in April 2019, a challenge of which was the necessary infrastructure. During communist rule, the patch of land was used as a persimmon plantation, so before any construction could take place, proper road access and a water line needed to be installed. On a human level, diplomacy was needed with owners of neighbouring properties, who were sceptical of the new enterprise at first.

“THE FOCUS HERE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE IS ON TRADITIONAL DISHES AND LOCAL INGREDIENTS”

With the help of a local architect, the Tuscany-inspired country house came together, hosting the restaurant and kitchen on the ground floor, while the first floor is comprised of eight guest rooms, a shared lounge area and a veranda.

Stepping inside through a beautiful wooden portal, the staircase leading up to the guest rooms, just like the exterior, features lots of plants. The hotel is decorated tastefully with a mix of modern and classic elements, using materials like terracotta tiles, stone and wood. The hallways and rooms feature original artwork by aspiring Albanian painters.

and a few grapevines at the back of the plot. Educational walkways for the visitors to explore the vegetable patches are planned, with little green “islands” for guests to sit and relax. These are plenty of ideas, and the family are hoping to implement them by 2020.

With his experience as a chef and love for food, Fundim is furthermore planning to invite his guests to his food laboratory, where they can learn and participate in the process of baking bread, making cheese, and different kinds of jam. And with his vision to invite local school children for educational excursions, he is setting the foundation for the next generation’s appreciation of the land, and the food that nourishes them. And maybe, just maybe, even inspiring Albania’s next master chef.

With all the Gjepalis have accomplished in the relatively short period of time so far, there is still plenty of work to be done by the family and their helpers, and Fundim and Elida are full of ideas of which part of the business they would like to develop next.

Starting from improved road access, with road-side parking, the transformation of the surroundings will include a play area in place of the current, improvised parking site, as well as a herb garden. Moreover, catering to the interests of younger visitors, the family are planning to have a few smaller animals, like rabbits and chickens, in the back of the farm. Eventually, the field of roughly two hectares in front of the restaurant will be completely used for growing produce for the restaurant, and will include greenhouses, bee hives, 46

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AGROTURIZEM GJEPALI at a glance...

“THE ITALIAN INFLUENCE ON FUNDIM’S LIFE MANIFESTS IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED RESTAURANT AND GUESTHOUSE, WHICH WAS DESIGNED IN THE STYLE OF A TYPICAL TUSCAN VILLA”

Heart of the business: Restaurant and agriculture Location: Gjepalaj, Shijak, Durres (coordinates: 41.327308, 19.561649) Nearby: City of Durres, beaches of Durres and Golem, Tirana Transport: No public transport; by private car the approach takes about 40 minutes from Tirana, or 20 minutes from Durres. Well signposted from Shijak and Pjeza approaches; last stretch from main road, from turnoff signposted “Gjepale 2” is a well-maintained dirt road suitable for all vehicles. If using Google Maps for navigation, do not take the route via the village of Rreth as there is no connection across the river!

Lodging: 8 double/twin rooms, from €30/night What to do: Farm tour, walk along the river What to bring back: Anything from the souvenir shop with typical products from around Albania (to be opened soon) Contact: +355 68 905 8888 /info@agroturizemgjepali.com Further information: https://agroturizemgjepali.com

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Kodra e Kuaj ve Shkallnur, Durres County t’s clear what the main attraction of Kodra e Kuajve (Horses Hill) is from the name. The restaurant and resort is dominated by a large central riding enclosure, around which the hotel, groundfloor restaurant, horse stables and restaurant’s outdoor sitting areas are arranged.

The resort’s history began when Gerti Hima, the horse-loving owner of Kodra e Kuajve, built the first horse stable in 2011/12 on his family property on a high hill in the vicinity of the village of Dedej, south of Shkallnur, Durres County. Initially, it was supposed to be a quiet place where he could enjoy the weekend with his friends and family, but soon Gerti, raised in Durres and by now in his mid-40s, realised that his passion for horses and business idea of a resort could go hand in hand.

A small restaurant followed, which grew over time due to wordof-mouth recommendations. The business’s success enabled the family to buy and lease more of the surrounding land, and in 2017 a hotel was added to the complex. His horses are still at the centre of the business though, and Kodra e Kuajve is currently home to 15 horses, including 3 ponies.

Approaching the property, the first impressions include the steep narrow asphalt road that leads from Shkallnur up to the hill where the resort lies, and the stunning views over the city of Durres and the long stretch of beach and clear blue water. Entering from the spacious car park, the clean and well-maintained property sports some beautiful old olive trees and several decorative palms.

Following the signpost pointing to the bar and restaurant, the view opens up and in addition to the sea, the lush green hinterland, 50

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nearby village and a reservoir in the distance appear.

Kodra e Kuajve is not a typical farm, but it still has a strong connection to agritourism, and not only because of its horses. The restaurant has a close collaboration with the local villagers from Dedej, and all ingredients like meat, milk, cheese and eggs, as well as vegetables, honey and fruit for the food served to patrons is sourced from them.

The restaurant used to have a small number of cows on the property, but for sanitary reasons, the decision was made to outsource the raising and caretaking of livestock to the village. Villagers also take care of chickens, goats and sheep and deliver milk and meat to the premises when needed.

Only the ponies and a few deer live in an enclosure nearby, which can be overlooked from the outside seating of the restaurant.

Unlike most of the restaurants near the coast, Kodra e Kuajve is specialised as a meat restaurant, but there are also

some fish and seafood options available, as well as plenty of options for vegetarians. Two brothers from Durres serve as the head chefs, but the menu is comprised of traditional favourites from different Albanian regions and beyond.

Dishes on the extensive menu include mixed starters, byrek, homemade jufka (traditional pasta), qull (a kind of traditional porridge made from corn flour), stuffed grape leaves, corn bread, peppers stuffed with cheese, and different kinds of meat, like veal, kid, lamb, chicken and duck. A large variety of pasta dishes, soups, cheeses, fresh vegetables and salads guarantee that every guest find something to their liking, and the freshness and quality of the ingredients is apparent in every dish.

The total of 52 tables which seat around 400 people are overseen by manager Embro. Only in his mid-twenties, he started here as a waiter himself, while still in high school at the age of 17. He continued working through his university years and now, with seven years’ experience, he works to keep the 1000 guests the restaurant serves on average per night happy.

In addition to the tables around the riding enclosure outside, there is inside seating and the fireplace room that can be booked for private parties. On the inside, the walls are decorated with traditional farming tools and other antiques, including coffee grinders and teapots, metal carafes and decorative plates as well as pistols and rifles. Electric guitars and a few original music records, including a limited-edition gold-plated vinyl by Elvis Presley bear witness to the owner’s love of music.

From here, a row of windows provides a view of the horse stables, which are located inside the complex. The horses are of different sizes and breeds, including Friesians, Anglo-

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Arabians, Andalusians, Haflingers and ponies, and are cared for by Leonard “Nardi” Barziu, a former obstacle course champion, and Ariola “Ola” Dedej, a champion in racing.

Both also work as horse riding instructors, and guide guests on riding tours around the village and surroundings.

Above the restaurant and stables, the remainder of the fourstorey complex houses a large event and wedding hall on the first floor, while the two upper floors are comprised of hotel rooms for guests. The building has a white facade with brick elements and matching brown roof tiles, and in its centre an octagonal tower with high wood-framed windows spanning three floors.

The interior of the building is composed of a mix of materials in classic, darker shades and enhanced with ornaments and chandeliers. On the upper floor, the corridor is designed with a high ceiling up to the roof and visible wooden beams. The 16 guest rooms and 2 suites are of a high standard, featuring balconies with stunning views, bathrobes and a safe, as well as modern, spacious bathrooms. All upper floor rooms are equipped with a fireplace. Furthermore, original artworks by Albanian painters are displayed throughout the rooms and hallways, with themes including the property, surroundings and portraits of members of the owner’s family, which were painted during an event, for which 30 well-known painters from all around the country were invited to the resort.

In order to further improve the resort, the wedding hall is planned to be relocated to make space for a brand-new inhouse spa with a pool and sauna. Another plan is to extend horse riding tours to an overnight camping adventure with a barbecue by the nearby Dursi lake. This way, Kodra e Kuajve is bound to continue to be a compelling destination for visitors of all ages and interests.

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KODRA E KUAJVE at a glance...

Heart of the business: Horse stables, restaurant Location: Village of Dedej, Shkallnur, Durres County (coordinates: 41.276725, 19.523717) Nearby: City of Durres, beaches of Durres and Golem Transport: By private car from Shkallnur, south of Durres, follow the road to the south and signposts to the resort. The approach is on a steep and narrow road, but asphalted all the way. Plenty of parking available.

Lodging: 18 high-standard double rooms from €70/night, single room from €50/night; suite €200/night What to do: orse ride to the nearby village of Dedej and local reservoir Special event: Horse racing and jumping championships – although not held at the resort, Kodra e Kuajve horses and equestrians regularly take part in competitions, some of which take place at Durres’ beaches.

Contact: +355 69 609 0080 / info@kodrakuajve.com Further information: http://www.kodrakuajve.com/

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Ka n t i n a A l p eta Roshnik, Berat County erched in the rolling hills beneath Mount Tomorr lies the village of Roshnik, home to 120 families, a 30-minute drive north-east of Berat, surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and orchards. Kantina Alpeta is located at the end of the asphalt road through the village and past the mosque.

A truly family-run business, Alpeta comprises a family winery, guesthouse and recently added restaurant, all run by the brothers Alfred and Petrit Fiska. Alfred, the quieter of the two, mostly takes care of the vineyards, while Petrit, more outgoing, happily shows around guests. Their older brother Ilirian owns the well-established slow-food restaurant in the centre of the village, just a few minutes’ walk. In both establishments you will find three generations of the Fiska family serving their guests.

The winery you see today started off as a small enterprise by their father Beqir, who was an agronomist during the communist period.

Using his expertise, he started planting his own grapes in 1992, to produce his first wine in 1994. At first, the family sold only open wine and raki, and with the profit they made, expanded their business.

The first years of democracy in the 1990s were spent acquiring land and consolidating the scattered family properties communist expropriation and reallocation left throughout the country. In 2005, the first bottled wine was sold in supermarkets and restaurants in the nearby cities of Berat, Lushnja and Fier.

Since then, Alpeta winery has come a long way. In 2018, the winery produced about 50,000 bottles of wine and has made a name for itself through supplying numerous restaurants in Tirana and the south of the country. Touring the extensive 5.5-hectare vineyards, 58

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you’ll come across several kinds or grapes cultivated on the farm: the local Albanian autochthonous shesh i zi, the pulës variety of the Berat area, rrush dimeror (winter grape) xas well as some internationally known varieties like cabernet, merlot and muscat.

From these, the family produces a merlot-cabernet blend, both barrel and non-barrel aged, a white pulës, and a clear and barrel-aged grape raki, the latter with wooden notes and a golden colour. Over the years the brothers have acquired expertise and experience, refining their products’ flavours.

They admit that making good-quality wine was a challenge in the beginning, a learning process that they only mastered through trial and error, finding the best varieties suitable for open wine, bottling and ageing.

The shift from a simple winery to an agritourism business came gradually for Alfred and Petrit, after tourists sampling their wine in Berat asked to visit the winery. As Petrit is based in Berat, working as the director of water supply for rural areas, the brothers started to show visitors around their vineyards and production facilities two years ago.

Demand quickly increased and by April 2019, with the help of a governmental grant, the family transformed their house into guest rooms for tourists and extended the wine cellar across the road into a rustic restaurant, featuring a natural stone, wood and wicker interior, part of it being used as a raki distillery.

peaked Mount Tomorr lies in the distance. This setting is perfect for wine tasting, accompanied by home-grown olives, nuts, and local cheese, and usually either Alfred or Petrit, often assisted by their English-speaking children, is happy to join for a chat, showing that they care about their guests just as much as about their wine.

After some rest, a tour of the family property will give you a good overview of the agricultural potential of the area. Like the villages around Roshnik, agricultural income here mainly comes from orchards and olive cultivation. In between the rows of grapevines, you can see large fig trees, while the steeper parts of the land are covered in olive groves. Roshnik is well-known in Albania for its high-quality dried figs, but the for the Fiska family they serve an additional purpose: the trees provide a natural trellis for the pulës grapevines, which grow on trees and thrive in the slightly cooler conditions of the trees’ shade. Yet another reason for having the vineyards interspersed with fig trees is that they keep undesired insects away from the grapes.

A stay at the family’s guesthouse encompasses the full farm stay experience. The immaculately kept, peaceful garden invites visitors to sit and rest under the shade of a giant walnut tree. There are views on all sides of the surrounding green hills, and behind the house lies part of the village that is still home to a few traditional houses. The majestic double60

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3 hours), to Dukova canyon (3 hours), Sotira waterfall (4 hours), to the nearly deserted village of Sazhdan (5 hours) or for experienced hikers all the way up to the Partizani peak of Mount Tomorr (6 hours to the top). Some of these hikes require a guide and an approach by an off-road vehicle, which your hosts can arrange upon request.

Even without any additional activities, just staying around the guesthouse and sitting in the family garden feels like a little, quiet paradise, cut off from the rest of the world, and just one night in Roshnik will refresh you like a weeklong holiday. Watching the sun set over the village and bathing Mount Tomorr in the most astounding shades of red creates a truly magical setting you’ll want to return to.

Apart from figs and olives, there are a range of other fruit and nut trees on the farm, including pomegranates, citrus, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds, while a row of wooden bee boxes allows the family to produce their own honey. From the terrace of the Alpeta restaurant, you catch a glimpse over one of the vegetable patches where aubergines, tomatoes, peppers, corn, cucumbers, okra and other produce grow before making its way onto your plate. Meat, especially traditionally goat, and dairy that are used at the restaurant are sourced from the villages along the nearby slopes of Mount Tomorr.

At the bottom of the Fiska’s property lies a reservoir, about 15 minutes’ walk from the guest house, where the family are planning to create a picnic area for visitors to relax and enjoy, and potentially use for wine tastings, too. The wider surroundings offer hikes in the nearby Lepija forest (2 to 62

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KANTINA ALPETA at a glance...

“STAYING AROUND THE GUESTHOUSE AND SITTING IN THE FAMILY GARDEN FEELS LIKE A LITTLE, QUIET PARADISE, CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD”

Heart of the business: Winery and agriculture Location: Village of Roshnik, 30-minute drive northeast of Berat, central Albania (coordinates 40.729158, 20.041373) Nearby: UNESCO world heritage city of Berat, Mount Tomorr Transport: Two daily public minibuses (furgon) from Berat to Roshnik leaving from the “Spitali” neighbourhood in Berat; By private car, 30 minute drive northeast of Berat, asphalt road Overnight: 8 rooms, private and dorm. Dorm room from €10/person, Private room from €30/night What to do: Farm tour, wine tasting, picnic down at the lake, hikes What to bring back: A bottle of barrel-aged Merlot Kabernet or the region’s autochtonous Pulës white wine Special event: Around 15 September, the annual village festival takes place, with presentations by local pupils, concerts, and the local products for sale by villagers Contact: +355 69 748 4361 / +355 69 766 7302 info@kodrakuajve.com Further information: http://alpetawinery.com

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Ka n t i n a Nurel lari Fushe-Peshtan, Berat County he winery of the Nurellari family stands out at first glance in the village of Fushe-Peshtan, a small village home to 1200 people. It is located to the south-east of Berat in a plain, framed by the river Osum to one side and the foothills of mighty Mount Tomorr to the other. The property is well-kept and the beautiful large brick building with some modern elements has been recently renovated. Admittedly, it looks a little out of place when beyond the gates there is rubbish, leftover construction materials, and the house next door without a roof is slowly falling apart.

The head of the winemaking family, Fatos Nurellari, previously owned a construction business, but always had a love for wine.

Though he is originally from Fushe-Peshtan, the family relocated to Berat for a number of years before they realised the perks of living in the countryside. Since they had sold the old family home, they rented a house upon their return to the village and planted a small vineyard in the surrounding property, producing their first bottles of wine in 1995. Over time, the family extended the business and moved to its current location in 2000.

Fatos and his wife, both agronomists during the communist period, as well as their three sons, are involved in running the winery. Evi, 25, and Levent, 28, oversee production and take care of guests, while their older brother lives in London and is engaged in remotely promoting and supporting the business. Evi studied economics in Tirana, while Levent studied agriculture in Tirana and Kamez and additionally completed specialised courses in winemaking in France and Italy. Both have also taken part in a sommelier course in Switzerland.

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The brick building that houses the production facilities was a communist warehouse, and was initially the only building in the complex. After expanding it in 2014, today this old warehouse hosts the wine fermentation part of production, in large stainless steel tanks. Through a wooden double door, touring winery visitors are led to the bottling plant, and down a curved wooden staircase into the wine cellar.

Designed by an Argentinian architect, the Nurellari wine cellar is truly a work of art. The long hall has wooden wine racks along its long sides, checkered marble flooring and plenty of arches that span across the ceiling and which rest on columns of light, hewn stones. In the centre run two rows of handcrafted wooden barrels engraved with the emblem of the winery. Along the staircase, curved high shelves displays bottles of various vintages.

Kantina Nurellari produces around 30,000 bottles per year, two-thirds are red wines and one-third white. The family doesn’t sell open wine or plastic canisters and never has.

“Wine lives in the bottle” is a belief Fatos held right from the beginning. The wine is sold directly at the winery and at selected supermarkets in Berat, as well as supplied to restaurants in the region.

The varieties used at the winery include some well-known international grapes like montepulciano, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, as well as also four indigenous grapes. Pulsi and Debina e bardhe are the two local white varieties, while Debina e zeze and Serina e zeze are red.

visit Kantina Nurellari in mid-August or the beginning of September, when the grapes are being harvested, until December.

The Nurellaris call 5.5 hectares of vineyards their own, 0.6 hectares of which are adjacent to the winery. More grapevines are being grown on a nearby hill, while a patch of land with more vineyards is located on the slope of Mount Tomorr along road to the village of Kapinove. Yet another hectare is leased by the family, and still more grapes are bought from other villagers for their wine production.

In addition to four different wines, the family produces a grape raki, as well as a raki flavoured with walnuts. Called Arrabon, the name is composed of the Albanian word for walnut, arra, and the name of Fatos’ wife, Libonike, who inspired the drink. Furthermore, the family sells olive oil produced from their own olives.

All of these products can be tasted during degustation, optionally including three wines, or four wines and raki.

The white grapes are fermented for 15 days in stainless steel tanks, and 16 to 17 days, or sometimes longer at a lower temperature, for the red wines. One wine, a blend of montepulciano, merlot and cabernet sold as Montemeca is also aged in oak barrels for 6 months. If you would like to witness the wine making process as it is happening, 68

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Small side dishes to accompany the drinks during the tasting include cheese produced in the nearby village of Mbrakull, olives and bread. The wine tasting takes place in the beautiful tasting room on the upper floor of the building, which has large windows that allow great views over the vineyards and the green hills close by, as well as some ingenious design features. The materials for the interior have been sourced locally, and all the furniture, shelves and lamps are handmade by local craftsmen from Berat.

On the same level as the tasting room there are six brand new guest rooms, opened as recently as May 2019, with individual styles and capacity for two or three. In accordance with the rest of the building, wood, bricks and local stone dominate the design of the simple, but tastefully decorated rooms. For overnight guests breakfast is included, though other meals are only available upon request, as the winery doesn’t have its own kitchen. However, catering can be arranged from nearby restaurants.

For the future, the family are planning to create another space outdoors for the degustation of their wine, namely amidst their grape vines behind the winery. To the benefit of the winery, there are also plans to renovate the centre of the village, including the building of new roads and demolition of run-down buildings. Last but not least, Fatos Nurellari has sent out an application to lease 30 hectares of land from the government in the nearby village of Vodice, midway between Fushe-Peshtan and Berat, to extend the family’s cultivation of indegenous grapes. Having their request accepted would enable them to greatly increase their output in the coming years. The family’s dream is to eventually only use local varieties, and to export up to 30% of their production, truly bringing Albanian wine the international fame it deserves.

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KANTINA NURELLARI at a glance...

Heart of the business: Winery Location: Fushe-Peshtan, Berat (coordinates: 40.646832, 20.040918) Nearby: UNESCO World Heritage city of Berat, Mount Tomorr, Bogova Waterfall, Osumi Canyon Transport: By car, 20 minutes’ drive south-east from Berat, signposted from the main road, ca. 500m along freshly paved asphalt Overnight: 6 rooms, starting from €45/night What to do: Wine tasting, excursions in the area What to bring back: Raki, olive oil and a bottle of your favourite Nurellari wine Contact: +355 69 5136326 fatosnurellari@yahoo.com / leventnurellari@yahoo.com Further information: www.nurellariwinery.com

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Farma Sotira Fushe-Peshtan, Leskovik, Kolonja f you’re looking to get away from city life as far as possible, Farma Sotira is the place for you. The epitome of remoteness, this farm lies far from urban bustle in the south-eastern county of Kolonja, at 1000m of elevation, close to the Greek border. Anyone travelling from Permet to Korca will inevitably pass by this place, and many will stop to stretch their legs and take a coffee, cold drink, or even a meal. But only those who stay here for a night – or even a week – will discover all that Farma Sotira has to offer.

Initially, the business started out as a fish farm. Jeton Hida, who everyone just calls by his nickname Toni, grew up in the tiny town of Leskovik, a 20-minute drive away. He has a background in mechanical engineering, and worked in Greece for several years, where he and his wife Jonida, originally from Fier, met. Together they returned from Greece and in 1999 tried their luck raising river trout and opened a small local restaurant where they offered their fresh fish. They gave their venture the name Sotira after a village once located here, but abandoned after the Second World War. The restaurant developed well, and five years later, they expanded the business. In 2005, when the farm started drawing in more and more visitors, a few guest rooms were opened.

“IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO GET AWAY FROM CITY LIFE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, FARMA SOTIRA IS THE PLACE FOR YOU”

Today the fish farm still forms the (literal) centre of the business, and around the pools, one finds covered outdoor sitting areas with tables, interconnected with small bridges. Yet, around it the farm has grown considerably and comprises a total of about 20 hectares.

Walking around the property, you’ll see animals moving about freely, which will delight young visitors, who are excited to feed the ducks, chickens and geese, pet the cats and dogs, and admire the cute piglets that follow their mother around in search of food.

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The horse stables and the winter enclosures for the cows and sheep are located behind a cluster of trees, and across a small stream.

In the summer months, the roughly 150 cattle and 400 sheep leave the farm premises to graze further up in the surrounding mountains, which are great to be explored on foot, mountain bike or by horseback. Four of the farm’s twenty horses are available for horseback tours, and the relatively small breed is ideal for the mountainous terrain, including streams, narrow forest paths and grassy slopes. On a horseback ride Toni leads the way, navigating through the network of old dirt roads and tiny trails to find his herds of cattle roaming the mountains, sometimes for days at a time without a shepherd. It seems then quite fitting that Toni is mostly seen around the farm in his cowboy hat.

For those more comfortable on their own feet or wheels than on horseback, the owners are planning to clear and mark a number of trails for hiking and mountain biking in the area so that visitors can more easily explore the surroundings without a guide. The nearby, almost-deserted village of Germenj and the mountain ridge and side valley along the Greek border east of the farm are a few interesting sites to be explored. For nature lovers, this is a great area for spotting eagles, or tracking the footprints of animals such as wolves and bears.

Other activities include a tour of the vineyards of a family friend, from which Toni and Jonida buy grapes to produce their own raki and wine. For more recreational sports, badminton and volleyball fields are available, as well as a swimming pool for guests to enjoy. The main tourist season lasts from April to October, but the family lives on the farm and welcomes visitors year-round – even in the snowy 76

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winters with temperatures reaching -20°C. While they lived in a tiny room above the restaurant for the first couple of years, Jonida’s second pregnancy with their daughter Sara, now 6, convinced the humble owners to build a bigger house, located at the foot of a tree-covered mountain a stone’s throw from the restaurant.

Their older daughter, Florida, is an outgoing 10-year old who already occasionally helps the wait staff serving guests.

There are a total of 12 to 15 people involved in running the restaurant, not to mention those on the farm, whose number changes by season. It is hard to find workers in this remote part of the country, and so some Toni has to drive back and forth between the farm and their homes in Leskovik.

Finding workers is not the only difficulty he faces. Toni and Jonida have applied several times for government grants, which have replaced the subsidies which once supported all farmers, but have had little luck do to opaque procedures and the excessive paperwork required. The latest piece of red tape the owners have had to deal with is a new law that allows butchering only by licenced butchers, effectively requiring them to take all cattle to Korca, a 1.5-hour drive.

For Toni this means countless kilometres of driving and necessitates a refrigerated truck… or paying hefty fines.

These are the added burdens of farmers’ lives in more remote parts of the country.

hithra, a two-layered savoury pie filled with nettles, sheep’s yoghurt, oven-baked chicken, duck or goose over rice, and homemade sausages and dried meat. Curious amateur chefs are even invited to take a cooking class and prepare their own meals using the brick oven and outdoor grill.

For a good night’s rest, there are different accommodation options available, covering different price and comfort levels, to suit your needs. There is a large campsite for up to 30 campervans and some tents, which is popular with foreign tourists travelling with their own vehicles. Close by, there are a handful of small, basic wooden cabins that share bathrooms with the camp. Close to the entrance of the farm, nine wooden family bungalows feature two rooms each, with a double or two twin beds, complete with private bathrooms and Toni’s handmade furniture.

Overall, with its incredible setting, fresh mountain air, delicious food, welcoming and dedicated hosts and a plethora of activities, guests return to this farm stay again and again.

Luckily, 20 years in business build resilience, and Farma Sotira has been successful despite the obstacles, with a full restaurant of guests enjoying the fresh, organic food.

In addition to the trout caught in front of your eyes, the restaurant serves lamb baked in a saç, a large pan with a heavy metal lid which is heated below by a fire and on top with hot coals. Other traditional dishes include lakror me 78

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FARMA SOTIRA at a glance...

Heart of the business: Restaurant, fish farm, animal husbandry

“FOR NATURE LOVERS, THIS IS A GREAT AREA FOR SPOTTING EAGLES, OR TRACKING THE FOOTPRINTS OF ANIMALS SUCH AS WOLVES AND BEARS”

Location: Erseka - Leskovik National Road, km 25 (coordinates: 40.214275, 20.646579) Nearby: The nearest small towns are Leskovik in the south and Erseka in the north Transport: Public minibuses from Gjirokastra/Permet/ Leskovik to Erseka/Korca (or vice versa) pass by, ask the driver to get off at Farma Sotira.

By car, the farm is located at a bend in the LeskovikErseka SH75 national road, signposted along the approach and at the entrance of the farm. The approach from both Korca and Permet is long and windy, but despite this being the only main road through the province, there is little traffic and views are absolutely stunning.

Lodging: In cosy wooden family bungalows with a private bathroom, starting from €30/night, with one’s own campervan or tent, or in simple wooden cabins with shared bathrooms What to do: Hiking, horseback riding, farm tour, cooking classes, participation in the farm work What to bring back: Memories of an incredible mountain horse ride Contact: +355 69 23 42 529 / info@farmasotira.com Further information: http://farmasotira.com

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How to get certified?

Incentives Fiscal facilities for subjects certified as Agritourism include an exclusion from infrastructure tax for new structures, VAT at 6% for the accommodation service and a profit tax capped at 5% for structures to be certified until 2021.

Certification process

Certification criteria The definition of what constitutes a farm under the concept of agritourism is stated in the Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 22, from 12.01.2018, and its amendments from 05.10.2018 and 02.08.2019. Subjects who would like to be considered for certification have to provide:

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Agricultural activity, evidenced by either a farm, with a minimum of one hectare of agricultural cultivation OR engagement in animal husbandry with at least 10 cattle OR 100 sheep/goats OR 200 poultry, OR be engaged in the processing of agricultural products, i.e. a dairy, wine making, olive oil production, etc.

Accommodation for clients in 6-30 rooms. Additional camping spaces are limited to a maximum of 15 camper vans.

Food and drinks, in a facility with 6-60 tables. The provided food must be at least 30% sourced from the farm itself, and at least an additional 40% from the area (municipality boundaries).

Educational or recreational activities related to the farm and farm surroundings.

The application is submitted at the Ministry of Tourism, and includes the following documentation: • Proof of the fulfilment of the criteria listed above • ID card of the applicant • Certificate of ownership of the property where the business activity takes place, or, where applicable, rental contracts • Declaration of plantations and cultivations, supplemented by photographs, photographs of the guesthouse and rooms from inside and outside, as well as photographs of the restaurant • Business plan with plans and financial forecast for the coming 5 years • Copy of the farm registration • Application fee of 2000 ALL.

A full list of requirements, application documents and procedures (in Albanian language) is available at https://bit. ly/2oXgS0t or by using the QR code.

The approval or refusal of the application is decided by a commission of five members, three of which are appointed by the Ministry of Tourism and two of which are appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, within 50 days of submission. Upon approval, the certificate, which is valid for 5 years, can be obtained from the Ministry of Tourism.

Contacts Ministry of Tourism and the Environment Blvd. Deshmoret e Kombit, Nr. 1, 1001 Tirana https://turizmi.gov.al Email: info@turizmi.gov.al Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Blvd. Deshmoret e Kombit, Nr. 2, 1001 Tirana https://bujqesia.gov.al Email: info@bujqesia.gov.al Agritourism in Albania, 1st Edition 2019

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As a federally owned enterprise, GIZ supports the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development.

Published by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Registered offices Bonn and Eschborn, Germany ‘Sustainable Rural Development’ Programme in Albania Rr. “Skenderbej” 21/1 Anke Petersen / Programme Manager Sofjola Kotelli / Programme Advisor Design and Layout R&T Advertising Photo credits Enis Abdullahu unless otherwise stated Text Ulrike Schilling Editing Seth Pyenson Team Facilitation Erisa Nesimi Printed by Gent Grafik Copyright with GIZ GIZ is responsible for the content of this publication.

On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) October 2019 To get more information about the Sustainable Rural Development Programme, please visit: www.facebook.com/SRDAlbania and / or www.instagram.com/srd_albania