Apollonia is one of the main tourist attractions in Albania and rightly so. Now Unesco world heritage sight, Apollonia was founded on the banks of the river Vjosa by the Greeks in 588 b.C.

Cicero called Apollonia magna urbs et gravis, a great and important city. As an important sea port, Apollonia grew rich under Roman rule. In the 3rd century aD an earthquake shattered the hopes and dreams of the Apollonians: it changed the flow of the river Vjosa, and split the harbor in two, turning the inland area into a mosquito paradise, spreading malaria.

Apollonia declined as the nearby harbor town of Vlöre, or Vlora, prospered and was mostly forgotten until excavations started in the 20th century. Today, a lot still lies undiscovered, though through the years, many fine artefacts have been dug up, on display at the monastery and at the archeological museum in Durrës.

The nearby coastal town of Fier offers plenty of wonderful hotels to make your stay a memorable one.

Apollonia, Albania

Fier is a friendly city in southwest Albania. It is very close to the ruined Corinthian city of Apollonia and ideal for exploring. It´s affluence grew early on thanks to natural gas resources. In the 17th century Strabo writes about Fier, describing “a rock which emits fire” and “springs flowing with hot water and asphalt”

Grand Hotel Leone is a pleasant small hotel, with all the modern comforts, such as airconditioning, an elevator, but also a sauna and a Turkish bath.Excellently located for visiting nearby Apollonia or the city of Fier itsself!

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