A unique and very visited place in Albania is the island of Zvernec. It is located 13 km from the town of Vlora. You can reach it in 20 minutes by car and it is definitely worth a visit…
The island is 430m long and 300m wide. It is connected to the mainland by a 270m long wooden isthmus.
Walking in some places can be quite challenging if you are a person in a wheelchair.
There used to be a bridge at this place in even worse condition. Today it has been replaced with this “new one”, which branches exactly halfway into two tracks.
One leads straight to the monastery, and the other to a wooden dock.
I was looking mostly at the holes here. Even knowing that the water below was very shallow didn’t help.
Here, after visiting the monastery, you can meditate, fish, watch the crabs in the water, maybe see some flamingos. Apparently there are about 3000 of them here. I saw only these metal and rusted ones near the entrance to the bridge.
If you were hoping to swim here, you’d be wrong. The water is not deep and very clean, as evidenced by the numerous crabs we saw during our visit.
The flora and fauna are pretty much left alone here.
The island is covered with pine forest. An Orthodox monastery from the 14th century is hidden in it. It is dedicated to Saint Mary.
It is best to visit before sunset if you want spectacular pictures.
In order to plan your visit, here is everything you need to know about the rules of conduct.
During the communist period, the monastery was abandoned. Today, the monastery is maintained and quite well visited.
A priest and a guard are always present.
The path to the monastery itself is not ideal for us wheelers, but the land next to it is quite dry and bumpy, so if you are in the mood for an off-road ride, now is the time.
On this the island is the grave of the woman who embroidered the flag of Albania. Ismail Kemali carried that flag during the proclamation of Albanian independence in 1912.
This islet is ideal to visit on a cloudy day because the walk to the island in the sun is quite tiring. The only problem is that others come up with the same idea and then you have a crowd.
The altar decorated with wood carving has seen better days.
According to the rules, it is not allowed to take pictures, but if even the guard has given up in enforcing them, who can resist.
Maybe it’s a lesser sin than entering this sanctuary in shorts.
You can light a candle outside and reset your thoughts.
The visit to the island is not time limited and is free of charge. You can leave a voluntary contribution, with which the monastery is maintained.
Another Albanian specialty, the bunker, watches over Zvernec. All of Albania is full of them.
You can reach Zvernec by car, on foot or by bicycle. The first option is the shortest because it lasts only 20 minutes. The drive through the pine forest tunnel is very beautiful.
When you arrive, there is a simple parking lot, which is free of charge, but it may happen that there is no space on busy days.
If you choose to walk, it will take you about 1.5 hours. Since the whole way there is not in the shade, arm yourself with good sunscreen.
There are no shops on the way so if you get thirsty your only option is a restaurant. They serve fresh fish at decent prices, so take advantage of that opportunity.
Conclusion
A visit to Zvernec is very healing. It only lasts half a day and is an ideal way to get away from the crowds and noise. If you find yourself in the area, be sure to visit this secluded and quiet place.
Have you been to this monastery?
What are your impressions?
Traveled and enjoyed,
Marko Veličković
