Vlore

Vlore, or Vlorë, is a city and municipality in southwestern Albania. It is the capital of Vlorë County and a major port on the Adriatic Sea. Located at the entrance of Vlore Bay near the Karaburun Peninsula, the city has long served as a hub for trade, fishing, and maritime transport.

The area has ancient origins as the Greek colony of Aulon. Over the centuries it passed through Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman rule, with fortifications such as Kaninë Castle overlooking the settlement. Vlore is best known in modern history as the place where Albania’s Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on 28 November 1912, by Ismail Qemali, marking the birth of the modern Albanian state.

Today Vlore remains a key commercial and transport center, with a busy port handling passengers and freight, including regular ferries to Bari, Italy. The surrounding region supports fishing, processing industries, and tourism, with beaches and a scenic coastline, as well as access to natural areas such as the Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park and the Llogara Pass.

Prominent sites in the city include the Muradie Mosque, a 16th-century Ottoman structure attributed to the architect Mimar Sinan; Kaninë Castle on a hill above the town; and the Independence Square with monuments commemorating 1912. The Lungomare coastal promenade and the Vlore Ethnographic Museum illustrate local culture and history.

Administratively, Vlore is the seat of Vlorë County and forms a municipality that includes the city and surrounding settlements, serving as a regional center for commerce, culture, and education.