“Combination of Historical and Cultural Traditions with the Natural Resources for Sustainable Tourism in the District of Berat, Albania”

Berat, a city of over 2400 years of life, holds upon its shoulders a rich history of events and facts of great importance. The perfect harmony between different religions; the unique architecture of its oldest quarters; the magnificent castle, one of the only inhabited castles not only in Albania but in the Balkans as well, have attracted the eye of many historians, travelers, scientists, and geographers. The perfect combination of high altitudes, river valleys, and fields with their rich cultural and historical heritage has lured a great number of foreign and domestic tourists. This city manifests the refined fantasy of its builders and creators. It has been a muse to poets and painters for this reason. Berat is also house to numerous museums and cultural artifacts of unique value which make the city attractive to foreign and domestic tourists. The Sustainable development of tourism in the area continues thanks to the natural and cultural heritage of this city. This article gives a view of historical and cultural traditions of the city of Berat and the natural and geographical landscape of the Canyons of the river Osum, the touristic potential of the region and the values it holds. The article analyses the actual state of the natural resources of the Canyons, different actual problems the area surrounding faces and the risks created as a result of the total absence of investments. It evaluates the influence of these qualities for the creation of diverse landscapes of great Eco touristic values. This study also presents what has been done so far to conserve these values, by pointing out how important it is the urban development as a means of integrating these values and making it possible to requalify and re-evaluate into the general urban and cultural assembly off this 2400-year-old city.