Durres’ September Song
When the Roman writer Tacitus decided on a long break across the shores of Italy, he decided upon the city of Durres (then Durrachion.) He remarked that in Durres, strangers, visitors and transients were treated with the same courtesy and hospitality extended to locals, unlike in Apollonia where they were distrusted and cast out.
That historically welcoming spirit still characterizes the city once known as The Tavern of The Adriatic; Everyone is welcome in Durres. And everyone feels at home.
During the summer months Durres transforms into one great Dionysian affair with beach-goers, parties of all kinds, music of every variety, restaurants offering every type of cuisine, and evening walks lasting for hours and usually ending by a cafe or down some pier.
Also, many Albanians living abroad return during the month of August, some for vacation, some to see their families and many for the numerous weddings booked on that flaming-hot month. Music of all genres spills onto the streets as one browses for an Eye of Horus necklace or bracelet (common in South East Europe) to ward off the evil eye while scents of various foods mingle with that of the nearby sea, lending the experience a unique fragrance.
Durres in September is even lovelier. Less crowds. Much less. The town is yours for the taking. The sea, the Roman ruins, the amphitheater, the hills and the secret beaches snuggled between those hills. The colors are different: crispier, clearer, less hazy, with stronger and cooler contrasts.
Life is more real. Vacationers and tourists are largely gone save for the smart ones who knew they could have Durres all to themselves right at this moment. You will taste its truth without the heady intoxication of summer, but without losing its magic; Because Durres is magical all year round, but never as much as during its September song.
Cheers !