Yesterday we left Castle Park on electric bikes toward the village of Roshnik, guided by Arti and joined by a beautiful group of people from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Colombia.
From the beginning, the day had a very special energy. It was not only the landscape, although the landscape was already enough: the green mountains around Berat, the rural roads, the olive groves, the vineyards, the river beside us in some parts of the route, and that strong Albanian light that makes everything feel more alive.
But what made the day special was how it slowly unfolded.
First, we were at Castle Park, adjusting the bikes, greeting each other, and getting ready for the road ahead. Then we began to leave Berat little by little, moving away from the rhythm of the city and entering a quieter, more rural Albania, closer to the land.
The electric bike made the ride feel very natural. You move, you feel the road, you go up, you go down, you stop, you look around. It is not only about reaching Roshnik. It is about slowly entering the landscape.
Every part of the route brought something different: a curve with mountain views, a road lined with trees, a house surrounded by cultivated land, a small bridge, a river, a dirt path, a short conversation with someone from the group.
That rhythm was one of the things I enjoyed the most.
It was not a rushed experience. It was a quiet way to discover the surroundings of Berat, with enough movement to feel the place and enough calm to observe it.
But the moment that touched me the most was the visit to the farm.
Arriving there immediately took me back to Colombia. It made me think of Gaia Origen, my hotel, and that way of welcoming people from simplicity, authenticity, and the heart.
The local people welcomed us with hugs. Not with a greeting prepared for a photo, but with a warmth you recognize immediately. They made us feel as if we were arriving at the home of someone we already knew.
They told us about their way of life, how they grow their own food, and how they produce many of the things they shared with us. The cheese, the fruits, and several of the products came from their own land. Everything had a simple story behind it, and that is exactly why it felt so real.
That was one of the moments when the trip stopped being just a tour.
Because tasting local food at a table is one thing. Listening to the people who produce it, seeing their home, feeling their pride, receiving a flower, a hug, a smile, and understanding that this food comes from an entire life connected to the land — that is something completely different.
I felt deeply connected to my own story there.
When I built Gaia Origen in Colombia, I always wanted people not only to arrive at a beautiful place to sleep, but to feel something: nature, calm, hospitality, family, and care. And yesterday, on that farm in Roshnik, I felt something very similar. In another country, with another language and another culture, but with the same human root.
After that, we continued to Alpeta Agrotourism.
And the ending was perfect: a delicious lunch, wine tasting, and impressive panoramic views of the Albanian mountains. The table was full of local flavours, dishes to share, wine, conversations crossing between languages, and that feeling of being in a place where food is not separate from the landscape.
From there, looking at the mountains, I understood the value of this experience better.
The Berat Electric Bike Tour to the village of Roshnik is not just an activity to do from Berat. It is a way to get closer to rural Albania without rushing. To start from Castle Park, ride through roads that show another side of the region, meet local people, taste food produced in the area, and end the day around a table.
I also really enjoyed the energy of the group. People from different parts of the world, sharing the same road with a beautiful attitude. Sometimes that changes the whole experience. The landscape matters, of course. But the energy of the people who walk or ride with you also stays with you.
At the end of the day, we returned to Castle Park with the feeling I always like to find when I travel: that I had seen something real.
Not just a postcard.
Not just a route.
But a way of life, a table, a family, a farm, a landscape, and a group of people sharing a few hours with presence.
That is why I personally recommend this tour.
If you are in Berat and want to experience more than the historic part of the city, this ride to Roshnik is a beautiful way to discover the area. It has nature, movement, local food, wine, mountains, and above all, hospitality that feels close.
It reminded me of home.
And being so far from Colombia, that was the most beautiful part of the day
Written by Ignacio Suarez, a traveler and hospitality builder exploring Albania from the inside.
You can follow more of the journey on Instagram: @ignachotravel
