Travel Guide Pustec

Пустец/Pustec (pronounced "poustetz") has around 1,000 inhabitants. It is the administrative center of the municipality of Pustec (population 3,000). The village is also known by its old Albanian name: Liqenas/Liqenasi. It lies 27 km northeast of Korça, 44 km southeast of Pogradec. Some minibus connections from Korça.Situated on the shores of Lake Prespa, 853 m above sea level, between Northern Macedonia and Greece, this pleasant village lies at the center of one of Albania's most interesting national parks for birdwatchers. But Pustec is also the capital of one of the poorest municipalities in the country, which is already not very rich, not only because of its isolation, but also because the region is largely populated by Slavo-Macedonians, a minority neglected by the Albanian authorities. The Slavo-Macedonians are descendants of the Bulgarians who populated the south-eastern quarter of Albania from the 6th century onwards. The Great and Little Prespa Lakes even briefly constituted the political center of the Bulgarian Empire at the end of the 9th century, before later falling into the hands of Serbian-Byzantine lords. This is a very special little piece of Albania, where Slavic culture blends with Greek and Albanian influences. Don't miss a boat trip to the island of Maligrad. You'll also find hiking ideas at the national park information center or at the small tourist office in the Pustec town hall.