On the morning of my sixth day in Albania, I made the drive to the town of Lezhë, where I visited the country’s most famous agrotourism farm and restaurant! Come along with me as I have the ultimate Albanian food experience at Mrizi i Zanave Agroturizem in Lezhë, Albania!
My day started with an early morning drive from Shkodër to the town of Lezhë. There, you’ll find Mrizi i Zanave, an incredible agrotourism resort just outside of Lezhë, Albania that consists of a farm, a hotel, and a restaurant. They were sun-drying tomatoes outside, where there were also lots of geese, cows, horses, and more!
I met the owner, Altin, who I was able to speak Italian with. He took me up to the main building, where you can enjoy your meals! Breakfast is only sold to hotel guests, but anyone can come for lunch and dinner.
Altin showed me some of their corn byrek, which was my favorite byrek ever! It had a nice corn dough with some nice cheese inside. It was also a little grainy like grits. They use different herbs and greens grown on their property in the byrek, and cook them in a huge inferno-like oven!
Next, he took me to his forest area, which has lots of seating on terraces carved into the hillside. We took a seat at one of the tables and had some mulberry rakija, which was super smooth but not too strong. Next, I tried some juice that was grown from some berry-like fruit on the trees above us. They also use them in rakija and jams!
Breakfast consisted of byrek, goat cheese, eggs, petula (fried dough), figs, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries! The figs were delicious! We also had some mulberry jam, some honey, gliko, and more!
I loved the combination of crispy exterior and mushy interior of the byrek. I loved the eggs, which contained butter and cheese. The cheese oozed out in my mouth! The fresh goat cheese was so fresh. Everything was truly farm-to-table. The petula with honey was also fantastic! Finally, we toasted to the best eco-tourism resort in Albania!
Then, we hopped on Altin’s bike to drive around the property! We passed lots of vines and fruits and vegetables on the way to an old prison that had been converted into more facilities for the farm. Outside they were making some pine syrup in large glass bottles with pine cones and sugar.
Then, we entered the winery, where they had lots of huge fermenting tanks. They make two types of white wine and two types of red. They were storing the bottles they made last year. I tried some wine straight from the barrel that was made with Albanian Kallmet grapes. It was a nice, cool temperature and a fruity, less woodsy flavor.
Next, I visited their smoke room, where they smoke sausages and other meats. They had beef and pork sausages as well as pasturma. The smell inside was unreal! Then, I met some of the farmers, who were bringing fresh pears and blackberries. At Mrizi i Zanave, they buy 500 kilos of fresh fruits from local farmers in Lezhë, Albania per week!
Then, we visited their cheese factory. Inside were shelves stocked with lots of round wheels of goat cheese. The cheese was similar to brie and has no added fat. I saw some cheese that had been cut into smaller circles for welcome plates. They cut and serve it on the same day to ensure maximum freshness.
I tried some amazing wild blackberries, which were full of flavor. Then, I saw some traditional Albanian cheese that they preserve in barrels for 60 days. On the shelves, they had white goat cheese and some cow cheese, which was much more yellow. They were made with different molds and were different sizes. Some of their cheeses take 12 months to make while others take as little as 2. They also had cheese that they were aging in a barrel of wine!
Then, I saw their jars of sun-dried tomatoes in oil. They were sweet and juicy and full of tomato flavor! In the same room, they also had shelves full of jars of marmalades and jams. They make different fruits in different seasons. I was blown away by the fact that Altin turned a prison into a factory that makes all of these foods, and he does it all with the help of the local community and local farmers.
Then, I hopped back on the back of Altin’s bike and headed back to the resort. On the way, he showed me an experiment of his—he was making green cheese in a tunnel on the side of the road. It was cold inside the tunnel and it had a strong smell! It was an awesome surprise!
On the farm, I saw where he grows his artichokes and his white grape vineyards. He also grows beans. The vegetables at the resort are grown by 400 local families, but he also produces his own. I tried a white grape, which was still sour since we were still at least a month away from harvest time.
Back at the resort, I visited their shop, where they were making multi-flower honey from honeycomb. They also have cheese, marmalades, smoked meats, pottery for rakija. I tried a manchego-like goat cheese that was dense and a little salty. The cheese soaked in wine was to die for! It was like a cross between gruyere and brie! They even knit tablecloths!
In a 3-hour span, I saw more at Mrizi i Zanave and in Lezhë, Albania than I’ve seen in my entire life! Then, we made it to the outdoor dining hall where they serve lunch and dinner. The entire ceiling is draped with vines! Then, we checked into my room in their small boutique hotel. It only has 9 rooms and is like a big, stone house. It overlooks the beautiful area and farmland. The property is so unique!
Inside, I checked into my room, which had a queen-sized bed and a twin bed with exposed stone walls and an attached bathroom with glass walls. The corner of the room was all glass with windows looking out over the property! It was beautiful and so cool! The best place to stay in the world! When you visit Tirana, you have to drive two hours north to Mrizi i Zanave in Lezhë, Albania!
Huge thanks to my friends at Balkan Pearls Tour Operators and Rental Car Albania for making this trip possible! I couldn’t have had the ultimate Albanian food experience at Mrizi i Zanave in Lezhë, Albania without them!
I hope you enjoyed exploring Mrizi i Zanave Agroturizem in Lezhë, Albania with me! If you did, please give this video a thumbs up and leave a comment below. Also, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and click the notification bell so you don’t miss any of my travel/food adventures around the world!
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