The evocative ruins of the ancient Illyiran city of Apollonia sit on a windswept hilltop some 12km west of the city of Fier. While a large part of the ruins remains buried under the ground, what has been excavated within the 4km of city walls is pure poetry. The highlights include the theatre and the elegant pillars of the restored facade of the city’s 2nd-century-AD administrative centre.

Few foreigners visit, but Apollonia is popular with locals for afternoon picnics.