Furgons pull up on the main road from Fier, drop off shoppers and students, and leave again once every seat is full. From the center, cars and the odd taxi climb a narrow hill road to Byllis, where an ancient theater looks down on the braided Vjosa and the valley beyond.
Back in town, the ruins of a sixth-century basilica sit between apartment blocks, and olive groves and vineyards cover the low slopes around them. Summers are hot and dry, and most of the rain falls in winter. A Local Friend keeps the plan loose, so a coffee in the square can turn into a drive to the river at Poçem if the afternoon feels right.
