Albania · GJIROKASTER TOURS
Grey slate roofs, a bazaar that climbs, and a fortress with a captured American jet parked in it. These 15 Gjirokastra days come mostly from Saranda or Tirana and usually take in the Blue Eye on the way, each priced with the real driving time.
Review of Vjosa River rafting near Gjirokastër, with canyon scenery, thermal springs, cliff jumps, safety gear, pricing, and practical tips.
“Nice expierience. Beautyfull nature. friendly and cool tourguides. Food for families, Kids and couples.”
Explore Gjirokastër Castle, Ottoman streets, Cold War tunnels, and Albania’s Blue Eye on a practical day trip from Saranda.
“We joined the Gjirokastra – The Stone City & Blue Eye tour as a group of seven and, while we appreciated the chance to see these beautiful places, the experience did not meet our expectations. The tour was scheduled to start at 8:30am, but we didn’t leave until 9:00. Although advertised as a maximum of 16 people, there were 19 in the van, which made the journey uncomfortable. The vehicle itself struggled on the mountain roads, moving very slowly and making the drive feel longer than it should have. Time at the stops was quite limited. We often felt rushed and didn’t have enough time to enjoy the sites or…”
Review of a long but rewarding Albania day trip from Tirana to UNESCO Gjirokastër and Ksamil, with practical tips on timing, costs, and comfort.
“I think Gjirokastra is one of the must visit place in Albania. Our tour guide, Edi, he was a wonderful driver . I didn’t feel uncomfortable during the journey while some heavy traffic. Frankly speaking, I didn’t expect he was such a good story teller.”
Review of Saranda’s Blue Eye, Gjirokaster, monasteries, and Lekursi Castle tour, with practical advice on timing, value, stops, and costs.
“We had a fantastic experience on our tour in Albania! Traveling with our 9-month-old, we were so impressed with how professional and well-organized everything was. The tour guide made everything smooth and stress-free, and we truly appreciated the thoughtful balance between planned activities and free time to relax and explore on our own. It was the perfect combination for our young family – we especially liked Gjrokaster, a very beautiful place with great food. Highly recommend!”
Review the long but rewarding day from Tirana to Gjirokaster, the Blue Eye, Ksamil and Saranda, with practical advice on time and value.
“This trip needs to be re-planned because you basically don't see the essence of what is mentioned, you're just constantly running to catch up with the clock. We had half an hour in each city and a little more in Ksamil, so you don't have time. Suggestion to remove Sarandë or Ksamil and give more time to one destination. We were in the car for about 10 hours, very tiring. Fortunately our guide was excellent and tried very hard to make us have a good time, giving us lots of information about what we asked for, always willing to help us. Very good guide and very knowledgeable about the area…”
Review of a private Saranda tour to the Blue Eye, Gjirokaster, and Lekuresi Castle, with practical tips on price, timing, and what to expect.
“Wonderful day with excellent guides The tour was extensive without being boring or too academic Nice personality of the guide as well wish all guides were like this”
Explore Gjirokaster, the Blue Eye, and Lekursi Castle from Saranda with pickup, a small group, and practical tips on timing and costs.
“What a day with Jona! She is just precious! The drive from the port was quite long but we enjoyed the castle. Then the drive to the Blue Eye was insane! Take your Dramamine before this tour! The Blue Eye was pretty but be sure to take the train for €5 if you cannot walk a couple of miles. Then we drove another 20 minutes to Lukersi (spelling??) for a quick overlook and back to the ship. Total time was 9:00 am to 3:15 on the ship. Long day but overall we saw and learned a lot. Just take your Dramamine!”
See Gjirokaster, Saranda, and Butrint from Tirana on a private 13-hour tour with scenic drives and local guides.
“Long trip, nice place, good driver, interesting Castle and Museum. Guide was know everything about places which we visit.”
Explore Bylis and UNESCO-listed Gjirokastër from Tirana, with ancient ruins, Ottoman streets, castle views, transport, and local insight.
“Our tour guide Skerdi was excellent. Not only vey knowledgeable of Albanian history, but Skerdi gave us a personal insight into Albania today through sharing many perspectives from a younger generation. Skerdi personalized our trip back along the Riviera coast since he grew up there. A lover of Albanian polyphonic folk singing, we ended up driving back to Tirana singing along with a recording of his neighborhood choir. He was fun, genuine and gave us a feel for authentic Albania. Also, Skerdi was an excellent driver which we appreciated.”
Explore Gjirokaster’s bazaar, castle, and Zekate House with a local guide on this affordable three-hour walking tour.
“Onze gids Blerim Topuli was zeer enthousiast en gedreven om over zijn geboorte stad te vertellen. Spreekt goed Engels, kent de historie van de stad goed, ook bij vragen die “van het pad afwijken”. Kent veel locale mensen welke we tegenkomen, wat erg leuk te bemerken is en wat bovendien soms extra deuren opent. Prachtig stadje, erg sfeervol, lieve mensen overal, zeer gastvrij in alle winkeltjes en restaurants . Goed eten . Kortom goede ervaring, en mede dankzij Blerim goede restaurantjes gevonden ! Felamenderit Blerim!”
Review of Vjosa River kayaking near Përmet and Gjirokastër, with Blue Eye scenery, guides, gear, transfers, price, and practical tips.
“It was really good fun. The instructors were very friendly and funny. We felt safe at all times and we had a great time. In addition they took photos and sent them to us at the end of the tour.”
Review of the Gjirokastër and Blue Eye day tour from Tirana, with castle views, local food, hotel pickup, and practical value advice.
“The tour was fantastic. The guide, Besnik, took us everywhere we asked, even beyond what was in the description. I injured myself on the trip. Besnik took care of me when I needed medical help and he also managed the other tour group members at the same time. He was very kind to everyone! Gjirokaster and Blue Eye are beautiful, enchanting places to visit. 100% recommendation!”
Learn Gjirokaster’s qifqi, OSA pasta, and hasude in a private family cooking class with local stories, mountain teas, and a shared meal.
“Really fun ~1hr cooking class where we learnt a lot about the culture of Gjirokaster and Albania and then ate our delicious meal in the restaurant after. Thank you for the great experience!”
Review of Saranda’s Blue Eye and Gjirokaster tour, with a cold spring, Ottoman castle, local lunch, flexible pickup, and practical tips.
“Denis was amazing. He was very knowledgeable and we had a great time! He catered the tour to our request kind, ensured we were given history as we traveled, and took us to the best places for pictures at each stop.”
Review of the Gjirokastra tour from Saranda, with castle visits, museums, free time, transport details, costs, and practical booking advice.
“Gjitokaster is a true matvel and so rich in history from the narrow alleys to the statues to the castle. And the views are breathtaking. Albania is such an underappreciated country. Its still so natural in many places and the landscape is fantastic. Our driver Sula was great and our tourguide Dennis was very knowledgeable all along the way to Gjirokaster and when visiting the town.”
Water, mountains, stone towns, and the table at the end of the day.
