Blue Eye

Syri i Kaltër, the Blue Eye, is a karst spring in the hills between Sarandë and Gjirokastër, where water wells up from deep underground through a perfectly round pool of an almost unreal cobalt blue. It is one of the most photographed natural sites in Albania, and one of the most striking.

The Spring

The pool itself is more than fifty metres deep, divers have descended past that point without finding the bottom, and the water flows out of it at a rate of more than six cubic metres per second. The colour comes from the depth: the centre of the pool is so dark that it looks black, while a ring of intense cobalt blue surrounds it, edged in turquoise where the bed begins to rise. From a wooden viewing platform built directly over the spring, visitors can see the water boiling up from below, with sand and pebbles spinning in the current. The water is bitterly cold, around 10 °C year-round.

The Setting

The spring lies inside a protected natural area at the base of Mount Mali i Gjerë, surrounded by a small forest of oak and plane trees. A clear, fast-flowing stream, the source of the Bistrica River  runs out from the pool through woods that contain several smaller springs and shallow pools where swimming is possible. The area is well-shaded and noticeably cooler than the coast in summer.

Practicalities

Swimming in the main pool is officially prohibited because of the strength of the upwelling and the temperature, though warnings are sometimes ignored. The walk from the car park to the spring is about a kilometre on a flat road; small electric shuttles operate in summer for those who prefer not to walk. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to visit, the site can become very crowded in the middle of the day, especially in July and August.

Getting there

The Blue Eye is approximately 22 kilometres east of Sarandë, on the road to Gjirokastër. By car or taxi it is about thirty minutes from Sarandë and forty-five from Gjirokastër. Most day trips from Sarandë combine the Blue Eye with Butrint, or with Gjirokastër on a longer outing.