About this trip
Step into a UNESCO-listed Ottoman city carved entirely from grey slate on this unforgettable 2-day journey from Tirana to Gjirokastër. Known as the Stone City for its silver-grey rooftops cascading down a mountainside, Gjirokastër holds one of the largest castles in the Balkans, fortified Ottoman mansions, a vaulted bazaar and centuries of layered history. Walk centuries-old cobbled streets, climb to the...
Itinerary
Day 1 – Tirana → Gjirokastër
- Departure from Tirana (Skanderbeg Square / Airport )
- Scenic drive south through the Drino Valley (~3.5 hours with one coffee stop)
- Photo stop at the Drino Valley viewpoint with sweeping views over the Stone City
- Arrival in Gjirokastër around midday
- Lunch at a traditional Ottoman-style restaurant in the old town (not included)
- Afternoon guided walk through the Old Bazaar
- Visit the Skenduli House, a perfectly preserved 18th-century Ottoman mansion
- Visit the Ethnographic Museum, the birthplace of dictator Enver Hoxha
- Free time to explore stone-paved streets and stop at a panoramic café
- Dinner with views of the illuminated castle (not included)
- Overnight stay in a traditional Ottoman guesthouse in Gjirokastër
Day 2 – Castle, Tunnel and the Drino Valley
- Morning visit to Gjirokastër Castle – one of the largest in the Balkans
- Explore the National Museum of Armaments and the captured US fighter jet inside the castle
- Walk the castle ramparts for panoramic views over the Drino Valley
- Visit the Cold War Tunnel
- Stop at the Zekate House
- Light lunch and last coffee in the old bazaar (not included)
- Optional brief stop at the Blue Eye spring on the way back (seasonal, time permitting)
- Departure toward Tirana via the Drino Valley
- Arrival in Tirana
Photos from this trip
