When my furgon minibus first spat me out at Gjirokaster’s bus station, my first idea was once “wait, is that this it?”.
Surrounded via fashionable residences and stores alongside a large street, I in short questioned if I had gotten at the mistaken bus. Alternatively, quickly it turned into transparent that Gjirokaster has two portions that really feel most commonly separated from each and every different.
At floor stage there’s a fashionable space, whilst the UNESCO-listed previous the city is within the higher spaces dramatically constructed at the slopes of the Gjere mountains — and it’s right here you’ll in finding the slim tangled streets and lots of historical Seventeenth century Ottoman-era properties.
What Albanian towns like Tirana or Vlora might lack in historic appeal, Gjirokaster has in spades. This Gjirokaster shuttle information covers the entirety you wish to have to grasp to get probably the most from your discuss with.
Is Gjirokaster value visiting?
Opposite to what you may learn on-line, I individually discovered Gjirokaster surely outstanding and in truth value including for your Albania itinerary.
It was once in truth one in all my favourite puts in Albania and I might charge it because the maximum fascinating historic town (properly forward of Berat). However as all the time, expectancies are the entirety, so let me attempt to paint an image for you.
I must say that Gjirokaster is no longer a in particular large position. Task within the previous the city facilities most commonly on a five-way junction of cobbled streets — it’s right here that almost all taverns, memento stores and guesthouses are clustered. The vacationer heart radiates out at maximum perhaps 500 meters in each and every course from this central level.
Whilst relatively small, I discovered Gjirokaster extremely captivating. I cherished the low-traffic and walkable previous the city with its many Seventeenth-century two-story stone properties — and with boulevard perspectives regularly that includes backdrops of inexperienced hills or Gjirokaster Fortress’s outer partitions.
This fortress is in reality the only large appeal in Gjirokaster. Past this, be expecting most commonly a couple of smaller points of interest and museums. When you’d experience visiting an previous service provider space or perhaps lingering in a tavern for a normal Albanian meal, then you definitely’ll have various stuff to do in Gjirokaster.
In brief, sure, I believe Gjirokaster is very value visiting. It’s a old fashioned historic position with a choice of small points of interest and lots of lovely eating places/cafes that make it a great spot to spend a while.
Day commute vs. staying in Gjirokaster
Staying on the town in a single day means that you can seize the vibe much more, which I critically counsel. You’ll even be there within the night, when the comfortable boulevard lighting fixtures and eating places with out of doors seating make it a in particular pretty position to be.
I even come with Gjirokaster as a 3-day crucial forestall in my 2 Albania itineraries, however for a slow-paced exploration of town itself, 1 or 2 complete days is perfect.
When you’re including a commute into the encompassing area or an afternoon commute to Permet for some river rafting or mountain climbing, then that might simply justify an extended keep. (Individually, I stayed 4 nights, however in order that I may just get your entire image for this information. The typical customer would most certainly imagine that too lengthy.)
When you’re in search of larger sights, then perhaps Gjirokaster is extra of an afternoon commute position for you simply to get the highlights. Total, I believe it’s value paying even a handy guide a rough discuss with. Listed below are some choices for arranged day journeys:
- Excursion leaving day-to-day from Sarande — discuss with Gjirokaster in addition to the Blue Eye watering hollow and the Mesopotam Monastery. It’s about an hour’s pressure level to indicate from Saranda, making this a really perfect day commute possibility.
- From Durres or Tirana — a complete day commute to Gjirokaster. Observe it’s 3+ hours using a method, so it is important to be dedicated to this concept. I might individually imagine doing this excursion however staying in Gjirokaster for an evening earlier than proceeding the commute.
But even so an afternoon commute, you’ll be able to additionally use Gjirokaster to get a divorce a adventure between, say, the capital Tirana and the Albanian Riviera alongside the coast. Simply take a bus or furgon from the capital, test right into a lodge in Gjirokaster for an evening, then clutch your subsequent transportation to, say, Sarande or Vlora.If you wish to have some concepts for the right way to are compatible Gjirokaster into your course, I’ve some detailed itineraries for Albania.
The place to stick in Gjirokaster
Gjirokaster has a variety of lodging — most commonly smaller-scale guesthouses and a few boutique lodges housed in one of the vital historic structures.
When you’re backpacking then you should definitely keep within the exceptional Stone Town Hostel, which these days sports activities a 9.9 (!) ranking on Hostelworld and justifiably so. Its homeowners created one of the vital homely hostels I’ve ever stayed, the place travellers chat with each and every different at one massive desk each morning over breakfast. It’s a peaceful however social hostel the place you are going to immediately really feel at house.
I break up my time between this hostel and Vrenjo Guesthouse simply down the road. This native condominium provides just right worth and a snug vines-clad courtyard the place you’ll be able to have your breakfast. I might recommend it particularly for funds travellers in search of a elementary and centrally situated position.
For one thing a little bit extra trendy or romantic, I recommend Guri Guesthouse, which has conventional stone quarters and a impressive terrace overlooking town and the fortress.
When you’re extra into the theory of a lodge, glance no additional than the quite it seems that named (however pretty) Resort Gjirokaster. It’s in a really perfect location as regards to the Bazaar, has massive balconies overlooking town, and has a swimming pool too.
13 Absolute best issues to do in Gjirokaster
Gjirokaster won’t have a limiteless listing of items to do, however I used to be individually extra impressed via the number of small actions than the moderately sparse variety in Barat (any other historic town with which it stocks its UNESCO Global Heritage checklist).
But even so town itself, I extremely counsel exploring the encompassing area which options wild rivers, spectacular mountain peaks, and forgotten roads to small villages.
1. Discover Gjirokaster Fortress
The focus of this captivating town is the Gjirokaster Fortress, a towering fort that dates again to the 14th century. That is one website you completely can’t omit all over your keep.
What we see these days dates again to the early Nineteenth century and stretches around the 1,100-foot-high hillside like a large send manufactured from stone. Now not best will you be capable of shuttle again in time as you wander the grounds, recognizing the clock tower, the church, and the arched walkways, however you’ll additionally in finding probably the most rewarding perspectives of Gjirokaster from right here.
Every other cool means to take a look at it’s as a vantage level. From up there, town spreads out underneath with its previous stone properties, slate roofs, and the ones winding cobbled streets. You’ll be able to see the fairway valley stretching out to the Drino River.
To look all of it, you’ll need to take on a steep stroll from town then wander the ramparts and climb the towers, so a cheap stage of health is important. On a transparent day, the view makes the climb really feel means much less like a exercise and extra like one thing you in truth need to hang around and stare at.
When you’re visiting in summer season, I’d counsel exploring it early within the day, to keep away from running up a significant sweat below the Albanian sunshine.
2. Be told the historical past at Fortress’s Museums
Gjirokaster Museum
Fingers Museum
Gjirokaster Fortress may be house to a few museums, each and every of which you’ll be able to input for a small further rate, together with the Gjirokaster Museum and the Fingers Museum.
The Gjirokaster Museum is the most efficient position to be informed concerning the historical past of this long-standing fortress and town itself. Having been conquered a couple of occasions, this museum brings Gjirokaster’s turbulent previous to lifestyles, from footage depicting lifestyles all over Communist occasions to artifacts from the Ottoman Empire.
Someone keen on weaponry must forestall via the Fingers Museum. It’s no longer as informative because the Gjirokaster Museum, however you’ll in finding the likes of Global Warfare II equipment and centuries-old weapons within.
Possibly the best addition to the Fingers Museum is an previous aircraft belonging to the U.S. Air Drive, which some imagine was once taken down all over the Chilly Warfare.
3. Discover the Outdated The city
I do know, this advice doesn’t sound in particular authentic. But it surely’s a undeniable fact that one of the vital very best issues to do in Gjirokaster is to easily walk across the Outdated The city, which has been splendidly well-preserved.
All over you glance, you’ll be greeted via fantastic examples of white Ottoman structure, comfortable cobblestone streets, and hilly walkways.
You’ll have your select of lovely cafes, and eating places dotted alongside the streets, that are the very best puts to clutch a chew to devour and watch the arena pass via. This a part of the city is even prettier when the solar begins to move down, as fairy lighting fixtures make each and every boulevard much more magical.
For a possibility to peer the entirety forfree,this 2-hour strolling excursion leads you via Gjirokaster’s bustling Cerciz Topulli Sq. and the Outdated Bazaar, earlier than hiking as much as the hilltop majesty of Gjirokaster Fortress — with various attention-grabbing tales and hidden gem stones alongside the best way.
I exploit the website Guruwalk to search out loose strolling excursions. Those excursions aren’t solely ‘loose’ however tips-based. Simply understand that for many guides, that is their full-time task and due to this fact best supply of source of revenue. So pay reasonably!
4. Seek advice from the Skenduli Area
The most productive position to peer the Ottoman structure up-close is the Skenduli Area, an original Gjirokaster house that have been in the similar circle of relatives for generations — and now become a small museum.
Constructed within the 1700s via a rich Ottoman administrator, the home displays the circle of relatives’s standing with its 9 fireplaces, 6 toilets, 12 rooms, 44 doorways, 64 home windows, and four Turkish baths—the extra fireplaces, the higher the wealth.
The circle of relatives was once compelled out when the Communists seized the home in 1981, turning it into the Ethnographic Museum. It was once returned in 1993 and has remained open to guests ever since.
Skenduli Home is these days nonetheless operated via a descendant of its authentic homeowners, who you’ll most definitely be guided via while you discuss with.
All the way through the loose strolling excursion, you’ll be given an perception into lifestyles in Gjirokaster all over the 1700s as you discover bedrooms, dwelling areas, and a bunker, however the premier room, entire with a fire and frescoes.
5. Ismail Kadare’s space
Past the architectural great thing about centuries-old mansions, the Ismail Kadare Area holds deep cultural heritage as the house the place one in all Albania’s biggest literary minds, Ismail Kadare, lived and wrote.
In 2019 his space in Tirana, the place wrote many of the books, was once reworked right into a museum and opened to the general public.
The home itself is described intimately in his e-book Chronicle in Stone, the place the little Kadare status via the window viewing his grandparents, townspeople, and lots of scenes from Global Warfare II.
Architecturally, it displays the options of a Nineteenth-century Gjirokastra space, with a stone roof, arched corridors, and picket main points. Inside of, it will get much more fascinating with many authentic items belonging to the circle of relatives in addition to Kadare’s authentic learn about, private library, and manuscripts.
A discuss with right here provides an extraordinary alternative to discover the cradle of this sensible historic determine— and to understand this small mountain town which galvanized such influential minds.
6. Revel in the eerie Chilly Warfare Tunnel
When Gjirokaster local Enver Hoxha turned into an increasing number of paranoid about international invasion all over the Nineteen Seventies, he started construction numerous bunkers right through Albania, together with the Chilly Warfare Tunnel.
This 59-room pit was once constructed to refuge the likes of presidency officers and elite individuals of society from possible nuclear assaults. It stays very a lot in its authentic state these days, minus some stolen furnishings.
Excursions run each hour and closing for round half-hour, all over which your information provides you with some background data and a proof of more than a few rooms within the bunker.
If I will be able to come up with one piece of recommendation, it’s to convey a jacket or cover-up of a few type, because it’s beautiful cold in right here even if it’s a blistering 95°F out of doors.
7. Take a four wheel drive jeep excursion into the valleys
This was once in truth my favourite job all over my keep right here, even though I must say it was once a customized excursion that’s run via the landlord of Stone Town Hostel, so it’s most certainly best to be had in case you keep on this hostel. (When you’re no longer, most likely you’ll be able to discover a equivalent excursion introduced in the neighborhood.)
The hostel proprietor took a couple of people into the within sight geographical region in his 4×4 car. It was once actually an off-the-beaten-track enjoy, since one of the vital roads to the villages have been unpaved and we have been very a ways from the rest remotely ‘touristy’.
The commute lasted the entire day, taking us to a hidden waterfall, a small Byzantine church with beautiful frescoes, and a nonetheless most commonly unexcavated Roman town, amongst many different small points of interest.
Heading deeper into the Albanian geographical region and getting a snapshot of rural lifestyles was once unbelievable. The excursion was once most commonly about small points of interest, however in case you would experience going to a few faraway position to peer a forgotten, crumbling Ottoman stone bridge, or an deserted communist monument, then this one’s for you.
8. Browse the department stores at Gjirokaster Bazaar
Inside the Outdated The city lies the Gjirokaster Bazaar. Now, simply to set expectancies, this isn’t some massive roofed buying groceries area as you may consider from bazaars in Turkey or Morocco. That is in reality simply two streets coated with small stores, even though they’re within the actual historical location the place traders collected since precedent days.
Having as soon as stood as a conventional market for locals for centuries, these days, the winding streets of the bazaar most commonly cater to vacationers.
That is the place you’ll need to top off on souvenirs, as there are tons of retail outlets promoting distinctive trinkets and colourful keepsakes, from patterned carpets and hand-crafted jewellery to ceramics and works of art.
Whilst you’ve had sufficient retail treatment, head to one of the vital ice cream parlors or bakeries and select up a candy or savory deal with.
9. Step Throughout the Bazaar Mosque
When Gjirokaster was once below Ottoman rule, town boasted fifteen mosques, maximum of which existed up till Albania turned into a communist state. These kind of puts of worship have been destroyed all over this time, except for the Bazaar Mosque.
Except you follow Islam, you’ll be able to’t input all over prayer occasions, however you’ll regularly in finding other people worshipping at any time of the day, and you may even come across the imam all over your discuss with.
At the present, the mosque is loose for all to go into, even though it’s necessary to keep in mind to decorate conservatively and make sure your shoulders and knees are coated while you arrive.
10. Take an afternoon commute to Permet
Handiest an hour from Gjirokaster, the nonetheless little-known town of Permet is the very best base for nature reports. Whilst it’s essential to keep there in a single day (and I’ve a complete shuttle information devoted to Permet), it’s also properly inside of day commute vary of Gjirokaster in case you don’t need to alternate lodging too regularly.
Permet is in the course of the brand new Vjosa Wild River Nationwide Park, which protects one in all Europe’s closing ultimate in point of fact wild rivers. The most productive factor to do in Permet is to pass down the Vjosa on a rafting commute.
When you’ve by no means rafted earlier than, don’t fear — this job may be very out there because the river is reasonably calm all over the spring/summer season vacationer season. Call to mind it as kayaking or river tubing via gorgeous surroundings, with an occasional fast thrown in.
But even so rafting, the opposite impressive job in Permet is to hike up the Langarica Canyon, during which runs one of the vital Vjosa’s tributaries. This hike a few of the steep rocky partitions is definitely one in all my favourite in Albania.
There’s additionally this guided excursion that combines the canyon trek with a soak in Permet’s thermal baths, so that you get each journey and sit back time. It’s an effective way to peer the uncooked landscapes up shut after which loosen up within the heat, mineral-rich waters. You’ll be able to even get picked up from Gjirokastër or Sarandë in case you’re no longer staying on the town.
11. Recognize Albanian delicacies with a culinary elegance
When you fancy attempting one thing slightly other, throw your apron on and be informed some recipes that you’ll be able to blow their own horns for your family members again house to your go back!
Albania has some critically tasty meals, however Gjirokaster additionally has a few of its personal specialties, similar to qifqi, shapkat, and japrak. Cooking categories are all the time such a lot a laugh, although you’re a whole beginner and don’t charge your culinary talents very extremely.
To whip up some Albanian favorites, take a look at this local-focused elegance. Alternatively, this vegetarian elegance is a superb selection if you desire to pass meat-free, and it even comprises some complimentary raki. For the ones of you who have not begun to take a look at raki, that is Albania’s selfmade, generally very robust, spirit of selection.
12. Hike to the Ali Pasha Bridge
In spite of being a much less visited spot than one of the vital different puts in this listing, trekking as much as the Ali Pasha Bridge is without doubt one of the most sensible issues I’ve accomplished in Gjirokaster.
This stone bridge is the one remnant of the Nineteenth-century aqueduct that introduced recent water into town and is without doubt one of the maximum outstanding websites out of doors of the Outdated The city.
You’ll need to take on a brief however hard hike to achieve the bridge, with some rocky and steep patches alongside the best way, even though it must best take you round 30-40 mins to finish.
Head off early within the day in case you’re making the trek all over the summer season, as there’s little or no color for many of the path.
P.S. Someone with a terror of heights must be warned that the trail around the bridge is freed from fencing, which can also be beautiful unnerving.
13. Appreciate the brilliant Blue Eye
Situated round an hour’s pressure from Gjiokaster is that this herbal spring with crystal transparent blue waters that wish to be noticed to be believed!
Aptly referred to as the Blue Eye, this herbal phenomenon is relatively magical and because of its visible attraction predictably options relatively regularly on social media. Simply know that it has turn into one in all Albania’s maximum liked sights, so it could actually get slightly crowded from time to time.
Although a number of Albanian legends inform the tale of the way this website got here to be, the water comes from an underwater cave, which paperwork the scholar of the ‘eye.’ Divers have made it to 50 meters underneath the skin of the spring, however it stays unknown simply how deep the water is going.
To offer protection to the readability of the water, swimming isn’t allowed right here. Sadly, many of us proceed to forget the foundations, and it’s no longer unusual to peer other people bathing or leaping in.
The Blue Eye is situated more or less midway between Gjirokaster and Sarande, so in case you’re heading to the coast it’s a very easy position to try at the means. I must point out that there are two puts referred to as the Blue Eye in Albania — the opposite is sort of 300km additional north within the Albanian Alps, so in case you’re checking the photographs first, be certain that which one you’re taking a look at.
