Gjirokastër & the Blue Eye

Itinerary

Times are approximate. The day adapts to you: more time where you like it, less where you don't.

1. Tirana → Blue Eye → Gjirokastër → Tirana

   1. 07:00

      Early pickup in Tirana

      An early start to make the most of the day; we head south on the motorway via Fier.

   2. ~3 h drive

      10:00

      Coffee at Uji i Ftohtë, Tepelenë

      Stretch your legs at the cold-water springs beside the Vjosa river near Tepelenë — a classic stop with cafés and restaurants.

   3. ~1 h 15 min drive

      11:30

      The Blue Eye

      A natural spring where water wells up from a deep karst hole, glowing in shades of blue and turquoise. From the car park it is about a 2 km (20-minute) walk through the woods. Swimming is not allowed.

   4. ~45 min drive

      13:30

      Lunch in Gjirokastër

      Lunch in the old town — try qifqi, Gjirokastër's rice balls with egg and herbs.

   5. ~10 min on foot

      14:30

      Gjirokastër Castle

      A huge fortress above the Drino valley. Inside you'll find the Museum of Armaments, the former prison and a US Air Force T-33 jet that landed in Albania in 1957.

   6. ~10 min on foot

      15:45

      Old Bazaar & Skenduli House

      Wander the steep cobbled lanes of the Old Bazaar, among the stone-roofed houses that earned Gjirokastër the name 'City of Stone'. Visit the Skenduli House, a traditional Ottoman-era tower house — or, alternatively, the Cold War Tunnel beneath the castle.

   7. ~3 h 45 min drive

      20:45

      Back in Tirana

      We leave Gjirokastër at around 17:00 and drive back to Tirana, with a short break on the way.