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Gjirokastër & Blue Eye Spring Day Trip

5.079 Google reviewsDay trip from Saranda or Ksamil

If you only have one day away from the beach, this is the one to take. We head inland through the Drino valley to Gjirokastër, the 'city of stone': a UNESCO old town of slate-roofed mansions climbing a mountainside, crowned by one of the biggest castles in the Balkans.

Itinerary

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

  1. 08:30

    Pickup in Saranda / Ksamil

    Air-conditioned minivan inland through the Muzina Pass; the valley views start almost immediately.

  2. 10:00

    Gjirokastër Castle

    Walk the great vaulted galleries, see the old artillery collection, and look out over the whole Drino valley.

  3. 11:45

    Old Bazaar & Skenduli House

    Free time in the craft bazaar, then a guided visit of a 300-year-old tower house with its original painted rooms.

  4. 13:15

    Traditional lunch

    Qifqi (herbed rice balls), slow-baked lamb and mountain salads in a family-run restaurant in the old town.

  5. 15:00

    The Blue Eye

    A shaded riverside walk to the spring. Time for photos, a coffee at the kiosk, and (for the brave) a toe in the 10°C water.

  6. 17:30

    Return to the coast

    Back in Saranda or Ksamil by early evening.

Experience & Highlights

  • Gjirokastër fortress and its panoramic battlements
  • The bazaar quarter's stone mansions and craft shops
  • Skenduli House: an Ottoman mansion tour by the family that owns it
  • The Blue Eye spring viewpoint and forest walk
  • Lunch of local qifqi rice balls, found only in Gjirokastër

Full Description

On the way back we stop at Syri i Kaltër, the Blue Eye: an ice-cold karst spring that wells up from more than fifty metres down into a deep blue pool. Photos don't do it justice.

What's included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • English-speaking guide
  • Castle and Skenduli House tickets
  • Blue Eye park entry
  • Lunch with soft drinks

Not included

  • Souvenirs and coffee stops
  • Gratuities

Good to know

  • Swimming in the Blue Eye itself is prohibited; it's a protected monument.
  • The old town involves steep cobbled streets; wear grippy shoes.
  • Private versions of this trip run on request, any day of the week.

Good questions, honest answers

Is Gjirokastër worth a day trip from Saranda?

Very much. It's one of Albania's two UNESCO old towns, about an hour inland from Saranda, and it feels completely different from the coast: slate roofs, a huge hilltop fortress and Ottoman mansions you can walk through. Combined with the Blue Eye on the way back, it's the best-value culture day in the south.

Can you visit Gjirokastër and the Blue Eye in one day?

Yes, comfortably. The two sit on the same road from Saranda: we spend the morning and lunch in Gjirokastër's castle and bazaar, then stop at the Blue Eye spring for about an hour on the return leg. You're back on the coast by early evening without the day feeling rushed.

How far is Gjirokastër from Saranda?

About 60 km, or roughly an hour and a quarter of driving through the Muzina Pass and the Drino valley. The Blue Eye is on the way, around 25 minutes from Saranda, which is why the two pair so well as a single day trip.

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