Albania · GJIROKASTER TOURS

The 15 Best Gjirokastër Tours & Day Trips

26 tours  ·  from $17

The stone town is a steep half day and the valley around it is the other half. These 15 sort the castle and bazaar walks, the Blue Eye combinations and the long runs down from Tirana, with prices and journey times.

Gjirokastra- The Stone City & Blue Eye- The monument of Nature. - The bazaar, where the town feels most alive
Blue Eye Tours, City Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews

Gjirokastra- The Stone City & Blue Eye- The monument of Nature.

1.The Stone City & Blue Eye- The monument of Nature.

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 180 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $71Our pick

Travel from Saranda to Gjirokastër and the Blue Eye with hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, entrance tickets, and an English-speaking guide. You’ll see the castle, bazaar, Skenduli House, and Cold War tunnel, then visit Albania’s striking natural spring. Guides such as Marsia and Marisa are local to the area.

“This is a full day but an excellent way to get to know Southern Albania. Our guide Marisa was absolutely amazing, giving us loads of information on Albania and available to answer all our questions. Both Blue Eye and Gjirokaskra are great places to visit. Gjirokaskra was the highlight of our visit to Albania, fabulous town with plenty of time to explore and have a great lunch in one of the local restaurants. Clean, comfortable mini van and we were dropped off at our hotel on the way back to Saranda. Highly recommended.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Gjirokastra UNESCO & Ksamil Beach - From Tirana/Durres/Golem - The early road south and the first useful stop
Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews, UNESCO Heritage Tours

Gjirokastra UNESCO & Ksamil Beach – From Tirana/Durres/Golem

2.Gjirokastra UNESCO & Ksamil Beach – From Tirana/Durres/Golem

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · 12 to 13 hours (approx.) · from $58Top rated

Spend a long but rewarding day traveling from Tirana, Durrës, or Golem to Gjirokastër and Ksamil. Explore the Stone City, browse its bazaar, then swim, eat, or take a boat near Albania’s southern coast. Guides such as Bledi, Klajdi, Ervin, and Antonio are known for lively stories and practical help.

“Long busy day but so amazing. The day was very nice, there is lots of driving involved but still a great experience ! A must see!!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

1-Day Tour in Blue Eye, Monastery, Gjirokaster and Lekursi Castle - The Mesopotamia monastery and its unusual double apse
1-Day Tours, Blue Eye Tours, Castle Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

1-Day Tour in Blue Eye, Monastery, Gjirokaster and Lekursi Castle

3.1-Day Tour in Blue Eye, Monastery, Gjirokaster and Lekursi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews · 6 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $44

From Saranda, join a small group of up to eight people for a 6 to 8 hour trip through southern Albania. You’ll visit the Blue Eye spring, Gjirokaster, a Byzantine monastery, and Lekursi Castle. A licensed English-speaking guide, often including Ilmi Hasani, handles the driving and gives you free time at each stop.

“Incredible excursion with the best guide in the world. We have loved the truth that for that price it is gifted. The sites are beautiful and the guide goodismAuto-translated”

Check availability →Read our full review

Gjirokastra, Blue Eye, Ksamil & Saranda - Day Tour from Tirana - The Blue Eye: a striking spring with limited time
Blue Eye Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Gjirokastra, Blue Eye, Ksamil & Saranda – Day Tour from Tirana

4.Gjirokastra, Blue Eye, Ksamil & Saranda – Day Tour from Tirana

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 47 reviews · 12 to 13 hours (approx.) · from $198

Travel from Tirana or Durres in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide, stopping at Gjirokastra Castle, the Blue Eye, Ksamil, and Saranda. You get Ottoman streets, a striking spring, Ionian beaches, and coastal views in one packed day. The group is limited to eight, but the drive can take most of the day.

“This tour is a long one as it starts at 7.30am and ends at about 9.30pm as these places are in the southern tip of Albania where the roads are not so good. But our guide had 3 years experience and was reasonably good. He just seemed a little tired due to the long day. He gave good recommendations for road stops and was flexible enough to allow us time in Seranda to meet a friend for lunch. I think the Blue Eye was worth a visit and Saranda is a touristy seaside town with good restaurants. But I cannot say Ksamil was worth visiting as it is a small…”

Check availability →Read our full review

Blue Eye, Gjirokaster & Lekures | Private & Small Group Tours - Gjirokastër Castle and the stone city
Blue Eye Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Private, Tour Reviews, Tours

Blue Eye, Gjirokaster & Lekures | Private & Small Group Tours

5.Blue Eye, Gjirokaster & Lekures | Private & Small Group Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · 6 hours 20 minutes to 8 hours 20 minutes (approx.) · from $134

Travel from Saranda with local guide Ari to Gjirokaster, the Blue Eye spring, and Lekuresi Castle. Expect private round-trip transport, entrance fees, snacks, water, photo stops, and a flexible pace. The tour suits visitors who want history, nature, and sunset views in one long day.

“Ari is an amazing tour guide. Informative, kind, patient, funny. It was truly a treat to go on this tour and spend the day exploring the beautiful country of Albania. Thank you so much Ari for all of the memories and information about Albania. I learned and experienced so much in just one day. Highly recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Tour Gjirokaster,Blue Eye & Lekursi Castle - Gjirokaster, Albania’s stone-built hill town
Blue Eye Tours, Castle Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Tour Gjirokaster,Blue Eye & Lekursi Castle

6.Tour Gjirokaster,Blue Eye & Lekursi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 39 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $41

Travel from Saranda to Gjirokaster, the Blue Eye, and Lekursi Castle in an air-conditioned vehicle. Guides such as Jona and Orlando have earned praise for friendly service and clear local insight. Expect mountain roads, a 1.5-kilometer walk at the Blue Eye, optional train transport, and a day that may run 8 hours.

“What a day with Jona! She is just precious! The drive from the port was quite long but we enjoyed the castle. Then the drive to the Blue Eye was insane! Take your Dramamine before this tour! The Blue Eye was pretty but be sure to take the train for €5 if you cannot walk a couple of miles. Then we drove another 20 minutes to Lukersi (spelling??) for a quick overlook and back to the ship. Total time was 9:00 am to 3:15 on the ship. Long day but overall we saw and learned a lot. Just take your Dramamine!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Gjirokastra & Bylis Illyrian City Day tour Tirana/Durres/Golem - Bylis: Illyrian ruins above the Vjosa valley
City Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Gjirokastra & Bylis Illyrian City Day tour Tirana/Durres/Golem

7.Gjirokastra & Bylis Illyrian City Day tour Tirana/Durres/Golem

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $65

Travel by air-conditioned vehicle from Tirana, Durrës, or Golem to ancient Bylis and UNESCO-listed Gjirokastër. You’ll see Illyrian ruins, the stone-roofed old town, the bazaar, and Gjirokastër Castle. Guides such as Giulio, Skerdi, and Xhuliano are praised for personal stories and clear explanations.

“Easily my favorite day trip during my stay in Albania. Really beautiful scenery throughout the south. And Xhuljano was an extremely knowledgeable and friendly guide. Grateful for the experience!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Walking Tour Baazar – The Argjiro Castle – Zekate house - Spending an hour inside Gjirokastra Castle
Castle Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Walking Tour Baazar – The Argjiro Castle – Zekate house

8.Walking Tour Baazar – The Argjiro Castle – Zekate house

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 18 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $16Best value

Meet Experience Gjirokastra at 9:30 am for a three-hour walk through Gjirokaster’s old bazaar, castle, and Zekate House. Guides such as Blerim Topuli and Arli have been praised for local insight and good English. The $16.82 price covers the guide, but castle and house admission fees are extra.

“Bieren (? spelling) was excellent. Besides being a great guy, he has an obvious passion for the history of what we were seeing, and could expound off of any question we asked. Quite enjoyable.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Tirana: Day Tour of Gjirokastër and Blue Eye - Cold Water Springs in Tepelenë
Blue Eye Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Tirana: Day Tour of Gjirokastër and Blue Eye

9.Day Tour of Gjirokastër and Blue Eye

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 13 reviews · from $114

Travel from Tirana, Durres, or Golem with an English-speaking guide in a small group of up to eight. See Tepelenë’s Cold Water Springs, Gjirokastër’s Old Bazaar and castle, Skenduli House, and the Blue Eye near Saranda, with lunch at a local eatery and hotel pickup included.

“The tour was fantastic. The guide, Besnik, took us everywhere we asked, even beyond what was in the description. I injured myself on the trip. Besnik took care of me when I needed medical help and he also managed the other tour group members at the same time. He was very kind to everyone! Gjirokaster and Blue Eye are beautiful, enchanting places to visit. 100% recommendation!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Cooking Class - Preparing OSA pasta with lamb
Cooking Classes, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews, Workshops

Cooking Class

10.Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $54

In Gjirokaster’s medieval bazaar, you’ll prepare two traditional dishes and a dessert with family-run host Edua.gjirokaster. Expect qifqi rice balls, OSA pasta with lamb, and hasude, plus mountain spices, teas, appetizers, and local stories. The private class lasts about two hours, includes written recipes, and ends with a meal you cooked yourself.

“Really fun ~1hr cooking class where we learnt a lot about the culture of Gjirokaster and Albania and then ate our delicious meal in the restaurant after. Thank you for the great experience!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Blue Eye and Gjirokaster, Half Day Nature & Historical Tour - Walking to the Blue Eye spring
Blue Eye Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Half-Day, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Blue Eye and Gjirokaster, Half Day Nature & Historical Tour

11.Blue Eye and Gjirokaster, Half Day Nature & Historical Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 6 hours to 6 hours 40 minutes (approx.) · from $162

Travel from Saranda or Ksamil with guide Denis and a group of no more than five. Walk to the cold Blue Eye spring, tour Gjirokaster Castle, browse the old Bazaar, and enjoy homemade Albanian food at a family restaurant. Expect about six hours, with admission tickets included.

“Denis was amazing. He was very knowledgeable and we had a great time! He catered the tour to our request kind, ensured we were given history as we traveled, and took us to the best places for pictures at each stop.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Visit the City of Gjirokastra - From Saranda pickup to Gjirokastra’s stone streets
City Tours, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews

Visit the City of Gjirokastra

12.Visit the City of Gjirokastra

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $92

Travel from Saranda to Gjirokastra with a live English-speaking guide and air-conditioned transport. You’ll visit the castle, Ethnographic Museum, House of Zakat and Scaly, and Ismail Kadare’s house, with free time to explore. Driver Sula and guide Dennis are named in the tour feedback, while museum tickets cost extra.

“Gjitokaster is a true matvel and so rich in history from the narrow alleys to the statues to the castle. And the views are breathtaking. Albania is such an underappreciated country. Its still so natural in many places and the landscape is fantastic. Our driver Sula was great and our tourguide Dennis was very knowledgeable all along the way to Gjirokaster and when visiting the town.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Vegetarian Cooking Class @Teta Marjeta - Cooking with translation and a small group
Cooking Classes, Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews, Vegan & Vegetarian, Workshops

Vegetarian Cooking Class @Teta Marjeta

13.Vegetarian Cooking Class @Teta Marjeta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $56

Meet your guide at Cerciz Topulli Square, walk into Gjirokaster’s old bazaar quarter, and cook three local vegetarian dishes with Teta Marjeta: Qofte bobollaqe, Qifqi, and Hasude. An English translator helps bridge the language gap, and the class ends with a shared meal, drinks, recipes, and a warm slice of home life.

“The highlight of the experience was Marieta – she was definitely a character: joyful, cheeky, and so much fun! We were welcomed by a friendly translator who stayed with us throughout, which added to the experience. They answered all of our questions, and additional dishes accompanied what we made.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Walking Tour “The Old Bazaar, Cfake, Dunavat, Ali Pasha Bridge" - The Old Bazaar that is no longer a bazaar
Gjirokaster Tours, Markets, Shopping Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Walking Tour “The Old Bazaar, Cfake, Dunavat, Ali Pasha Bridge”

14.Walking Tour “The Old Bazaar, Cfake, Dunavat, Ali Pasha Bridge”

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $18

Starting at Cerciz Topulli Square, this three-hour English walking tour follows cobbled lanes beneath Gjirokaster Castle, passes the old Bazaar, Cfaka, historic houses, and a Bektashi tekke, then reaches viewpoints of Ali Pasha Bridge. Guides such as Arli, Viki, Marco, and Mario bring local history and daily life into the walk.

“Super fijne gids die goed Engels spreekt. Veel nieuwe informatie en er werd ook levendig verteld, waardoor het erg boeiend was.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Wood Crafting Experience in Gjirokastra - From a blank page to a carved design
Gjirokaster Tours, Tour Reviews

Wood Crafting Experience in Gjirokastra

15.Wood Crafting Experience in Gjirokastra

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $57

Meet your host at Cerciz Topulli Square, then walk three minutes to Master Nurce Workshop. With instructor Viktor and an English-speaking translator, you will learn about local wood, sketch a design, and carve a small sign or other wooden piece to take home. The class lasts about two hours and fifteen minutes, with refreshments included.

“This was such an incredible experience and one of the highlights of my time in Albania! The instructor and translator were both kind and helpful and we had great conversations in addition to the woodworking being fun. I felt like I learned a lot about Albania through this experience.”

Check availability →Read our full review

New in Gjirokaster Tours

★ 5.0Gjirokastra Private Half-Day Walking TourFrom $343 reviews
★ 4.5The Stone City of UNESCO, Private Tour from TiranaFrom $1834 reviews
★ 4.52-Hours Guided Drino’s Valley RideFrom $705 reviews
★ 4.5Private Cold War City Tour in GjirokasterFrom $754 reviews
★ 5.0Gjirokaster walking Tour The Old Baazar, Cfake, Dunavat, Ali Pasha BridgeFrom $184 reviews

Keep browsing

Blue Eye Tours44Cruises & Boat Tours23Food & Drink26Wine Tours17Castle Tours30Walking Tours25
Scroll to Top

Explore Albania

Pick a coast, a canyon or a kitchen.

Stone towns

BeratGjirokastërButrintKrujëCastles

On the water

Vlorë SpeedboatsSea CavesSnorkellingThe Blue EyeBoat Days

Food and raki

Food ToursCooking ClassesWine TastingsMarket MorningsTirana Food Walks

Mountains

The Albanian AlpsHikingOsumi CanyonsRaftingParagliding