Gjirokastra, Blue Eye and Lekuresi Castle Full Day Tour, from Saranda

The austere and beautiful town of Gjirokastra began to spread downhill from its castle in the 13th century. The castle still stands on its hill, overlooking the whole city and the river valley below. From that lofty point, the grey stone of the houses below and the grey slates of their roofs blend into the hillside, distinguished from it only by their whitewashed walls. As one of the city's most famous sons Ismail Kadare, wrote in Chronicle in Stone, Gjirokastra is "a surprising city, which seemed as if it had come out of the valley unexpectedly, like a prehistoric being, and clambered up with difficulty, stitching itself on the side of the mountain". Gjirokastra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2005. It had been awarded the status of a 'museum-city' by the Albanian government, which gave legal protection to its architectural heritage and kept new building out of the historic center. Thanks to this, and no doubt also to its steep cobbled streets, the town has preserved its charming atmosphere.

•Your 6-hour tour begins when you are picked-up at your selected location (from your hotel or Saranda port, if you are visiting the town on a cruise ship, or you are a daily visitor). •Our first stop is the Stone City of Gjirokastra. The trip there won't take more than 65-75 minutes. We will visit the old bazaar, walking around the cobbled streets and visiting one or two museum houses that shall surprise you with their architecture and well-hidden secrets. Next, we will see a castle and visit a weapons museum. •On our return, we can make a stop at a traditional restaurant if desired. •As we start our trip back to Saranda we will stop to visit a wonder of nature, Blue Eye, a water spring and natural phenomenon that features clear, blue water bubbling from the bottom of an immensely deep pool. •Your last stop will be in the Castle of Lekuresi, where you will have the chance to take fabulous photos of the town from high above. The panorama of sea, lake and horizon is magical.