Itineraries
Where to stay
Sarandë town for the seafront and day trips; Ksamil for beaches near Butrint; Gjirokastër old town for a night in the stone city.
The areas: Sarandë town center, Ksamil, Gjirokastër old town.
Where to stay in Sarandë: areas and adviceHotels in SarandëPlaces to see
All things to do in AlbaniaMuseumArms Museum, GjirokastërA museum of weapons from 1912 to 1945 in part of the old prison inside Gjirokastër Castle.Entry: Included with the castle visit: check on arrival
NatureBlue Eye springA karst spring in Muzinë, about 18 km from Sarandë, whose water rises from over 45 m in a deep blue circle.Entry: Check access on arrival
RuinsButrint National ParkA UNESCO site where Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian ruins sit beside a lagoon and forest.Entry: ALL[fee]
RuinsGjirokastër Castle, GjirokastërOne of Albania's largest castles above the Drino valley, holding the Arms Museum and an American aircraft.Entry: ALL[fee]
BeachKsamil beachesClear-water beaches near Sarandë, with small islands that boats and canoes can reach.Entry: Check access on arrival
ViewpointLëkurësi CastleAn Ottoman castle of 1537 above Sarandë, with a view over the town, the coast and the Ionian Sea.Entry: ALL[fee]
RuinsMonastery of the 40 SaintsThe medieval monastery above the town that gave Sarandë its name.Entry: Check access on arrival
MarketOld Bazaar, GjirokastërThe Ottoman trading lanes of the stone city, with small shops of crafts, local products and souvenirs.Entry: Pay as you go
RuinsPorto Palermo CastleA triangular castle of Ali Pasha above a sheltered bay on the Riviera between Himara and Qeparo.Entry: ALL[fee]
RuinsSarandë Synagogue ruinsFoundations and walls of an ancient synagogue in the middle of town, a trace of Sarandë's Jewish community.Entry: Check access on arrival
FoodSarandë town center and seafrontThe seafront of the Ionian town facing Corfu, where Mediterranean cooking is part of the local identity.Entry: Pay as you go
MuseumSkënduli House, GjirokastërA tower house with double walls and decorated ceilings, shown on a guided tour of 18th and 19th century life.Entry: ALL[fee]
MuseumZekate House, GjirokastërAn early 19th-century tower house of the Zeko family, with carved ceilings, fireplaces and reception rooms.Entry: ALL[fee]