Saranda:Lekursi Castle, Blue Eye, Gjirokaster & More Tour
Description
▶️Daily tour includes six places.Starting from Saranda 8.50am return 18.00pm. Embark on an unforgettable full-day filled with local stories, laughter, memories that will last a lifetime. 1️⃣Lekuresi Castle is a historical monument built from Ottoman Empire to protect the area from foreign invaders. 2️⃣Mesopotam Monastery a site dating from the 11th–13th centuries that reflects Albania’s rich religious heritage 3️⃣Blue Eye is a water spring and natural phenomenon,with clear blue water. You can walk along the forest to admire the beautiful nature. 4️⃣Ottoman Bridge and communist-era Bunkers to glimpse the country’s diverse history. 5️⃣Gjirokastër, a Unesco World Heritage city known for its cobbled streets, stone houses, and imposing castle. It is a unique fascinating destination for travelers in history, culture and architecture. ▶️Travel in comfortable luxurious, air-conditioned Mercedes Vito Tourer Minivans, guided by an English-speaking expert. ▶️In return drop off at your hotel.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Lëkurësi Castle is a historic hilltop fortress overlooking the coastal city of Saranda in southern Albania. Built in the 16th century during the time of Suleiman the Magnificent, the castle offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Ionian Sea, the city of Saranda, and nearby Corfu. Today, it is a popular destination where visitors can enjoy history, beautiful sunsets, and traditional local cuisine in a unique setting.
Monastery of Saint Nicholas is a historic Byzantine monastery located in the village of **Mesopotam**, near **Saranda** in southern **Albania**. Nestled in a scenic natural setting, the monastery is known for its ancient stone architecture and serene atmosphere, offering visitors a glimpse into Albania’s rich religious and cultural heritage.
Blue Eye is one of the most famous natural attractions in southern Albania. This stunning natural spring is known for its crystal-clear turquoise water that resembles the shape and color of a human eye. Surrounded by lush forest and untouched nature, the Blue Eye offers a peaceful and refreshing atmosphere, making it a perfect stop for visitors exploring the region near Saranda.
The Kordhoca Bridge is a charming Ottoman-era stone bridge located just outside Gjirokastër. Surrounded by natural beauty, it offers visitors a peaceful atmosphere and a glimpse into Albania’s rich historical heritage.
GJIROKASTER, a city rich in history and renowned for its well-preserved Ottoman architecture. Wander through streets lined with stone-built houses resembling small fortresses, and visit the imposing castle and picturesque cobblestone streets leading to the old bazaar. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gjirokaster is the perfect place to savor traditional Albanian cuisine and reflect on the cultural and historical significance of your journey.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(17)
Great trip! Our guide was funny and informative. The stops were beautiful, and we had such a great day. Highly recommend.
Ilir is fabulous and we had such a wonderful day touring around the big hits of southern Albania. He is incredibly informative, deeply personable and a lovely chap. Have left with a much greater understanding of Albanian history and culture and would highly recommend this tour to anyone!
And absolutely amazing a day, our best day so far in Albania. Our guide Ilir was very knowledgeable, funny and helpful. He made our day so bright and beautiful. We had the best time and would highly recommend this tour to everyone! Ilir was also very helpful for anything you wanted or might need outside the tour. He sent us resources even after the tour to help us with the rest of our trip. 100/10 experience. Thank you Ilir 🙏
We had an absolutely wonderful holiday in Saranda. This tour to the Blue Eye and Gjirokaster was well organized with lots of interesting information about every stop and it's history. The guide Ilir is very friendly, helpful and serviceminded. He does his best to make the tour enjoyable and unforgettable. Nice cars, driven by experienced drivers. We would highly recommend this tour to everyone travelling to Saranda, you will not be disappointed! Thank you Ilir for the great experience! 🙏
This was a packed day visiting lots of sites, for views, history, nature and cultural towns. What makes this tour special is the guide, Ilir, who has a great manner, personality and passion for his country. This is a packed day, ticking off the best sights so be prepared for a long day, bring water, hat and sunglasses. We opted to walk to and from the blue eye which took 20 mins each way. The path is paved but there is little shade so can be tiring in the heat. Alternatively you could take the tourist train both ways (300 Lek each way). Similarly, you can do as much or as little walking around Gjirokaster as you want. It is hilly and the castle is at the top! It costs 400 Lek each for the castle, we spent about 1hr there and thought it was worth it.
Amazing day trip with our knowledgeable guide Ilir. The guide told us about Albania in a very passionate way. He explained everything along the way and on the stops we made in an interesting way. Enough time on each stop to walk around. The minivan was comfortable and it was easy to find one of the pickup points. On the way back he dropped us off at our accommodations. The best tour if you wish to see the Blue Eye, Gjirokaster and other places around Saranda I recommend everyone to make this tour! Thank you Ilir
This a perfect tour to discover Albania in a comfortable way. Luxury mini vand with aircondition and an interested and knowledgeable English speaking Albanian guide. Thank you Ilir for a day in paradise!
A very warm man who was happy to share what his country offers with tourists. He is able to blend historic, facts and current affairs, even when some are heavy. His restaurant recommendation in Gjirocastër was 10/10. Make sure you try "oshaf" (if you not are allergic to dairy, nuts or figs). It was delicious!!! Faleminderit nga zembra, Ilir!
Best tour we have ever done in Albania so far because the tour guide (Ilir) was excellent! He is so knowledgeable about the places, gave us great food recommendations, and is fun to be around. I would definitely recommend this tour!
This experience includes several different parts of different character and gives a good insight into Albania's nature and history. English speaking guide who cares about the participants, comfortable minibuses with air conditioning. Highly recommended!
