Ervaar Blue Eye, Lekuresi Castle en Taste Traditional Albanian Wine
Beschrijving
Ervaar een privétour op maat met authentieke lokale smaak. Tijdens deze tour ervaar je de schoonheid van de Albanese natuur, het kristalheldere water van Blue Eye en adembenemende uitzichten over de horizon vanaf het kasteel van Lekuresi. Je krijgt ook een voorproefje van traditioneel Albanees eten en drinken, zoals wijn en raki. *Minimum aantal reizigers per boeking is 2. *Voor individuele reizigers geldt een toeslag.
Rondreisopties
Reisroute
Het kasteel ligt op een strategische heuvel en biedt een panoramisch uitzicht op Saranda, de Ionische Zee en de eilanden Ksamil. Verken de historische ruïnes en hoor verhalen over het verleden van je gids.
Als je Blue Eye bezoekt, ervaar je een van de meest verbluffende natuurlijke wonderen van Albanië. Deze betoverende waterbron staat bekend om zijn levendige, diepblauwe kleur en kristalheldere water dat uit een mysterieus, diep karstgat tevoorschijn komt. Het omliggende natuurreservaat versterkt het gevoel van rust met zijn weelderige eiken- en platanenbossen, waardoor een serene achtergrond ontstaat die perfect is om te ontspannen of een ontspannen wandeling te maken. Als je de lente nadert, dragen het geluid van borrelend water en de koele, frisse lucht bij aan de sfeer, waardoor het een ideale plek is voor zowel natuurliefhebbers als fotografen. De intense kleur en helderheid van het water zijn boeiend en nodigen bezoekers uit om na te denken over de ongerepte diepten beneden. Dit bezoek biedt niet alleen de kans om een uniek geologisch fenomeen te zien, maar biedt ook een vredig toevluchtsoord in de natuur, zodat u kunt ontspannen en opnieuw verbinding kunt maken met de omgeving.
In de wijnkantine "Isak" duikt u in het hart van de Albanese wijnbouw en culinaire traditie. Deze charmante locatie biedt een gezellige, authentieke omgeving waar u een verscheidenheid aan lokaal geproduceerde wijnen kunt proeven, elk met een uniek smaakprofiel dat de essentie van het terroir van de regio weergeeft. De proeverij gaat gepaard met een assortiment traditionele Albanese gerechten, zorgvuldig bereid als aanvulling op de wijnen. De ervaring gaat niet alleen over proeven, maar ook over leren. Je krijgt de kans om uit de eerste hand te zien hoe de wijnen worden geproduceerd, van de druivenselectie tot het bottelen, en krijgt inzicht in de traditionele technieken en moderne praktijken die de lokale wijnbereiding definiëren. De warme en gastvrije sfeer van de kantine maakt het een perfecte plek om te ontspannen en te genieten van het rustige leven op het platteland.
Hoogtepunten
Wat is inbegrepen
Ophaallocaties en -tijden
We kunnen je ophalen in het stadscentrum van Saranda. We kunnen ook het ophalen en inleveren van hotels regelen. We kunnen u ook ophalen bij de haven van Saranda als u de stad bezoekt op een cruiseschip, aangezien ons kantoor net naast de haven ligt, of u bent een dagelijkse bezoeker die de stad binnenkomt vanaf een zeeweg zoals bijvoorbeeld vanuit Corfu. *Minimum aantal reizigers per boeking is 2. *Voor individuele reizigers geldt een toeslag.
Beoordelingen van reizigers
Belangrijke informatie
- Baby's en kleine kinderen kunnen in een wandel- of kinderwagen mee
- Opties voor openbaar vervoer zijn in de buurt aanwezig
- Er zijn speciale kinderzitjes beschikbaar
- Geschikt voor alle condities
Beoordelingen(22)
This was a really enjoyable tour in an area that feels like it’s on the cusp of welcoming a lot more visitors. The scenery throughout the day was beautiful, with a mix of countryside views and historic charm that made the whole experience feel special rather than rushed. The winery stop was the clear standout. It felt relaxed and well-paced, with a guided tour that was both informative and engaging, followed by a tasting that showcased a nice variety of wines. The snack spread was genuinely excellent — the kind you keep thinking about afterward — and we had plenty of time to sit, take in the setting, and enjoy it without feeling hurried. It ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the day. The castle views were another highlight. Seeing it from different angles made it feel even more impressive, and there were plenty of moments where it was worth just pausing to take everything in. Overall, the stops felt thoughtfully chosen and offered a good balance of culture, scenery, and leisure. At the start, things felt a bit disorganized. The train at the Blue Eye is cash-only and not included in the tour price, and with two buses involved, there was some initial confusion about which group to join. It all worked out in the end, but a bit more clarity upfront would have made the beginning smoother.
This tour was easy to make and everything went well for the most part. Once we got off our ship and walked to the street area there was a store where we checked in. There was no sign or direction and only found it because of the people gathered there. It was confirmed we were in the right place after I asked. Our bus ride was comfortable and our first stop was Lekuresi Castle. Beautiful views and happy to see our cruise ship in the port. From there we went to the Blue Eye. Our tour bus was one of the first to arrive. We walked from the parking lot to the area to buy tickets to take the small motorized train with regular tire wheels. You can walk to the Blue Eye area but that's about a 20 min walk each way. My friend has a hip issue so walking was not an option. After paying the small fee (I think it was $3 euros per person, each way) we had to wait a bit for the train to return since there was just one. More and more buses with people started to arrive as we waited for the train and was happy we arrived when we did. I don't think they were prepared enough and should have had another staff person to help the one gal and should have at least one or two more of the trains to handle all the people. Once we finished seeing the Blue Eye and walked around a short bit, we had to be back in the pick up area for the train to get back to our bus. It was getting very crowded and with no organization or a line it was a free for all to get on the next train. Our tour guide called everyone on his tour to one side and told us to stay with him and he'd make sure we would get on the next train. WELL ...that did not go well at all, as everyone who gathered in that area who was not part of our tour made a mad dash on the train as it arrived. Some of us got pushed out of the way! It was a free for all, not good at all. Our next stop was the wine tasting. We were a bit surprised when we found out there was only 4 of us being dropped off at the small family owned winery while the rest of tourists on bus were going to some national park area. We were told a car would pick us up after the wine tasting to take us back to the ship. The winery was nice and had a table set with finger snacks. It was ok. We would have like something more with cheese and crackers. The wine was ok. Our tour guy (can't remember his name) was pleasant and had some humor. We knew he did the best he could with the situation at the Blue Eye and not his fault. I would recommend this tour and hopefully it's organized a bit better in the future.
Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review and for recommending our tour. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the views from Lekuresi Castle, the visit to the Blue Eye, and that you found our guide friendly and helpful throughout the day. We appreciate your comments regarding the train transportation at the Blue Eye. Unfortunately, the train service is operated by the site itself and can become very crowded during peak cruise ship hours. We understand how frustrating the boarding process was and are sorry that it affected your experience. Your feedback about crowd management and organization is valuable, and we will continue to communicate these concerns to the local operators whenever possible. We're also glad you had the opportunity to visit the family-owned winery. We understand that food and wine preferences vary, and we appreciate your suggestions regarding the tasting experience and snack selection. Thank you again for your kind words about our guide and for recognizing his efforts in a challenging situation. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to Albania and provide another memorable experience in the future. Warm regards, Joel Travel Team
The blue eye is worth it but do it while walking. About 20 minutes and you will enjoy the scenery.
Well, let me say that the day was saved by the wines and liqueurs at the rustic winery and the willingness of strangers to make the best of it. My wife and I are traveling with another couple. We supposedly had a “private” tour for the four of us. We showed up and discovered that there were six other people on two different tours, all with starting times ranging from 10AM to 11:30AM each a half hour apart and the ten of us were crammed into a van that would have comfortably held no more than five adults. The sites that we were taken to were okay, but it took the effort of the ten of us to lower our expectations and accept the situation. The wines and liqueurs helped. It is not acceptable for a tour operator to misrepresent their tours. There was no effort made to apologize or resolve the situation. We do not recommend this tour with this company.
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. We understand your disappointment regarding the vehicle size and the tour format. Providing a comfortable and enjoyable experience for our guests is very important to us, and we regret that you felt the tour was misrepresented. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the winery visit, the wines, and liqueurs, and that you were able to make the most of the day despite your concerns. We take comments like yours seriously and will review the details of your booking and the operational arrangements for that day to ensure that the tour is delivered as described and that guest expectations are met. We also apologize if you felt your concerns were not adequately addressed during the tour. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Guest feedback helps us improve, and we wish you all the best in your future travels.
All stops were really good and a go experience But our trip was moved two hours and in addition the driver was 30 minutes late. We were taken to the first stop by car, then we had to get over in another group's minibus, which was very hot There is a lot of driving ml stops
Good communication and instructions. Heard from them the day before to get confirmation on time and pickup place. Nice guide who were very clear on instructions, and also gave a good historic overview. We went with a larger group first to Lëkurësi castle and Blue eye. The we were dropped off and had our own time on the winery (the rest of the group went to the beach and Butrinti), and there we had a very nice young guide. We had several wines to taste from in our own time, and we ordered some finger food extra to the wine which was very nice. We got the number to Joel travel and messaged them when we were done at the winery and they sent a car to pick us up. Worked perfectly.
Not worth it. The Blue Eye and the Castle but the wine tour was horrible. This is not a private tour as advertised. The tour dropped 4 of us at the winery and continued on with the rear of the group. At the winery 4 wines and 4 spirits were put at our table. No explanation, no wine your, no hospitality. Wines were horrible! No food as mentioned in itinerary unless you pay extra. Do not recommend. You can do the castle and blue eye on your own for no cost. Just take a 10-20 euro taxi. Don't get ripped off.
Really enjoyable experience although the weather wasn’t horrible Klagdi the tour guy was absolutely exceptional; he did everything to make the tour worthwhile. He also was a really good photographer capturing beautiful moments. Thank you klagdi
Wonderful tour. This was a port of call on our cruise, and this was a much better option than the ship’s shore excursions. Guide was very cordial and was awesome !
Fabulous locations . Started off a little odd that we were put in a hot, small car to catch up to the van. Really enjoyed blue eye and the winery, but food and wine service was very slow, as they hadn’t planned for so many that afternoon . Kasey , our guide was a trooper, and did whatever she could to make the last stop Possible, even though we were running way behind . Kasey stayed calm And pleasant thru all the delays
