A Journey to the UNESCO Historical Center of Gjirokastër, Albania
Gjirokastër, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
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I will come right out and say it: Gjirokastër is a GEM of a city, not just in Albania, but the Balkans. Located in a valley between the Gjerë and Drino mountains, Gjirokastër sits 300 meters above sea level and has an old town that is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This honor was in recognition of Gjirokastër as a ‘rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town, built by farmers of large estate.’
The city dates back 1336 while it was a part of the Byzantine Empire, but taken by the Ottomans in 1418. This change in ownership converted the city from being largely Christian in the 16th century, to predominately Muslim by the 19th century. The Balkan Wars from 1912-1913 gave the city to the newly formed Albanian state.
Our trip research into Albania made this place a no-brainer when it came to visiting. What was more difficult was how we were going to be able to reach it and plan for it during our Albanian road trip. If there is a will, there is a way so distance and driving were not going to stop us from seeing this gorgeous city.
Check out my drone video of Gjrokastër, Albania below!
How to get to Gjirokastër
To get to Gjirokaster, first you need a flight to get you into Albania. Since Gjirokaster is located in the middle/southern part of Albania, the best airport to fly into would have to be from Tirana International Airport (TIA). The airport is the largest in Albania with many rental car agencies servicing it.
Once in Albania, there are just a few ways one can get to Gjirokaster, either by bus, taxi, or rental car. For us, we rented a car for a week from Tirana International Airport. Gjirokastër sits in a large valley in South Albania, not too far from sea, however with no direct roads leading to it. So what would take a 25 minute drive from the coast to the city, turns out to be a 2+ hour drive going south, then north, then west.
A bus from the Tirana Region bus terminal (Google map of location here), located 20 mins from the center of Tirana, can take you to Gjirokaster for 12 Euros and take about 4 hours. Bus times are available here. The times available for direct buses (non-stop service) are: 12pm, 1pm, 2:30pm, 6:30pm, and 8:30pm. There are a number of indirect buses available as well, but may be much more inconvenient.
A taxi from Tirana to Gjirokaster will run you over 100 Euros, perhaps closer to 150 Euros depending on the taxi service and from where in Tirana you decide to take it.
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Here is a list of some of the things to check out while you’re in Gjirokastër:
Gjirokastër Castle
Gjirokastër Castle sits 336 meters above sea level and provides unparalleled views over the entire city. The fortress was called ‘Ergiri’ when controlled by the Ottomans, and referred to as ‘Argyrokastro’ by the Greeks. Its existence has come in many forms from the 12th century onwards, mainly as a fortification, jail, military museum, and festival site.
What is particularly interesting about the castle is the current military museum inside, which showcases military hardware. Most notably are the remnants of a captured US Air Force plane and a captured artillery system. These ‘trophies’ are to commemorate the Communist regime’s struggle against western powers.
You simply cannot go to Gjirokastër without visiting the castle. I would recommend entering during late afternoon/early evening so you can see the sunrise and take great town photos during Golden Hour. If you time it just right, the castle hosts the National Folk Festival for your entertainment.
Qafa e Pazarit (Gjirokastër Bazaar)
This is the name of the Old Bazaar in Gjirokastër, which is located squarely in the Old Town. It dates back to the 17th century, though there is virtually no building left from that century due to a fire in the 19th century. Therefore the bazaar was completely rebuilt with structures quite similar to what was destroyed, preserving the architecture. The bazaar currently is like any other market you will find, with people selling food and souvenirs.
Gjirokastër, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
Old Town Gjirokastër
Old town Gjirokastër contains the Old Bazaar, as I mentioned above, but encompasses the entire Ottoman town, that has been well preserved over the centuries. The architecture of the old town can be seen by the cobblestone streets and the wooden stone houses, constructed on the slopes of the hills leading up to Gjirokastër castle.
These homes date back as far as the 17th century and are in various states of renovation/disrepair. Specifically, be sure to check out the Skenduli and the Zekate houses. The Skenduli house owners provide tours of the estate, giving you great insight into the detail and architecture of the time. The Zekate house goes back to 1812 and is also wonderful to see.
Or, you can just simply choose to take a walk through the Old town and enjoy the sights without stepping foot inside the building. You will still get the feeling that this is a very special place and know why UNESCO has bestowed its World Heritage Status on Gjirokastër.
Gjirokastër, Albania (ISO 400, 105 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 s)
Cold War Tunnel
The Cold War Museum, otherwise known as the Cold War Tunnel, is a bunker located underground that served as a shelter during the Communist era of Albanian rule. Albania’s dictator Enver Hoxha, who was born in Gjirokastër, was fearful of foreign invasion after Albania left the Soviet Union in the 1960s. He therefore ordered to have hundreds of thousands of bunkers built all over the country.
This bunker in particular is 800 meters long and features 59 rooms. It was designed to operate for government entities and party elites, along with facilities for power generation and water storage, in case of nuclear attack. You can tour this bunker for 2 Euros, which still appears in a rather untouched and pristine state from when it was originally built.
Gjirokastër, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
Ali Pasha Bridge
The Ali Pasha Bridge, is also known as the Dunavat Bridge, and was part of an aqueduct system, constructed in the 19th century. Since Gjirokastër had no water at the time, the bridge was constructed to provide water from Mount Sopot, about 10 kilometers away. You can reach the bridge by hiking 30 minutes from Gjirokastër. Unfortunately, most of this aqueduct was destroyed in 1932 but this section, the Ali Pasha Bridge, still remains. If you decide to head to Shkodër during your trip to Albania, there you can find the Mesi Bridge, which looks similar to this one, albeit on a smaller scale.
Gjirokastër, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
Bazaar Mosque
The Bazaar Mosque is also known as Memi Bey Mosque and was built during Ottoman rule in 1757. As the name would suggest, it is located in the Old Bazaar, in Old Town Gjirokastër. Communist rule in Albania was known to be detrimental to mosques in that time, as most would be destroyed or repurposed but luckily the Bazaar mosque evaded that fate. In fact, of the 15 mosques build during Ottoman rule, it was the only one to be spared due to its status as a Cultural Monument. Even a fire in the same neighborhood was not able to destroy this mosque.
Gjirokastër, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
Blue Eye
When coming to Albania and while doing trip research, you will find that there are in fact, TWO Blue Eyes. One is in Northern Albania, accessible via the small village of Theth. The other can be found in the village of Muzinë, here in Southern Albania. It is deeper than its northern counterpart at a depth of at least 50 meters.
The area is a Nature Monument, covering an area of 180 hectares. The source of the water at Blue Eye comes from the Bistricë river, passing through Muzinë village, and ending in the Ionian Sea near Sarandë.
This is where having a car would be advantageous to get to the Blue Eye but you can find guided tours to it from tour operators in Gjirokastër. We came during a super hot summer in 2023, so swimming in such cool and refreshing water was a must for us. You can read more about the Blue Eye that is located in Theth on my blog post.
Gjirokastër, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
When it comes to beauty, my favorite city in Albania had to be Gjirokaster. The architecture and just how the city managed to be build and its layout is something I really enjoyed, especially the sweeping city views from Gjirocaster castle.
For us, we were recovering from a severe bout of food poisoning when we visited the city, so our visit could have been better. Even feeling so bad, we loved exploring what we could of the city, especially in great weather and during Golden Hour.
Renting our own car to get here was a great decision we felt. Sure, the roads and traffic can make you a little uneasy but you get used to it after awhile.
Once you’re in Albania, even without a car, you can get around quite easily and cheaply with buses as well. You can go from city to city exploring everything you can. For instance, one can go from Tirana to Durres to Berat to Gjirokaster, then to the south to Ksamil and Sarande.
If you are interested in seeing more of the cities that I just mention, feel free to check out my other blog posts of cities we saw in Albania. Furthermore, you can’t see Gjirokaster without seeing Berat, which is another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Albania, so be sure to check out my blog post on that.
