18 Epic Things to Do in Gjirokaster: My Personal Favourites

Looking for the best things to do in Gjirokaster, Albania? You’ve come to the right place!

The charming UNESCO town of Gjirokastra, Albania is a great destination for a night or two when visiting Albania.

You may also know Gjirokastra as the city of stone or by its Albanian name, Gjirokastër (also spelt Gjirokaster).

Unlike Berat, Gjirokastra sits on top of a hill overlooking the mountains and valley below.

Gjirokaster Castle is also one of the best-preserved castles in Albania and still has many weapons which are on display today. In my eyes, Gjirokastra Castle is the best castle in Albania.

If you are looking to visit this beautiful UNESCO town, here’s your full Gjirokaster city guide. It covers all the best things to do, where to eat and the best hotels in Gjirokaster.

How to get to Gjirokastra, Albania

You can reach Gjirokaster relatively easy from any major city or town in Albania via bus (see timetables here).

If you’re coming from Saranda to Gjirokaster, the bus cost 400lek and takes around 1 hour 45 minutes.

The distance from Gjirokaster to Tirana is quite large; a bus leaves from Tirana to Saranda 5 times a day, and you can change onto the Saranda to Gjirokaster bus there, taking 6 hours 15 minutes overall.

Himare to Gjirokaster is a much shorter journey as it will take you 2 hours 10 minutes but only by car.

One thing to note is that the bus stop from Saranda does not go all the way up the hill into Gjirokaster Old Town, which is where you will likely want to stay and explore.

It will drop you off at the bottom where you can either walk, catch another bus or catch a taxi to the Old Town. A taxi from the new to the old part of the city is around 400lek.

In the summer, this can be quite the mission as the temperatures in Gjirokastra (and throughout Albania) are high. The walk to the old part is also uphill so keep that in mind if you do have luggage.

So, during those times I would definitely catch a bus or taxi up, or you could even try hitchhiking, it’s very popular in Albania!

Things to do in Gjirokaster

If you’re wondering what to do in Gjirokaster Albania then look no further. I have been to Gjirokastra many times and it’s one of my favourite places in all of Albania.

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Since I live full-time in Saranda, the city of Gjirokaster is only an hour drive from there!

There are plenty of Gjirokaster tours, tickets & excursions to choose from – so many ways to experience Gjirokastra!

1. Visit Gjirokaster Castle

If you don’t visit Gjirokaster Castle, you really haven’t been to Gjirokaster! It’s definitely one of the top things to do in Gjirokaster

It’s easy to get to the castle, you can either drive, catch a taxi or walk like I normally do.

It’s a little uphill but will only take you 5 minutes to reach from Gjirokastra Old Town. It’s not exactly top Gjirokaster hiking, but it’s worth it!

You could spend at least a couple of hours roaming around the castle. If you want a deeper explanation of the history you can opt for a guided tour around the castle and surroundings.

Within Gjirokaster Castle is a weapon museum and prison too which you have to pay extra for (200 lek) but you can observe the old weapons found here. I definitely think it’s worth it!

They have a lot of really useful information up there too.

Otherwise, you can roam all of the rooms, tunnels and admire the view from the top! The clock tower is one of the must-see places to visit in Gjirokaster, and it sits on the furthest side of Gjirokastra Castle from the entrance.

2. Wander the Gjirokastra Bazaar

Just around the corner from Gjirokaster Castle is the bazaar. One of the best things to do in Gjirokaster is wander through the bazaar and admire the architecture of the traditional buildings.

There’s plenty of great shopping you can do in the bazaar too including old second-hand shops where you will find some interesting treasures!

If you want to pick up something unique I recommend visiting the shop Artified. Here you can buy unique 3D art pieces created by a local. This art is truly one of a kind.

You can even order custom pieces too. 

3. Visit the Ethnographic Museum

The dictator of the communist period Enver Hoxha was born in Gjirokaster.

So, of course, learning more about him and his life is understandably one of the top things to do in Gjirokaster.

Nowadays the house where he was born has been turned into a museum so you can see what a traditional Gjirokastra family home would have looked like back then.

4. Visit Zekati Family House

Another of the great places to visit in Gjirokaster is the Zekate House which was built in 1811-1812. This house has undergone restoration and is one of the most incredible traditional houses within Gjirokastra today.

With three floors, wooden carved ceilings, two twin towers and a magnificent view of the town, this is a must-see when visiting Gjirokastra.

You will want to drive or take a taxi to reach here as it’s further up the hill from the bazaar.

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5. Skenduli House

Between Gjirokastra Castle and the Ethnographic Museum is the Skenduli House. This is another perfect example of the traditional architecture of Gjirokastra.

This house was said to be built around the 1700s!

There are so many rooms that it begins to feel like a maze, but it was well worth a visit. I have to say hands down, this is one of the most beautiful houses in Albania. 

When you get to the house, you can opt to take a quick tour with one of the guides who can tell you what the rooms were used for and the history of the house, which I highly recommend. 

Entry only costs 200lek and it’s well worth it. I ended up spending a good hour walking around and taking a tour of the house.

The bonus of doing a tour is that you get to see one of the rooms that’s usually closed for the public. There’s no extra charge to take the tour too – perfect for those wondering what to see in Gjirokaster!

6. Discover the Underground of Gjirokastra

Underneath Gjirokaster Castle and Gjirokastra Old Town is an underground bunker which is now possible to explore!

One of the best things to do in Gjirokastra is to visit the underground city, especially in the summer to cool off below ground. 

It goes down more than 80 meters deep and is over 1km long. This underground city has over 100 rooms including interrogation rooms, offices and so on as well as multiple escape routes.

This is a stark reminder of the dark communist era that loomed over Albania from 1944 until 1992.

I have to be super transparent for a moment – Although this is one of the best places to visit in Gjirokastra, Bunk Art 1 & 2 in Tirana is far more comprehensive in terms of information and learning more about the communist period.

So if you want a really in-depth look into an underground bunker, highly recommend visiting one of both if you are looking for unique things to do in Tirana.

7. Immerse yourself in the ultimate foodie experience at The Barrels (Te Fucite)

If you’re hungry and looking for things to do, Gjirokaster has got you covered.

This restaurant came highly recommended by one of my readers, and I’m so glad on my recent trip to Gjirokastra that I got to check it out myself.

The Barrels is a restaurant/winery and is the perfect pick for anyone who wants to have a foodie experience in the Albanian countryside.

The Barrels make their own wine (I absolutely loved both the red and white), and offer platters like pictured above as well other seasonal dishes. 

One of the best parts about this place, apart from the fantastic service, is the setting. You get to enjoy your food in the countryside looking out to the vineyards and mountains in front.

The family who runs this place are incredibly lovely so make sure you take a visit and support this unique experience at possibly the best rural restaurant Gjirokaster has to offer.

This restaurant is located between the villages of Topullaraj and Valarë which is only a 15-minute drive from the old part of Gjirokastra city.

We took a taxi and to get there and back which cost us around 1000lek.

8. Eat as much Pasha Qofte as humanly possible

I don’t think I’ve had a local dish this many times in any part of Albania so that says a lot. Pasha Qofte might be like the golden ticket of Gjirokastra.

Pasha Qofte soup is essentially meatballs within a milky sauce. Probably not the best description, and that’s why I am not a Gjirokaster food blogger.

Nevertheless, despite my bad description, you HAVE to try this local dish because it’s one of the tastiest dishes I have had in Albania.

If you’re wondering where to eat in Gjirokaster to taste the best pasha qofte, you need to visit Restaurant Muço, which can be located within the side streets of the bazaar. 

A walking tour is a great thing to do if you want to dive deeper into the history of the city and hear all the juicy details about the city from a local.

You’ll be taken to the top sites around the city and hear from a local all about the culture, traditions and craft creation that happens in Gjirokastra.

10. Do a hike to the Ali Pasha bridge

If you’re looking to get your body moving and looking for something near the city, I definitely recommend taking a hike to the Ali Pasha Bridge.

It takes around 30-40 minutes to walk there from the centre of Gjirokastra. You can skip the steep walk to the top of the city before you descend down to the bridge if you take the local bus to the top.

But the walk-up is nice too which is what we did because you get to walk through the Manalat Qaurter, which I mention more about below.

The Ali Pasha Bridge was built as part of an aqueduct system and this is one of the only sections remaining to this day. Though to be fair, Albania has ALOT of digging to do because there’s so much history that still lies under the dirt because of lack of funding for archaeology around the country.

I recommend wearing good sneakers or hiking shoes. There can be some parts of the walking trail that have lots of loose rocks so good shoes are needed.

But you also don’t need a full hiking kit to do this either. I wore jeans which I admit were not comfortable but they withheld the hike fine.

11. admire Manalat Quarter

If you’re walking from the centre of Gjirkstra to the Ali Pasha bridge, you’ll pass through this neighbourhood.

This is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city so you’ll get a look at traditional houses up close that families still live in today.

Even if you don’t wish to the hike, you can catch the bus to the top and then walk down back towards the bazaar and through this neighbourhood.

12. Cooking Class

If you’re more of a foodie and you want to learn how to create some traditional Albanian cuisine then maybe one of the top Albania cooking classes with a local is more your style.

There are some great tours in Gjirokaster that you can book where you’ll be able to dive deep into learning more about the Albanian culture through food, and this is one of them!

Some dishes you get to make include Qifili, stuffed peppers, meatballs and MORE. For the latest prices and availability, click here.

At the end of the cooking class, you get to enjoy the delicious food you have made with a glass of wine – of course!

13. enjoy the view from the Gjirokaster Obelisk

If you want a stunning view of the city then visit the Gjirokaster Obelisk where you’ll get panoramic views over the castle and Drinos Valley.

Under Ottoman rule, Albanians were not allowed to use Shqip (the Albanian language) so this piece of history was built in 1895 to celebrate the Albanian language.

By the way, the Albanian language is very interesting as it relates to no other language in the world and Albanians argue that it is older than the Greek language!

14. Visit Ismail Kadare’s House (Xhamia e Pazari)

Ismail Kadare was the most famous writer in Albania.

Ismail was born and grew up in Gjirokastra so his house has now been turned into a museum for everyone to get a glimpse into where and how he grew up.

One of his most famous books ‘Chronicle in Stone’ is a book where he tells the story of him as a little boy in this house, looking out the window and watching World War 2 pass by.

Even if you have never read any of his books, this is a beautiful place to learn about him, his work and get a glimpse into a traditional Gjirokastra home.

15. look inside the Bazaar Mosque (Xhamia e Pazarit)

This mosque was built during the Ottoman period in 1757. It recently underwent some restorations and is now back to it’s beautiful self.

This traditional mosque was one of 15 mosques built in Albania during the Ottoman period and luckily it survived during communism when all religion was banned throughout Albania for over 50 years.

During communism, it obviously was not used for religious purposes but was actually used as a training hall for circus acrobats because of its high ceilings!

16. do a horse riding tour

I’ve gotta be honest, I’m not a horse girl because I’m terrified of them (🤣) but I wanted to include this for those of you who do love riding horses and getting out there to enjoy nature.

Some of my friends did this tour when we were in Gjirokastra and they absolutely loved it and highly recommend it.

This 2-hour tour is a must for horse lovers. You’ll ride through the Gjirokastra hills, and valleys and be able to see bunkers, small villages and endangered birds whilst on this tour.

It’s a great thing to do in Gjirokstar if you want to escape the city and get out into nature to see something different.

17. do a Wood crafting experience

Create a souvenir to take home by opting for a 3-hour wood crafting experience.

Wood crafting has been a popular activity in Albania for hundreds of years so why not create a special something to remember your time in the UNESCO city of Gjirokastra?

You’ll get to learn some old wood-crafting techniques as well as sipping wine, which is included!

18. Dress up in traditional Albanian clothes

If you have ever wanted to try on a traditional Albanian costume from the 1800’s and dance around the bazaar then you need to book this now!

This tour not only includes trying on the costume but also a tour around Gjirokastra’s notable spots.

If you would like a mini photoshoot you can also opt to do that as an extra – what an amazing experience to look back on!

Where to Eat in Gjirokastra

The Barrels: Obviously I have to mention this restaurant within this section because it’s a must-try when visiting Gjirokastra.

Make sure you try the platter of different Albanian dishes, as well as the meats and wine right from their own winery. The Barrels is one of the best restaurants in Gjirokaster.

Restaurant Muço: As mentioned above, this is one of my favourite Gjirokaster restaurants and hands down the best restaurant in gjirokaster old town.

They not only do great pasha qofte but also other traditional dishes you can only find in Albania. Plus, you have to try their raki. It’s one of the smoothest rakis I have tasted in the country.

Odaja Traditional restaurant: This place is a must-visit too! If you can, grab the balcony seats to have an amazing view of the street below.

I highly recommend trying the meatballs (the best in the city), as well as the cheese with honey.

Rrapi restaurant: This is another of the great Gjirokastra restaurants located within the old city. The qofte is good, as well as their stuffed peppers.

Taverna Kuka: I have eaten here once and enjoyed the food thoroughly.  You can find a lot of different meals to try too.

Taverna Mugana:  Usually when I visit Gjirokaster I always go to this restaurant because it’s super quiet and off the path of most of the restaurants.

It’s not far from the entrance to the Gjirokastër Castle and serves some amazing traditional food. I love the qofte here!

It’s also very affordable, sits right next to the mosque and offers some of the best views of Gjirokastra.

Check-in Restaurant: Another great restaurant just off the main part of the bazaar. They do fantastic meat plates here and they have great service.

Kujtimi restaurant: This is a highly recommended restaurant within the city although I have to say, I have not tried it myself. However, friends of mine and readers of my blog have and recommend it.

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The Best Hotels in Gjirokaster, Albania

There are some stunning homestays and hotels in Gjirokaster where you can get an insight into the beautiful architecture within the town.

If you’re more into Airbnb, Gjirokaster has plenty, but I recommend you try these out first!

Kerculla Resort – Luxury Accommodation

This hotel in Gjirokastra came highly recommended by one of my readers and upon research, it’s the top-rated hotel in the town. It’s a beautiful hotel equipped with a swimming pool and stunning views.

For the latest prices and availability, click here.

Guesthouse Mele – Mid-range accommodation

This guesthouse is a perfect base for exploring the city of Gjirokastra. It’s only a 5-10 minute walk to the old bazaar but far away enough that it’s peaceful & quiet.

The breakfast is fantastic and quite a spread of delicious Albanian food. The hosts of the guesthouse are the real highlight of this guesthouse though!

If you come to Gjirokastra I highly recommend booking this guesthouse. It’s also only a 1-minute walk from the Ethnographic Museum. For the latest prices & availability, click here.

Stone city – Budget accommodation

The best hostel in Gjirokastra and my favourite one in Albania is Stone City Hostel. It’s a hostel which has had some incredible renovations and is possibly the most beautiful ever! 

I hope you visit Gjirokastra when visiting Albania. This small UNESCO town has a lot to offer!

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• Traditional Albanian Food: Delicious Albanian Dishes!
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• Incredibly Beautiful Places to Visit in Albania

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