Disclosure: This post (probably) contains affiliate links. If you click on one, I may make a small commission. Of course, this will come at no extra cost to you and helps keep this site running.
Gjirokaster may be among the top contenders for the prettiest cities in Albania. See the houses throughout its old town and you’re unlikely to argue. But knowing what to do in Gjirokaster helps you understand that the city isn’t just nice to look at, it’s deeply interesting too.
Much like Berat, the appeal of visiting Gjirokaster lies in its history and traditional architecture. This “City of Stone” is wonderfully preserved and I think even a whirlwind visit here will feel worthwhile. Not that I would recommend a brief visit or you might miss some of the things that make Gjirokaster special. Let me show you what to do in Gjirokaster to see what I mean.
Is Gjirokaster worth visiting?
In case it wasn’t already clear, yes Gjirokaster is worth visiting for travellers in Albania.
Even if you’re not at all curious about the country’s history, you’ll enjoy its old town scenery and the photos you can take there. But travellers interested in history, architecture, and even food will get more out of a visit:
- The history of Gjirokaster has important moments to explore from the Middle Ages through to the 20th century.
- You won’t find traditional homes like the ones in Gjirokaster anywhere else, or at least not as many.
- Visitors can try all sorts of Albanian dishes, including Qifqi – riceballs stuffed with eggs and spices.
The one thing I’d recommend is not visiting Gjirokaster during summer.
Gjirokaster is an inland city near the mountains, so you don’t get the coastal breeze. Albania experienced a heatwave during my visit and it seriously limited my sightseeing. As excited as I was to explore, the 40°C+ (104°F+) days meant I lost my afternoons entirely.
How to get to Gjirokaster
Gjirokaster is located in southern Albania, meaning it’s not far from several other popular destinations in the country.
It’s relatively close to the Albanian Riviera, but it’s also on the road leading from the main border crossing with Greece at Kakavijë. So, if you’re planning on going from southern Albania to central and northern Albania, you may as well stop in Gjirokaster.
Renting a car to drive there is ideal if you want flexibility in your itinerary. With it, you could do day trips to the Aqueduct of Ali Pasha and other attractions of Tepelenë, a town known for its water springs.
Not that getting to Gjirokaster by bus is a bad option. Regular buses go to Gjirokaster from Tirana, Vlora and Saranda, plus daily buses run from Berat and Korce. Travelling by bus in Albania is easier than you expect, but also very informal.
Tours are another way to visit Gjirokaster, making it easy to go as a day trip. You can get a tour from Saranda to Gjirokaster, but also even a tour from Tirana.
Where to stay in Gjirokaster
Finding somewhere to stay in Gjirokaster comes down to one choice.
Do you choose a place to stay in Gjirokaster down in the modern part of the city or up in the old town?
Each option has its benefits and drawbacks. You can drag your luggage up the hill to the old town and then have the sights on your doorstep. Or, you can stay closer to the bus station and walk up the hill every time you want to see the sights.
For my visit, I stayed at Nov’s Hotel Rooms which was in a local residential area in the modern city area. It was nice and quiet, but also a 15-minute uphill walk from anything.
To save you time, these are highly-rated places to stay in Gjirokaster:
- Hotel Fantasy – old town
- “Villa 70” Guesthouse – below castle
- Sharm Hotel Luxury – modern city centre
- Guest House Salaria – high on a hill
Things to do in Gjirokaster
Working out what to do in Gjirokaster is pretty straightforward. Head to the city’s historical centre and you’ll find the city’s sights. But it can take some exploring to know what you’re looking for, so allow me to guide you, unless you want someone to guide you in real life.
Explore Gjirokaster Old Town
Gjirokaster Old Town is the main reason most people come to the city.
If you’ve seen photos of Gjirokaster, then they were most likely taken in this area. Not that the Old Town is all that large, or at least, the very photogenic area of the Gjirokastra Bazaar.
Qafa e Pazarit is an intersection at the heart of the bazaar, with souvenir shops crowding this particular area. Look down any of the streets off this spot and you’ll find well-preserved homes and beautiful street scenery.
Make sure to explore this area, as there are many side lanes worth wandering along.
It’s these backstreets that will bring you to the Gjirokastër Obelisk, a monument to the Albanian language and education. It also serves as a good viewpoint of the city.
Visit Gjirokaster Castle
Gjirokaster Castle dominates the top of one of the hills looming over the city.
This sprawling castle is hard to miss when you’re in town, whether you spot its long walls or its clock tower standing proudly alone. What you can’t see are the underground tunnels and the various open spaces behind its walls.
It’s also hard to gauge how large this castle is from the outside. You actually walk a whole kilometre going from end to end.
Sadly, not all of the castle is easily accessible, with areas accessible by stairs, including its two museums.
There are two ways to approach visiting Gjirokaster Castle.
You either only explore the castle grounds or you also pay extra to visit its museums: the Arms Museum and the Gjirokaster Museum.
Both museums are highly informative, but you also get a detailed account of the castle’s history without them.
Information displays explain the citadel’s history, from its ancient tribal origins to its development by the Byzantines. But they also describe things like how the castle managed a clean water supply, the exploits of Ali Pasha, and the stories of prisoners held there.
The presence of a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star from the US Air Force is also a neat mystery to unravel.
Find a city viewpoint
One of the best things about going to Gjirokaster Castle is its city views.
While the views of the nearby mountain ranges are beautiful, it’s just as interesting being able to see down to the historical centre. You get to see where you’ve been and places like the bazaar are immediately obvious.
This aerial view also makes it easy to understand Gjirokaster’s nicknames. “City of Stone” or “City of Roofs” both relate to the uniform light-coloured stone tile roofs that you see across so much of Gjirokastra Old Town.
Even outside the castle, you can find some nice viewpoints. I mentioned the Gjirokaster Obelisk earlier for that, but the street below the castle entrance also has a good vantage point.
Learn at the Ethnographic Museum
Like other ethnographic museums, the Gjirokaster Ethnographic Museum explores the local people and cultures through their customs and habits.
But this museum has an unexpected second identity.
Enver Hoxha, the former communist leader/dictator, was born in the family home that once stood here. The current building was rebuilt in the 60s, but it remains tied to the troubled history of 20th-century Albania.
So when you visit this quite modern museum, you see two things.
You get information on the cultures/habits/customs of the various geographical regions of southern Albania. But you also get displays that recount the life of Hoxha and his interest in repressing religion.
The ethnographic content is highly detailed and you could spend a long time looking at the traditional clothes and their regional differences.
However, the Hoxha displays came across to me as oddly neutral about his legacy. I didn’t know what to make of that.
Search out old houses
Gjirokaster owes its UNESCO World Heritage listing to the city’s many Ottoman-era houses.
These large two-storey homes are found away from the bazaar area and sit in tiers across the neighbouring hillside. But not all of these large houses are out of reach. Some you can even visit:
- Angonate House – a huge stone house that’s now a bed and breakfast
- Skënduli House – a popular house museum from 1823 with a painted exterior and preserved rooms
- Zekate House – a tall house built in 1812 in the “tower” style with a beautifully painted interior
To see even more of Gjirokaster’s traditional houses, you’ll want to head up to the Manalat Quarter.
Other places to visit in Gjirokaster
Sometimes even experienced travellers don’t see everything a destination has to offer.
So, yes, I missed a couple of local attractions in Gjirokaster. As mentioned previously, the summer heat did a number on me. It was why I never visited the Ali Pasha Bridge, a large and important stone bridge high above the old town. It was simply too hot to hike up.
I was partly disappointed as the bridge’s name was one I had encountered earlier in Ioannina.
The other local landmark I missed was the Cold War Tunnel. It closed before I got to it the first day and I simply didn’t fit it in before escaping the sun. Thankfully, I went to Bunk’Art 2 in Tirana, so I at least saw one of Albania’s old bunkers.
