Day 01
Tirana to UNESCO-listed Gjirokastra and Back
- Our tour guide will pick you up at your hotel in Tirana at 8:00 am, and we will drive for about 2.5 hours to Gjirokastra. Gjirokastra is a historic city on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
- Walking through Gjirokastra gives you an insight into the city during the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The city has typical stone houses and cobblestone streets.
- For this reason, Gjirokastra is also known as the "stone city." It is also known in Albania as a "museum city" because of its beautiful historic buildings everywhere. It is a lovely city to stroll through.
- Then we will visit the Old Bazaar of Gjirokastra. The Old Bazaar is the traditional marketplace of Gjirokastra and was initially built in the Middle Ages. There are a variety of craftsmen's shops, souvenir shops, and coffee houses along the bazaar. You can buy handmade wooden pieces, handwoven rugs, and delicate lace items. The bazaar street is made of cobblestones and is set on a steep hillside.
- Then we head to Gjirokastra Castle. This large fortress stands on top of a hill in the city. From its vantage point, it offers a spectacular view of the historic city and the traditional stone houses of Gjirokastra. It is one of the biggest hilltop castles in the Balkans and dominates the city.
- The castle was built by the local Byzantine government in the 12th century. It was renovated and expanded during the Ottoman Empire and the government of King Zog. From 1930 onward, it was mainly used as a prison for people who resisted the government.
- Then we will visit Skenduli House, one of the highlights for visitors to Gjirokastra. This original family house is more than 300 years old.
- During your visit, you will get a unique insight into what life was like for a wealthy family during the Ottoman period. The house has nine fireplaces, 6 bathrooms, 12 rooms, 44 doors, 64 windows, and 4 hamams (Turkish baths). It has been owned by the same family for generations. The family will show you around the house and tell stories about its history.
- One of the highlights is the room used for wedding ceremonies, with beautiful stained-glass windows, carved wooden ceilings, and a fireplace decorated with pomegranates, which symbolize fertility.
- Then we will visit the Obelisk. The Obelisk is a monument located on the highest peak of Gjirokastra. The monument is a symbol of education in the Albanian language. For many centuries, Albania was part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.
- Therefore, education in the Albanian language was forbidden for an extended period. The Obelisk monument is located near the first Albanian-language school in Gjirokastra, which opened in 1908.
- At the time, it was very dangerous to open an Albanian-language school, particularly for the teachers who worked there.
- Since the Obelisk monument is located on the highest peak in Gjirokastra, it offers impressive views. You can see the old city and the typical stone houses below.
