Gjirokastra Stone City Guaranteed excursion from Saranda

This tour starts in the city of Saranda, located on the coast in the southern part of Albania. It was named in honor of the Byzantine monastery of the Agioi Saranda (Forty Martyrs of Sebaste). The Venetians called it Santa Quaranta when they controlled it. During its annexation by the Italians in World War II, Saranda was renamed “Porto Edda” in honor of Mussolini’s daughters. Saranda is included in some cruise itineraries. This is a perfect shore excursion if your cruise includes this lovely destination.

After meeting the guide in Saranda, you will travel northeast for 1 ½ hours through the coastal mountains into the Albanian interior. Your destination is Gjirokastra: “City of Stones.” As you near Gjirokastra and descend into the broad, beautiful valley, you will be able to see Greece—the border is very close. In 370 B.C., a Greek general named Pyrrhus led campaigns against Rome and achieved a Pyrrhic Victory—a term still in use today to label any conquest that costs the victor more than it was worth. He won at great expense and is said to have commented, “If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined.”

Gjirokastra’s old town is a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The neck of the old bazaar, (Qafa e Pazarit), the heart of the old town, is the intersection of five stony streets. Each one of these streets takes you to historic sites, monuments, or characteristic houses of the town. It is also the birthplace of Enver Hoxha, the communist head of Albania from 1944-1985.

You will walk through the old bazaar with its wood and stone carving shops and pass through streets with the old houses and buildings protected by UNESCO towards the Castle of Gjirokastra. This mighty fortress towers over the town; its ramparts provide outstanding views not only of the town but of the surrounding countryside. Built in the 4th century, there are displays of weaponry, a captured American aircraft, museum displays, and even a former prison. Be sure to look for the story of Argjiro, a princess who jumped to her death from the heights rather than surrender to Ottoman invaders.

Local ladies still make handmade doilies. You will be able to both watch and participate in the creation of this famous doily made with Albanian patterns.

Free time for lunch and shopping. Look for that one-of-a-kind souvenir: an Albanian t-shirt—red with the nation’s emblem. It’s quite likely none of your friends will have one!

Drive back to Saranda through the Albanian countryside.