Gjirokaster on Foot

Gjirokaster is built on a slope, so a walk here means going up and then coming back down. This page tells you what the ground is like, how to order a day on foot and what each stop costs. Prices are in Albanian lek (ALL), and the desks along the way take cash.

What the ground is like

The lanes are steep limestone cobbles, worn smooth and glossy. Dry, they are fine in sturdy shoes. Wet, they are slippery, and a pair of trainers with a flat sole will let you down. Take water, and plan rests. Free walking tours exist, but confirm the meeting point and time with whoever runs them before you set off.

Getting to the start

Long-distance buses stop on the SH4 beside the roundabout at the foot of Rruga 18 Shtatori, in the new town. The old bazaar is 1.5 to 2 km uphill from there. A taxi takes the edge off for about 200 to 500 ALL, and the walk back down is easy.

Stop by stop

1. Çerçiz Topulli Square. The square has a Tourist Information office, and the Municipality building stands beside it. The Cold War Tunnel entrance is close, at the Municipality building on Rruga Gjin Zenebisi. The guided visit is about 200 ALL for 20 to 30 minutes, and November to March hours end at 14:00.

2. Qafa e Pazarit. This is the main bazaar lane. Here are the Bazaar Mosque, completed in 1757, and craft workshops: the woodcarver Anastas Petridhi’s shop and “Master Ermal”’s stone-carving workshop in the Old Bazaar.

3. Palorto. Ismail Kadare House at Rruga Fato Berberi 16 sits here and costs 500 ALL for an individual ticket. It is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00. Zekate House, at about 300 ALL, has no electric light, so see it before 16:00. Skënduli House, at about 200 to 300 ALL, is shown by the family and has no fixed hours.

4. The castle. The last climb. The gate ticket is about 400 ALL, and the visit takes 1.5 to 2 hours on steep, uneven stone. Part of the complex was a prison in the 20th century, including the communist period, so keep conversation low there.

How long to allow

A bazaar-only wander takes about an hour. Add houses and you are at half a day, and with the tunnel and castle it fills a day. If it is winter, begin with the tunnel, because it closes first, and check whether the castle is shut that day, as Monday closures are possible.

A note on safety

The advice from the UK and US governments does not name Gjirokaster, and its warnings about road deaths matter more for the taxi or hire car than for the walk itself. The UK travel advice is the place to check.

A guided old-town walk can be searched on Viator . The Kadare House page gives its hours and fees.

Read more: sightseeing , attraction tours and the 3 day Albania itinerary .