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Sarande and Ksamil Tour: Blue Eye, Gjirokastër, Lekuresi
4.9
15 Ratings
Saranda
Explore Blue Eye, St. Nicholas Monastery, Gjirokastër, and Lekuresi Castle in a day. Dive into Albanian culture and nature with a local guide.
Explore Blue Eye, St. Nicholas Monastery, Gjirokastër, and Lekuresi Castle in a day. Dive into Albanian culture and nature with a local guide.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Monastery of Saint Michael - One of the oldest and largest churches of the Byzantine era and one of the world’s pearls of Byzantine architecture, St. Nicholas Monastery is located in the south of the Mesopotam village in the outskirts of Saranda, very close to the ancient city of Finiq. The monastery is thought to have been built in 1224 or 1225….
- Monastery of Saint Michael - One of the oldest and largest churches of the Byzantine era and one of the world’s pearls of Byzantine architecture, St. Nicholas Monastery is located in the south of the Mesopotam village in the outskirts of Saranda, very close to the ancient city of Finiq. The monastery is thought to have been built in 1224 or 1225. It was once enclosed by a circular wall which is today only partly preserved. Its double apse makes it unique in its genre, and some researchers have advanced the hypothesis that this was due to the monastery being used by two religious rites (Catholic and Orthodox).
- The Blue Eye - The “Blue Eye” (Albanian: Syri i Kaltër) is a water spring and natural phenomenon occurring in the village of Muzinë in Finiq municipality, southern Albania.[3] A popular tourist attraction, the clear blue water of the river can be seen from a depth of more than fifty metres. Divers have descended to fifty metres, but it is still unclear what the actual depth of the karst hole is
- Gjirokaster Castle - Gjirokastra, is also known as the stone city, and has been protected by UNESCO since 2005. It is one of the last Ottomans -style cities left in the Balkans
- Lekuresi Castle - Lekursi Castle (Kajala e Lëkurësit) is a castle on Lekursi Hill, just behind Saranda with an amazing view over the town and bay, making this the most popular and iconic viewpoint of Saranda.
What's Included
- Licensed or certified in-person guide
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Licensed or certified in-person guide
- In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- enternerace to blue eye ( cost 50 lek per person)
- enternerace to gjirokastra castle ( cost 400 lek per person)
- Lunch
- enternerace to blue eye ( cost 50 lek per person)
- enternerace to gjirokastra castle ( cost 400 lek per person)
Additional Information
Visit 4 different places in one day on this tour from Sarande and Ksamil. Explore the St. Nicholas Monastery Church, marvel at the Blue Eye, stroll through the city of Gjirokastër, and admire the views from Lekuresi Castle.
Immerse yourself in Albanian culture and nature on a full-day tour. Discover 4 fascinating locations in just one day with your local…
Visit 4 different places in one day on this tour from Sarande and Ksamil. Explore the St. Nicholas Monastery Church, marvel at the Blue Eye, stroll through the city of Gjirokastër, and admire the views from Lekuresi Castle.
Immerse yourself in Albanian culture and nature on a full-day tour. Discover 4 fascinating locations in just one day with your local guide. Admire the spectacularly clear waters of the natural Blue Eye spring. Pause for reflection at the St. Nicholas Monastery Church in Mesopotam. Step back in time on the streets of Gjirokastër and at Lëkurësi Castle.
Location
Hotel Vila Duraku
Rruga Naim Frashëri
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(15 Ratings)
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Christianbq3067gj
May 1, 2025
Blue eye/Gyrokaster day trip - Very nice your of the blue eye and gyrokaster. The guide was excellent and explained a lot of local history. I highly recommend this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bianca_p
Apr 29, 2025
Amazing tour! - Ilmi was a great guide, knowledgeable and ensured we had a great time
The included sights were amazing, it was much easier and personable to get around with a small group
Review provided by Viator
Nancygt1269vq
Apr 27, 2025
Visit to the top - Day at the top thanks to Sunny Rungalbania! We contacted them via whatsapp. Although they were full they agreed to take a second valve just for us. Thank you very much.
Explanation in English during the visit, huge amount of free time. We loved it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eduart
Apr 24, 2025
Overall great experience - Our guide was quite punctual and was very informative. It was all very planned out and got enough time in all spots. We really enjoyed
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tour63891559665
Apr 23, 2025
Visit to the blue eye and gjirokastra - Ilmi was a really cool tour guide. We were the only participants on the day we booked, so it ended up being like an intimate full-day private tour. Visits to the Blue Eye and Gjirokaster were particular highlights- highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curiosity46063064557
Apr 22, 2025
great day - the arrangement of this trip was easy and hassel free.we have ample amount of time to check out the blue eye and girokaster on our own which is much more preferred! overall very nice your led by ilmi and i can recommend it..
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julia_h
Apr 11, 2025
Day tour from Saranda - A huge thanks to our guide ilmi hasani for a great experience. He is very friendly and knowledgeable, and ensured that we had enough time at all of the tour destinations. Thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Blue Eye, Gjirokaster town & castle.
Also stopped at the monastery, Lekursi castle and to view one of the infamous war bunkers. Managed to see & learn so much in one day!
Would definitely recommend this tour. Excellent value for money too. Thanks again
Review provided by Viator
Alona_f
Mar 10, 2025
Plenty of time given to... - Plenty of time given to explore each place. We went during low season so the train from the entrance to the blue eye is not available. You have to walk about 15 to 20 mins but shouldn't be a problem.
Review provided by Viator
Ksenijadabanovic
Jan 26, 2025
The highlight of our tour! - If you’re planning to visit the Blue Eye and Gjirokaster, don’t waste time and energy searching—this is the perfect tour for you! Great value, fantastic route, and well-planned arrangements. The owner is incredibly kind; he’s a true friend who cares deeply. He runs this tour with a warm heart. Don’t hesitate—this is the one!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Resort64056506976
Feb 6, 2025
Grat trip nicely planed - Great trip.Nicely planned.
Had enough time for everything. Although it would have been nicer if the trip ended at the Lekuresi Castle at sunset. But other than it was amazing and I definitely recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor