Gjirokaster, Albania (February 2026)

 

Our private tour guide was Ervin. He also drove a van for the entire tour. After we loaded our luggage at the hotel, we headed out to our first destination: Gjirokaster. Its nickname is the "Stone City" of southern Albania, and a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its remarkably preserved Ottoman-era architecture, steep cobblestone streets, and imposing hilltop fortress. 

The city had a few museums. We visited one of them, which exhibited many cultural outfits and artifacts.

The charming, historic town offered us a glimpse of 17th-century Balkan life, with a museum, traditional, locally produced food, and rich cultural history. 

Inside the fortress was another museum where we could find many historical displays. It was too bad we had to hurry up due to time constraints.

The hotel we stayed at had the paintings of three ladies wearing their regional costumes. They were all unique and beautiful.

It was offseason, rainy, and gloomy. So we could not enjoy this unique city to the full extent. But we had dinner at a fine restaurant, and were happy with our first place to visit. - Jeffrey