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Saranda:Lekursi Castle, Blue Eye, Gjirokaster & More Tour

Recommended by 100% of travelers
Saranda, Albania
Great choice
10+ bookings last month.
  • 9 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0
·
· Allesa_K ·
May 2026
We had a wonderful day with Ilir, who drove us around while sharing the history of the country and his personal experiences. What made the tour truly special was how kind, patient, and caring he was throughout the day. He really put effort into making everyone feel comfortable and looked after, and every question was answered with warmth and enthusiasm. The vans were also spacious and comfortable. Highly recommend!
· Celina_G ·
May 2026
I had a great experience on this tour. Everything was well organized and ran smoothly from start to finish. The guide was friendly, professional, and shared a lot of interesting information. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and felt well taken care of throughout the whole trip. I would definitely recommend this tour and would book again!

Overview

    What's Included

    • Air-conditioned vehicle
      New Brad Luxury Mercedes Vito Tourer fully insured - In return drop off at your hotel
    • Professional driver-guide
    • Visit to Gjirokaster, Blue Eye, Lekuresi Castle, Mesopotam Monastery, Ottoman Bridge, Bunkers.
    • Food
    • Blue Eye ticket
      €0.50 per person

    Meeting and Pickup

    Meeting point

    • Titania Hotel, Sarande
      Rruga Jonianet 15, Saranda, Albania

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    Operating hours
    .8:50 am

    Itinerary

    1

    Lëkurësi Castle

    30 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

    2

    Monastery of Saint Michael

    30 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

    3

    The Blue Eye

    2 hours Admission Ticket Included

    4

    Kordhoce

    30 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    5

    Gjirokaster

    3 hours Admission Ticket Free

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Infants must sit on laps
    • Most travelers can participate
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Reviews

    5.0
    based on 20 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
    Sort by: Most insightful

    Learn, see, play

    Susan_L, Jul 2026
    Great experience with this group and Ilir. He grave a great tour, knowledgeable and interesting. The tour was well paced with a good amount of time at each stop to explore on your own after the tour information.

    Amazing Land Tour to South Albanian Gems!

    PeterRollsroy_S, Jul 2026
    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I highly recommend this day tour to anyone visiting South Albania! It was an amazing experience, taking us to some of the country’s most beautiful and historic destinations, including the breathtaking Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër), the magnificent Lëkurësi Castle, the UNESCO-listed city of Gjirokastër, the peaceful St. Michael’s Monastery, and the picturesque Ottoman Bridge. Every stop had something unique to offer. The crystal-clear turquoise waters of the Blue Eye were absolutely mesmerizing, while the magnificent panoramic views from Lëkurësi Castle overlooking Sarandë, the Ionian Sea, and Corfu were simply unforgettable. Gjirokastër captivated us with its rich history, well-preserved Ottoman architecture, and charming cobblestone streets. The peaceful atmosphere at St. Michael’s Monastery and the historic Ottoman Bridge added even more depth and beauty to the journey. The itinerary was very well planned, giving us enough time to enjoy each destination without feeling rushed. A special thanks to our wonderful tour guide, Ilir (whose name means “freedom” in Albanian). He was friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about sharing the history, culture, and interesting stories behind every place we visited. His explanations made the trip even more enjoyable and meaningful. Although it was a large group, everything was very well organized. We were divided into four comfortable vehicles, making the journey relaxing and enjoyable. Our driver was also incredibly kind, professional, and accommodating. As a thoughtful gesture, he even dropped us off near our hotel after the tour, which we truly appreciated. Overall, this was an unforgettable experience with spectacular scenery, fascinating history, excellent organization, and outstanding service. If you’re looking for a full-day adventure that showcases the natural beauty, magnificent viewpoints, and cultural heritage of southern Albania, this tour is definitely worth booking!

    Brilliant day

    Serene_C, Jul 2026
    A brilliantly well organised trip. You see so much in a day, but it isn't rushed. The guide Ilir was a great guy.

    Great trip! Our guide was...

    Aisha_M, Jul 2026
    Great trip! Our guide was funny and informative. The stops were beautiful, and we had such a great day. Highly recommend.

    And absolutely amazing a...

    Eva_B, Jun 2026
    And absolutely amazing a day, our best day so far in Albania. Our guide Ilir was very knowledgeable, funny and helpful. He made our day so bright and beautiful. We had the best time and would highly recommend this tour to everyone! Ilir was also very helpful for anything you wanted or might need outside the tour. He sent us resources even after the tour to help us with the rest of our trip. 100/10 experience. Thank you Ilir 🙏

    We had an absolutely...

    Millan_B, Jun 2026
    We had an absolutely wonderful holiday in Saranda. This tour to the Blue Eye and Gjirokaster was well organized with lots of interesting information about every stop and it's history. The guide Ilir is very friendly, helpful and serviceminded. He does his best to make the tour enjoyable and unforgettable. Nice cars, driven by experienced drivers. We would highly recommend this tour to everyone travelling to Saranda, you will not be disappointed! Thank you Ilir for the great experience! 🙏

    Excellent packed day trip from Sarande

    Catherine_S, Jun 2026
    This was a packed day visiting lots of sites, for views, history, nature and cultural towns. What makes this tour special is the guide, Ilir, who has a great manner, personality and passion for his country. This is a packed day, ticking off the best sights so be prepared for a long day, bring water, hat and sunglasses. We opted to walk to and from the blue eye which took 20 mins each way. The path is paved but there is little shade so can be tiring in the heat. Alternatively you could take the tourist train both ways (300 Lek each way). Similarly, you can do as much or as little walking around Gjirokaster as you want. It is hilly and the castle is at the top! It costs 400 Lek each for the castle, we spent about 1hr there and thought it was worth it.

    Amazing day trip with our...

    Camilla_B, Jun 2026
    Amazing day trip with our knowledgeable guide Ilir. The guide told us about Albania in a very passionate way. He explained everything along the way and on the stops we made in an interesting way. Enough time on each stop to walk around. The minivan was comfortable and it was easy to find one of the pickup points. On the way back he dropped us off at our accommodations. The best tour if you wish to see the Blue Eye, Gjirokaster and other places around Saranda I recommend everyone to make this tour! Thank you Ilir

    What a lovely way to discover Albania

    Kajsa_A, May 2026
    This a perfect tour to discover Albania in a comfortable way. Luxury mini vand with aircondition and an interested and knowledgeable English speaking Albanian guide. Thank you Ilir for a day in paradise!

    Ilir was a diamond of a guide!

    Karin_B, May 2026
    A very warm man who was happy to share what his country offers with tourists. He is able to blend historic, facts and current affairs, even when some are heavy. His restaurant recommendation in Gjirocastër was 10/10. Make sure you try "oshaf" (if you not are allergic to dairy, nuts or figs). It was delicious!!! Faleminderit nga zembra, Ilir!

    Best tour in Albania

    wiktoria_B, May 2026
    Best tour we have ever done in Albania so far because the tour guide (Ilir) was excellent! He is so knowledgeable about the places, gave us great food recommendations, and is fun to be around. I would definitely recommend this tour!

    Lovely day with the best guide

    Allesa_K, May 2026
    We had a wonderful day with Ilir, who drove us around while sharing the history of the country and his personal experiences. What made the tour truly special was how kind, patient, and caring he was throughout the day. He really put effort into making everyone feel comfortable and looked after, and every question was answered with warmth and enthusiasm. The vans were also spacious and comfortable. Highly recommend!

    That’s a good one

    Celina_G, May 2026
    I had a great experience on this tour. Everything was well organized and ran smoothly from start to finish. The guide was friendly, professional, and shared a lot of interesting information. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and felt well taken care of throughout the whole trip. I would definitely recommend this tour and would book again!

    Happy traveller

    Ervin_A, May 2026
    This is a must do trip in Albania with lots of sites to explore and information about the country Driving on your own is very difficult and dangerous sometimes based on the infrastructure and the way the locals drive so using this company makes everything so much easier and relaxed They are so professional and friendly ready to help you with anything you need even after the tour is finished which was very helpful for me to find the way around and eat decent food in the restaurants recommended by this company I really appreciate what they did for me and I wish them all the best for the future 100% recommended

    Nice trip experience

    Utkarsh_P, Apr 2026
    Trip organisers were extremely well informed and attentive to all travellers who travelled and participated in the trip. They were able to explain the fascinating history of Albania, its monuments we saw, had great tips on where to eat and how to click photographs as well The organisers are new to Viator which explains why there are a few reviews right now, but rest assured they were extremely professional.

    I’m someone who normally...

    Andrew_Q, Apr 2026
    I’m someone who normally doesn’t do tours or post reviews but I decided to do a tour here with Ilir and I’m so glad I did. It was a great value and he is a great and passionate tour operator who made sure that everyone had a good time. Would recommend.

    I’m the first one to...

    YINAN_D, Apr 2026
    I’m the first one to leave the review for this trip on Viator! The day was great, our driver & guide is so friendly and fun to introduce many things on every viewing spots and the view of Blue Eye and Gjirokaster are gorgeous! Definitely I will recommend this trip to my Chinese friends and actually I already did!

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Hello my good friend, It was pleasure to meet you. You are the first tourist booked me on Viator. I will always remember because people like you make me better. All the best to you. Greetings from Saranda 🙏

    A great day

    Karin_B, May 2026
    This experience includes several different parts of different character and gives a good insight into Albania's nature and history. English speaking guide who cares about the participants, comfortable minibuses with air conditioning. Highly recommended!
    Auto-translated

    From $40.80

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 10 days in advance.

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