Old Town of Gjirokastër

The Old Town is a maze of cobblestone streets climbing the mountainside. Gray limestone tower houses covered with heavy slate tiles create a dense settlement resembling a medieval fortress. A typical kullë is a two- to three-story building: a windowless stone ground floor (storage and livestock pens), with upper floors featuring wooden balconies and carved wooden ceilings. The first living floor was for winter; the second for summer. Ground-level walls reach up to a meter thick.

Key sites include Zekate House (1812, double-arch façade, frescoes and fireplaces across three floors), Skenduli House (18th century, 9 fireplaces, 64 windows, 4 Turkish baths – still managed by a descendant of the original owners), and the Ethnographic Museum of Gjirokastër (built in 1966 on the site of Enver Hoxha's birthplace, displaying traditional household life). The city is also the birthplace of novelist Ismail Kadare, who depicted it in "Chronicle in Stone."

In the evening, the Old Town transforms: cafés and restaurants light up along the streets, and the Old Bazaar becomes especially atmospheric. The Palorto district is the best-preserved quarter, with views over the valley and castle.

UNESCO Site – since 2005, jointly with the historic center of Berat, as a rare example of Ottoman urban planning

500+ historic buildings – stone tower houses (kullë) from the 17th–19th centuries with slate roofs and wooden balconies

Zekate House – built in 1812 for a general of Ali Pasha, double arch and frescoes, one of the city's most photographed buildings

Skenduli House – 18th century, 9 fireplaces, 64 windows, 4 baths – managed by a descendant of the original owners

Birthplace of two famous figures – novelist Ismail Kadare and communist leader Enver Hoxha were both born here

Nicknamed 'City of Stone' – everything is built from stone: houses, roofs, streets, walls

Settlement on the slopes of Mount Gjerë dates to the 4th century AD, though archaeological finds on the castle hill go back to the Bronze Age. The name "Argyrokastron" (Silver Fortress) first appears in 14th-century records. In 1417, the city came under Ottoman rule. By the 1580s, it had over 400 dwellings. The city's golden age spanned the 17th–19th centuries, when wealthy landowners and Ottoman administrators built stone tower houses that reflected their status and need for defense. Gjirokastër became an important administrative and trade center of southern Albania.

In the 19th century, the city was a center of Albanian nationalism: in 1880, the Albanian League met here and demanded autonomy from the Ottoman Empire. In the 20th century, it became the birthplace of Enver Hoxha (1908) and Ismail Kadare (1936). Under the communist regime, many religious buildings were destroyed – only the Bazaar Mosque (1757) survived out of 13 mosques. In 2005, UNESCO recognized Gjirokastër alongside Berat as an example of Ottoman urban planning. Today, restoration of historic buildings continues, with many tower houses converted into guesthouses and museums.

From Tirana (227 km, 3.5–4 hours):

– Bus: 1,200 ALL (~€12 / $13), departures from 05:00 to 20:30

– Taxi: 14,000–18,000 ALL (€140–180)

From Sarandë (55 km, 1–1.5 hours):

– Bus: 2 daily departures

– Taxi: 3,000–4,000 ALL (€30–40)

On-site:

Buses arrive in the lower new town. The Old Town is a steep uphill walk from Çerçiz Topulli Square (10–15 minutes to the Bazaar, 30–40 minutes to the castle). Taxis can drive to the edge of the Old Town but not to all points – streets are too narrow.

Season: April–June and September–October. Comfortable temperatures for uphill walking. Summer is hot (35°C+); winter can be raw and damp.

Time of day: Mornings for museums and the castle. Evenings (after 17:00) for strolling the bazaar and dinner. The Old Town is beautiful at sunset when stone walls turn golden.

Duration: 3–5 hours for a walk and 2–3 museum houses. A full day with the castle and bazaar. For deeper immersion, stay 1–2 nights.

Avoid: Mondays (some museums closed). July–August if you struggle with heat on steep terrain.