Emerging downhill from its castle, the beautiful, simple town of Gjirokastra was born in the 13th century. The castle proudly remains on its hill, overseeing the entire city and the river valley beneath it. Viewed from this height, the grey-hued houses and their slate roofs merge with the hillside, set apart solely by their whitewashed walls. As described by one of its most renowned natives, Ismail Kadare in Chronicle in Stone, Gjirokastra is an ‘astonishing city that appears to have surfaced from the valley unexpectedly, like a prehistoric creature, struggling to ascend, fastening itself to the mountain side’. In July 2005, Gjirokastra earned the distinction of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Albanian government had already bestowed upon it the status of a ‘museum-city’, granting its architectural heritage legal protection, and restricting new construction within the historic core.
*The mandatory number of travelers for each booking is 2. There is an additional fee for solo travelers.