Gjirokaster

Gjirokaster, in the mountains of southern Albania, is a striking and well-preserved Ottoman town, a UNESCO site known as the stone city for its distinctive grey stone houses with their characteristic silver stone-slab roofs, climbing steeply up the mountainside. Dominated by a mighty hilltop castle with sweeping views and a collection of old cannons, its cobbled bazaar, fortified tower-houses and museums preserve the character of a wealthy Ottoman trading town.

History

The town first appears, as Argyrokastro, in the writings of John VI Kantakouzenos in 1336, when it belonged to the Despotate of Epirus. By the end of that century the Zenebishi clan held it, and Gjon Zenebishi made it his capital; after his death in 1417 the Ottomans took the town early in 1418, and by 1419 it was the seat of the Sanjak of Albania. In 1811 it passed into Ali Pasha's Pashalik of Yanina, and Ali Pasha is credited with additions to the castle in the 19th century. After the Second World War it was made a museum town, and its historic core was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2005, fifteen years after it was first nominated (Wikipedia, Gjirokastër).

The main sights

• Gjirokaster Castle - the mighty hilltop fortress and its views.
• The stone houses - the grey Ottoman tower-houses with slab roofs.
• The old bazaar - the cobbled market street of crafts.
• The Ethnographic Museum - the grand old house museum.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the mildest weather; the town is atmospheric year-round, and the mountain setting makes it cooler than the coast. It pairs well with the nearby ruins of Butrint and the Albanian Riviera for a southern loop.

Before you go

The steep, uneven cobbled streets are genuinely hard on the feet and difficult to drive. It is a few hours from Tirana in the south, best combined with the coast and Butrint. As with all Albania, infrastructure is still developing, though it is affordable and welcoming. Its distinctive stone architecture, mighty castle and Ottoman heritage, though, are well worth the trip.

Nearby

The ruins of Butrint, the Blue Eye spring and the Albanian Riviera are within reach.

Key facts