Last updated: May 2026
We visited Gjirokastër in November, during the low season, and during our two nights there we only saw a couple of other tourists. A lot of the shops and restaurants were closed for the season, but since people actually live here year-round, there were still enough places open to enjoy the town properly. In return, we got a much more local experience, with quiet cobbled streets almost entirely to ourselves.
Gjirokastër ended up becoming one of our favorite towns we visited in Albania. With its stone houses, mountain backdrop and huge hilltop castle, it genuinely feels like a fairytale town.
If you visit outside peak season, the town feels even smaller and more atmospheric, almost more like a mountain village than a tourist destination.
Where to stay in Gjirokastër?
Gjirokastër is divided into two parts, the newer lower town and the historic old town climbing up the hillside above it.
The old town is by far the more beautiful area to stay in, with stone houses, cobbled streets and incredible mountain views around almost every corner. The newer part of town isn’t as picturesque, but more cafés, restaurants and shops stay open there during low season, and prices are generally a bit lower since this is where most locals live.
We visited in November and stayed in an apartment in the old town, which we absolutely loved. It was incredibly quiet during low season, and waking up to mountain views and empty cobbled streets felt almost surreal.
If you stay in the old town, be prepared for a steep uphill walk from the bus station, which is located in the newer lower part of Gjirokastër. We ended up taking a taxi up to our apartment, which was absolutely worth it. Dragging suitcases or carrying heavy backpacks up the steep cobbled streets would not have been fun.
What to do in Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is quite small, so there isn’t an endless list of things to do, but there’s definitely enough to fill a couple of relaxed days. Many people only visit on a day trip or stay for one night, but if you have extra time in Albania, we’d really recommend slowing down and spending a few nights here instead.
The main attraction is simply wandering around the beautiful old town itself, with its cobbled streets, stone houses, small shops, cafés and restaurants. Keep in mind that some places only open during the main tourist season.
There are also several places to visit in the surrounding area, but for those you’ll either need a car or take taxis, which we didn’t do during our stay. Gjirokastër can also easily be visited as a day trip from Sarandë, especially if you’re travelling by car.
Walk around Gjirokaster old town
There is so much beautiful architecture to see in the old part of Gjirokaster, we walked around for ages, getting lost in small alleys and taking a million photos of all the beauty!
Gjirokaster Castle
The main attraction in Gjirokaster (except the old town itself) is the castle. We stayed just a 5 minute walk from the castle, but if you stay in the new part of town it’s a bit of a hike as it’s on the top of the mountain. Due to the location, the views are spectacular.
This castle is very intact, with loads of parts inside the castle open and areas outside to roam around on. We spent a couple of hours here exploring. It was quite impressive.
Where to eat in Gjirokaster
As we only spent a couple of nights in Gjirkaster, and had our own kitchen, we didn’t eat out much. But Restorant Kufoi was truly a little gem we found. Local place with a very friendly owner. He didn’t speak much English, but enough for us to communicate. They served traditional Albanian food, and it was the best food we had during our entire trip in Albania. It was so tasty and well priced.