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Sarande and Ksamil Tour: Blue Eye, Gjirokastër, Lekuresi
4.9
98 Ratings
Saranda
Explore Blue Eye, St. Nicholas Monastery, Gjirokastër, and Lekuresi Castle in a day. Dive into Albanian culture and nature with a local guide.
Explore Blue Eye, St. Nicholas Monastery, Gjirokastër, and Lekuresi Castle in a day. Dive into Albanian culture and nature with a local guide.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Monastery of Saint Michael - One of the oldest and largest churches of the Byzantine era and one of the world’s pearls of Byzantine architecture, St. Nicholas Monastery is located in the south of the Mesopotam village in the outskirts of Saranda, very close to the ancient city of Finiq. The monastery is thought to have been built in 1224 or 1225….
- Monastery of Saint Michael - One of the oldest and largest churches of the Byzantine era and one of the world’s pearls of Byzantine architecture, St. Nicholas Monastery is located in the south of the Mesopotam village in the outskirts of Saranda, very close to the ancient city of Finiq. The monastery is thought to have been built in 1224 or 1225. It was once enclosed by a circular wall which is today only partly preserved. Its double apse makes it unique in its genre, and some researchers have advanced the hypothesis that this was due to the monastery being used by two religious rites (Catholic and Orthodox).
- The Blue Eye - The “Blue Eye” (Albanian: Syri i Kaltër) is a water spring and natural phenomenon occurring in the village of Muzinë in Finiq municipality, southern Albania.[3] A popular tourist attraction, the clear blue water of the river can be seen from a depth of more than fifty metres. Divers have descended to fifty metres, but it is still unclear what the actual depth of the karst hole is
- Gjirokaster Castle - Gjirokastra, is also known as the stone city, and has been protected by UNESCO since 2005. It is one of the last Ottomans -style cities left in the Balkans
- Lekuresi Castle - Lekursi Castle (Kajala e Lëkurësit) is a castle on Lekursi Hill, just behind Saranda with an amazing view over the town and bay, making this the most popular and iconic viewpoint of Saranda.
What's Included
- Licensed or certified in-person guide
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Insurance during transportation
- Free Wi-Fi during transportation
- Licensed or certified in-person guide
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Insurance during transportation
- Free Wi-Fi during transportation
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- enternerace to blue eye
- enternerace to gjirokastra castle (optional)
- Lunch
- enternerace to blue eye
- enternerace to gjirokastra castle (optional)
Additional Information
Visit 4 different places in one day on this tour from Sarande and Ksamil. Explore the St. Nicholas Monastery Church, marvel at the Blue Eye, stroll through the city of Gjirokastër, and admire the views from Lekuresi Castle.
Immerse yourself in Albanian culture and nature on a full-day tour. Discover 4 fascinating locations in just one day with your local…
Visit 4 different places in one day on this tour from Sarande and Ksamil. Explore the St. Nicholas Monastery Church, marvel at the Blue Eye, stroll through the city of Gjirokastër, and admire the views from Lekuresi Castle.
Immerse yourself in Albanian culture and nature on a full-day tour. Discover 4 fascinating locations in just one day with your local guide. Admire the spectacularly clear waters of the natural Blue Eye spring. Pause for reflection at the St. Nicholas Monastery Church in Mesopotam. Step back in time on the streets of Gjirokastër and at Lëkurësi Castle.
Location
Hotel Vila Duraku
Rruga Naim Frashëri
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(98 Ratings)
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1 star
Hannah_h
Jun 1, 2026
Couple in their 30s, loved it! - Full on day - 8.20-5.40 for us ksamil based. Wear the right shoes if you want to do the more challenging hike around the blue eye. Very steep at times but amazingly beautiful! Lekursi castle at the end is stunning - unexpected gem! Lovely guide, well air conditioned minibus so we were comfy all day when driving. gjirokaster is great - highly recommend Kujtimi restaurant to sample the local food as gorgeous terrace with flowers and leaves surrounding and off the main strip but has lots of locals and relaxed ambiance. All in all we saw the key gems and had a great day.
Review provided by Viator
Olivia_h
May 30, 2026
Absolutely worth it! Each... - Absolutely worth it! Each stop was unique and special, offering a variety of sights and experiences. The transformation was comfortable and well maintained, with excellent air conditioning. The driver was incredibly friendly and patient.
Review provided by Viator
Olivia_h
May 30, 2026
Amazing!!!Had a great... - Amazing!!!Had a great time visiting the south of Albania,the tour was well organised and the price was great.The Blue Eye and Gjirokastera were my favourite.
Would highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Olivia_h
May 29, 2026
This guy knows how to do... - This guy knows how to do their jobs. Both the driver and guide were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. They spoke excellent English and were always ready to answer any questions you had. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Jayne_d
May 29, 2026
Great tour! Got to see a... - Great tour! Got to see a lot of southern Albania. Beautiful mountains and nature. Specially enjoyed Gjirokaster. Made me want to return and spend more time there.
Our driver and guide were very friendly, knowledgeable and offered their assistance. They also answered our questions as they came up!
Would highly recommend this tour and the tour company.
Review provided by Viator
Sergio_m
May 29, 2026
This day tour was an... - This day tour was an excellent experience. All the places we visited were interesting and must see when you’re vacationing in Saranda. Ilmi our guide and driver was very careful and took great care of all of us. I highly recommend this trip and this company.
Review provided by Viator
Eberhard_z
May 24, 2026
It is an excursion that... - It is an excursion that one must take to gain insight into the culture of Albania. For it was nice to see how proud the Albanians are of their history.
Review provided by Viator
Natalia_g
May 23, 2026
Excellent - Everything was very good; we had the necessary time to visit the places. Good explanations and recommendations. The guide was very attentive. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Beverly_s
May 21, 2026
Delightful full day tour of 4 great places to visit in southern Albania - So many wonderful sights to savor. Excellent tour guide and driver. Comfortable. Informative. Just perfect.
Review provided by Viator
Darren
May 31, 2026
Very nice day out - Great tour and guides were very good but the music on the bus was a bit load and not really suited for the demographic of the group
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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