Gjirokastër

Gjirokastër is a town and a UNESCO world heritage site in Southeastern Albania.



By bus


From here you can catch northbound buses to Tirana, Vlorë, Fier, Berat, Tepelene, Korçë, Permet, and southbound buses to Sarandë.

Buses and minibuses are going to Tirana (1,000 leke) every hour from around 07:00 until 13:00, then there is a bus at 14:30 and a night bus leaving at 00:00 (it arrives in Tirane at 05:45 near Skanderbeg Square).

A shuttle to the Kakavie border crossing with Greece runs several times a day. Buses depart every day on the route Sarandë-Gjirokastër (300 leke) stopping hourly at the bottom of the hill until the early afternoon.

International buses direct to Ioannina (€5, 07:00 departure) and Athens (€20, 20:30 departure) in Greece are available from the private bus agency offices found around the junction.

Transportation and other tourism information is available from the employees of the Tourism Information Center (TIC), located in the old town, on the left side of the road leading towards the castle.

Get around
Gjirokastër can be divided into roughly two halves, the old town up on the hill, and the new town in the valley below. You can walk just about anywhere if you're able to handle the steep cobbled streets. Taxis are cheap and there is a public bus circuit that connects the old town and the new town for about 30 leke. From the roundabout at the center of town to the bus station on the National Road is a fairly flat, easy, 10-minute walk along the main boulevard. Taxis will make this trip for around 200 leke.

See

 * Ethnographic Museum of Gjirokaster 03.jpg



Buy

 * Take a look at the Artisans' Center near the Information Center featuring many souvenirs and traditional crafts.

Eat
Gjirokastër is known for its Qifqi (baked dish made of rice, egg, and seasonings). The city is also well known for its dairy products, especially its white cheese.

There are also well established restaurants in Gjirokastër catering to travellers and the local crowd.

Old town
 * Fantazia – specializes in pizza and salad, but offers traditional Albanian fare, good views of the city.
 * Kujtim's – serves a wide variety of Gjirokastrian specialties.
 * The newly renovated Çajupi Hotel's Terrace Restaurant,
 * The Byrek Shop
 * Muço's Suflaç & Restaurant – Good omelets in the morning
 * Hajri's Coffee Bar
 * Sopoti Cafe

New town
 * Kufoi's, Pizza Erai
 * Antigone Fast Food Suflgreat place off the beaten tourist trackaç,
 * Suflaç at the Hotel One Restaurant
 * Modus Cafe – for coffee
 * Modus Cafe – for coffee

Drink
Raki Mani (aka Mulberry Raki) is supposed to be a local speciality, but it is hard to find. You will have the best chances in June or July.

Sleep

 * price is 1200 lek per person. If you ask for wifi internet (which doesn't seem to happen very often) you will be given the password for a nearby cafe, but it is too far away so it can only work between 03:00 and 06:00 when nobody else uses it. still a good choice for a single traveller as it is cheaper than a dorm bed in one of the towns hostels
 * price is 1200 lek per person. If you ask for wifi internet (which doesn't seem to happen very often) you will be given the password for a nearby cafe, but it is too far away so it can only work between 03:00 and 06:00 when nobody else uses it. still a good choice for a single traveller as it is cheaper than a dorm bed in one of the towns hostels
 * price is 1200 lek per person. If you ask for wifi internet (which doesn't seem to happen very often) you will be given the password for a nearby cafe, but it is too far away so it can only work between 03:00 and 06:00 when nobody else uses it. still a good choice for a single traveller as it is cheaper than a dorm bed in one of the towns hostels
 * price is 1200 lek per person. If you ask for wifi internet (which doesn't seem to happen very often) you will be given the password for a nearby cafe, but it is too far away so it can only work between 03:00 and 06:00 when nobody else uses it. still a good choice for a single traveller as it is cheaper than a dorm bed in one of the towns hostels

Internet
There are internet cafes in Gjirokastër which usually charge between 50 and 100 lek per hour.
 * Internet Kafe (Opposite the mosque)
 * Google Internet Kafe

There are also a few cafes which provide free wireless:
 * Hotel Cajupi (on the roof top terrace/cafe)
 * Restaurant Kuka
 * Bar Karamel
 * Bar Grand
 * Gulf fuel station on the road to Saranda. A coffee is 100 lek, doubtful if you may find a cheaper option

Consulates

 * 🇬🇷 Greece

Go next

 * Fier
 * Fier