Gjirokastër

We started our visit to the city of Gjirokastër in an unusual way, because first we went to the hotel. This time it would not be a campsite, but a room booked through Booking.com. We got to the hotel run by Maradonna. The place is called Hotel Bebej Traditional. The owner ran a grocery store on the ground floor and a hotel on the upper floor.

You could park your car in the yard, but the driveway was quite steep. You needed to go up the hill and then reverse through the gate. On the slippery cobblestones, our heavy car had a bit of trouble. But it turned out that it wasn’t that difficult for the owner of the property and he helped us park our car. You could see that he was experienced at driving there.

After checking in, we went to the castle, which is the main attraction of this city. We walked through the historic streets, then 100 meters through a dark, scary tunnel and we got to the main entrance. We bought tickets and started exploring.

Gjirokastër Castle is one of the largest fortresses in Albanian lands. It has 7 towers and is about 500 meters long. It is located on a high rocky hill. On the upper terrace there was a characteristic clock tower and the wreck of an American reconnaissance plane that made an emergency landing in Albania in 1957.

Fun fact: the castle is the stage of the National Folklore Festival. Every four years, the best performers of traditional Albanian songs come here.

Military exhibits such as cannons, tanks, and anti-aircraft guns were set up in the corridors of the castle. Then we got to an area with a guide who told us about the history of the castle. A prison was once located here, where political prisoners were kept. During the tour, we could look into the cells.

After visiting the castle, we went to a local restaurant for lunch, walked around the city for a while, bought souvenirs, and returned to our accommodation.

In the morning, a surprise awaited us - a traditional Albanian breakfast prepared by the hosts. It was delicious! It was comfortable!