Gjirokastra is approximately an hour’s drive from Sarande but it seems so much longer because of the sharp hair pin bends and the need to slow down. Albanian drivers know no fear and will pass two at a time on a bend! We picked up a hire car from a rental agency called Narnia! I wasn’t sure what to expect on entering, hopefully not a wardrobe door. I had been liaising with Kristina for a few weeks about price, duration and the one way transfer fee. She gave me the best offer of all the places I looked at.

There was a long delay in signing off on all the documents and payment, due to the fact her credit card machine was not working. The ATMs outside both only dispensed 100 Euros at a time, but miraculously Anthony found £300 emergency money in his wallet. We could not leave a deposit though only an imprint of the credit card, but were asked to leave a passport or driving licence to be returned by the driver on pick up, not a viable option! Anyway she agreed that we could forego this, just really wanted our money.

The car was an old manual Citroen 3 and seemed in good condition. Anthony did say after he was a bit daunted about the prospect of driving in Albania, but at the end he enjoyed himself immensely.

Our first stop was The Blue Eye, a natural water spring featuring the clear blue water of a depth of 50 metres. It is essentially a tourist spot and not free to enter. As it was on our way we thought we would check it out. On arrival you have to pay for parking plus entry to the park. It is quite a walk from the car park but there is a “train” to take you to the top. Of course I took the train, whilst Anthony walked.

You can also hire electric scooters which I saw many people doing, although I’m not sure they realised how dangerous it would be on the way down. I actually saw one young guy come flying off into the bushes, nettles I believe!

I can’t say I was all that impressed with this attraction, yes it was pretty but just another sight. Also you are not meant to swim, but rules in Albania seem very flexible, and I saw many people going in.

After this it was onwards and upwards towards Gjirokastra. I was actually starting to worry about driving up so high, but my trusty chauffeur seemed to have everything under control. I had the address of the hotel in my google maps but it took us three goes to get to the right place with Anthony having to do crazy three point turns to retrace our tracks. We thought we had the correct hotel and the owner actually parked our car and took our bags out only to tell us we had the wrong hotel!

Our first sight of Gjirokastra

Our hotel and the balcony off our room.

We were only here for the night and so as soon as we had checked in we set off to explore. This small town was just so delightful and I loved everything about it immediately. It was a short walk down to the narrow cobblestoned streets where the bazaar was with all the restaurants and bars. It reminded me of a mini Montmartre.

There were still a few tour groups around and the atmosphere and vibe was buzzing. You can visit here on a day trip but that means you don’t get to experience the appeal of this lovely town at night.

Anthony couldn’t believe his eyes when a parade of vintage cars drove through the cobble stoned streets, tooting and blaring their horns down the hill. Right up (or down) his alley.

It was also a popular place for wedding photos as we watched from a street side cafe the happy couple posing.

Some of the items that could be bought at the bazaar, there must be a market for old war objects and clothes as nearly every shop had things of this nature.

This building was just at the back of our hotel and once must have been a thriving hub of entertainment. There was a plaque with a poem next to it.

Very poignant

We had a cocktail and beer at the Gallery Irish Pub which had great views. For dinner Anthony wanted to eat somewhere traditional, so we found a tiny place tucked between shops called Verdeja. There was only one room with four tables and looked to be a family owned restaurant. The man of the place donned an apron and hat and looked on while his wife did all of the work! Further away from the coast the cuisine consists largely of meat, all parts of an animal on offer, as Anthony loves tripe he was keen to try this local dish. I preferred the vegetarian options of stuffed peppers or aubergines.

Walking around the bazaar through the narrow streets and browsing the shops was the highlight of the day. It was interesting to learn that this was Enva Hoxha’s birthplace, which it was why everywhere was so well kept.

Next up Gjirokaster Castle