A stone city beneath a hilltop fortress
Gjirokastër is a town of grey stone, with fortified tower houses and slate roofs climbing the slopes beneath a huge castle. The castle houses a museum of arms and offers views across the Drino valley. Visit the Skenduli and Zekate houses, traditional homes of wealthy families, and the cobbled Old Bazaar. Gjirokastër was the birthplace of the writer Ismail Kadare. It pairs well with a trip to the Riviera and the Blue Eye.