Medieval "Stone City" Of Gjirokastra

OVERVIEW

Explore Gjirokastra, a river valley city of such architectural importance that UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site. Known as the Stone City because of its predominant Ottoman-era stone architecture, Gjirokastra features a compact Old Town with abundant two-story houses, many from the 17th century. A stone fortress built centuries earlier towers above the city and as you will discover offers a strategic vantage point of the Drino Valley. The National Museum of Armaments inside the fortress is well worth browsing. Although it doesn’t appear so now, the space that the museum occupies was a prison when Albania was a Communist state. Enver Hoxha, the country’s first communist chief of state, was born in Gjirokastra. You will see his former house while meandering along the cobblestone streets of Old Town. In the nearby bazaar, which was rebuilt following a 19th-century fire, you will see artisans crafting wares in traditional ways.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit Gjirokastra, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its stone architecture.
• Tour the fortress overlooking Gjirokastra and the museum of weapons that it houses.
• Browse the warren of shops within the bazaar at the center of Old Town.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.