Gjirokaster – Tirane

Famed for its intricate Ottoman mansions, it’s also known as the birthplace of dictator Enver Hoxha and Albania’s Nobel-nominated writer Ismail Kadare. Protected by the status of “Museum Town”, Gjirokaster survived socialist modernization campaigns and is today inscribed in the World Heritage List. Get lost in a maze of narrow, cobbled streets, visit the ethnographic museum in Hoxha’s birth house and climb to the towering castle above. Inside the walls, oddities like an American “spy plane” sit on display, the city museum enlightens with unique insights and the views from the iconic clock tower over the Drino Valley remind of the trekking days. One can easily spend more days walking through the neighborhoods or visiting nearby sites. Butrint, the Blue Eye (a karst spring) and beaches of the Albanian Riviera are also less than two hours driving from here. A private transfer or public transport takes you to the centrally located hotel in Tirana (up to 4 h), the modern capital that wants to be everything but Albanian. Visit the Skanderbeg Square and trendy “Blloku” district to watch the city come to life at night.