Gjirokastra in southern Albania is a town of grey stone roofs stacked up a hillside, with a castle on top. We think it is one of the best places in the Balkans to walk slowly and look up.
What Gjirokastra is
UNESCO inscribed Gjirokastra in 2005 and in 2008 extended the listing to include Berat, so the property is now called the Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra. The town lies in the Drino river valley and has a 13th-century citadel at its core. UNESCO and its advisers describe it as a rare, well-preserved Ottoman town, known for its tower houses (kule), a building type that took shape in the 17th century. See the UNESCO World Heritage Centre page for Berat and Gjirokastra.
How we would plan a visit
- Stay in the old town so the walk to the castle starts at your door. The streets are steep and paved with stone, so wear shoes with grip.
- Give it two nights, and spend one morning at the citadel looking out over the valley.
- Look for the kule: the tall stone houses with small upper windows that give the old town its outline.
Checked October 2026 against the UNESCO listing. Opening hours for the castle and museums change by season, so confirm locally.
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