| Base towns | Gjirokastër, Përmet |
|---|---|
| Typical stay | 3 to 5 days |
| Best months | Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct |
| Getting in | On the main road between Tirana and the Greek border at Kakavijë, with the coast to the west and Përmet up the Vjosa valley to the east. |
The year · August is underlined
| Region | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gjirokastër and the south |
Right now, in August: ok. Hot, busier. Read the whole of August.
Gjirokastër is a stone town on a hillside above the Drino valley, a castle along its ridge and slate roofs stacked below it. It is the country's other UNESCO town, and it reads older and harder than Berat does.
The south is wider than the town. Përmet sits on the Vjosa, one of the last wild rivers in Europe, with the thermal baths at Bënjë and the Lengarica canyon beside it. Butrint and the coast are within a day's driving the other way, which makes this the region that puts a ruin, a canyon and a beach in the same week.
Places · 6 in Gjirokastër and the south
AI imageGjirokastërHot and busier, with coaches at the castle.Butrintno photograph yetHot and crowded. Go at opening or not at all.Gjirokastër Castleno photograph yetHot, and the coaches are on the terrace all morning.Blue Eye of Sarandëno photograph yetThe busiest weeks of the year at a very small site.Përmetno photograph yetHot, and the baths take the domestic crowd.Bënjë Thermal Bathsno photograph yetPeak domestic season and the pools are full.Walks
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lengarica canyon | 10 km | 150 m | 3.5 h |