From Tirana/Durres: Gjirokastra UNESCO Old Town & Ardenica Hill

This guided day tour departs from Tirana or Durres and covers two distinct sites in southern Albania. Gjirokastra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a well-preserved Ottoman-era town built across a steep hillside, known for its stone tower houses, cobbled lanes, and a 13th-century citadel that overlooks the Drinos valley. Ardenica Monastery, set on a ridge above the Myzeqe plain, is an 18th-century Orthodox complex with frescoed walls and a church dedicated to Saint Mary, where national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg is said to have married.

The tour includes guided visits to both sites with transport from Tirana or Durres. Guests walk the old bazaar quarter in Gjirokastra and visit the monastery grounds at Ardenica. Entry fees, a local guide, and return transfers are typically included; confirm exact inclusions and departure times at the point of booking.