Castles · ALBANIA CASTLE TOURS
The good albania castle tours sell their morning slots weeks ahead. Below: the 14 to book early, what each includes, and where they differ.
Travel from Tirana to the Sari Salltik cave shrine and historic Kruja. An English-speaking guide such as Bledi, Noel, Ervin, or Paola leads the day through Skanderbeg’s story, the castle, Old Bazaar, and museum area. Expect mountain views, local crafts, a 2.25-hour break, and transportation for $23.
“Superb organisation and well guided tour. Our guide Bledi was fantastic!”
Travel from Durres or Golem to Kruja with an English-speaking guide such as Oresti, Dion, Luisa, or Helena. See the castle, Skanderbeg Museum, and Old Bazaar, then enjoy free time for lunch, coffee, photos, and shopping. Transport and hotel pickup are included, with about six hours door to door.
“The guide Luisa was so good and told everything in a very fun way. Even though the weather was very rainy and cold, she made it a nice day trip to Kruja and the castle.”
Spend about nine hours touring southern Albania from Saranda in a comfortable Mercedes Vito minivan. With guide Ilir Shehu, you visit Lekursi Castle, Mesopotam Monastery, the Blue Eye, an Ottoman bridge, communist-era bunkers, and Gjirokaster. Expect scenic drives, local history, free time for photos, and a small group of up to eight people.
“Such a great tour! Ilir is such a great guy, he made this tour even more enjoyable. He’s super knowledgeable and so friendly. The places we visited were very beautiful and we had enough time at each place to enjoy everything. We highly recommended this tour! Thank you Ilir, from Tom and Lauren (UK)”
Spend a full day traveling from Tirana to Berat, with a 30-minute stop at Belshi Lake, entry to Berat Castle, optional time at the Onufri Museum, and free time for lunch and exploring. English-speaking guides such as Paola, Arber, Klajdi, and Fjona lead the group, which can reach 50 people.
“The communicated the pickup location & time well, the itinerary was well organized and the time at each stop was perfectly managed, allowing us to explore without feeling too rushed. It was an enjoyable overall experience.”
Join OpenTour Albania for a four-hour afternoon trip from central Sarandë to the Blue Eye spring and Lekursi Castle. English-speaking guides such as Ledjon explain local history, while a comfortable van, seasonal panoramic train, free time, and sunset views make this a practical choice if you do not have a car.
“Guide was lovely and very knowledgeable, gorgeous places to visit”
This small-group tour takes you from Sarandë or Ksamil to the Blue Eye, St. Nicholas Monastery, Gjirokastër, and Lëkurësi Castle in a new Mercedes minivan. English and Greek-speaking guides, often including Ilmi, lead the day. Expect scenic drives, moderate walking, free time, and extra entry fees for the Blue Eye and Gjirokastër Castle.
“our guide was great.. very informative and made the trip enjoyable. plenty of free time. nice small group in 2 vans”
Travel by air-conditioned van from Durres or Golem to Kruja for a guided castle visit, free time in the Old Bazaar, and lunch in town. Guides such as Gledi, Afrim, Redjon, and Dion bring Skanderbeg’s story to life, while the bazaar offers carpets, silverware, rakia, honey, and other local goods. Museum tickets and meals cost extra.
“We did two tours and both were absolutely amazing, with visits to Berat Castle and Kruja Castle. The experiences were incredibly interesting and we learned so much about Albanian history and culture much more than we expected. Both places are stunning, with beautiful views, historic streets, and unique architecture. Everything was very well organized and the service was excellent. We’re really happy we chose these tours and would highly recommend them to anyone visiting Albania!”
Travel from Tirana to Mount Sari Salltik and historic Kruja with an English-speaking guide such as Ervin, Bledi, or Klajdi. See a Bektashi cave shrine, walk the old bazaar, explore Kruja Castle, and enjoy free time for lunch, museums, and shopping. Hotel pickup, transport, and castle entry are included.
“Visited with 2 other friends. Ervin was superb. Such a lovely young, smiley, friendly, polite man with great knowledge of the history. Was a pleasure to have had him as our tour guide today. The driver drove us safely through the mountains and back carefully. Thank you Kavita”
Travel by air-conditioned van from Tirana, Durres, or Golem to Berat with an English-speaking guide. Walk through UNESCO-listed Berat Castle, Mangalem, and Gorica, then enjoy free time and a traditional meal at your own cost. Guides such as Mentor, Jeffry, Erind, and Juli are praised for local stories, photos, and restaurant tips.
“I will say the tour is worth taking i got to see to many things and we dived deep into history of Albania of the oldcity. A huge thanks to the guide Mentor who was knowledgeable he guided us and told the history of every stone. The journey was smooth, the guide and we had a long good conversation about the Albanian culture, tradition and about the itenary we discovered. I recommended this tour for all tourist coming to Albania and also recommend the guide we had. All tourists get the opportunity a guide like him. Thanks”
This six-hour trip links Saranda’s main sights in one day: hilltop Lekuresi Castle, the Blue Eye spring, ancient Butrint, and a final stop in Ksamil. You get transport from central Saranda or the port, an English-speaking guide, and Blue Eye entry. Guides such as Elvis, Mara, Fedele, and Klajdi have led the tour, though your guide will vary.
“I travelled solo to Sarandë, Albania, and joined a tour with this company—honestly, I couldn’t have felt safer or more welcomed. As a solo traveler, that means a lot. The team was incredibly accommodating, and the entire experience was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. They collected me at my accommodations. They went out of their way to cater to everyone’s needs. The tour was also very reasonably priced, which made the value even better. I would absolutely recommend this company to anyone considering a tour in the area—it’s a brilliant choice for solo adventurers and groups alike. If I had one tip, it would be to bring a few…”
Join Ledjon from OpenTour Albania for a half-day trip from Saranda to Lekursi Castle and the Blue Eye. You’ll paddle for about 80 minutes, enjoy free time to swim or take photos, then walk to the spring. Air-conditioned transport, kayak equipment, entry fee, and English guidance are included.
“The best part of the trip was the kayaking, hands down. That does not mean that the rest was boring or not good, but for me the kayaking is what makes this trip special. You get to enjoy the crystal clear, but cold waters which is particularly nice on a hot day. If I had just gone to Blue Eye for the spring, without the kayaking, I might have even been disappointed. Overall, this is a well-rounded tour. Ledjon as a guide knows exactly how much historical and political background information is needed, but can always provide more. As others have mentioned, parking near the starting point is difficult, so…”
Travel from Sarandë by air-conditioned van to Gjirokastër, Gjirokastër Castle, the Blue Eye, and Lekursi Castle. English or Greek-speaking guide Jona leads the day with history, local stories, and free time. Hotel or port pickup is available in Sarandë, though Gjirokastër gets only about an hour.
“We really enjoyed our tour of amazing sites near Sarande including the Gjirokastër Castle the Blue Eye. All went well with the pick up. We enjoyed our guide and the useful info she provided. The driver was a good driver, very safe. All in all, it was time well spent and a great way to see some interesting and very beautiful sites in Albania.”
Start at 9 a.m. in Saranda and explore Mesopotam Monastery, the Blue Eye spring, UNESCO-listed Gjirokaster, and Lekursi Castle with a licensed English-speaking guide. The small van group, usually capped at eight, gives you free time at each stop. Guide Ilmi Hasani is especially noted for his warm, clear guidance.
“You don't need the monastery, at the black eye and in gjirokastra you have enough free time to see everything relaxed. That's good. The castle at the end was quite nice because of the view but the tour guide has to give up a time and not leave it to the "flow" that everyone will be back on the bus sometime by themselves. Germans then stand there stupidly for 15 minutes because they don't want to be late. You can't do that!Auto-translated”
Travel from Tirana to Krujë by air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide, then explore the castle, Skanderbeg Museum, Old Bazaar, and Sari Salltik Shrine. Guides such as Besmiri, Frenki, Antigona, and Eraldo have led recent departures. Audio guides are available in four additional languages.
“Definitely worth a trip to the Krujë castle. Definitely shout out to my very knowledgeable tour guide Besmiri, who definitely knows his kruje history. Definitely a recommend and if you can ask Besmiri.”
By the kind of castle day, rather than the country.
