Saranda Castle Tours: The 13 We Would Book

1.Saranda: Lekursi Castle, Blue Eye, Gjirokaster, & More Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 884 reviews · 9 hours · from $47Our pick

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)”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Sarande: Blue Eye Spring and Lekursi Castle Sunset Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 798 reviews · 4 hours · from $30Best value

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”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Daily Trip To:Blue Eye,Monastery,Gjirokaster&Lekursi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 665 reviews · 8 hours · from $47

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”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Best of Saranda: Blue Eye, Butrint, Ksamil & Lekuresi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 300 reviews · 6 hours · from $57

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…”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Sarande: Blue Eye Kayak and walking tour & Lekursi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 278 reviews · 4h 30m · from $45

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…”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Saranda: Butrint, Blue Eye, Ksamil and Lekuresi Castle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 141 reviews · 6 hours · from $53

From Saranda, you’ll visit Lekuresi Castle, the Blue Eye Springs, Butrint National Park, and Ksamil with an English-speaking guide such as Elvis, Klide, or Kai. Expect private transport, guided walks, swimming time, bottled water, and a busy but rewarding day. Butrint admission, food, and the Blue Eye train cost extra.

“All the places were good to visit. The views were amazing.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.1-Day Tour in Blue Eye, Monastery, Gjirokaster and Lekursi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews · 6 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $44Top rated

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”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Saranda: Butrint, Ksamil, Blue Eye and Lekuresi Castle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 48 reviews · 6 hours · from $69

Spend six hours exploring southern Albania with a guide, from Butrint’s ancient theater and baptistery to Ksamil, the Blue Eye spring, and Lekuresi Castle. Arvi may lead the day, with Daphina guiding Butrint. Expect a busy route, a 1.5-kilometer walk at the Blue Eye unless you pay for the optional train, and time for lunch at the park.

“The guide was very knowledgeable and very clear in his delivery.It was disappointing not to visit Ksamil beaches only taken to the outskirts of the town to Laguna Beach that was almost deserted. This was not as advertised as visiting Ksamil beaches, one beach does not constitute as beaches. Also at this beach the restaurant did not serve food. Butrint was expected and did not disappoint, the guide was extremely informative and took his time to make sure all the group understood him. On the way to Blue Eye the bus stopped and the guide bought everyone a bottle of water, by this time we had been travelling many hours…”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.From Sarandë: The Blue Eye and Lekuresi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 29 reviews · 3 hours · from $74

Travel from Sarandë to the crystal-clear Blue Eye, a spring pool over 50 meters deep, then continue to Lekursi Castle for wide views of Sarandë, Butrint Lagoon, and Corfu. Your guide, possibly Leo, shares facts about Albanian history in English or Italian. The tour has up to 15 people and includes transport and entry fees.

“Leo is an amazing guide. He told us interesting facts about Albania history and Sarande. Overall, the experience was an amazing one. This trip surpassed all our expectations and a big reason for that was Leo's knowledge and helpfulness.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Exclusive Tour: Butrint UNESCO Site-Blue Eye-Lekuresi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 25 reviews · 7 hours · from $57

Spend seven hours with a licensed guide such as Klajdi, Arbri, or Mariglen, visiting the Blue Eye spring, Lekursi Castle, and UNESCO-listed Butrint. Hotel pickup, transport, water, soft drinks, and the Blue Eye entry ticket are included. Bring cash for Butrint and the optional train.

“Very pleasant, a nice trip to the nature (Blue Eye) and through history (Butrint). A good Englush speaker driver, the young Arbri. Recommend the trip!”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Saranda 1-Day: Butrint, Ksamil, Blue Eye & Lekuresi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 6 hours · from $100

Join Gert, a licensed history graduate who guides in English and Italian, for a six-hour trip from Saranda or Ksamil. Visit ancient Butrint, pause at Ksamil, ride the eco-train to the Blue Eye spring, and finish at Lekuresi Castle. Blue Eye, eco-train, and castle fees are included.

“We had a wonderful and very informative day with our guide Gert and one fellow guest. Saw historically impressive highlights, beautiful nature and the most awesome most awesome views. Sarandë quite lovely too.”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Lekuresi Castle-Ksamil-Butrint

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 17 reviews · 5 hours · from $47

This five-hour small-group tour links three southern Albanian highlights: Lekursi Castle above Saranda, the beaches of Ksamil, and Butrint National Park. Toni may lead the visit, with Albanian, English, or Italian support available. Hotel pickup, return transport, park tickets, and guided visits are included. Ali Pasha’s Castle by boat is optional and costs extra.

“Nous avons tout particulièrement apprécié le dynamisme de Toni, sa pédagogie et sa flexibilité pour accommoder tout le monde. Nous avons eu l'opportunité également d"apprécier la gentillesse de son père.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Blue Eye Magic & Castle Views – Saranda Adventure Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 2 reviews · 4 hours · from $58

Spend two hours at the Blue Eye spring for photos, a walk, and a possible swim, then ride to Lekuresi Castle for about 100 minutes of guided history and views toward Corfu, Greece, and Italy. The tour costs $58, includes transport, water, and entrance, and offers English or French guiding from Saranda.

Check availability →Read our full review