Saranda Castle Tours: The 6 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)”

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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”

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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”

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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…”

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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…”

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6.1-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”

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