The 15 Best Castle & Fortress Tours in Albania

1.Berat city UNESCO tour, the Castle & Belshi lake- From Tirana

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 804 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $12Our pick

Spend a full day traveling from Tirana to Berat, with a short photo stop at Belshi Lake, guided time inside Berat Castle, the optional Onufri Museum, and a walk across Gorica Bridge. English-speaking guides such as Paola, Klajdi, Arber, and Fjona lead the group. Pickup, transport, and castle admission are included.

“Fjona was amazing! She shared so much knowledge about Albania with us and was very friendly and helpful. The tour itself was comfortable and paved well. Had a great time, especially in Berat.”

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2.Kruja castle, the old Bazaar & Sarisalltik- Departure from Tirana

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 592 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $24

This 7 to 8 hour day trip from Tirana combines Sari Salltik’s 1,176-meter Bektashi shrine with Kruja Castle and its old bazaar. An English-speaking guide, often Bledi, Ervin, or Klajdi, handles the history, mountain drive, hotel pickup, and return. You get guided sightseeing plus free time for lunch, museums, photos, and shopping.

“Great tour. Great guide. Lots of free time to explore Kruja castle. Good communication around pickup”

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3.Butrint, Ksamil, Blue Eye, Lekuresi Castle. All-in-one daytrip.

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 125 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $71

This 6 to 7 hour tour from Saranda combines the ancient ruins of Butrint, a short Ksamil beach stop, the Blue Eye spring, and Lekuresi Castle. Tony is often the guide, though staffing can vary. Hotel pickup, transport, Butrint admission, Blue Eye admission, and WiFi are included. Bring snacks and cash for the optional Blue Eye train.

“Tony was a great guide…and best to go with a tour because I wouldn’t want to drive on the roads here. Pick-up and drop-off at our hotel, received highlights of all the places, including entrance fees. We only had to pay the €6/person to ride the train from the entrance of the Blue Eye park to the actual spring head waters. (The train is one of those “kiddie trains” used for tours around city streets.) Perfect amount of time in all the places, but no time for lunch built into the schedule…so eat a good breakfast or bring snacks. Plenty of time to get a drink, but not a sit-down…”

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4.Butrint, Blue Eye, Ksamil and Lekuresi Castle Tour From Saranda

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 102 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $81

This six-hour Saranda tour links Lekuresi Castle, the Blue Eye, Butrint National Park, and Ksamil in an air-conditioned vehicle with Wi-Fi. You may get a private car or join a small group, despite the private-tour wording. Guides such as Elvis, Mara, Katie, and Marjela have earned praise for flexible schedules and thoughtful help.

“It was amazing. The driver was very friendly. We were a bit late so we couldn't do the first one but we did the three which was blue eye, butrint national park and kshmil beach. They were all beautiful places.”

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

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

Travel from Saranda in an air-conditioned van with an English-speaking licensed guide. Visit the Byzantine monastery near Mesopot, the Blue Eye spring, UNESCO-listed Gjirokaster, and Lekursi Castle. You get generous free time at the main stops, with a small group capped at eight people. Ilmi Hasani is one guide associated with this experience.

“I booked just to fill a day but it turned into one of the best memories of my vacation. Every stop had something unique from history to nature to great coffee spots. The guide’s passion really showed. Worth every minute!”

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6.Savor Albanian Cuisine Cooking Class with Mama Nina Berat Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $48

Meet Mama Nina inside Berat Castle for a hands-on Albanian cooking class lasting about three hours. With help from English-speaking translator Mikael, you prepare dishes such as baklava, baked eggplant, meatballs, savory pies, and fërgesë, then sit down to eat together. The small group is limited to eight people.

“This was the most memorable of my time in Albania. First off, we were cooking in a castle called Berat (I think). There’s a small village of people who live there so it was very welcoming. The kitchen was outdoors which was also very nice. The weather was very windy during this time but did not effect our cooking experience. There was a translator present as our main chef did not speak much English but she was very nice & thorough. Coming from a chef, this experience has elevated my palate!! We made some baked egg plants covered with a tomato’s sauce mixture (vegan friendly) - we made pork meatballs…”

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7.Tour to Butrint Antic City/Blue Eye Spring/Lekursi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 43 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $86

Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicle from Saranda with guide Klajdi or another local guide to the Blue Eye, Lëkurësi Castle, Butrint, and Ksamil. Expect flexible timing, hotel or port pickup, a 30-minute walk to the Blue Eye, and extra fees for Butrint and the optional train.

“Excellent guide and driver. Kind and attentive to pace of walking. Very sweet and thoughtful. Thank you.”

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8.Tour Gjirokaster,Blue Eye & Lekursi Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 39 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $41

From Saranda, this 5 to 6-hour outing takes you to Gjirokaster’s Ottoman old town, the icy Blue Eye spring, and Lekursi Castle above the coast. Pickup is available, entrance to the Blue Eye is included, and guides such as Jona and Orlando have led the route. Expect mountain roads, walking, and a day that may run longer than planned.

“We really enjoyed our tour with Jona. We were picked up in a private van with a max of 6 passengers so it was very comfortable. While we were not in the van with Jona she did a good job of sharing info with us at Gjirokaster castle. I'm not one for a full day of listening to someone drone on and on about things so I appreciated the history highlights and then allowing us to wander to get our pictures. It was nice that she also asked the group about how much time we wanted in the village so the tour felt less rigid. We enjoyed having time to…”

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9.Visit The National Park of Blue Eye & Lekuresi castel

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 32 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $28

Travel from Saranda to the Blue Eye, a clear spring in a lush mountain setting, then continue to Lekuresi Castle for views across town and the Ksamil Islands. The experience lasts about three to four hours, costs $28.81 per person, and includes an air-conditioned vehicle. Guide service can vary, so confirm who will accompany you.

“Good tour and tour guide to the Blue Eye and Lekuresi castel. Aleksia did a good job telling us about the Blue Eye and castel and we enjoyed the rides to both areas. The views from the castel were amazing and the Blue Eye was beautiful.”

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10.Sarande Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $31

Travel from central Saranda to the Blue Eye spring, with time for photos, a coffee break, and a short walk through the forest. Then head to Lekursi Castle for wide views over Saranda, Ksamil, Corfu, the Ionian Sea, Bistrica River, and Butrinti Lake. The English-language tour lasts about three and a half hours and carries no more than 15 people.

“Great trip to see the beautiful blue eye 👁 i managed to hike around the lake was tough but worth it, then we went to the castle for the most amazing views and sunset.”

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11.Kruja Castle ,Sari Salltik & Durrës fromTirana

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 30 reviews · 8 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $84

This 8 to 9 hour small-group trip from Tirana combines Kruja Castle, the Skanderbeg Museum, Kruja’s old bazaar, the Sari Salltik shrine, and Durrës’ Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, and coastal sights. Hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, and a guide such as Adi, Adnan, Ali, Besnik, or Skerdi are included. Lunch is optional.

“Great all-day trip to explore some of the other sides of Albania! Kruja is up in the mountains and Durres is by the sea so you get to see a little of everything! Our guide Adi was wonderful! Great with communication and right on time so we could get going right away. He showed us through kruja and some of the less known parts of the castle grounds which was great getting away from the crowds. Admission into the castle (which is really a musuem) is not included but only 5€ and very worth it. Adi came in with us and gave us a guided tour inside, which was great…”

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12.Day tour of Berat UNESCO city , castle and Belshi Lake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $38

Travel from Tirana, Durrës, or Golem to Belsh Lake and Berat, Albania’s UNESCO-listed city. Walk through the inhabited castle, see Orthodox churches and Ottoman homes, and eat a traditional meal in a seven-generation family house. The tour is offered in English, with pickup and groups of up to 20.

“That tour was amazing, so was the guide. We've been able to see a lot of things, being taught a lot about history and everything with laughs plus an amazing meal!”

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13.Buthrotum, Blue Eye Springs, Ksamil and Lekursi Castle from Saranda

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 23 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $180

From Saranda or Ksamil, this 4 to 6-hour tour combines the Blue Eye spring, Butrint’s ancient ruins, a short Ksamil stop, and Lekursi Castle. You travel by air-conditioned minivan with pickup, water, snacks, and a local guide. Guides such as Irena, Linda, and Leo have earned special praise, though stop times can be tight.

“My mom and I booked a private tour, that way we got to decide how long to stay where, when to stop in between etc. Our guide Irena was the most wonderful guide you could ever hope for. Our driver added great information in Albanian which Irena translated for us. Butrint is a very unique experience I would recommend for anyone, the blue eye has many tourists but kind of feels like a must see of the area and the castle has a spectacular view! Best day of our trip, thank you!!!”

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14.Tour to Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle from Saranda

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $79

Set out from Saranda or Ksamil in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide such as Klajdi or Mariglen. Spend about two hours at the Blue Eye spring, then visit Lekursi Castle for wide views toward Saranda, Corfu, and Ksamil. The small group is capped at eight people.

“Our guide Kladji was very kind. We took a ferry from Corfu to Saranda and the ferry was a bit delayed. Kladji waited us with patience and we started the trip about 30min later. All the places where he took us to were truly great. Although we only had a few hours in Saranda, he showed us a very good first impression of this city and we'd like to visit it again in future!”

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15.Half-day Tour in South Albania (Blue Eye, Lekursi Castle, Ksamil)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $118

Set out from Saranda or Ksamil with guide Ari for a compact tour of southern Albania. You’ll visit the vivid Blue Eye spring, the hilltop ruins of Lekursi Castle, and a favorite Ksamil beach. Transport, entrance fees, snacks, and water are included, while beach costs and personal spending are not.

“A great trip! We had a limited time being cruise ship guests to the area and our friendly tour guide was great at making sure we were back in plenty of time as indicated on the tour timings. A really nice potter about 3 lovely spots and well worth it for us to make the most of our short time docked in Sarandë. Absolutely loved the blue eye, worth the journey out - it was stunning and our guide kindly bought us a drink in the cafe at the site. Would recommend, you'll be in good hands! (Picture of us and our guide in the blue eye photo).”

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