Korca (Korca or Korça) is only a three hour bus ride away from Tirana, yet feels like it’s completely off the tourist trail. It has a bustling city, a stunning residential area full of interesting architectural points, and is surrounded by beautiful mountains that make great viewpoints over the city. Korca really feels authentic, and is the perfect destination to add to your Albanian itinerary to step away and catch your breath.

So, if the city isn’t really on the tourist trail, are there many things to do in Korca? Yes. We spent three nights in Korca and didn’t get bored with the place. In fact, our fondness for the place kept on growing. Could we see ourselves living here? Yes. Sign me up.

How to Get to Korca

Most major cities seem to have links straight to Korca. It has a huge bus station so is pretty well-connected with the rest of the country. Read this post for all our top tips for travelling around Albania by bus before you head off on your trip!

We came from Gjirokaster to Korca and it cost us 1500 Lek and took about five hours. The bus leaves at 7am and takes you on a really scenic route. The landscapes are stunning, however, the roads are particularly windy. I’m not someone that gets travel sick, and at the half way point stop off, I felt rough. It took me the whole thirty minute break to get myself back together. So, maybe get yourself some travel sickness tablets.

From Korca we went north to Pogradec on the Albanian side of Lake Ohrid. It took about an hour and cost 250 Lek. The buses leave every 30 minutes from Korca, so this would make a nice day trip. Take a look here for travel tips from Pogradec across the border into North Macedonia‘s Ohrid.

Things to Do in Korca

Venture the Neighbourhood Behind the Orthodox Cathedral

The architecture round here is amazing and has such variety. Some buildings are really historic and crumbling, some have Ottoman influence, some Romanian, some have a retro and even communist feel to them. A real eclectic mix, yet it all works together. We spent a good three hours wandering around exploring each nook and cranny, but if we had more time, I probably could have spent a full day!

Take a look at the Orthodox Cathedral (Ringjallja e Krishtit) too. It is a stunning building and has intricate painting and artwork on all the walls and ceiling inside. It’s pretty new with the build being completed in 1995.

See where Shën Gjergji Church Once Stood

Shën Gjergji Orthodox Church was destroyed during the communist regime to make way for a library. Along Bulevardi Shën Gjergji, you can see the outline of where the church used to stand and a plaque to ensure that the history is not lost.

Find the Prominent Architectural Spots

The eclectic mix of architectural styles that I mentioned earlier isn’t just confined to the backstreets. Find the theatre, the ‘cheese’ building, the yellow Romanian house and cinema. Each is unique and in some cases, bizarre.

Climb the Red Tower Viewpoint

What appears to be a randomly placed tower at the end of Bulevardi Shën Gjergji acts as a viewpoint over the city. And that’s really all there is to this tower. Pay 50 LEK to go up, see the view, take a couple of photos and come back down.

Be Wowed at the National Museum of Medieval Art

We’re not artsy people, and generally, art museums, galleries etc. are not on our list, but this was actually one of the most fascinating things to do in Korca. Honestly, the art was phenomenal and it’s all ancient which makes it all the more impressive. There is so much gold everywhere too. The entrance way is, just, wow. Photography is banned, so nothing to show you but the outside of the museum. 100% worth a visit. Entrance is 700 lek.

Take a Free Walking Tour with Eugene

Eugene really know his stuff when it comes to Korca. We went on a really in-depth tour around the city and to areas that you wouldn’t even know or think to explore. One of our favourite walking tours that we have taken in the Balkans. Give him a shout.

Korca Brewery and Beer Garden

So, while in Korca, its compulsory to drink Korca beer, right? Head over to Korca beer garden to drink straight from the source (the brewery is next door). Don’t have too high expectations though. The service here is not great, so you need to be a bit pushy to get your drink. Don’t wait for the servers to come to you, order at the bar instead.

You can also tour the brewery, but it seems there is no standard procedure for going about doing this. We asked at the beer garden about a tour, and they told us to turn up tomorrow at 10am. Grand.

We turned up to the brewery, and there was no official tour or anything of the sort organised. They didn’t seem to even be expecting us. We asked if we could have a look around anyway. A guy who spoke perfect English showed us round the whole site giving us loads of information as we went, and then gave us a ‘taster’ of the beer (which was much much more than a taster. Chris was beyond chuffed!) And our guide refused to take any payment at the end, not even a tip.

Walk Up to the Martyrs’ Cemetery for Astounding Views

You’re best off following the route on Maps.me. There are a lot of steps up and it’s not particularly well maintained, some slabs are broken. But once you make it to the top and look back at the city, the views go on forever. A great spot to view sunset. It’ll probably be about twenty/thirty minutes of walking up from the Orthodox Cathedral.

Venture up to Shën Ilia Church (St. Ilia Church)

Follow the path round the back of the Martyr’s Cemetery (again best to follow this on Maps.me). You’ll then make it to a very quiet road and you can follow this up to St. Ilia Church. It’s a small church with a big cross that sits on top of a hill overlooking the city. The church itself is very modestly decorated inside and the views from outside were worth the climb. We ventured up in the midday heat of summer (not such a good plan), but it took us about an hour/hour and a half.

Swing by the First Albanian Language School

Up until the school was established in 1887, teaching in Albanian was only carried out in secret because of the enforcement during Ottoman rule. It’s great to take a look, maybe some photos and understand the importance of the building, however, the museum that now resides here is not worth going in.  On the Korca free walking tour, you will learn about this and you will get a much better insight from your guide than from the museum.

Visit the Pazari (Old Bazaar)

This is high on most people’s to do lists, but it didn’t make enough of an impression on me to be very high on mine. Yes, there are the historic hans (inns), such as Hani I Pazarit which has been beautifully renovated into a hotel. But I feel like there has been a little too much restoration in the bazaar and it seems to have lost its charm. If you’re looking for an authentic Ottoman bazaar, head to Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Bitola and Skopje in North Macedonia instead.

Where to Find Tasty Vegetarian Food

We managed to find really tasty vegetarian food throughout Albania. Find out which dishes to look out for in our post here.

Antika

Anitka does the most delicious hand-made pasta. We had the pasta with creamy truffle sauce and a simple pasta with cherry tomatoes. Both were beautiful. (We came back for a second portion of the truffle pasta the next day.) Also worth noting is the cheese croquette starter with cherry jam.

FindFour

Find Four has plenty of veggie/vegan options. We went for the white bean lakror pie (a Korca speciality) and a quinoa salad. There is a lovely outside seating area too.

Restorant Bujtina Liceu

Restorant Bujtina Liceu sits opposite a French language school and offers several options for vegetarians. The outdoor seating area under vines makes the perfect place to stop for a coffee too. The pllaka (large casseroled beans) and the fried mushrooms are really tasty.

Gjirokaster, also spelt Gjirokastër or Gjirokastra, is a historical city in south Albania, near the Greek border. The old part of the city is small and built into the hillside, which means that there are stunning views of the nearby mountains no matter where you are! For such a small city, there are varied and fascinating things to in Gjirokaster to fill a couple of days at least (and the restaurants are good!)

Gjirokaster has UNESCO World Heritage site status thanks to its old town with traditional buildings and unique rooftops, which has prompted the nicknames Stone City and Silver City. Made from locally quarried limestone, each roof tile is positioned and held in place purely by its weight. When it rained back in the olden days, the whole household would have to work together to rearrange the roof tiles to stop any leaks. The rooftops are essentially a huge jigsaw puzzle and can weigh up to 550 kg per square metre!

As well as Gjirokaster’s traditional rooftops, the city is known for its Ottoman-influenced architecture in its grand mansions, its vibrant bazaar and for being the birthplace of two well-known Albanians: well-loved author, Ismail Kadare, and brutal communist dictator, Enver Hoxha.

Easily accessible from nearby seaside town, Saranda, means that most people visit on a day trip. If you have the time though, this is definitely somewhere worth staying for a little while – we stayed for five! Find all the best things to do in Gjirokaster, transport tips, THE best accommodation recommendation, and restaurants catering to vegetarians in this guide.

How to Reach Gjirokaster

Albanian transport information is limited online. We travelled Albania by bus for five weeks an compiled all our tips into one guide here.

Gjirokaster, being one of two of Albania’s UNESCO World Heritage listed towns/cities, is very well-connected. Buses connect Gjirokaster with Korca, Tirana, Vlore, Durres and Berat, as well as others.

Buses we took to and from Gjirokaster:

Saranda to Gjirokaster: cost 500 lek and took an hour and a half, leaving Saranda at 10am.

Gjirokaster to Korca: cost 1500 lek and took five hours, leaving Gjirokaster at 7am.

Where to Stay in Gjirokaster

Patio Rooms Gjirokaster is the only place you should even think about staying. Run by the loveliest people (and now our good friends), Ergest and Irsida, you are sure to love this place and feel right at home. The accommodation is set out of the main town and away from the crowds, but still only a fifteen minute walk to the main things to do in Gjirokaster historical centre. Peaceful, modern rooms with massive TVs, shared patio space with stunning mountain views, and a delicious homemade breakfast each morning (which is different each day).

P.S. Ask Ergest about his rakia!

7 Things to do in Gjrokaster

Walk the Cobbles at the Open Air Bazaar

One of the most popular things to do in Gjirokaster: the main attraction. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s worth walking the cobbles to look at the displays on the street and to marvel at the architecture. The bazaar is set amongst several different paths all connected at a crossroads. Brightly coloured carpets, jewellery and ceramics line the streets, and then one shop at the end of the street sells antique military gear. Definitely not in keeping with the rest of the bazaar, but an interesting contrast.

Slowly Stroll the Backstreets, Camera at the Ready

Get your camera out and wander away from the tourists, particularly over to Dunavat Quarter (the other side of the castle) and up towards Rruga Ago Topulli. The cobbles are uneven and steep, so I’d recommend wearing shoes with decent support. You’ll find beautiful alleyways lined with flowers and traditional buildings, THE best viewpoints of the city and mountains, abandoned buildings, hidden churches and authenticity.

Stop for Coffee with an Outrageous View

Wandering the backstreets high up the hillside, we stumbled across what looked like a little shop selling groceries. We stepped inside to ask if they sold coffee. And they did. She showed us through a room off the side of the shop and on to a balcony that had two plastic chairs and a table, and the most beautiful backdrop. We had the whole balcony to ourselves and THE ultimate coffee with a view.

The place is not marked on Google Maps but is around about here.

Take a Tour of a Grand Ottoman Style Mansion (or Two)

This has to be one of the most unique things to do in Gjirokaster, or even Albania!  Skenduli House and Zekate House are two houses that we visited that I would recommend for different reasons.

To take a look around Skenduli House, you pay 200 lek and then are shown around by a member of the family. They show you secret passage ways, give you full explanation on how the rooms were used and give you little anecdotes. The painting and decoration in the building is intricate and detailed, however, the room with the most impressive artwork has strictly no photos allowed.

You have to pay your tour guide in cash and they kind of hover around checking on your every move around their house after the tour. Skenduli House is great because you really get to learn about the history of the house and the family, but you do feel a little ‘monitored’.

Zekate House, known for its distinctive two tower structure, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. You pay your fee of 250 lek and wander round at your own pace by yourself, exploring all the nooks and crannies, taking photos of whatever you want. We had the entire building to ourselves as no one else was visiting at the same time. However, because you have the freedom to go by yourself, you don’t get the information or history of the building. We felt that both had similar layouts and artwork, but preferred the less-pressured approach at Zekate House.

Get your Sturdy Shoes on and Venture up to Ali Pasha Bridge

Definitely wear some sturdy shoes for this one. Ali Pasha Bridge is maybe a thirty minute walk up through the town. I recommend using Maps.me to get your there (Google Maps doesn’t have a clue).

From the bazaar, you head up until there is no more up. Once you reach the top of the path, the houses end and the landscape opens up into rolling hills. This part is particularly rocky under foot. The path continues down the side of a valley and this is where you will start to see Ali Pasha’s bridge connecting both sides of the valley.

In actual fact, it isn’t a bridge, but a part of an aqueduct that has survived since Ottoman times. Because the rest of the aqueduct is no more, and this arch stands by itself, it looks like a bridge.

You can walk underneath it, or some people dare to walk across it. I didn’t have faith in it and probably would not recommend this as it is a ruin that is definitely not maintained, so it could quite easily end up like the rest of the aqueduct!

Still, the views from around here are beautiful and the structure itself is a sight to behold. You are very unlikely to see any other tourists venturing out here, so you’ll have the whole valley to yourself.

Wander around the Ethnographic Museum

The Ethnographic Museum is built on the site of Enver Hoxha’s birthplace. The building in which Hoxha was born burned down and a different building was put in its place to be in keeping with the other buildings in Gjirokaster, not to replicate the original house. The museum itself makes very little reference to the dictator; it is about traditional Albanian culture. For museums on Hoxha’s horrific regime, head to Tirana to Bunk Art 1 and 2, which are both set in bunkers.

The Ethnographic Museum was being renovated when we were there. We had a look around even though it wasn’t fully up and running yet. So far, there was a display of traditional kitchen items and homeware, traditional clothing and footwear, and rooms were set up as they would have been in Ottoman times. There was a balcony that looked out over the city and towards the mountains. What was going on looked really promising and I was gutted we couldn’t see the finished museum. If you have been, please let me know what it was like in the comments!

Entrance fee is 500 lek.

Learn about Gjirokaster’s History up at the Castle, and Take in the View

I wouldn’t say that visiting the castle is a top thing to do in Gjirokaster, however, it is so huge and imposing, and positioned perfectly for some great views, it is worth going for a nosey. There is some information inside but not a huge amount. Your best bet is to pay the extra 200 lek to visit the museums within the castle: prison, military exhibits and Gjirokaster history. Then head outside towards the clock tower for some great views.

Entrance fee is 400 lek.

Entrance to the museums inside is an extra 200 lek.

And one thing I would recommend against: Cold War Bunker

The Cold War Bunker tour cost 200 lek and lasted a total of about ten minutes. They rushed us round, gave us very little information and then kicked us out. This was such a rip off and really not worth the time or money.

If you’re interested in exploring Albania’s bunkers, this is not the place to get a flavour of it all. Head to Tirana instead. Read all about things to do in Tirana in this post.

Where to Find the Tastiest Vegetarian Food in Gjirokaster

Find all the traditionally vegetarian dishes that you need to keep an eye out for on your Albanian trip in this foodie guide.

The city’s food scene is great, and has to be one of the best things to do in Gjirokaster. Many of the veg dishes in our Albanian food guide are originally from Gjirokaster!

Edua

Edua serves healthy and local food, and even has a shop where you can buy some of their produce. We went there twice. And would thoroughly recommend the beet salad, veggie balls, the beans and finish off with Gjirokaster’s traditional oshaf for dessert. They have seating outside on the street in the evenings.

Restaurant Gjoça Tradicional

Gjoça Tradicional is a tiny little restaurant on the main street of the bazaar. There are only a couple of tables outside so if you see one free, grab it. The place is run by one guy who does all the cooking right there in front of you. He will give you recommendations on what to order based on the freshest food he has. The stuffed aubergine, roasted cheese and trilece are beautiful.

Taverna Lani

A little bit out of the main centre, but worth the ten minute walk. We tried the sarma, stuffed aubergine and rice and beans. We were also given a welcome drink, a plate full of juicy cherries and a biscuit after dinner. The servers are really friendly here too.

Taverna Kuka

Taverna Kuka has a big open seating area. We ordered carbs three ways! Qifqi, which are herby rice balls and are a traditional Gjirokaster dish, cheesy roasted potatoes and beans. Good food and a lovely setting.

Sweets Snacks and Coffee

Snack Bar Simple

This cafe has the prettiest little seating area and serves outrageously good sweets. Give the trilece and portokolapita a go. And don’t forget a rich, dark Turkish coffee to go with it.

Kodra Sweet Hill

Next door to Snack Bar Simple, Kodra Sweet Hill has more of a focus on ice cream. The affogato is amazing! Top tip: ask to switch the vanilla ice cream for caramel. Now you’re talking.

Antigonea Furre Buke Pasticeri

This bakery in the newer part of town. We only tried the donuts from here, they were top notch.

Te Raqi

This bar/cafe is out of the older part of town, down the hill towards the bus station. This is a local joint that serves good coffee at good prices.