Visit The National Park of Blue Eye & Lekuresi castel

As unexpectedly spectacular as the coast of Southern Albania is (and it is magnificent!) what you would expect to see there are sights reminiscent of the Mediterranean more so than the tropics. Yet, as we know by now, Albania is the land of the unexpected! The country hides its small tropical paradise, aptly called the Blue Eye (in Albanian: Syri i Kaltër). Perhaps the most breathtakingly beautiful sight in Albania, the Blue Eye is located about a 30-minute drive away from the coastal city of Saranda on the road to Gjirokastra (all places to see, by the way!). Surely, the surprise factor adds to the beauty of the entire experience. To find the tropics in Albania is no small feat!

Perhaps describing the multidimensionality and depth of this surreal beauty is futile, but one must try! The landscape leading to the Blue Eye uncovers this anomaly of nature as you will find yourself surrounded by palm trees, wild ferns and tropical plants, as well as dense, mountainous forest vegetation of oaks and sycamores, all at once! This vegetation is kept lush and glorious by the spring flowing down the mountain into the Bistrica River. A total of eighteen springs are dispersed along the site! The freshwater spring from the Gjerë (in English: Wide) Mountain flows into the Blue Eye and creates a natural pool with depths of about 50 meters. Or, so they say! The actual depth has not yet been determined. Many divers have tried to get to the bottom of it, to no avail.

Visit for views over Saranda town and the Ksamil Islands from its perch on a mountain. All that remains of the castle are its ancient walls, but a small restaurant located inside has converted a part of the ruins into a restaurant terrace. From this cafe take in views of the sea and the town below as you sample the traditional cuisine. You may have to approach the bar to order during the busy peak season. Admission to the castle is free and you can roam around the stone walls, but wear appropriate hiking shoes to protect your feet from the brush and rocks. With our online itinerary creator, Saranda attractions like Lekuresi Castle can be center stage of your vacation plans, and you can find out about other attractions like it, unlike it, near it, and miles away.