Our day in Gjirokaster started with a bit of a ‘morning after the night before’ feeling. The previous day had been a long one with a lot of travelling and we didn’t arrive at our hotel until late. Not only that but there was a party or concert in full swing near to the hotel when we arrived and the noise permeated every corner of our accommodation until just before midnight. Not what we expected or needed.
The new day was therefore greeted with less than full enthusiasm. However, our spirits soon picked up, thanks in no small measure to another bright, sunny day and an uphill walk to the Castle of Gjirokaster.
Built between the 12th to 14th Centuries and extensively rebuilt in the 19th Century the castle has been a fortress, a prison and is presently the site of a folk festival as well as being one of the main tourist sites in the area.
The Old Town of Gjirokaster is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site and after our visit to the castle we visited the Ethnographic Museum, formerly the birthplace of the Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha.
Later on, we had some free time to wander around and visit the many streets radiating from the Bazaar. Day 5 of our tour may have started off in a grumpy mood, but it ended on a slightly higher note. It was also a huge relief to note that the noise levels for our second night in the town were considerably less than those of the first.
The China Penguin 