Defined by its castle, roads paved with chunky limestone and shale, imposing slate-roofed houses and views out to the Drina Valley, Gjirokastra is an intriguing hillside town described beautifully by Albania's most famous literary export and locally born author, Ismail Kadare (b 1936), in Chronicle in Stone. There has been a settlement here for 2500 years, though these days it's the 600 'monumental' Ottoman-era houses in town that attract visitors.
Population : 43,000
Gjirokastra CastleCASTLE
(admission 200 lekë; h9am-7pm)
Gjirokastra's eerie hilltop castle is one of the biggest in the Balkans and easily the town's best sight, most definitely worth the steep walk up from the Old Town. Inside there's an eerie collection of armoury, two good museums, a shot-down US Air Force jet and a hilariously hard-to-use audiotour that is included in your entry fee.
Zekate HouseHISTORIC BUILDING
(admission 200 lekë; h9am-6pm )
This incredible three-storey house dates from 1811 and has twin towers and a double-arched facade. It's fascinating to nose around the almost totally unchanged interiors of an Ottoman-era home, especially the upstairs galleries, which are the most impressive. The owners live next door and collect the payments; to get here, follow the signs past the Hotel Kalemi and keep zigzagging up the hill.
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