The best time to visit Gjirokastër

Pick the month by the stone, and leave the sea out of it. Gjirokastër is steep limestone, so the question is whether the cobbles are dry and the climb is bearable, and that points to May, June and September. July and August are possible with early starts, and November is the month to avoid unless rain suits you.

July and August are hot on the exposed ridge of the castle, where stone holds the sun and there is little shade to hide in. July averages a high of 31 °C, with little rain, so the days are dry and bright. The advice for the castle holds all summer: be at the gate before nine, when the stone has not yet taken the sun. Go to the castle early or late. Give the middle of the day to the houses and a long lunch in the bazaar.

Resort Kërculla, a four-star hotel with a pool on the hill above the old town, is the summer advantage, a place to cool off between a morning of stone and an evening in the lanes. A taxi takes you down to the bazaar. The Blue Eye is the other answer to the heat. It is a cold spring where swimming is forbidden, so you stand at the edge and look.

Day tripsThe day-trip page covers how to reach the Blue Eye, Sarandë and Butrint from town.Day trips from Gjirokastër →

Spring and autumn

May, June and September are the months that visitors with a choice go for, since the ridge is warm and not punishing and the days are long enough for the castle, two houses and the tunnel. Early autumn keeps the warmth without the July glare. Evenings suit the bazaar, when the lanes cool and the castle is lit above them. If a trip to the coast is part of the plan, these months also suit Sarandë and Butrint, because a full day on the road does not leave you wrung out by the heat.

October is still pleasant but wetter, so carry a light waterproof. In every one of these months plan Zekate House before 4 pm. The house has no electric light, and the visit depends on daylight.

2 daysThe two-day itinerary shows how to fit the houses, the castle and the tunnel into one dry day.Gjirokastër in 2 days →

Rain arrives in November, the wettest month, with 299 mm and 13 wet days. December and January stay damp and cool, so the rain does not stop when the year turns. The limestone turns slick on the steep lanes. Shoes with grip stop being advice and become equipment, and a descent from the castle takes longer than the climb did.

Many guesthouses close or cut their hours from November to March, and heating is the question to ask before you book. A winter stay works as a short, quiet visit to the stone, and the verdict is simple: book a bed that is confirmed open, and plan the castle and the houses around the dry hours of each day, rather than around the clock. Take the tunnel early in the day, because the visit needs registration on the spot and a guide to lead the way, and a wet afternoon is a poor time to wait for either.

Where to stayThe stay page lists the places in the old town and the hostels, and says what to expect of them in winter.Where to stay in Gjirokastër →

Getting aroundThe getting-around page explains the bus, the station and the climb, which are harder in the wet.Getting around Gjirokastër →

FoodThe food page lists the warm dishes worth a rainy evening.What to eat in Gjirokastër →