Day 2 in Albania : The Amazing Journey from the Blue Eye to Gjirokastër, via Permët's thermal baths!

#albania #gjirokaster #travel #albaniantrip
Follow us on our new adventures in #Greece and the #balkans on @Autourdumonde1 . Between history and gastronomy, this journey of several weeks will make you discover splendid places from the air. Please note that all images, even those taken by #drone, are shot in #4k .
Eleventh stop on our journey through Greece and the Balkans, we return for a second episode in Albania. This is in fact our first real day entirely devoted to the country, a 275-kilometer journey that will take us through the natural wonders of the country's southeast, including #blueeyes , #gjirokastër and #permet and its thermal baths.
0:28 Introduction
0:46 Lunch and departure from Ksamil
1:57 Short dive and discovery of the Blue Eye
4:58 Head for Gjirokastër via the mountains
6:29 Visit to the city-museum of Gjirokastër
11:06 Back on the road to Permët
12:50 Problems with GoogleMap
13:29 Relaxation at the Bënjë thermal baths
16:44 Evening in Vlora
Intro:
So we left Ksamil and headed for our first point of interest of the day, the Blue Eye. It will take us around 50 minutes to cover the 35 kilometers that separate us from the place.
One of the unforeseen activities of our trip was this exceptional stop, the site of the Blue Eye. You'll understand why a little later, but this is undoubtedly a unique site in southern Albania. Where a hydroelectric dam now stands, you'll find an exceptionally clear water source.
First stop: The Blue Eye
When they tell you that Mother Nature is a great artist, this is no exception. Although it's a very long walk to the waterhole, don't hesitate to cover the distance - it's well worth the detour. Like us, you might even bump into some of our fellow citizens along the way.
As you can see, this spring is as pure as its crystalline blue-green color.
Of course, like most of the tourists there, we couldn't resist taking a dip, even though the water is very cold.
Second activity: Gjirokastër
Located 215 km south of the capital Tirana, Gjirokastër lies on the slopes of Mali i Giëre, or the Great Mountain. The area has been inhabited since the 1st century BC, but the present-day town was built around the castle in the 12th century. The Byzantines called the place Argyropolis, meaning "silver city".
There's an exceptional atmosphere in this town, where tourists weren't very numerous, despite the abundance of tourist shops. Be prepared, though, as everything slopes from start to finish. Nevertheless, the Ottoman style of the place stands in stark contrast to anything we'd seen here since the start of our trip.
Castle:
The highlight of the visit is the fortress that stands in the heart of the city. Now a museum of sorts, it's a unique place to take a stroll and enjoy the exceptional panoramic views over the town and the entire region.
Last stop: the Bënjë thermal baths near Permët
We had a long discussion before deciding whether to head even further east towards the small village of Permët, right in the heart of the Albanian mountains. In the end, it was one of the best decisions we made on the whole trip.
The place is very, very popular with the Albanian families who come here every day, and we were among the only foreigners there that day. In addition to the exceptional site with its old Ottoman bridge, it's an unsuspected place to relax, and even therapeutic since the waters are around 28 degrees Celsius.
Arrival in Vlora :
After 141 kilometers and 2 hours on the road, we ended the day in Vlora, where we'll be spending the night.
Useful links :
- Tourism in Albania :
albania.al/
www.mywanderlust.pl/albania-t...
- Blue Eye :
albaniatourguide.com/blue-eye...
www.visitsaranda.net/see/blue...
- Gjirokastër :
gjirokaster.al/
www.visit-gjirokastra.com/
www.saltinourhair.com/albania...
- Permet :
permet.al/
www.anitahendrieka.com/things...
albaniavisit.com/destinations...
- Vlora :
albania.al/destinations/vlora/
www.goatsontheroad.com/things...
www.kristatheexplorer.com/pos...

[@landinhToronto]

Nice for sharing my friend have a great day

[@bethmadayag975]

such a beautiful place of albania.thanks for sharing newfren

[@TheGrayLifewithJimPearl]

Great adventure. The country side there is so beautiful. Time to relax in that hot spring.

[@nadimahmedtheyoutuber]

What a vlog mind blowing sir 😍😀

[@JGucka]

This is a well made video from Albania. It was very interesting to watch. Keep up the good work and best regards 😀