Blue Eye Albania should be on every itinerary to the Albanian Riviera. What is the Blue Eye? It is a beautiful, natural water spring whose depths are unknown. Also known by its Albanian name Syri i Kalter. The colours of the Blue Eye will blow you away, bright blues and greens and the surrounding scenery are just incredible.
Read on for all the information you need to know about visiting Blue Eye Albania.
Where is the Blue Eye Albania?
Blue Eye Albania or Syri Kalter is located in Muzina in the Vlora County. It is located within Syri i Kalter (Blue Eye) National Park, which is known for its natural beauty.
It is only 22km outside of Saranda and takes around 35minutes to drive there. This means that Blue Eye Albania is a very popular day trip and lots of tour companies and buses offer tours there.
It is also a convenient stop off if you are on the way to or from Gjirokaster. Gjirokaster or ‘The Stone City’ is a wonderful, traditional town with cobbled streets, bazaars, a castle and fort. Make sure to include some time in Gjirokaster as part of your trip to Albania. You can read more information on the Best Things to do in Gjirokaster here.
How to get to Blue Eye Albania
By Car
The easiest, most convenient way to get to Blue Eye Albania is by driving yourself there. We would recommend hiring a car at least for some of your time in Albania to make sure that you get around and see as much of the country as possible.
When arriving at Blue Eye Albania there is a car park available as well as street parking. It does get very busy so GET THERE EARLY! We got stuck in a big traffic jam when we were trying to leave but managed to arrive and park easily.
On a Tour
Alternatively, you can go with an organised tour who will arrange everything for you. This is a good option if you don’t drive or don’t want to drive in Albania. Popular tour companies will include a trip to Butrint and Gjirokastra during the same day. It is an easy option to be able to see lots of the main sites within one day.
By Taxi
Another option is to book a taxi. If you speak to your hotel or accommodation they should be able to recommend someone locally who would drive you to Blue Eye and back. Make sure to pre arrange a daily fee so that you are not faced with additional charges. The taxi should cost around 40Euro for a return trip from Saranda.
By Bus or Train
Unfortunately it is possible to get a bus from Saranda to Blue Eye Albania anymore. There was a new road built to travel from Saranda to Gjirokasta which is the route the bus now takes. It does not need to go to Blue Eye anymore.
Train travel in Albania is not fully developed. There are some trains for longer distances but no smaller, local trains.
What is the Blue Eye Albania entrance fee?
Make sure to bring cash with you to the Blue Eye Albania. There is a nominal fee of 50LEK (50c or 1dhs) per person and 100LEK (around 1EURO or 3dhs) if you arrive by car to enter the National Park. There will be a man collecting cash when you enter.
What can I do at the Blue Eye?
When you arrive at Syri i Kalter you will notice a few Electric Scooters for rent. It is a popular option to rent a scooter – you may see a few teenagers piled on one scooter! The walk from the car park down to the actual Blue Eye and the pools is around 2km. The paths are well built and easy enough to walk on but it can get hot particularly in the summer months. Bring water and wear comfortable shoes.
Once you get down to the tourist area of Syri Kalter you will find a restaurant, tourist shop and lots of places to have a picnic. The restaurant has seats all along the clear, blue water. We enjoyed an iced coffee and ice cream after the long walk down.
Take your time and enjoy the walk through the park, the surrounding forest and greenery. The rushing river and cool water is something to marvel.
Once you reach Albania Blue Eye walk along the paths and boardwalks to the viewing platform. Here you will be able to stand on a glass floor overlooking the swirling blue eye below. It really is something to admire up close.
Can I swim at Blue Eye Albania?
There are signs everywhere forbidding swimming in the Blue Eye. However, I am sure you will see some people taking the plunge. The water is cold and stays at a constant 10 Degrees Celsius. We paddled next to the river bank as we wanted to experience how cold it actually was. Very refreshing although not sure I could have entered any further.
Aside from the water being cold and protected, it probably isn’t that safe to swim at the blue lagoon. It is a swirling, natural pool with depths of more than 50m. Divers have gone that far but unable to go any deeper the actual depth of Blue Eye Albania is unknown.
How much time do I need to spend at Blue Eye Albania?
You can choose to spend as little or as much time at Syri i Kalter as you please. If you take your time and take a picnic you could easily spend the entire day there paddling in the water and relaxing in the shade of the trees.
However, if you are visiting Albania Blue Eye as a stop-off on the way to somewhere else we would recommend allowing 2.5-3 hours total time here. From parking the car, walking there, observing the natural pools and viewing the scenery, having a drink or snack and walking back to the car.
Where to stay near Blue Eye Albania
There are no hotels directly near to the Blue Eye Albania. The best place to stay is in Saranda, Ksamil or Gjirokaster and do a day trip or a tour to Blue Eye Albania.
We stayed at Villa Skenderi which we booked on booking.com. It is a little out of the centre of Saranda on the way to Ksamil. However, it is a great location as it is in a quiet area with its own private beach. There are numerous little sea facing villas or apartments.
Hotel Gjirokaster has the perfect location being situated just above the main bazaar. It is also just below Gjirokaster castle so there is no need for long walks up and down the cobble hills to see everything.
Booking.comIs a visit to Blue Eye Albania worth it?
Absolutely yes, for the scenery alone! It can get busy particularly in peak summer time (we travelled in July) so be ready for some crowds. However, it is a gorgeous, natural spot that should be included on your trip to and from Gjirokaster.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post on the Blue Eye Albania and got all the information that you needed. If there is anything that we have missed, please do let us know. If you are looking for other information about Albania then check out our Albania Guide or 5 Reasons to Visit Albania. Read our 10 Day Albania Itinerary or Albanian Road Trip in the Albanian Riviera. Saranda with kids for recommendations of what to do and see on the Albania coast. Best things to do in Gjirokaster during your time in ‘The Stone City’. Dhermi Beach for some recommendations of places to go further North on the Albania coast.
If you are looking for other family travel recommendations then check out our Which Greek Islands to Visit with Kids page. Here you will find lots of information on neighbouring Corfu starting with Corfu to Albania ferry. Also, Is Corfu old town worth visiting. If you are interested in another driving holiday then check out 5 days in Kefalonia. Alternatively our Destinations Page for other worldwide family travels.
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