Stone City Hostel

Top choice in Gjirokastra


This hostel is a fantastic conversion of an Old Town house, created and run by Dutchman Walter. The attention to detail and respect for traditional craftswork is extremely heartening, with beautiful carved wooden panels in all the rooms. Choose between the dorm rooms with custom-made bunks or a double room, all of which share spotless communal facilities.

Walter is passionate about Gjirokastra and the surrounding region, and can offer all kinds of tours and excursions. There's an enticing terrace and garden, as well as some extraordinary views towards the town's iconic castle.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Gjirokastra attractions

1. Cold War Tunnel

0.08 MILES

Gjirokastra's most interesting sight in no way relates to traditional architecture, but instead to a far more modern kind: this is a giant bunker built…

2. Bazaar

0.11 MILES

The 'Neck of the Bazaar' makes up the centre of the Old Town but what were once artisanal workshops are today mainly tourist souvenir shops. There are a…

3. Gjirokastra Castle

0.17 MILES

Gjirokastra's eerie hilltop castle is one of the biggest in the Balkans. There's been a fortress here since the 12th century, although much of what can be…

4. Skenduli House

0.21 MILES

The lovingly restored Ottoman-era Skenduli House has been in the hands of the same family for generations (apart from a few years during the communist…

5. Army Museum

0.22 MILES

As well as photos of the partisan resistance against the Italians and a vast number of rifles and machine guns, it's possible to visit the cells where…

6. Gjirokastra Museum

0.22 MILES

This interesting museum is a beautifully lit and presented, fully English-signed display on the long and fascinating history of the town. Some highlights…

7. Ethnographic Museum

0.23 MILES

This museum houses local homewares and was built on the site of Enver Hoxha's former house, in the middle of the Old Town. Its collection is interesting…

8. Zekate House

0.37 MILES

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 unchanged…