Blue Eye & Lekuresi Castle Tour: Private Wine Tasting

See two landmarks and taste local wine without arranging the transport

A private, guided tour from Saranda visits the Blue Eye natural spring and Lekuresi Castle, with a wine and food tasting at a traditional Albanian canteen. The tour runs four hours and includes hotel pickup. A live guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian or German. Minimum two travelers per booking. Solo travelers pay an extra charge.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore nature and local flavors

• Visit Lekuresi Castle ruins
• Enjoy panoramic sea views
• Explore Blue Eye spring and forest
• Taste traditional Albanian wine and food

The experience

This tour builds around three stops that show different sides of the region. You start at Lekuresi Castle, perched on a hill above Saranda with views across the Ionian Sea and the islands of Ksamil. Your guide walks you through the historic ruins and explains what they were built to defend. From there you head to the Blue Eye, a natural spring fed from a deep karst hole, where the water emerges in such a vivid blue that it stops most visitors mid-step. The surrounding oak and sycamore forests muffle the noise of the road, and the only sound is the spring itself bubbling up from below.

The third stop is the Wine Canteen Isak, a small family-run place in the countryside where you taste locally produced wines alongside traditional Albanian dishes designed to pair with them. The owner walks you through how the wines are made, from picking the grapes to bottling, using methods that have stayed mostly unchanged for generations. It's not a formal tasting. It's the kind of place where you sit down, eat, drink and talk for as long as you want. The whole tour takes four hours and includes the private vehicle, air-conditioned for the drive between stops.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup.
• a live guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Italian or German.
• entry to Lekuresi Castle.
• wine and food tasting at the Wine Canteen Isak.
• WiFi on board.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day11 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 13:00

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Joel Travel

Is this one for you?Four hours is enough to see both landmarks and sit down for a proper meal and wine tasting, but not so long that it eats your whole afternoon if you arrive in Saranda with a free day to fill. The private vehicle means you move at your own pace between stops instead of waiting for a group schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Blue Eye actually like when you get there?

The Blue Eye is a natural spring that emerges from a deep underground karst hole, and the water's color is so intense and clear that it looks almost unreal. The surrounding nature reserve is thick with oak and sycamore forest, which creates a quiet, peaceful setting. Most visitors spend time walking around the spring or just sitting and watching the water.

Can I do this tour if I'm traveling alone?

The minimum booking is two travelers, but solo travelers can book by paying an extra charge on top of the standard price.

How much time do you actually spend at each stop?

The tour runs four hours total and covers three stops, so the time splits between Lekuresi Castle, the Blue Eye, and the wine canteen. Your guide adjusts the pace based on what interests you most, but it's a full afternoon rather than a quick hit-and-run.

Is the wine tasting included, or do I pay extra for it?

The wine tasting and traditional Albanian food at the canteen are included in the tour price, along with the transportation and all fees and taxes.