An early morning walk and then a visit, en route, to the delightful Ardenica Monastery, sees us arrive in Gjirokaster for a late lunch at Kodra Restaurant. Perched high on the hill in the old town, it is currently raining and so, a lazy lunch seems the perfect way to await finer weather.
Lunch
The cobbled streets are slick with water as we make our way up the driveway, a short walk to Kadra Restaurant from our accommodation at the Kalemi 2 Boutique Hotel. We settle on some sharing platters, hungry after the drive and perhaps even more so due to the moody day. The local variation of pies, a Gjirokaster take on the variations of byrek that have have already tried. We accompany it with a half litre of house red. A reliable lunch staple although none have yet surpassed the excellent red we had at Berat’s Friendly House restaurant.
The boys aren’t convinced by the pies here, despite loving the famous byrek restaurant at our first lunch stop in Albania. They opt for a more familiar pasta and pizza. We add an antipasti platter to our order. Albanians, like much of Europe, love their deli cuts!
Later
Once the boys are fed, they head outside to explore the garden. It’s only drizzling now and they don’t mind the wet. It’s a bit of a novelty with the lack of rain at home in Dubai. We breathe a sigh of relief for a quieter moment and sit back to enjoy it. The clouds and mist drift over the Gjirokaster Castle and across the terracotta rooves of the houses and shops. The rain dances off the structures and meets on the paving stones to run down the road and launch into the void at the bottom, over the cliff, tumbling into the distance. In the clouds further afield on the mountains past the river, the sun plays with reflections off the snow.
Once again and all too soon, it is time to depart. By now the rain has stopped. The water continues to run off, down the street, over walls, off cars, shop awnings and umbrellas. As we reach the tiny center of Gjirokaster, souvenirs are reappearing after the rain and the sun breaks through the leaves as we climb the steep walk to the castle. The afternoon brining our lunchtime views into reality.
Good To Know
Kodra Restaurant is located within the old town limits of Gjirokaster. We stayed just underneath (down the road) at the Kalemi 2 Boutiqe Hotel. Bookings are recommended in peak season. Kodra Restaurant serves a variety of local dishes.
We toured Albania with Endrit from Albania Private Guide as arranged by Julien.
Would I Return?
Yes. If in Gjirokaster.
