The Blue Eye in Albania is one of the best day trips you can take during your stay in this amazing country. This incredible blue eye spring is a natural water source located in the heart of a National Park in southern Albania.
It is one of the most popular natural spots in Albania for good reason. As the name suggests it has the most incredible blue water which emanates from a deep underground spring to produce this natural phenomenon.
It is possible to jump off the viewing platform into Syri i Kalter Albania which is the Albanian name of the Blue Eye.
So let’s take a look at everything you need to know to head off to this incredible natural wonder in the Albanian Riviera.
What is the Blue Eye in Albania
The Blue Eye in Albania is a natural freshwater spring and natural phenomenon which occurs near the village of Muzinë in southern Albania. It is located between the two popular destinations of Sarandë and Gjirokaster and so is a great stop-off between the two.
The blue eye spring emanates from an underwater cave which has a depth of at least 50 metres. The amazing thing about the blue eye in Albania is the force of the water reaching the surface. It is reported that the discharge rate of the water from the blue eye is 18,400 litres per second!
One of the unknowns about this magical spring is how deep is the Blue Eye in Albania. The actual depth of the underwater cave, or karst, is unknown as divers have only been able to descend 50 metres due to the force of the water rising to the surface.
The blue eye in Albania is recorded as the initial water source of the Bistricë river. The river travels some 25 kilometres from the blue eye to the Ionian Sea just south of Saranda.
The spring gets its name, unsurprisingly, from its beautiful light blue water and the colour of the spring and the river is stunning. I have not seen water this beautiful in a long time!
Exploring the Blue Eye in Albania
It is possible to explore the Blue Eye in Albania as part of a tour or on your own.
You can reach the Albania Blue Eye either in a car or by public bus. I talk about this more later in this blog.
Once you arrive, you are greeted by a bridge crossing a reservoir with no clear indication that you are in the right place! You will be approached to pay the Blue Eye Albania entrance fee of 100LEK per person and then you are on your way.
Once you cross the bridge, you are in the Blue Eye National Park. The route through the park has been recently renovated and so is smooth and comes with a cycle lane. There are also information boards along the route which is always good.
The walk to the Albania Blue Eye is approximately 2.2 kilometres. This will take between 30 minutes to an hour depending on your speed. The route on the way, which is entirely paved until the last 100 metres or so, is uphill so bring plenty of water and take regular breaks.
It is easy to find the Blue Eye in Albania with its viewing platform overlooking the natural spring itself and its throng of tourists surrounding it!
Can you swim in the Albanian Blue Eye
One of the most common questions about the Blue Eye Albania is whether you can swim in it.
The answer to that probably depends on your definition of swimming! There are no obvious ways into the water, but a lot of people do enter the water. So yes, it is possible to go into the blue eye.
However, the Blue Eye Albania temperature, year-round, is around 10 degrees Celsius. So whilst you may enter the water, you may not want to stay in there too long. To put it bluntly, it is freezing!
You can either walk into the water surrounding the Blue Eye from the edge of the river. Or, if you are more adventurous, you can jump straight into the Blue Eye from the observation deck.
As the name suggests, this deck is not designed for diving and so there is no obvious place to jump. Most people climb up onto the handrail and jump in from there.
There is no real danger in doing this as long as you do not slip. There are not many rocks in the water and the spring itself is at least 50 metres deep. So it’s safe to jump into.
If you do jump, you will experience two things. Firstly the sheer force of the water coming out of the cave pushes you back to the surface with some force! The second is the temperature. It is a huge shock! So as soon as you surface you will likely head to shore to get back into the warmth!
That said, it is a great experience and a lot of fun. If you like a bit of adventure, take the plunge!
The Facilities at the National Park
Aside from the facilities along the trail, there are some useful facilities at or near the Blue Eye itself.
Immediately adjacent to the Blue Eye is a store that sells souvenirs, snacks and drinks. You can even send a customised postcard back home directly from the Blue Eye which has its own post-box!
Just before you get to the Blue Eye in Albania, there is also a restaurant just on the river. This is a fantastic stop especially after you have visited the Blue Eye and before you head back down.
The restaurant, called Blue Eye, sits alongside the Bistricë river which is much calmer here than in the spring. It provides a stunning backdrop for lunch or a cooling drink.
The menu is varied with lots of snacks and bigger meals. The prices are not too unreasonable given the captive audience that the restaurant attracts.
As you sit and watch the water float by you will be able to see plenty of wildlife in the river. It is a really relaxing place to have a pit stop before you head back.
The Blue Eye National Park
A lot of the focus is on the Blue Eye itself for good reason, it is beautiful!
But the Blue Eye National Park itself is also a stunning place to explore. Even when you are at the Blue Eye, you will see the beauty of the river which has crystal clear waters and trees hugging the cliffs above.
It reminds me a lot of South East Asia rather than eastern Europe. The park is a really beautiful place to explore away from the Blue Eye. It is also much quieter away from the Blue Eye.
For example, at the Blue Eye you can follow the trail slightly further up the hill to an art sculpture. From here you get even more incredible views of the Blue Eye and the surrounding countryside.
The Blue Eye National Park comprises some 180 hectares of forest and water with 13.5 ha of that being water. So if you love exploring national parks, definitely look into hitting some of the hiking trails in the Blue Eye National Park.
How to get to the Blue Eye in Albania
There are plenty of options to visit the Blue Eye in Albania depending on where you are starting your trip.
Visiting by public transport
If you want to get to the Blue Eye in Albania by public transport then you have public bus options from both Saranda and Gjirokaster. There are also long distances buses from Tirana and Elbasan.
All of the buses travel along the same road, the SH99. If you take any of these buses then simply ask the bus driver to drop you at the Blue Eye stop on the main road.
This stop is at the top of the smaller road. This leads to the car park and the bridge at the start of the Blue National Park. It is around 2 kilometres to walk from the bus stop to the start of the park.
Tickets from Saranda and Gjirokaster should be around 200LEK each (£1.50/$1.75). You buy these directly from the driver on the bus. It is not possible to book the buses.
Visiting the Blue Eye by Car
The closest Google destination for directions is this chapel. This is the road to the Blue Eye National Park which has a small car park at the end. If the car park is full, you can park along the road between the chapel and the National Park.
The distance from Saranda to Blue Eye in Albania is around 22 kilometres. The road to the Blue Eye is good and it should take you around 30-45 minutes to make the journey.
The Blue Eye Ksamil distance is slightly further at around 35 kilometres and will take around 45 minutes to 1 hour.
If you don’t have a rental car then you can arrange for a taxi from Saranda, Ksamil or Gjirokaster. I would suggest getting a few prices from the local drivers to try and get the best price.
Taking a Tour
If you don’t have a car or you prefer to take a tour then there are plenty of good options from Saranda and Ksamil. For example, this half-day tour from Saranda is provided by a local tour guide. It takes in a trip to the Blue Eye in Albania as well as a visit to Lekursi Castle and Ksamil.
Alternatively, this Saranda tour is a direct trip to the Blue Eye and back.
It is possible to visit the Blue Eye in Albania from Vlore and Tirana. However, these will be much longer day trips. I would certainly recommend stopping over at least one night in nearby Ksamil or Saranda. Or even head down to the incredible city of Gjirokaster as part of a tour of this area.
Best time to visit the Blue Eye in Albania
The Blue Eye in Albania is beautiful all year round. Therefore, the only variable is the number of tourists that you will encounter.
The summer is preferable as it will be warmer (outside of the cold water of the Blue Eye!). I would suggest April/May or September/October as the best times to visit as there will be fewer crowds.
If you are heading to the Blue Eye in Albania during the summer then I would definitely recommend arriving early. Not only will this mean you should be able to park, which can become a problem in the afternoon, but also the walk up to the Blue Eye will be cooler.
The earlier you arrive, the smaller the crowds at the Blue Eye itself. You will have more chances to jump into the Blue Eye and get those all-important photos!
Ready to Take the Plunge?!
The Blue Eye in Albania really is one of the highlights of this incredible country and I would definitely recommend this as one of the best things to do in Albania.
Whether you take a tour or head out to the Albania Syri i Kalter on your own, it is a fantastic experience and half-day trip.
The National Park is incredible. The Blue Eye itself needs to be seen to be believed and if you are adventurous you can dive into the water to cool off.
The Blue Eye Albania entrance fee is very reasonable given the popularity of the Blue Eye and the effort and money that has clearly been contributed to paving the track all the way to the natural spring.
Equally, the Blue Eye restaurant is reasonably priced and offers a great range of food for the post-dip meal.
It is a fantastic day out and one not to be missed if you are in South Albania. If you are heading to the capital city during your break, be sure to check out my blog posts about my favourite Bars in Tirana and Restaurants in Tirana.
If you have any questions at all about the Blue Eye, Albania then get in touch, either in the comments below or on social media and I will be happy to help out.
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