Sunset at Lekursi Castle & Wine Tasting Tour and Blue Eye Springs

The most unusual stop here is the Blue Eye Springs, a pool so clear and deep that its full depth remains unknown. The water reaches at least 50 meters, and its intense blue center gives the place a slightly unreal look. Later, you’ll watch the sun drop over Saranda from Lekursi Castle, a fine way to finish a day outside town.

I like the mix of local food and wine with two very different sights. I also like the small maximum group of 12, private transportation, and the chance to have a guide explain the places rather than simply point them out. If Mariglen is your guide, you can expect a warm, story-filled approach based on the strong praise for his guiding.

The main thing to consider is the extra cost. The listed price is $78.19 per person, but the wine and food tasting costs another 15 euros, and the train to the Blue Eye costs 3 euros per person for each ride. The total day can also run from four to six hours, depending on timing.

Key points at a glance

• The Blue Eye reaches at least 50 meters deep: Its exact depth is still unknown, making this more than a quick photo stop.
• Kantina e Verës Isak serves a broad Albanian tasting: Expect local wines and raki with cheese, olives, fresh vegetables, and other regional foods.
• Lekursi Castle gives you a sunset view over Saranda: The hilltop ruins are the final stop and the most romantic part of the outing.
• Transportation is private and the group is limited to 12: This keeps the day more personal than a large coach tour.
• Several costs are separate: Budget for the 15-euro tasting and the 3-euro Blue Eye train fare per person, per ride.
• Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours ahead: Poor weather or an unmet minimum number can also lead to a rescheduled tour or refund.

Why this Saranda outing works so well

Saranda is easy to enjoy from the waterfront, but some of the best sights sit beyond the town center. This tour gives you a simple way to connect three very different parts of southern Albania in one half-day: a family-style winery, a striking natural spring, and an Ottoman-era fortress with wide views.

That combination is the real value. You are not spending the whole outing on one theme. The winery brings taste and conversation, the Blue Eye brings nature and mystery, and Lekursi adds history and sunset scenery.

The schedule is also useful if you have limited time in Saranda. A four-to-six-hour outing leaves room for a beach morning, a relaxed dinner, or an evening walk along the waterfront. Still, the broad time range matters. If you have a ferry, reservation, or other fixed plan, leave plenty of room around the tour.

Private transportation is included, and the activity begins and ends at the meeting point in Saranda. Groups can reach 12 people, so this is not a fully private car-and-guide experience for every booking. It is better described as a small-group tour with private transport.

Kantina e Verës Isak: Albanian wine with food on the table

The winery stop lasts about one hour and offers more than a glass of wine. At Kantina e Verës Isak, you can see the production area, learn about the wine, and hear about olive oil before sitting down to taste local products.

The tasting includes wines and raki, Albania’s well-known grape spirit, along with cheese, olives, fresh vegetables, and other regional foods. This is a useful introduction to Albanian eating habits because the food is part of the experience, not just a small snack placed beside the wine.

The setting is described as quaint and charming, with a vineyard atmosphere that feels removed from the busy Saranda waterfront. You might find this stop especially appealing if you enjoy seeing how local products are made rather than simply ordering them at a restaurant.

The tasting costs 15 euros per person and is not included in the main tour price. That is important when comparing this activity with other day trips. At $78.19, the tour already covers transport and a live guide, but the food and drink bring the practical cost higher.

I would treat the extra 15 euros as part of the plan rather than an optional surprise. The tasting is one of the central parts of the outing, and skipping it would remove much of what makes the winery stop different from a standard sightseeing visit.

The winery also seems to be a strong fit for couples and for anyone who prefers a slower stop between nature and sightseeing. It gives you a chance to sit, eat, and talk instead of moving from one viewpoint to the next.

The Blue Eye: clear water and a depth that remains unknown

The Blue Eye, or Syri i Kalter, is the tour’s most distinctive natural sight. Water rises through a brilliant turquoise pool surrounded by greenery, creating a sharp contrast with the darker water at its center.

The unusual part is not only the color. Attempts have been made to measure the spring’s depth, but no one has confirmed the bottom. The deepest point reached by divers was 50 meters, or 164 feet. That leaves the exact depth as a genuine mystery, not just a dramatic nickname.

You have about two hours at this stop. That is far more useful than a rushed roadside pause. You can take in the water, walk around the spring area, and allow time for photographs without treating the place as a quick box to check.

Admission to the Blue Eye is listed as free, but the train ticket is not included. The train costs 3 euros per person for each ride. Since the fare is charged per ride, check with your guide how many rides your schedule requires before you set your final budget.

The train detail may matter more than it first appears. The stop is not presented as a simple pull-up-and-step-out viewpoint. You should be prepared for a short transport element within the site, with the fare paid separately.

The Blue Eye can also look different depending on the season and weather. One account describes the water as clear even in January, but you should still expect the tour to depend on good weather. If conditions force a cancellation, you will be offered another date or a full refund.

Swimming rules, water temperature, and the exact walking conditions are not specified, so do not plan the stop around activities that have not been confirmed. The safe assumption is that you are visiting a natural spring for its color, setting, and unusual depth.

Lekursi Castle at sunset

The final stop is Lëkurësi Castle, also called Kalaja e Lëkurësit. Built in 1537 by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the fortress occupies a steep hill above Saranda. Its location was strategic, giving control and views over the area.

Today, the main attraction is the high position and the open view toward Saranda and the surrounding coast. The stone ruins provide a strong setting for sunset, especially after the more enclosed feeling of the winery and the natural focus of the Blue Eye.

You have about 40 minutes at the castle. That should be enough for photographs, a look around the ruins, and time to enjoy the changing light. It is not a long archaeological visit, and you should not expect a full museum-style tour.

The short stop is also a practical advantage. By this point, you have already spent about two hours at the Blue Eye and an hour at the winery. Forty minutes gives the sunset its due without turning the whole evening into a long wait on a hilltop.

The castle is likely to be the most romantic part of the experience. A drink at Lekursi after the main tour is also mentioned as part of one particularly praised outing, but you should confirm exactly what is included on your date. The wine tasting at the winery and any castle drink should not be assumed to be the same expense.

The sunset timing may shape the order of the stops. Tour times can vary, and the total duration is listed as four to six hours. If the sunset matters most to you, ask when pickup is scheduled and how the guide plans to time the castle visit.

What the guide and vehicle add

A live English-speaking guide accompanies the trip. That matters at all three stops, but especially at the winery and castle, where context turns a scenic stop into a more meaningful one.

At Kantina e Verës Isak, the guide can connect the production process with the tasting. At the Blue Eye, you get the story behind the spring’s unknown depth. At Lekursi, the 1537 construction date and its Ottoman purpose give the ruins a clear place in Albanian history.

Mariglen is the guide specifically named in the available tour details. If he leads your outing, expect a personable guide who has been praised for explaining the places and adding stories. Guide assignments can change, so it is wise to view his name as a helpful reference rather than a guarantee.

Private transportation is included, which saves you from arranging separate rides to a winery, a spring outside Saranda, and a hilltop castle. It also makes the route more realistic for a half-day visit. Public transportation may be nearby, but using it for this particular combination would add planning and waiting time.

The group limit is 12 people. That is small enough for questions and conversation, though not so small that you should expect the guide’s full attention every minute. If you want a completely personal itinerary, confirm whether a private departure is available before booking.

The real cost and what you receive

The advertised price is $78.19 per person. Included are private transportation and a live guide, which are the two items that make this route practical from Saranda.

You need to add 15 euros per person for the wine, raki, cheese, olives, vegetables, and other regional foods. The Blue Eye train costs 3 euros per person for each ride. Meals beyond the stated tasting are not included.

For a four-to-six-hour outing, the base price is reasonable if you value convenience and a guide. Arranging these stops independently could mean finding transport, coordinating opening times, and working out how to reach the Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle in the right order.

The price is less attractive if you only want a quick look at the spring or castle. Those stops do not require a full food-and-wine tour by themselves. The strongest value comes from enjoying the whole combination and treating the tasting as a central part of the day.

The small group also helps. A maximum of 12 is more manageable than a large bus, and private transport reduces the usual friction of a multi-stop route. Still, the tour is not all-inclusive, so add the extra charges before comparing it with other Saranda excursions.

Who should book this experience

I would recommend this tour to couples, food and wine fans, first-time visitors to Saranda, and anyone who wants several memorable sights without renting a car. It also suits people who like a little history but do not want to spend a full day inside museums or archaeological sites.

The sunset setting makes it especially appealing for a relaxed evening outing. The castle view, local drink, and quiet time on the hill can feel more special than another busy restaurant meal in town.

Families and mixed-age groups may also find the format useful because the day changes pace often. The Blue Eye offers a nature stop, the winery offers food and sitting time, and the castle keeps the final visit short.

I would be more cautious if you have mobility concerns, since the Blue Eye train and the steep hill location of Lekursi Castle may involve movement that is not explained in the tour details. Most people can participate, but specific accessibility information is not provided, so ask before booking if this is important to you.

The tour is offered in English only. If you need another language, this is not the right choice unless the operator confirms an alternative guide.

Booking, weather, and timing notes

You receive confirmation at the time of booking. Free cancellation applies when you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations made within 24 hours are not refunded, and late changes are not accepted.

Good weather is required. If the operator cancels because of poor conditions, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. The same choice applies if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

The experience is booked, on average, 21 days in advance. That suggests planning ahead during the busy season, particularly if your dates in Saranda are fixed. The group limit of 12 can also make popular departures fill sooner.

Bring enough money for the separate tasting and train fare. If you want the castle sunset, confirm the meeting time and ask whether a drink at the castle is included or purchased separately.

Should you book the Blue Eye and Lekursi sunset tour?

Book it if you want a well-rounded half-day from Saranda, with local food, a memorable spring, and a sunset viewpoint in one outing. The strongest reasons are the good mix of experiences, the included transport, and the small group size.

Skip it if you only want a castle visit, a quick nature stop, or a fully private luxury tour. The extra costs are modest but real, and the four-to-six-hour schedule needs some flexibility.

For most people with limited time in Saranda, I think the combination makes sense. Add the 15-euro tasting and Blue Eye train fare to your budget, confirm the sunset timing, and you’ll know exactly what kind of day you are buying.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and end?

The tour starts in Sarandë, Albania, and ends back at the meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The total duration is approximately four to six hours.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Private transportation is included in the tour price.

Is a guide included?

Yes. A live English-speaking guide is included. Mariglen is the guide named in the available tour information, although guide assignments may vary.

How much does the wine tasting cost?

The selection of local wines and raki with cheese, olives, fresh vegetables, and other regional foods costs 15 euros per person and is not included in the listed tour price.

Is admission to the Blue Eye free?

Admission to the Blue Eye is listed as free, but the train costs 3 euros per person for each ride.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Poor weather or an unmet minimum number of participants may result in a different date or a full refund.