Experience Blue Eye , Lekuresi Castle and Taste Traditional Albanian Wine

Tour guide was not much of a tour guide

The driver came in a Toyota Yaris, which was not in the best condition inside. He took us to the castle and had nothing to say about it - he just kind of dropped us off and told us we have 20 minutes. Same with the blue eye, dropped us off and told us what time to meet him - told us almost nothing about the place. At the wine tasting he left and told us he is going to swap cars and he will be back in 20 minutes; he was back in over 40 minutes, with the same car mind you, and when we called him out on it, he got upset, dismissive and defensive and told us to go report him to his office. So rude! Please look at other tours AND READ REVIEWS before booking this one. Wouldn’t recommend.

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Friendly guide

Our guide was very friendly and accommodating. We Espe silly liked the castle view and Blue Eye. Thanks!

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Beautiful winery stop and castle views

This was a really enjoyable tour in an area that feels like it’s on the cusp of welcoming a lot more visitors. The scenery throughout the day was beautiful, with a mix of countryside views and historic charm that made the whole experience feel special rather than rushed. The winery stop was the clear standout. It felt relaxed and well-paced, with a guided tour that was both informative and engaging, followed by a tasting that showcased a nice variety of wines. The snack spread was genuinely excellent — the kind you keep thinking about afterward — and we had plenty of time to sit, take in the setting, and enjoy it without feeling hurried. It ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the day. The castle views were another highlight. Seeing it from different angles made it feel even more impressive, and there were plenty of moments where it was worth just pausing to take everything in. Overall, the stops felt thoughtfully chosen and offered a good balance of culture, scenery, and leisure. At the start, things felt a bit disorganized. The train at the Blue Eye is cash-only and not included in the tour price, and with two buses involved, there was some initial confusion about which group to join. It all worked out in the end, but a bit more clarity upfront would have made the beginning smoother.

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This tour was nice but could have been organized a bit better

This tour was easy to make and everything went well for the most part. Once we got off our ship and walked to the street area there was a store where we checked in. There was no sign or direction and only found it because of the people gathered there. It was confirmed we were in the right place after I asked. Our bus ride was comfortable and our first stop was Lekuresi Castle. Beautiful views and happy to see our cruise ship in the port. From there we went to the Blue Eye. Our tour bus was one of the first to arrive. We walked from the parking lot to the area to buy tickets to take the small motorized train with regular tire wheels. You can walk to the Blue Eye area but that's about a 20 min walk each way. My friend has a hip issue so walking was not an option. After paying the small fee (I think it was $3 euros per person, each way) we had to wait a bit for the train to return since there was just one. More and more buses with people started to arrive as we waited for the train and was happy we arrived when we did. I don't think they were prepared enough and should have had another staff person to help the one gal and should have at least one or two more of the trains to handle all the people. Once we finished seeing the Blue Eye and walked around a short bit, we had to be back in the pick up area for the train to get back to our bus. It was getting very crowded and with no organization or a line it was a free for all to get on the next train. Our tour guide called everyone on his tour to one side and told us to stay with him and he'd make sure we would get on the next train. WELL ...that did not go well at all, as everyone who gathered in that area who was not part of our tour made a mad dash on the train as it arrived. Some of us got pushed out of the way! It was a free for all, not good at all. Our next stop was the wine tasting. We were a bit surprised when we found out there was only 4 of us being dropped off at the small family owned winery while the rest of tourists on bus were going to some national park area. We were told a car would pick us up after the wine tasting to take us back to the ship. The winery was nice and had a table set with finger snacks. It was ok. We would have like something more with cheese and crackers. The wine was ok. Our tour guy (can't remember his name) was pleasant and had some humor. We knew he did the best he could with the situation at the Blue Eye and not his fault. I would recommend this tour and hopefully it's organized a bit better in the future.

Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review and for recommending our tour. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the views from Lekuresi Castle, the visit to the Blue Eye, and that you found our guide friendly and helpful throughout the day. We appreciate your comments regarding the train transportation at the Blue Eye. Unfortunately, the train service is operated by the site itself and can become very crowded during peak cruise ship hours. We understand how frustrating the boarding process was and are sorry that it affected your experience. Your feedback about crowd management and organization is valuable, and we will continue to communicate these concerns to the local operators whenever possible. We're also glad you had the opportunity to visit the family-owned winery. We understand that food and wine preferences vary, and we appreciate your suggestions regarding the tasting experience and snack selection. Thank you again for your kind words about our guide and for recognizing his efforts in a challenging situation. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to Albania and provide another memorable experience in the future. Warm regards, Joel Travel Team

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Misrepresented

Well, let me say that the day was saved by the wines and liqueurs at the rustic winery and the willingness of strangers to make the best of it. My wife and I are traveling with another couple. We supposedly had a “private” tour for the four of us. We showed up and discovered that there were six other people on two different tours, all with starting times ranging from 10AM to 11:30AM each a half hour apart and the ten of us were crammed into a van that would have comfortably held no more than five adults. The sites that we were taken to were okay, but it took the effort of the ten of us to lower our expectations and accept the situation. The wines and liqueurs helped. It is not acceptable for a tour operator to misrepresent their tours. There was no effort made to apologize or resolve the situation. We do not recommend this tour with this company.

Response from the operator: Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. We understand your disappointment regarding the vehicle size and the tour format. Providing a comfortable and enjoyable experience for our guests is very important to us, and we regret that you felt the tour was misrepresented. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the winery visit, the wines, and liqueurs, and that you were able to make the most of the day despite your concerns. We take comments like yours seriously and will review the details of your booking and the operational arrangements for that day to ensure that the tour is delivered as described and that guest expectations are met. We also apologize if you felt your concerns were not adequately addressed during the tour. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Guest feedback helps us improve, and we wish you all the best in your future travels.

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