Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle"
Traveler rating
4.9/5
Based on 21 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle" worth booking?
Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle" is a 4-hour experience in Saranda, Albania, from $49 per person. It scores 71 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 21 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 71 / 100
- Rating
- 4.9/5 (21)
- Duration
- 4 hours
- From
- $49 per person
Start Point: Saranda (Pickup at 9:00AM or 4.00 pm ) Pickup from your hotel or a central meeting point in Saranda by a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle. Stop 1: Blue Eye Spring Drive time: ~45 minutes Explore the fa
What you get
About this experience
Start Point: Saranda (Pickup at 9:00AM or 4.00 pm ) Pickup from your hotel or a central meeting point in Saranda by a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle. Stop 1: Blue Eye Spring Drive time: ~45 minutes Explore the famous Syri i Kaltër (Blue Eye) – a deep, crystal-clear natural spring surrounded by lush forest.Enjoy a short guided nature walk, learn about the spring’s geology and local legends. Stop 2: Local Winery Experience Drive time: ~30-40 minutes. Guided tour of the vineyard and wine cellar. Wine tasting session: sample 3–5 types of local wines (red, white, and raki), paired with Albanian cheeses, olives, and homemade bread.Learn about Albania’s ancient winemaking traditions and grape varieties. Stop 3: Lekursi Castle & Sunset View Drive time: ~30 minutes Arrive at Lekursi Castle for a guided historical tour.Enjoy free time to explore, relax, and take in breathtaking sunset views over Saranda, Corfu, and the Ionian coast.
What's included
Included
- All Fees and Taxes
- In-vehicle air conditioning
Not included
- Snacks
- Public transportation (bus, subway, cable car, etc.)
What you'll see and do
The Blue Eye
The Blue Eye is a natural spring in southern Albania. It holds the bluest, clearest water imaginable. Looking at it from above, the Blue Eye spring forms a swirling vortex that’s hypnotic to watch.The layers of the spring range from clear, colourless shallows to azure waters that border the intense, deep blue centre of the eye.The park around the Blue Eye includes a lake, a bridge, a rocky path and mountain scenery. The beautiful spring lies at the top end of the park, and is the source of the lake and the clear blue river that flows from it.
60 minutes here · Admission included
Kantina E Veres Isak
Experience an exclusive taste of local wine, traditional raki and some delicious Albanian snacks at a local wine producer, Kantina Isak.
90 minutes here · Admission not included
Lekuresi Castle
You cannot say that you saw Saranda without having visited the Lekuresi Castle. The castle was built in 1537 by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman I the Magnificent, who owed a period of particular expansion of the Ottoman influence on the area. Suleiman I attacked Corfu and had a manor built on the highest hill inland from Saranda to be able to control the entire valley below. From Corfu and Ksamil to Saranda and beyond, towards Butrint. All around the fortress of Lekuresi are the ruins of the homonymous village. The square plan of the castle forms a large open space in the center, a sort of terrace from which it is possible to have an extraordinary view.
40 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 10 minutes before departure.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Visit Saranda
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 21 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
5 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Food and drink
5 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Knowledge and storytelling
4 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Photo opportunities
4 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Traveler reviews
21 verified traveler reviews for Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle". Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Fantastic!
Fantastic! We had an amazing time and the guide was really committed
Response from the operator: Thankyou
via Tripadvisor
Lovely friendly tour company
Lici tours were really friendly and accommodating we enjoyed the tour. Thank you for a great experience.
Response from the operator: Thankyou
via Tripadvisor
So good
The staff were so lovely and shared so much knowledge of the wine and the history of Albania. We did a wine pairing with 3 courses and 3 wines. The pairings were excellent and the food was so good!
Response from the operator: Thankyou so much🙏🏻
via Tripadvisor
Amazing experience
It's well worth it. Beautiful views and interesting history. Our tour guide, Faye, was very knowledgeable and friendly.
Response from the operator: Thankyou
via Tripadvisor
Disappointing & Misleading Tour Despite a Great Guide
I booked the Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle Sunset Option (16:00) via TripAdvisor for Wednesday, at a cost of £89.26 for two people. Unfortunately, the overall experience was far from what was advertised, and I left feeling misled and disappointed. On Tuesday morning—the day before the scheduled tour—I was contacted by Visit Saranda and asked to reschedule because other guests had cancelled and I was told it was “impossible” to run the tour with only two participants. This was very frustrating, as I had booked well in advance and carefully planned my itinerary around this experience. My only option was to move the tour to Friday, and even then the start time was changed from 16:00 to 15:00. Communication regarding pickup was also unclear. The TripAdvisor listing specifies hotel pickup or a central meeting point in Saranda, but I was asked to provide a private address since I was not staying in a listed hotel. Fortunately, our guide, Mariglen Lici, arrived punctually (in fact, early), and throughout the tour he was polite, knowledgeable, and accommodating. His professionalism was the highlight of the day. The Blue Eye was a beautiful stop, but access involved an additional and unexpected cost. Visitors must either walk 25 minutes or take a road train at 300 LEK per person each way (approximately €3). For two people, this was a further outlay on top of the advertised tour price. Additionally, while our guide encouraged swimming, it was apparent from signage and from observing conflicts between staff and tourists that swimming was not permitted, which created confusion and discomfort. The visit to Kantina E Veres Isak was particularly disappointing. The description of the tour suggested that wine tasting was included, yet upon arrival I was informed there would be an additional charge of €15–€35 per person, depending on the package and timing. This felt misleading and contrary to the expectations set by the booking. Communication during the winery visit was also difficult, and the guide did not accompany us inside, leaving us feeling more like unsupervised customers than participants in a guided cultural experience. Furthermore, we were rushed in order to reach Lekursi Castle before sunset. The sunset at Lekursi Castle was indeed beautiful, and Mariglen ensured we returned safely to our accommodation. However, despite his efforts, the overall experience did not reflect what was advertised when I booked. Between the forced rescheduling, additional costs, lack of clarity about inclusions, and rushed pacing, I cannot recommend this tour in its current form. Summary: Positive: An excellent guide (Mariglen), punctual and professional. Negative: Misleading description of inclusions, last-minute rescheduling, unexpected extra costs, and poorly structured itinerary. For the price paid, I expected a much higher standard of organization and transparency.
Response from the operator: “The reason you chose to block us after the tour was because you saw the clear proof that every point you complained about – such as the €15 fee at the winery and the small train at the Blue Eye – was already listed transparently on our TripAdvisor page at the time you booked. You also had no reason to pressure us by saying you would complain on TripAdvisor, because we never said anything offensive; we only sent you the screenshot of your booking confirmation, where everything was written clearly – not the false claims you later made. It is also important to note that in over 7 years of experience, you are the only guest who from the very first communication was extremely impolite, refusing to understand our explanation. Because another couple cancelled that day, and since our policy requires a minimum of 4 people, we kindly offered you the chance to join the tour on another day. You were the one who chose to reschedule, and this was done purely to accommodate you, not because we had an obligation. For future travelers, here are the facts: • The Blue Eye site has an optional small train (approx. €3) or a walking path – clearly noted in our product description. • Wine tasting at Kantina Isak is optional and charged directly by the winery (€15–€35), exactly as described online. • Start times can vary with the season and sunset, also explained on our listing. Regarding the price: it is visible before booking. Out of more than 120 guests this year, you are the first to claim it was “too high,” even though the tour covers three major attractions (Blue Eye, Lekursi Castle, and the winery) in a single day. If the price does not suit, the honest choice is simply not to book. Finally, our guide picked you up directly from your Airbnb address, despite your attempt to present the pickup location as confusing. We prefer guests to be sincere about such details, rather than acting as victims. We are glad you at least acknowledged the professionalism of our guide, Mariglen. Our goal remains to deliver transparent, high-quality experiences, and we encourage all future guests to read the full product description before booking
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 7
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Who runs this experience
Operated by Visit Saranda, who run 10 experiences we rank across 2 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 65.9.
See everything Visit Saranda runsWhy this scores 71
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle": questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Saranda.
How much does Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle" cost?
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Prices start at $49 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Saranda usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle" take?
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Plan for about 4 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Saranda is not rushed.
Is Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle" worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 71 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 21 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Saranda, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle"?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle" suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 4-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle"?
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Around 7 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Saranda can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Saranda and add a light layer if any part of the 4-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle" start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Saranda within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Saranda?
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On Outty we rank every Saranda experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Sarandë: Small-Group Boat Tour with Swim Stops, Drinks & Parasols, Tour Gjirokaster,Blue Eye & Lekursi Castle, Saranda Boat Tour to Kakome,Hidden Cave and Beaches with Snorkell. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Saranda?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Saranda?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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