Syri i Kaltër - The Eye of the Dragon

In fairy tales, dragons had red, green or gold eyes. Albanian has blue eyes - or at least one. He looks at the world from a small country in southern Europe, from a place approx. 25 km from the city of Saranda, near the Greek border.

Whether there are blue-eyed dragons is unknown. However, we know for sure that in the southern part of Albania there are forests that smell wonderfully with fir, cherries and nuts. They are crossed by a dozen or so springs, the most beautiful of which, seen from a bird's eye view, can amaze with its beauty. It is called Syri i Kaltër, which means "Blue Eye".

We can get there by road from Saranda to Gjirokastra. We turn left at the information board, then we reach an artificial lake. There is a booth with a security guard who charges an entrance fee to the park. Motorists will pay approx. 200 drugs for entry. We cross the dam, follow the road along the river, slightly uphill. The Blue Eye is waiting for us at the end of the route.

The Blue Eye hidden in the forest

The place from which the spring beats creates a small pond, and the constant gurgling of the stream flowing out from under the rocks makes the reservoir amazing. Apparently it beats from a depth of over 45 meters. In the central part, the water is clearly darker than on the outskirts, which makes Syri and Kaltër look like a big eye when viewed from above. To find out for yourself, just stand on the terrace suspended above the source. At the same time, it is a jumping platform for daredevils who are not afraid of the water temperature oscillating around 13 ° C.

In the further part, the spring forms a river, which you can sail on a small boat, admiring the crystallinity of the water and gently swaying carpets of plants under its surface.

Here, even the dragonflies are blue

Blue Eye was not always available to visitors. In the second half of the 20th century, only the honorary guests of Enver Hoxha, the communist leader of Albania, could see them. It is difficult to say whether the painfully practical members of the Albanian tops were able to appreciate the beauty of the dragon's eye, at least not for "ordinary" citizens. And it must be admitted that you can fall in love with Syri and Kaltër . It would seem that nature created the local landscape based on a whole range of shades of green and blue. Perhaps a talented painter could recreate it on canvas with just one skillfully toned color.

According to one theory, the "father" of the name Dragon's Eye was an engineer from a nearby hydroelectric power plant, who wanted to commemorate the color of his love's eyes in this way. Another - not so much theory as legend - says that the source is in fact the eye of a great dragon who died in this place at the hands of an Albanian peasant. Whatever the truth, the spring attracts more and more tourists every year. It is impossible for them to be surprised.

Albania looking at Greece

Tourists visit the Dragon's Eye during their stay in Saranda, which is the most popular among all Albanian resorts. Its popularity is largely due to its location - it is situated in a beautiful bay, opposite the Greek island of Corfu. Moreover, it is close to the border with Greece.

The charm of the resort is also evidenced by the fact that both Albanians and Kosovars for honeymoons most often come here. A holiday in Saranda is not only a great option for relaxation, but also an opportunity to actively explore the attractions of southern Albania. In summer it is warm here, but not unbearably hot (daily temperatures are around 30 ° C). The water in the sea is terribly clear, which is due to the pebble bottom.

If we have more time, it is worth visiting the ancient city of Butrint, the ruins in Finiq, the Ksamil beach, and the village of Vrine, where Ali Pasha's castle stands. The area abounds with various tourist attractions that will satisfy both history buffs and nature lovers.