The story of the small hill town of Gjirokastër, in southern Albania, stretches back at least 2,500 years – with some of the treasures from this great antiquity carefully laid out in the town’s small museum. Most people today though come here to see the 600 or so stunning Ottoman-era manor houses that dot the town and surrounding hillside, some of which are open to visitors. The pretty-but-touristy centre of town (Gjirokastër is a favourite with bus tours on a day trip from Corfu) is all cobbled streets, arty cafes and less arty souvenir shops.
