Hotels near The Blue Eye (Syri i Kalter)

The Blue Eye, or Syri i Kalter, is a natural spring where startlingly blue water wells up from a deep underwater cave. The dark centre ringed by lighter turquoise really does resemble an eye, and the source is so deep that its true bottom has never been definitively measured.

Set in a shady forest of oak and plane trees inland from Saranda, it is a cool, refreshing contrast to the coast. A short walk from the car park leads to a viewing platform right over the spring, and the icy water feeds a river popular for a bracing dip on a hot day.

Pro Tip: Entry is only a few euros. The water is freezing year-round, so swimming is a quick thrill rather than a lounge; go early to beat the tour buses that arrive midday.