Hiking in Spilea

• Hiking Tours

This is a low to medium difficulty walk starting from the Antigone turn where you go by car. The road to Spilea after this moment passes through a gavel terrain.

In the monastery you can visit the church of St. Nicholas a cultural monument of the first category.

The monastery of Spilea dates back to 1634. The naos carved in the shape of a cross was painted by the painter Mihali in the time of the bishop, Kalist. The object amazes with the vibrancy of the fresco colors and the rebellious style of mural painting. The small church of monks in a cave that stands inside the site of a karst rock is the culmination of this experience. The cave once housed hermit monks. It is believed they had isolated themselves in the cave as an act of sacrifice to their sinful nature. The last monks lived in the monastery until after the Second World War and the place was abandoned during the communist regime.

It will take about 1.5 hours to visit the monastery and explore the surrounding area. After that, guests have the option to continue the hike with or without a traditional lunch experience. For those who wish to include lunch (available for groups of more than four people), a delicious meal with regional specialties will be served in the village of Asim Zeneli, offering insight into the rich culinary and cultural traditions of Lunxhëria. Those who prefer to continue without lunch will enjoy a relaxing break during the hike, where they can rest and have the snacks they’ve brought with them, surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes. The descent continues through a diverse terrain, passing through the village of Tranoshishtë and following the ancient path of the Epirot village, with its lush meadows and pastures full of pastoral life. Upon arrival in the village of Asim Zeneli, guests will be transported by vehicle back to Gjirokastra.