SOTIRE VILLAGE
Touristic Villages
SOTIRE VILLAGE
The village of Sotire is located as soon as it leaves Gjirokastra and follows the national road to the customs of Kakavija, at the end of the state border. The village of Sotirë and its many beauties is part of the Municipality of Dropull. It is an important ecological village and with a rich but unexploited terrain, which offers incentives for a special way of vacation and entertainment as well as many natural activities in all seasons of the year. The visitor can take all kinds of walks, such as walking, cycling, horseback riding and in order to enjoy the curiosities and natural monuments such as the “Fir of Sotira” which are numerous and amazing and considered as pearls of Albanian nature. Hydrographic, eco-touristic and cultural wealth increase the values of the village as they also have scientific values. Around Sotira there are six picturesque villages such as Krioneri, Selio, Llongo, Koshovica and Lovina, which add their touristic value with organic products.
The village of Sotira is a picturesque village that contains attractive landscapes, rich and unique flora and fauna, with the same ecosystem, with natural and cultural physical objects that are attractive to tourists. The role of the natural environment is not temporary and casual, but permanent and provides a good experience for tourists and connects them directly with nature. The relief contains unique natural phenomena, such as those of the world, the wild ones that are untouched, which is offered for experiences from the easiest to the most difficult ones, such as walking in the snow, climbing deep gorges and steep peaks. requiring physical training and special mountaineering equipment. The summer season also features a gentle nature with fragrant meadows, endless greenery of spruce and alpine plateaus, crystal clear springs, with a wide range of paths that allow the development of natural activities, where the visitor can try ways to new lifestyle. Tourists can select the forms of relief according to their wishes and explore the curiosities of nature which are numerous, such as the search for medicinal plants and rare flowers, the observation of birds and wild animals, as well as various outdoor exercises.
The village offers conditions of activity for people with disabilities. It is also accessible for those interested in photography, culture and history, because around it are three cultural monuments of the first category, such as the ruins of the castle of Selos, the Temple of the Church of St. Thanas in Selo and the Church of the Monastery of Koshovica Ai it is also an ideal place for camping and social activities. Its location away from the national road makes it a quiet place. There are natural tourist resources, such as the natural monument “Bredhi i Sotirë” and around it natural monuments such as “Rrapi i Koshovicës”, “Rrepet e Mullirit të Selos”, “Rapi i Selos”, “Pësli i chestnutës të Sotira”. It is a village created from the end of the Byzantine period with a special architecture. The cobbled streets and surrounding walls of the courtyards give the appearance of a maze. It is a village of intellectuals and educated people. The Doric-style school building of the 1930s and the magnificent church give the village square a monumental look. There are chestnut forest, fir forest, summer pastures, water fountains and gardening with the famous Sotira potatoes. The village does not have many local products but there are opportunities such as the production of the famous potato of Sotira, the processing of chestnuts, as well as the production of vegetables and drinks in the villages around Sotira. Tourist infrastructure is missing. It is necessary to set it up.
Despite the lack of infrastructure Sotira for many local and foreign visitors, arouses a special interest and despite the lack for them is a tourist destination. The village of Sotirë is located in the south of Albania 174 km away from the capital and the airport of Tirana, part of the administrative unit Dropull i Sipërm in the municipality of Gjirokastra. The distance of Sotirë village with the main markets is not big, but about 12 km.
TYPICAL ACTIVITIES that take place:
On August 15, the religious feast of “St. Mary” takes place.
“European Heritage Days” take place, such as the Artisan Fair for the Gjirokastra Region.
“Albanian Polyphony in UNESCO” takes place, for the Region of Gjirokastra