Are you in the mood for a fresh swim in summer in Tirana and don’t want to go to the crowded beaches of Durrës? There’s no better destination than the Cyclops Eye (Syri i Cikllopit), a natural pool of emerald water carved by a stream into the limestone bedrock near the village of Krrabë.
Legend has it that a cyclop died here, driven away by the villagers because of the damage he had done to their property. After the creature breathed its last, its final resting place is said to have become a heart-shaped lake.
The 20-metre-wide lake is more like a swimming pool indeed. You can lie on flat rocks and, thanks to its considerable depth, even jump off the cliff. The waterfall adds to the location’s natural beauty.
The Cyclops Eye is about a four-kilometer walk from the village of Krrabë, which is located near the tunnel on the Tirana–Elbasan motorway. Most of the way is a scenic walk along the hillside, at the end of which you have to descend into the Murdhar Gorge (Gryka e Murdharit). Because of the rugged terrain, it is good to wear at least a little sturdy footwear. The journey from Krrabë takes at least an hour (map with GPS route here).
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