Short answer: Përmet is a quiet town in the Vjosa River valley of southern Albania, and one of the best-kept secrets in the country — famous for the Bënja Thermal Baths beside an Ottoman bridge, the Langarica Canyon, rafting on the wild Vjosa, excellent food and wine, and the local sweet called gliko. It’s too far to be a comfortable day trip from Tirana (around 4 hours each way), so it rewards an overnight stay, ideally combined with Berat, Gjirokastër or Saranda. If you love hot springs, food and untouched nature without the crowds, this is the place.
Why Përmet is special
Most travellers to southern Albania rush between Berat, Gjirokastër and the coast and never turn inland to Përmet. That’s exactly why it’s worth the detour. It sits in the valley of the Vjosa — one of the last truly wild, free-flowing rivers in Europe, running from Greece to the Adriatic without a single dam — surrounded by mountains, vineyards and thermal springs.
It’s quietly become known as one of the best food and wine towns in the Balkans, and it has a relaxed café culture around its main square that feels a world away from the coast in summer.
The Bënja Thermal Baths
This is the headline, and it’s genuinely extraordinary. About 14 km from Përmet (a 25-minute drive), the Bënja Thermal Baths (Llixhat e Bënjës) are Albania’s most-visited hot springs — a series of natural mineral pools where warm water emerges from the limestone of the Langarica Canyon.
The setting is the thing. The largest and most famous pool sits right beside the Katiu (Kadiut) Bridge, a beautifully preserved Ottoman stone bridge over 250 years old, built under Ali Pasha Tepelena around 1760. The canyon walls rise above you, the cold turquoise Vjosa flows past just metres from the warm sulphur pools, and the bridge frames the whole scene.
- There are around six pools in total, each said to help a different ailment — the water is chloro-sodium-calcium rich, at 22–28°C.
- The hot-cold contrast — warm pool, cold river, a few metres apart — is a natural version of the Scandinavian hot-cold immersion, and deeply satisfying.
- In cooler months (October–April), steam rises off the pools and it looks almost theatrical.
- Entry and parking have traditionally been free, though a small fee may be introduced as the site is upgraded. Bring water shoes.
Langarica Canyon
Right behind the baths, the Langarica Canyon stretches about 7 km with rock walls up to 150 m high, carved by the river over millennia. You can hike into it from the Kadiu Bridge — some of it along the riverbed — and reach the other, more hidden thermal pools deeper inside. Go with a guide or only in fine weather: the canyon is prone to flash floods, and water shoes are essential as there’s no proper path.
Rafting the Vjosa
Përmet is the base for rafting one of Europe’s last wild rivers. Trips run up to 12 km, and the best water is March to May when the rapids are strongest, though gentler summer floats are also popular and family-friendly. It’s the town’s most popular adventure activity.
Food, wine and gliko
This is where Përmet quietly outshines almost everywhere else in Albania:
- Wine — the surrounding hillsides produce some of Albania’s most respected wine, especially from the indigenous Shesh white grape. Several local wineries offer tastings.
- Gliko — the town’s signature: a spoon-sweet preserve made from fruit (and even walnuts or small vegetables), served with coffee. A genuine local specialty you’ll see everywhere.
- The restaurant scene — excellent by Albanian standards, built on river trout, slow-cooked lamb, goat cheese and seasonal organic vegetables.
Other things nearby
- Church of St Mary in Leusë — a historic church with beautiful frescoes, just outside town.
- Hotova-Fratar National Park — hiking among Albania’s largest fir forest.
- Guri i Qytetit (City Stone) — the huge rock in the middle of town you can climb for views.
How to get to Përmet
Përmet is in the south, and this is the honest part: it’s about 4 hours from Tirana, which makes it too far for a comfortable day trip. It’s much better reached as part of a southern loop:
- From Gjirokastër — about 1.5 hours (72 km).
- From Saranda — about 2 hours (106 km).
- From Berat — a scenic mountain road connects them.
Give Përmet at least an overnight, ideally two, and fold it into a wider southern Albania trip. For getting around, see getting around Albania.
When to go
The baths are wonderful year-round — atmospheric and steamy in winter, refreshing beside the cold river in summer. Rafting is best in spring. The canyon is safest in dry weather. See the best time to visit Albania.
Planning your trip
Përmet pairs naturally with southern Albania’s coast and the UNESCO cities. See the best day trips from Tirana and our day tours for guided options with free hotel pickup — no deposit, pay cash on the day.