Lazarat Wool Weaving Workshop — Traditional Loom Craft near Gjirokastra
Spend a morning weaving wool and sharing a home-cooked meal in a Lazarat village.
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Tour Overview
This is a slow, hands-on village experience near Gjirokastra. A local family shows you how they turn raw wool into yarn, dye it with plants, and weave it into rugs on a traditional loom, and you get to try it yourself.
What is included? The weaving and dyeing, time with the family, and a home-cooked lunch made in the same house. It lasts about three hours and works for small groups. Round-trip transport from Gjirokastra is not included.
Where is it? In Lazarat, a village just outside Gjirokastra in southern Albania, set above the Drinos Valley. It is a good add-on to a day in the UNESCO old town of Gjirokastra.
Day Trip Itinerary
Stop 1: Pickup in Gjirokastra
14:00Hotel pickup and a 15-minute drive through olive groves to the village of Lazarat.
Stop 2: Wool, carding & spinning
14:30Meet the artisan for an introduction to the raw fleece and regional wool, then a carding and hand-spindle demonstration you try yourself.
Stop 3: Hands-on at the loom
15:15A guided turn at the traditional loom — warp, weft and shuttle — weaving a small section yourself; the artisan finishes the piece afterwards.
Stop 4: Coffee & return
16:15Turkish coffee and homemade preserves with the family, then drop-off back at your Gjirokastra hotel by late afternoon.
What's Included
What's Not Included
Price & Booking Details
Pricing coming soon.
Booking: Request to book
Meeting Point, Pickup & Logistics
Transportation: Minivan
Who This Tour Is Best For
Audience info coming soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I actually weave something?
Yes. Once the artisan has walked you through carding and spinning, you sit at the loom and weave a small section yourself. The artisan finishes the piece afterwards and you can pick it up the next day or have it sent to your hotel.
Do I need any craft experience?
None. The artisan starts with the basics and the loom does not require strength — only patience and rhythm.
Where exactly is Lazarat?
A village about 4 km from Gjirokastra at the foot of Mali i Gjerë. It is the biggest village in southern Albania (around 4,000 people), historically known for livestock and wool.
Isn't Lazarat the cannabis village?
That story is over a decade old. Today’s Lazarat is a working village rebuilding around traditional crafts, livestock and small agriculture — visiting supports exactly that direction.
Can I buy a piece to take home?
Yes. The artisan keeps finished work for sale — wool blankets, woven runners, traditional saddlebags, scarves. Cash in Lek is preferred and prices are direct from the maker.
Is it family-friendly?
Yes, minimum age 8 — best for children who can sit and focus for 20–30 minutes at the loom. Younger children can come along but may struggle with the hands-on portion.
What language is the workshop in?
The InAlb guide translates English alongside the artisan; Italian, German or Spanish are available on request for private bookings.
Why this rather than buying a souvenir at the Gjirokastra bazaar?
Bazaar pieces are good but anonymous. Here you watch wool become thread become cloth, meet the person making it, and take home something you helped weave.
Verified Customer Reviews
Customer reviews coming soon.
