The old bazaar district below the castle is one of the most atmospheric in Albania — a cluster of low stone workshops, covered arcades, and stepped alleys that has barely changed in form since the 18th century. Most of the traders here deal in practical goods rather than tourist souvenirs, which keeps the bazaar feeling genuinely lived-in rather than performed. The cobblestones are original and brutal underfoot; wear decent shoes.
The bazaar was the commercial heart of Ottoman Gjirokastër, where merchants from across the Balkans and the Ottoman world traded in cloth, livestock, and copper goods. A handful of craftsmen still work here — look for the coppersmiths and woodworkers — and several family-run cafes occupy the old shop fronts. A statue of Ismail Kadare, the city's most celebrated son and Albania's foremost novelist, stands near the bazaar entrance; his novel Chronicle in Stone drew directly on childhood memories of this neighbourhood.
The bazaar is at its best in the morning, when local vendors set up and the light falls well on the stone facades. It is freely accessible and there is no entrance fee. Most cafes open around 8am.