The Blue Eye of Theth — half-day trail to a turquoise pool

Albania has two Blue Eyes. The famous one bubbles up near Sarandë; the wilder, harder-won one hides in the Accursed Mountains below Theth, and reaching it on foot is one of the loveliest short walks in the Albanian Alps. The reward is a pool so intensely turquoise it looks tinted, fed by an icy spring that stays cold even in August, ringed by dark spruce and grey rock.

Theth itself is the draw: a scatter of stone houses and a photogenic lock-in tower deep in a glacial valley, reached over a high pass from Shkodër on a road that only fully opens once the snow clears. Most people base themselves in a village guesthouse and walk to the Blue Eye as a relaxed half-day outing.

The walk

The trail runs from Theth down the valley toward the hamlet of Nderlysaj, following the milky Shala river through beech and pine. Count on roughly a half-day round trip; the path is gentle for most of its length, then climbs a rockier final stretch to the pool itself. Many travellers shorten the day by driving or catching a lift as far as Nderlysaj and walking the last, prettiest section — a sensible option if you are short on time or energy.

Expect a couple of river crossings on footbridges, some loose stone near the top, and, in high summer, a small entry fee and a cafe or two at the trailhead.

What to expect at the pool

You can dip, but brace yourself — the water is glacial and the deep basin drops away fast. Most people wade, photograph and picnic on the surrounding rocks rather than swim. Morning light turns the pool its deepest blue; by midday in July it draws a crowd.

Practical notes

• Go June to September: the Theth road and mountain guesthouses are seasonal, and snowmelt keeps the water high in early summer.
• Wear proper trail shoes; the rock is slick when wet.
• Carry water and sun cover — shade is patchy — and pack out everything you bring in.

Pair it with the Theth-to-Valbona pass hike and a night in a village guesthouse, and you have the classic northern-Alps weekend.