Theth is another slowly-developing tourist spot in northern Albania, on the other side of the Accursed mountains. As well as its incredible natural beauty, it has some interesting local attractions.The Blue Eye is a stunningly vibrant waterfall pool about an hour’s hike into the mountains, that is breathtaking both as a journey and destination.Theth’s culture includes this massive stone house, where blood feuds were settled in times past. According tot he kanun, a fifteenth-century set of rules about social justice, killing a male in another family meant that any male in your family could be killed as payback, so the entire extended family from a guilty family would live in this stone house until the feud was either resolved by forgiveness, or through an observed ‘sacrifice’ of a male family member. Albanians, apparently, don’t mess around when it comes to justice.Theth also has this remarkable stone church, which isn’t open very often, but is a mainstay of local town life.This lovely waterfall was a decent hike through town and up the mountains, but worth it for the crystal clear (and chilly) water, and stunning view. Hiking is a big pastime for Albania’s growing tourism industry, and we can see why. Marko told us that tour groups in summer hike from Valbone to Theth rather than driving around like we did.
