Since its founding in 2019, Visit Gjirokastra has championed sustainable tourism by uniting a network of over 80 local guides, artisans, and family-run farms to strengthen the regional economy and preserve cultural heritage. In the village of Lazarat, this mission comes to life through a community-led model where traditional rural households take centre stage.
Jaco’s family represents a model of a traditional rural household, where every member plays an active role related to livestock management and the culinary traditions of the region. The family preserves and applies natural grazing techniques on the rich pastures of Lazarat, producing cheeses and other dairy products using traditional, small-scale recipes that avoid industrial methods. Beyond farming and cooking, the family is immersed in polyphonic music, singing, creating, and composing songs themselves.