Now we are just about ready to leave northern Albania with Shkoder and Lake Shkoder and head north into Montenegro. In total we have spent about three weeks in Albania, mainly in the southern part. Before we leave this beautiful country, we want to show you some pictures from the northern part. These pictures are all taken at the Shkoder lake, where we are camping at Lake Shkodra Resort.
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Beautiful beaches and high mountains
We highly recommend Albania for travelling both with and without a motorhome. In Albania you will find beautiful nature, nice beaches, high mountains, low prices and incredibly friendly people.
Lake Shkoder
Here are some pictures from Lake Shkoder in northern Albania that we haven't shown before. We stood for a long time and watched the fishermen working with their nets. Being in Albania is sometimes like being in a different time.
They still use carts and donkeys and fish with old methods. The country is of course developing all the time, but while this development is going on, it is very interesting to visit here. In addition, the nature is incredibly beautiful!
Northern Albania
Half of Lake Shkoder, or Shkodres as it is also known, belongs to Albania and half to Montenegro. It is the largest lake in southern Europe and is home to rainbow trout, char, European eel and carp.
Lake Shkoder is 44 metres deep at its deepest point and is fished by the local villagers in a traditional way, with many men pulling the nets in by hand from the shore. The old name of the lake is Skutari Lake.
Northern Albania and the city of Shkoder
The people are called Shkodrans in northern Albania, and Shkoder or Shkodra is located on the southern shore of Lake Shkoder on the border with Montenegro. Albanian and Italian are spoken here and the majority are Catholics.
The fourth largest city in Albania, Shkodra is one of the country's oldest cities with universities, theatres, museums and a large textile production. This northern Albanian city has been a cultural and commercial centre for many years.
Rivers in Shkoder
There are a number of attractions as well as archaeological and historical monuments, such as a 15th century Venetian citadel. The stone village and castle of Rozafa Castle, which dates from 350 BC and sits on top of a hill where the Buna, Drini and Kir rivers meet.
Lake Shkoder
The River Drini starts in Lake Ohrid in Macedonia and then meets the River Kir in Albania, joining the River Buna at Rozafa Castle. The Buna River, which originates from Lake Shkoder, flows into the Adriatic Sea in northern Albania.
Mount Jezerca is 2694 metres high and is located in unspoilt nature on Lake Shkoder and Albania's highest peak is Korab at 2764 metres.
Rozafa Castle in northern Albania
Rozafa castle was originally called the Illyrian castle and has a sad history. There were three brothers trying to build a castle. They laid stones all day long, but every morning they came to the castle, the mortar had crumbled overnight. They wanted a starter castle that would last for generations, but they couldn't get it to hold together. They spoke to a wise man. who said that one of their wives must be sacrificed and walled into the castle. They made a pact so that their wives would not understand what was happening. The wife who brought food to her husband the next day would be sacrificed.
The youngest brother's wife, Rozafa, brought food and cried in front of her newborn son when she learnt what it meant. She asked to leave one breast exposed so she could feed her newborn son, and an arm and a leg to rock the cradle at night and soothe her son during the day. The white lime water flowing from the castle's entrance is, according to legend, Rozafa's breast milk. Rozafa Castle!
Cheap land
In 1979 a major earthquake destroyed much of Shkoder and the city was rebuilt, but it is still relatively poor. Albania is incredibly cheap and eating out is about a third of the price in Sweden, making it one of the cheapest countries in Europe.
The tourists come mainly from Slovakia, Serbia and Italy and there are a lot of backpackers on the roads. We drove a couple from Macedonia to Shkodra in northern Albania in our motorhome.
See more in northern Albania
- The Ura e Mesit (Mes Bridge) is an 18th century bridge that we missed but really wanted to see. Located 5 km north of Shkodra at the village of Mes, it is a stone bridge with 13 arches, 100 metres long in the middle of beautiful countryside, with the Kir River flowing underneath.
- Canyon Kir and Kir Valley are places we really love. There are high mountains with turquoise mountain lakes and canyons, green-clad hills. We did not have time but we have to go back to experience this.
- Abu Bekr Mosque in Shkoder.
- Shkodra Cathedral or Saint Stephen who was the first patron saint and is buried in Rozafa Castle. The most beautiful cathedral in the region.
- Drisht Castle ruins dating back to the 10th century and located north of Shkoder.
- The Venice Art Mask Factory is located in the city centre and offers masks sold in Venice, Italy.
- Lezha Castle is located in Lezha (Lissos) 40 km south of Shkoder and dates back to 385 BC.
Read more about Albania
Is it safe to travel in Albania?
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Facts about Shkoder
- Residents? 107 000 in Shkoder (2011)
- Currency? Leakage (ALL)
- Price point? Cheap (much cheaper than Sweden)
- Time difference? None
- Emergency number? Police number 129, ambulance number 127 and emergency services number 128.
- El? Like Sweden
- Water? A bit unclear, but it may be safest to buy bottled drinking water. Pure spring water is available in some places!
Travelling to Shkoder and Shkoder Lake
- Flight: Tirana Airport is located 100 kilometres south of Shkoder. Rent a car and it takes about one and a half hours to drive. Bus takes about 3 hours.
- Car: Car from Stockholm to Shkoder takes about 31 hours, if you count pure driving time.
Food and drink in northern Albania
- Tradita Geg & Tosk serves grilled Albanian food. We have not been there but we have heard good things about it.
- Please also read more about food in Albania.
Accommodation in Shkoder
- We stayed at the Lake Shkodra Resort when we were here, but if we fly down we want to try a nicer hotel. After all, it's a cheap country and why not! We've checked out a few.
- Petit Hotel Elita at Rruga Shtjefen Gjecovi, 4001 Shkoder is super modern and affordable, 650 metres from the city centre.
- Hostel Legjenda on Road Agron 1 features a swimming pool and views of Rozafa Castle.
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BP says:
You are soooo right - Albania is a very beautiful country. After reading all your posts, I really hope that lots of Swedes travel there. You have been a perfect ambassador!
08 September 2015 - 12:22
Mr Steve says:
Amazing how many new destinations have been added at close range. Albania is just to sort into the string of pearls.
08 September 2015 - 12:22
Frankie & Co says:
Yes, one is completely captivated - thanks for the 'show' !
08 September 2015 - 14:24
Åsa says:
Beautiful! Like mountains!
08 September 2015 - 14:28
Ditte says:
Certainly Albania sounds exciting, beautiful and nice as a travel destination, but it does not seem to be so easy to fly and then rent a car to get around. This of course needs to be researched. Flying to Greek Corfu seems smooth and then maybe going on to Saranda. In any case, it seems to be interesting.
I am delighted that you have provided so much information.
Thank you very much! Have a nice trip to Montenegro.
08 September 2015 - 15:00
Anonymous says:
Even though I prefer to stay in the campervan, sleeping in the tent with that view is undeniably tempting :-)!!!!
08 September 2015 - 15:28
admin says:
BP, we highly recommend this country and hope that more people travel here!
Steve, you don't always have to travel to the other side of the world to find gems!
Frankie & Co, you really get mesmerised when you are hearing too. Sometimes you can't believe how beautiful it is!
Åsa, we also like mountains! 🙂
Ditte, interesting that you write this! Maybe we should check it out more carefully. I know nothing about renting a car here, but why do you think it's difficult?
Anonymous, the view from the tent was awesome! But it was not so bad from the motorhome either! 😉
08 September 2015 - 17:47
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:
You have delivered a lot of nice information and pictures. Been very interesting to read.
Goodbye
Nisse
08 September 2015 - 18:25
Anja says:
Anonymous??? I was... 🙂 🙂
08 September 2015 - 19:42
admin says:
Nils-Åke, glad to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂
Anja, I suspected that someone might have forgotten to write their name 😉 Nice to know who it was 🙂 .
08 September 2015 - 20:15
Travelmania says:
Albania is really appealing after hanging out with you (=
08 September 2015 - 20:34
admin says:
Travelmania, glad we can convey that feeling! Albania is really nice! 🙂
09 September 2015 - 7:18
Marie says:
Wow, that looks amazingly beautiful - what nature! What is the most beautiful country so far on the trip?
09 September 2015 - 11:33
admin says:
Marie, we think Corsica was by far the most beautiful! Other beautiful places: Sardinia, Brittany and Verdon in France and Albania.
09 September 2015 - 13:13
Ama de casa says:
Mighty mountains! Wonderful pictures 🙂
09 September 2015 - 18:53
steel city anna says:
So beautiful! Water and mountains are very nice together 🙂 gets a chance of northern USA, a bit similar.
10 September 2015 - 10:02
Only British / Charlotta says:
I'm currently watching the Aktuellt special feature 'Utblick' (at the end of the programme) about how Albania wants to become the next big tourist destination, and I thought of you.
It is fascinating to see how they want to avoid being destroyed but are still enthusiastic about tourism and how some are already aghast at the hotel complexes that have been built.
23 September 2015 - 21:42