Shkoder, Rozafa Castle and Skadar Lake

Welcome to Shkoder Albania

Shkoder is one of Albania's most active centers in northern Albania. Visitors here will be able to enjoy the wonders of the natural landscape, the richness of a thousand-year history and the hospitality of the locals. In the Illyrian kingdom (2nd century BC), Shkodra was an important site.  Then, Shkodra was conquered by the Romans who made it an important maritime and port center. Later came Byzantines, Serbs, and Bulgarians. Venetians came after the Bulgarians and within a century of domination, have left important traces of their passage here in Shkoder.

Tour from Tirana to Shkoder, inclusions

Shkoder guided tour will start with pick up at your hotel. Leaving Tirana at 9 am, you will ride along the coast of northern Albania. On the way from Tirana to Shkoder you will stop in the town of Lezhe (Alessio), to visit the memorial dedicated to the Albanian national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, who dedicated his life to defend the Albanian culture and identity against the Ottomans. This place is sacred to Albanians and represents more than just a grave. It is a real memorial, a monumental grave. In Lezha in March 1444 Skanderbeg signed a pact to reunite the Albanian principalities against the Ottoman invader. Although raised in Turkey, Skanderbeg remained loyal to Albania until his death in 1468. This monument was raised here in 1981 above the ruins of the ancient church of St. Nicholas. The architectural structure, with the marble columns on the external perimeter, is similar to the Parthenon and the Lincoln Memorial. Inside the memorial you can see Skanderbeg's shield and a reproduction of his heavy sword and helmet.

After arriving to Shkoder the tour continues with a visit to the castle. The famous Rozafa Castle was built in the 4th century BC and for centuries remained standing as a defense for the city. Here is where the legend of Rozafa lives, the young woman who was offered and sacrificed half-walled inside the walls of the fortress. While half of the body was inside the wall, and the other half was left outside, to allow her to breastfeed, cradle and hug her little boy. Inside the castle you will visit the museum where you will find an interesting documentation of Shkoder history. Here, in fact, different peoples and cultures have followed one another, leaving traces of their passage, Illyrians, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans and Slavs.

From the castle we walk down to the city center, enjoying a fantastic view. Through the pedestrian street we reach a typical place, where you can take a break and have a good coffee. After the break, we start walking towards Marubi Museum. The Marubi Museum preserves an important collection of over half a million negatives, which make it one of the major centers dedicated to photography in the Balkans.

After lunchtime, we dedicate our time to enjoy a complete meal based on traditional foods. Finally, in the early afternoon, you will have free time to explore the city and stop at the shops along Rruga Kole before returning to Tirana.

•Due the moderate amount of walking to reach the main attraction sites could be better to wear comfortable shoes and clothes

•We suggest this tour to customers who are able to climb and descend streets and stairs.

•This tour is not suitable for customers in wheelchair. 

•In case of hot weather we suggest you to bring a cap with you.

•Reach the meeting point 15 minutes before the departure time.