Last Updated on: 5th October 2022, 07:54 pm
Shkodër may not have the energy of Tirana, the charm of Korçë, or the seaside views of Vlorë. Nonetheless, as Albania’s second-largest city, there’s plenty to do to warrant a stay of at least a few days. In the following guide, we’ll be going over the top things to do in Shkodër, the capital of the country’s northern Gegëria region.
Even if Shkodër wasn’t originally on your Balkans itinerary, you’ll likely pass through at some point. Not only does it serve as a base for those visiting the increasingly popular mountain town of Theth, but it’s also situated near the borders with both Montenegro and Kosovo.
Be sure to check the end of the guide to learn more about transportation, accommodation, and why Shkodër is a great place to break up your journey if you’re doing a longer tour of the Balkans. But first, here are the top five things to do in Shkodër:
Explore the Historical Center
One of the top things to do in Shkodër is taking a stroll down Rruga Kole Idromeno, the city’s main pedestrian street. Approaching from the main road, you can’t help but notice the imposing Ebu Bekr Mosque.
Built in the 18th century, the grand mosque was recently renovated in 1995 with financial assistance from Saudi Arabia. And speaking of religious monuments, the city center is also home to a Catholic church and an Orthodox cathedral.
Further down Rruga Kole Idromeno, you’ll encounter all sorts of restaurants, cafes and shops selling whatever you can think of (except for, puzzlingly, trekking gear!).
Normally, the street is the center of all the action in Shkodër, but I was surprised to find it almost completely deserted upon my arrival. But that’s because it was the Bayram holiday, and it wasn’t long before life returned a few days later.
Also be sure to explore the avenue’s various side streets and brightly-painted historical houses which make up the Gjuhadol neighborhood.
Sadly, recent 2013 renovation efforts have proven to be rushed and shoddy, with some of the historic buildings already falling apart. Hopefully, authorities can make another effort to save these buildings before it’s too late.
Visit the Local Museums
Shkodër History Museum
The local history museum, located in the center of town, is situated in an old house that belonged to a prominent family during the Ottoman era. It doubles as an archaeological museum and ethnology museum, and with tickets costing just a few hundred lek, it’s well worth a quick visit.
On the upper floor, you’ll find the spacious living area of the wealthy family who once inhabited the house.
It also doubles as a display room for various artifacts and traditional costumes from throughout northern Albania dating from the 17-20th centuries.
Outside, meanwhile, is a random assortment of historical artifacts, including tombstones and even an old boat. Signage is lacking out here, so you’ll largely have to use your imagination.
Archaeology lovers shouldn’t miss the ground floor, which contains hundreds of artifacts ranging from the Neolithic era to the Middle Ages. The lighting and display cases are surprisingly modern for a small regional museum.
Site of Witness and Memory Museum
The shadow of Enver Hoxha’s decades-long dictatorship still looms large over Albania. While the topic is covered in-depth at places like Tirana’s BunkArt, the Site of Witness & Memory Museum is situated in an actual interrogation center.
Interestingly, the building was originally a Franciscan seminary. But as organized religion was deemed counterrevolutionary in Communist Albania, many of those tortured here were members of the clergy themselves.
Comprehensive bilingual informational signs detail the history of religious persecution in Albania throughout the 20th century.
You’ll also learn of the lengths that religious Albanians would go through to practice their faith in private. And disturbingly, you’ll learn details about prominent religious figures who were tortured and killed.
In one cell, a priest named Don Mikel Beltoja was killed due to secretly walking from village to village to perform various religious rites for believers in private. After a period of detainment and torture, he was eventually shot in 1974.
And the creepiest room of all is the recreation of what the original interrogation and torture room would’ve looked like. After visiting places like this, it boggles the mind how communism can remain so fashionable among young people today.
Even More
Another well-known museum in the city is the Marubi National Photography Museum, which displays a unique collection of photographs taken in the region throughout the 19th century.
But despite simply being a photography museum, entry costs 700 lek – exorbitant by Albanian standards.
Additionally, you’ll find a historical museum within Rozafa Castle (more below), though it requires an additional fee on top of the standard entry ticket.
Climb up Rozafa Castle
Most essential on this list of the top things to do in Shkodër would have to be Rozafa Castle. While perhaps not as epic as Gjirokastër Fortress or as historically important as the Castle of Krujë, it certainly ranks up there as one of Albania’s top castles.
Rozafa Castle is situated about 3.5 km from the city center. While it’s possible to walk, renting a bicycle from your hotel is ideal. That way, you can head on over to the nearby village of Shiroka for a dip in the lake (more below).
Situated atop a 130 m-high hill, archaeological evidence suggests that the hill has been inhabited since at least the 4th century BC. And a fortress was established here as early as the 2nd century AD when the region was part of the ancient kingdom of Illyria.
Rozafa Castle changed hands multiple times throughout the Middle Ages, having been controlled by groups like the Byzantines, Slavs, Venetians and finally, the Ottomans.
While, all in all, there’s not a whole lot left standing within the fortress, it was once home to structures like storerooms, garrisons, cisterns, hammams, military barracks and various dwelling places.
You’ll also find two vast courtyards. And the entire complex was, and largely still is, surrounded by a kilometer-long outer wall. Rozafa Castle was also protected by nine towers, some of which remain in good condition.
Another architectural highlight is the remains of the Venetian church, later turned into a mosque during Ottoman times.
Its walls largely remain intact, and so does the belfry/minaret. Oddly, it’s now home to a mysterious large mechanical device.
One of the main reasons to visit the castle is for the views, as it’s situated near the confluence of the Bruna and Drinn rivers. And if you squint and look far off into the distance, you can also see part of Lake Shkodër, the region’s largest lake.
As you make your way deeper into the fortress, you’ll even encounter a two-story museum. Disappointingly, however, it requires an additional 200 lek to enter. This is on top of the 400 lek entry fee for the castle itself! Peeking inside, there didn’t seem to be too much on display to warrant the additional cost.
Visiting in summer, it’s best to get to the castle early in the morning, which lets you beat both the heat and day-trippers from nearby Montenegro.
Cycle to Shiroka
While Shkodër is about an hour or so from the Adriatic coast, Lake Shkodër (also known as Lake Skadar) is even closer. But given the lake’s massive size, it can be confusing figuring out just how to go about visiting.
The quickest and easiest way to access the lake from central Shkodër is by visiting the nearby village of Shiroka. And this is best done by renting a bicycle.
All in all, the ride takes about 30 minutes one-way from the center of town. And on the way over, you’ll pass by Rozafa Castle, meaning you can easily visit both on the same day. Past Rozafa Castle, you’ll want to turn right onto a wooden bridge that takes you over the Buna River.
Next, take a right and ride around the peninsula. You’ll soon encounter lush green landscapes that will surely have you wondering why Shkodër isn’t more well-known.
Eventually, the river will converge into Lake Shkodër. And reentering civilization, you’ll soon find yourself in the small town of Shiroka.
The peaceful lakeside town is lined with restaurants which, while slightly fancy, are actually quite affordable. But first, you’ll likely want to take a dip in the water. There’s a large beach area near the town center, but it was completely covered in algae during my visit, and nobody was swimming there.
Continuing north, I passed by a few tiny beaches before finding another large one on the outskirts of town. Thankfully, this one was a lot cleaner.
I came at a good time, as about 20 minutes into my swim, a large group of schoolchildren – probably part of a summer camp – completely took over the beach for a kayaking excursion. And so I eventually headed back into town and tried out one of the local restaurants.
Considering how packed seaside locations in the Balkans can get in summer, lakeside towns like Shiroka make for a great alternative if you want to swim without the crowds (with the exception of summer campers, that is).
Visit Mesi Bridge
Another cultural highlight of the Shkodër area is the Mesi Bridge, located about 8 km northeast of the town center. For whatever reason, I decided to make the journey out here on foot (about 90 minutes each way), though I soon regretted my decision.
Up until you arrive at the bridge, the long walk is not a pleasant or a scenic one. But walking through the outskirts of town, you’ll get to observe the interesting phenomenon of countless Mercedes Benzes parked right outside dilapidated rural shacks.
Built sometime around 1770 by a local Ottoman pasha named Kara Mahmud Bushati, the 108 m-long bridge took local residents across the Kir River.
With its eleven arches in total, the bridge remains an impressive sight. And thanks to a recent refurbishment, visitors can once again walk across to the other side.
Disappointingly, however, there’s an ugly modern concrete bridge running parallel to it. You won’t see this new bridge in most photographs, but it’s quite near Mesi Bridge and really hampers the atmosphere.
As such, visiting the Mesi Bridge is probably the least essential item on this list of things to do in Shkodër. But if you have your own car or are really into Ottoman history, you likely won’t regret visiting.
Additional Info
I stayed in a hotel called Kurtabeg, situated right in the heart of the city near the main roundabout which constitutes as the ‘bus station.’
Originally, I’d booked a guest house for a couple of nights on Airbnb, but they cancelled on me the morning of my booking! (This is sadly not uncommon with Airbnb around the world.) And so I hurryingly booked Hotel Kurtabeg at the last minute, which turned out to be a great choice.
It was one of the few proper hotels with a front desk I stayed at in the Balkans, and I had a spacious private room with a private bathroom. I first stayed for a couple of nights before my trip to Valbonë and Theth. But, liking the hotel and feeling Shkodër would be a good place to take a break from traveling, I came back again and stayed for over two weeks.
The friendly owner gave me a nice discount for the long-term stay, and I paid just 10 euro a night. (My initial stay had gone for nearly double the rate.)
If you’re looking for an actual hotel and not a guest house or a room in a family home, I’d definitely recommend Hotel Kurtabeg.
All in all, Shkodër is not a very large city, and as long as you’re relatively close to the center, you should be fine. Every hotel in town can arrange transport to the Komani Lake Ferry and onward travel to Valbonë for you.
Coming from within Albania, regular buses from Tirana take about 2 hours, while there are also direct connections from Durrës. There are likely more direct routes with other cities, though without a reliable online source of information, it’s best to inquire locally.
Like many large Albanian cities, Shkodër lacks any kind of bus station. Instead, buses line up around the roundabout surrounding the Sheshi Demokracia monument. This is also likely where you’ll be dropped off when you arrive.
Coming from abroad, there are several daily buses from Ulcinj, Montenegro, the Albanian-majority town on the other side of the border. (Going from Shkodër to Ulcinj, there seems to be only one daily bus at 9:00.)
It’s also possible to get to Shkodër from Kosovo, though the process is somewhat tricky. In my case, I took a direct bus from Prizren with a company called Atmaxha for 10 euro, though the prices can vary.
The bus was headed for Ulcinj (a favorite holiday destination for Kosovars) and it didn’t make a stop in central Shkodër. Instead, they dropped me off near the bridge right by Rozafa Castle. As it was too far to walk with all my luggage, I needed to take a taxi.
While there were no taxis waiting around here, I went into a nearby hotel and had them call one for me. It cost me 5 euro (or 600 lek) to reach the city center.
If you’re doing a shorter trip in Albania, you may also decide to simply visit Shkodër as a day trip from Tirana. You could skip the hassle of dealing with Albania’s confusing public transport system by visiting with this highly-rated private tour, which stops at most of the locations in the guide above.
Staying in Shkodër for a couple of weeks, I got to try various restaurants. And there are three in particular that I’d recommend, all of which are budget-friendly.
Peja Grill serves tasty food and has friendly English-speaking staff. Restaurant PURI also serves delicious food with very large portions. But the place is a huge local favorite and is nearly always packed, so I only got to eat there once.
For a more local experience, try Taverna Ulqini. Just note that they have no English menus, but it’s both cheap and truly authentic.
Whether or not one should set time aside for Shkodër depends on their itinerary. As hiking from Valbonë to Theth (or simply visiting Theth) is one of the top things to do in Albania, it’s well worth designating at least a day to exploring Shkodër.
If you’re traveling during the colder months, when the Accursed Mountains region is inaccessible, Shkodër may not be worth going out of your way for.
In my case, I ended up staying for a little over two weeks in Shkodër. After traveling through southern Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo, I headed to Shkodër before hiking the epic Valbonë to Theth trail.
Later, before traveling to Montenegro and beyond, I realized that I could use a short break from traveling, and Shkodër suited my needs perfectly. I would also recommend others doing longer trips throughout the Balkans to consider Shkodër as a place to break up the journey.
There are plenty of restaurants in the city center as well as some gyms. And, as mentioned in the guide above to the top things to do in Shkodër, there are plenty of activities to keep you busy.
But at the same time, there’s not so much to the point that you’ll feel pressured to constantly explore instead of working remotely or relaxing.