Shkodra, Full Day Trip from Tirana

We drive for 2 hours to Shkodra and first visit in Rozafa Castle. Built on a rocky hill overlooking the city by the rivers of Buna and Drini, you will find the most important monument of Shkoder, The Castle of Rozafa. Shkodra has been occupied several times throughout history: First by the Romans (168 B.C.), then the Serbians (1040), the Venetians (1396), and finally by the Ottomans (1479). It is surrounded by the waters of three rivers; the Drini, Buna, and Kiri. Much like the town it protected, the castle has Illyrian origins. According to the historian Tit Livi, “it was the strongest area of the Labeats.”

Mesi Bidge is the largest and best-preserved Ottoman bridge in Albania. It was built in the 18th century, around 1770, by Kara Mahmud Bushati, the local Ottoman pasha. The bridge is 108 meters long, 3m wide and has 13 arches, of which the elegant main span measures 13m. The Kiri river it crosses has incredibly blue, clear mountain water.

Then we visit Shkodra lake. The beautiful Shkodra Lake, the largest in the Balkan Peninsula is one of the many natural wonders of this part of the country. With a vast surface area of 368 km2, the lake stretches beyond the country and across the border with Montenegro, with 149 km2 of it lying in Albania. The lake beautifully frames the historic and artistic city of Shkodra, a calming and refreshing area, reflecting effect of the water which gracefully surrounds it.

Then we will visit the famous Viennese mask factory which is located near the city of Shkodra. The Venetian masks made in Shkodra are all crafted by hand. They combine traditional techniques with new contemporary decoration. The masks have intricate details, bright colors, fancy feathers, gold leaf, and crystals that make them unique pieces of art. The masks are exported all over the world and sold in six shops in Venice. Volto, Colombina, Bauta, Arlecchino, Zanni, Cruise Mask, and many other ornamental mask models can be found at the workshop.

Just a few meters short of 1 km in length at 800m long, the Promenade in Shkodra is paved entirely with beautifully-decorated cobblestones. Recently-renovated, this promenade recalls the architecture of ages gone by, when there was arguably a greater appreciation for time and patience when crafting things of lasting beauty. As a result, this picturesque promenade reflects this time, beauty, and quietude of the ones who tread on it. The centre of the town forks into two separate boulevards where the traditional old houses from the 1800s beautifully intermingle with the new ones. On the right, the traditional houses line up along the street to create an almost open-air museum, alongside the oldest neighbourhood in town. These Venetian-style, two-story houses create a distinctive atmosphere within this famed northern city, one that is equally Albanian, as it is more universal..