Full Day Shkodra Culture Tour from Tirana

Rozafa castle is a large castle on the top of a hill near Shkoder city. The castle has a spectacular, panoramic view over Shkoder city and the Lake of Shkodra. The Illyrians originally founded the castle in antiquity, but it was later rebuild by the Venetians and the Turkish Ottomans.

There is a famous legend about the castle. Allegedly, three brothers build the castle during the day, however, during the night the walls would fall down. The brothers were told by an old man, that a human sacrifice was needed to ensure the walls would stand. The brothers made a deal and decided that the wife, who brought lunch the next day, would be sacrificed. The two older brothers cheated and told their wives. Therefore, the wife of the youngest brother, Rozafa, was sacrificed. She agreed under the condition that her foot, her hand and her breast would be exposed, so that she could take care of her infant child. You can see a statue of Rozafa at the entrance of the castle's museum.

The Venice Art Mask Factory is a factory and exhibition of Venetian Masks. The factory was started in 1997 by Edmond Angoni, who is originally from Albania, but spend a long period of time in Venice. Back in Albania, he began creating Venetian masks and turned it into a worldwide factory. The factory has eight shops in Venice and one in Las Vegas, and it sells masks in luxury shops in Dubai and Australia as well.

In the Venice Art Mask Factory, you can see a display of 1700 unique art masks. Each mask is produced by 12 or 13 professionals, who work on the molding, papier-mache, painting and decorations. The factory produces more than 30.000 masks per year. It is very enjoyable to browse through the beautiful collection of masks. Each mask is a unique work of art. The masks vary in price point, so you might even find a unique souvenir to take home.

The Marubi National Photography Museum is a collection of photos taken by three generations of photographers. In 1850, Pietro Marubi, an Italian painter and photographer, emigrated from Italy to Shkoder for political reasons. Whilst in Shkoder, he founded a photo business called Foto Marubi. He trained Kel Kodheli, who took over the family business after Pietro's death and changed his name to Kel Marubi. And later Kel's son, Gege Marubi followed in his footsteps.

In the Marubi National Photography Museum you can see a collection of 400.000 photographs that tell Albania's history. The Marubi family photographed significant national events and daily life in Albania. There are portraits of tribal leaders, highland uprisings and influential persons, like Edith Durham.

The Mesi Bridge is a cultural monument to the northeast of Shkoder city. It is a historical bridge that was build in the 18th century, when Albania was ruled by the Turkish Ottoman empire.

Today, it is the largest remaining bridge from the Ottoman period in Albania. The bridge is a touristic attraction and it was voted the top bridge to visit in Albania by TripAdvisor. The bridge is 108 meters long and it has a total of 13 little arches. It is surrounded by the beautiful mountains in the background.

The Kole Idromeno Street is a famous pedestrian street in the center of Shkoder city. It is a very pretty boulevard with many terraces. The pedestrian street was designed by a local architect and painter called Kole Idromeno. The architect was schooled in Venice and therefore, the boulevard has a very Italian feel. It has many decorative details like beautiful stones and romantic lighting. The boulevard is a lovely place for strolling, shopping for souvenirs or enjoying a beautiful afternoon on the terrace.

In the afternoon, you will have some free time to explore the city center of Shkoder. If you like, you can visit the Ebu Bekr Mosque, the St. Stephen's Catholic Cathedral or the Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity. Or you can simply spend some time strolling along the beautiful historical streets in the city center.

If you enjoy spending time in nature, we can bring you to the Shkodra Lake in the afternoon. The Lake of Shkodra is the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. It is located on the border between Albania and Montenegro. It is a calming and refreshing area. You can drive along the road to Shiroka and visit the Buna River delta. The lake has crystal clear water and it is a very beautiful location.