Private Full Day Tour to Shkodra and Kruja from Tirana

Rich in history and tradition, Kruja is home of the patriots and the epicenter of Albania’s independence from the Ottoman Empire. It was here that Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg, Albania’s greatest national hero, defended the country from the invasion of the Ottomans. The National Museum dedicated to the hero is housed in the famous Kruja Castle and shows both the legendary hero’s history and the traditional way of life of the city’s population. The city’s famous bazaar serves as a bridge between this glorious past and the present, offering a rich array of traditional products made from local artisans.

The Old Bazaar of Kruja is the most famous bazaar in the country, this place merits an immediate visit! In the dozens of shops and boutiques lined up in the streets, you will find traditional craftsmen selling and making their products. You can find countless traditional functional and artistic objects such as carpets, furniture, silverware, copper plates and ornaments, as well as many other souvenirs. Antique dealers and enthusiasts visit this bazaar as it offers many objects of interest. The best part of the experience is that the traders will be happy to share each object’s fascinating history with you!

As you reach the end of the Bazaar, you will enter the slightly steep road towards the Castle of Kruja, the symbol of Albanian resistance against the Ottomans. It was here that Skanderbeg waved the Albanian flag for the very first time on November 28th, 1443 and where he, along with his army, successfully resisted the Ottoman forces for more than 25 years. As one of the country’s most important landmarks, this part of your day can focus on leisurely admiring this 5th century fortress and the museum within it.

The National Ethnographic Museum was built in a 19th – century villa, one of the best representations of the period’s architecture. In addition, the museum’s masterful tour guide reveals a great deal on the lives of the local residents, important objects as well as memorable features preserved throughout the centuries.

The museum commemorates the life and wars of Skanderbeg, the most important historical figure of Albania. The museum is one of the most highly valued architectural monuments in the country and one of the most visited as it is also one of the most informative places regarding the country’s past. There, you will find copies of Skanderbeg’s sword and helmet, the originals of which are found in Vienna.

This multifaceted city has had a traditionally rich artistic life and an enormous contribution to Albanian culture. Shkodra is the cradle of the most important Albanian poets, like Migjeni, painters like Kol Idromeno, and photographers, the Marubi Family. Shkodra houses the haunting Marubi National Photography Museum, which displays the first photo taken in Albania. A city of myths and legends, the foundations of the famous Castle of Shkodra are said to be held by the body of Rozafa, the beautiful young mother who sacrificed herself for it. You will find that this naturally beautiful city has an abundance of mirrors in the Adriatic Sea, the Lake of Shkodra and the Buna River.

One of the city’s symbols is its castle, which offers the most beautiful panoramas over the Lake of Shkodër and the three rivers that meet below it. Also known as the Castle of Rozafa, it is named after the young woman who was sacrificed and buried alive within its walls in order for it to be erected. We suggest that you spend some time observing the ancient and medieval ruins found in this fascinating place. At the Castle’s entrance, turn to the left in order to see the beautiful domes of the Lead Mosque, built in 1773.

One of the grandest in the Balkans, the Cathedral of Shkodra has had an extraordinary story of survival.

The Promenade in Shkodra captures some of the European aesthetic experience with its decorative and delicate designs, that pave the historic street of this artistically-infused city.

Just a few meters short of 1km 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.