Skadar (Shkodër) – the seat of the ancient Illyrian tribes

The city of Skodar (Alb. Shkodër) was founded under the name of Skodra on the traditional territory of the Illyrian tribes of Ardiaea and Labeat in the 4th century BC. Historically, it developed on a hill 130 m high, strategically located at the mouth of Lake Skadar into the Bojana River (alb. Buna).

It is the fourth largest city in Albania and is located in the north of the country, near the shore of Lake Skadar and the border with Montenegro and the Adriatic Sea. Apart from tourism and extraordinary nature, it is also known as one of the centers of Albanian Catholicism and Albanian culture, and it is also specific for the harmony and common life of different communities, nations, and religions.

In the last few years, the city has experienced a real boom, most of the city has been renovated, and the promenade on the Bojana river has been improved.

A special feature of Shkodër is the large number of locals who use bicycles as their main means of transportation. Since the city is laid out on a plain, I suggest you explore the city by bicycle. The medieval fortress of Rozafa is an unmissable destination. It is a fortress that marked the very north of Ottoman Albania and extends all the way to the fortress of Buka in the south.

Rozafa Fortress, Photo Juliya Yevseyeva

The Mesi bridge, located in the village of Mes, about 9 km northeast of Shkodër, is also a tourist attraction. It was built around 1770 by Kara Mahmud Bushati, a local Ottoman pasha, and spans the Kir river. It is 108 meters long, 3.4 meters wide, and 12.5 meters high with 13 arches and is one of the longest examples of the Ottoman bridge in the region.

Mesi bridge, Photo: Sali Jonuzi

I also recommend a visit to the Skadar Historical Museum, the Marubi National Museum of Photography, and as a one-day trip, go to Valbona – the national park that many world media have called the Albanian Alps in their stories.

If you are looking for something to eat, be sure to visit the restaurants that offer local, traditional specialties and seafood, and try the local Korça or Tirana beers and Albanian rakia.