Vjosa, one of the last wild rivers in Europe

The Vjosa River is the third longest river in Albania with a total length of 272 kilometers, of which the first 80 kilometers are in Greece and the remaining 192 kilometers in Albania.

Its source is in Greece in the Pindus mountains. It enters Albania near Çarshovë and continues northwest through the towns of Përmet, Këlcyrë, Tepelënë, Memaliaj, Selenicë and Novoselë. It flows into the Adriatic Sea, northwest of Vlore.

River Vjosa, Mouth, Photo: Piotr Bednarek

Environmentalists and scientists have called the Vjosa the last “wild” river in Europe, since it flows continuously from Greece through southern Albania to the Adriatic Sea, without any dams or power plants.

In 2023,  it was declared a national park according to the decision of the Albanian government, and with the status thus acquired, it is protected from the future construction of hydropower plants.

River Vjosa, Photo; Jay Basha, Unsplash

“This is a historic moment for the Vjosa… The Vjosa will finally flow freely forever,”  EcoAlbania, the leading non-governmental organization in the ten-year fight to save the river, which has included actor Leonardo DiCaprio and other celebrities, announced on its Facebook page.

River Vjosa, Photo: Eni Lale, Unsplash

Vjosa amazes us with its exceptional beauty and biodiversity. Ecologists and scientists have counted over 1,200 species, of which about forty are included in the list of endangered species, such as the European eel, otter, and crkavica (Egyptian scavenger).