Wy/hbs/Skadar
Shkodër (Albanian: Shkodra) was the capital city of Albania for hundreds of years until 1915 when World War I broke out. Now it is the second largest city in Albania with 135,612 people. It has experienced a face lift as streets and buildings were renovated, a promenade opened and a new bridge built over the Buna River. Shkodër is 30 minutes away from the beach or 2 hours away from the mountains.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Visitor information
[edit | edit source]History
[edit | edit source]Queen Teuta's Illyrian kingdom was based here in the 3rd century BCE. The Ottomans besieged it in 1473 and 1479, and lost 14,000 and 30,000 men in these raids, respectively. Shkodër changed hands with Montenegro numerous times during World War I. Shkodër was badly damaged in a 1979 earthquake.
Get in
[edit | edit source]As in the rest of Albania, there is no bus station per se. Instead, there are a few gathering points for buses/furgons scattered around the city.
By bus
[edit | edit source]To Montenegro
[edit | edit source]From Ulcinj (Montenegro), buses cost €5 or 700 lek (plus €1 if you have baggage) and leave at 06:00, 07:00, 12:30 and 16:30. If they are not available, you can take a taxi to the border at Muriqan (€10) and after crossing the border, take another taxi to Ulcinj (€8). However, the return ticket from Shkodër to Ulcinj costs €5 and buses leave at 09:00 and 16:00 from the city center fountain.
From Podgorica there are 4 daily buses to Shkodër (10:00, 13:00, 16:00, 23:45).
Minibuses to/from Hani i Hotit (the Montenegro border on the way to Podgorica) run from around 300 lek. Taxis for this journey cost €15.
To Kosovo
[edit | edit source]Buses from Gjakova go at 06:00 directly to Shkodër via the highway from Prizren.
Get around
[edit | edit source]Template:Wy/hbs/Mapframe Finding your way round Shkodër is complicated by the fact that all of the roads have been renamed, and some of the old names have even been re-used in different places! All roads have got new road signs. Since all the maps and guides (including this one) give the old names, finding your way round is a bit like being in a parallel universe.
There are some public buses running inside city. There is also infrequent bus to the nearby village of Shiroke.
By bike
[edit | edit source]Shkodër is the bike capital of Albania, because it's flat. This is a heritage from the Hoxha era.
See
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Religious buildings
[edit | edit source]Do
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- The Lake Koman ferry is a breathtaking trip across Lake Koman from Koman to Fierze, where you can move on to Bajram Curri or further to Kosovo. Take a furgon in the morning 06:30 from the second roundabout down Marin Barleti about 500 m away from the city centre. If you are at the center-most place (the one in front of the hotel Rozafa) before 06:00, you can shout "Koman" and people will guide you through the correct furgon or call the furgon driver by phone that he picks you up.
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Since Shkodër is the city of the bicycles, cycling from the city centre to Shiroka's lake and around of it, it is always a great choice, especially if you enjoy nature.
Buy
[edit | edit source]- "Skënderbeu" Kognak
- Locally made souvenirs such as rugs located in Zogaj village or at the Artisan's Bazaar (Albanian: Pazari i Artizanatit) at Shkodër's entrance.
Eat
[edit | edit source]- Carp fish in Shiroke village
- Sheqerpare - desert
- Lakra turshi - pickled cabbage
Lots of dining options are available on the main pedestrian street - Rruga Kolë Idromeno. There are also some nice restaurants and pizzerias on the promenade near Buna River Old Bridge (Rruga e Molos street).
Budget
[edit | edit source]in the city center:
[edit | edit source]Mid-range
[edit | edit source]Splurge
[edit | edit source]Cafes
[edit | edit source]Shkodër is famous for its numerous patisseries where you can eat delicious sweets, and it's possible to come to Shkodër for this alone.
Drink
[edit | edit source]Local beers "Korça" or "Tirana", Zadrima Winery and the famous Albanian spirit called Rakija made of different fruits.
Sleep
[edit | edit source]Budget
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Mid-range
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Connect
[edit | edit source]As of Sept 2021, Vodafone has the best coverage, with 4G in Shkodër, the other main towns, and highways between. One also has 4G in Shkodër, but you'll struggle to get a signal from ALB. 5G has not rolled out in Albania.
Go next
[edit | edit source]- Albanian Alps
- Pukë
- Lezhe and the surrounding area including Shengjin
- Velipoja - a coastal town 30 km south of Shkodër known for its curative beach sand.
- Ulcinj, Montenegro
- Gjakova is worth it for the journey alone, through the gorges on Lake Koman.