Albania – tour from Skhoder via Tirana to Farma Sotira
- Written by Portal Editor
There are only a few destinations in Europe that can be reached by motorhome as part of a summer holiday that are considered to be little discovered and therefore offer not only rest and relaxation, but also a little adventure and lots of new things to discover: Albania is undoubtedly one of them.
We first drive towards "Han i Hotit", the border crossing between Albania and Montenegro. The huge stone cross high up on the mountain can be seen from afar and can serve as a signpost. The road quickly climbs to almost 800 meters, and we stop a few times along the way to enjoy the wonderful view of Lake Shkoder.
The Cem Gorge - deep insights into the valley of the Kelmend Mountains
At the village of Rrapsh, the wide high valley in the karst mountains opens up until the Cem valley, which is up to 600 meters deep, abruptly joins at the other end. The view that opens up to the visitor here is certainly one of the most impressive attractions in the region. Far below is the Cem Gorge with its steep rock walls, all around the impressive mountains of Kelmend and behind it the peaks in Montenegro to the north. This view into the valley is indescribable, you almost feel like you have been transported to the Grand Canyon. At a parking lot equipped with glass-floor balconies you have the most beautiful views of the gorge - an obligatory photo stop.
Stopover at the Legjenda campsite
Camping Legjenda is located near the border crossing with Montenegro: Muriqan, on the way to Ulcinj, 1 km from Lake Shkodra (Liqeni i Shkodërs), it is only 18 km from the Adriatic. After crossing the town of Shkoder, you can see the Rozafa Fortress (Kështjella Rozafa) on the left, the campsite is located directly below the Rozafa Fortress on the right. The nearby Adriatic coast or the interestingly designed pool at the campsite are ideal for swimming.
Rozafa Fortress – a footpath leads up to the fortress
The Rozafa Fortress is now one of Shkoder's most important sights and can be visited for a small fee. The walk up to the castle takes a few minutes from the Legjenda campsite, first along the main road and then up the fortress road. With the exception of the still solid fortification walls, which mainly date from the Venetian period, most of the buildings within the castle, including the rededicated church-mosque of St. Stephen, have been destroyed or dilapidated. Access to the castle leads through several gates and the massive outer wall. The area enclosed by this includes three courtyards that were separated from each other by secure walls. The outer wall can be climbed in several places, from where you can enjoy the view over the city of Shkodra and Lake Shkadar.
Via the Komani reservoir into the Valbona valley
The ferries of the Komani reservoir, which open up the north-east of Albania with the city of Bajram Curr and the Tropoja region, offer real adventure. Smaller boats and ferries carry people and goods to remote villages, often far away, high above the lake, but only accessible by water. The ferry ride to the Valbona Valley takes around two and a half hours and is very popular with the few tourists left because of the passages between high rock faces and through narrow gorges that are reminiscent of Norwegian fjords. Our conclusion: In any case, it is an absolutely worth seeing tour over the Komani reservoir, regardless of whether you cross the reservoir in your own vehicle or just as a passenger on the passenger ferry, as did some of the international hikers we met on the crossing had met. Everyone wanted to go to the Valbona Valley, the start of the Peaks of the Balkans long-distance hiking trail.
From Shkoder to Tirana – Kruja on the side of the road
Halfway to Tirana is the Kruja fortress, which adjoins the center of Kruja with its almost Ottoman bazaar to the south. The castle lies on a rocky area that slopes steeply on all sides and slopes slightly from east to west like the surrounding terrain. Due to the steep rocks on all sides, there were only two entrances to the fortress. To the west of the fortress there is a small kennel below the rock face, which can be reached through a narrow passage between Tekke and Hamman. There is also a spring there, from which the name of the town of Kruja derives. The fortress houses the museum dedicated to the Albanian national legend Skanderbeg, a defender against the advancing Ottomans in the Middle Ages.
Hotel Baron – pitches open to campers
We continue towards Tirana, where we make a stop at the Hotel Baron to explore the Albanian capital from there. In addition to the secure parking spaces at the hotel, there is a city tour every day at 10 a.m. along the relics from the communist era under Enver Hoca. Walks to the lakes of Tirana are also recommended from Hotel Baron! In summer, the Dajti Ekspres gondola takes visitors quickly up to the local mountain Dajti, which offers a view over the city.
Petrela castle complex – delicacies reward the climb
The town of Petrela is particularly known for its castle, which was part of the defense system of the Albanian prince and national hero Skanderbeg in the fight for freedom against the Ottomans in the 14th century. The castle lies on a pointed mountain west of the village, overlooking the entire Erzen Valley. From here the traffic routes over the Krraba Pass were controlled. The first fortifications probably date back to the 3rd century in Roman times, so traces of their fortifications can still be found on site today. The small fortress dates back to Emperor Justinian, who had the rock fortified to protect Dyrrhachium, today's Durres, from this side. The oldest building still in existence is the tower, the lower parts of which date back to the 5th century.
The expansion of the Ottoman Empire was promoted largely under the Turkish Sultan Mehmed II, who has been nicknamed “the Conqueror” since the capture of Constantinople and other parts of the Balkans for the Ottoman Empire. During several campaigns against the fortress of Kruja in northern Albania in 1466, he had the city wall of the former Roman fort rebuilt and expanded. The place therefore received its current name “Elbasan”, which means “strong fortress” in Turkish.
A very idyllic piece of land that is certainly ideal for more than just hiking, is our unanimous opinion, especially since it is not far from Farma Sotira, a horse farm that has also opened up to camper tourism. And in addition to the horse paddocks and good cuisine from our own products, it also offers attractive destinations for outdoor enthusiasts, whether by mountain bike or on foot.
Find numerous other destinations worth visiting on alaturka.info. And if you prefer to explore Albania in a small group, you will also find an interesting program here.
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